Through three days of action in the 2026 World Junior Championship (WJC), things have gone the way many expected, with the results of each game, though some closer than expected. As we head into the fourth day of group play, the battle for the top spots in each group is going to ramp up.
Germany vs Sweden (1 p.m.)
Germany comes into their third game of the tournament, having lost both of their previous games. They looked a lot better in their second game against Slovakia, throwing 35 shots at the Slovaks goaltender, Michal Pradel (Detroit Red Wings), but only scored once. They lack the offensive firepower to likely go toe-to-toe with Sweden, which has plenty of it in its lineup. Relying on strong goaltending and solid defense will again be where Germany will look to stay close and competitive against Sweden. To this point, Dustin Willhöft has been Germany’s most effective offensive player. He and David Lewandowski (Edmonton Oilers) will need to be at the top of their games to get the offense rolling.
Sweden comes into their matchup against Germany after a tight game against Switzerland yesterday (Dec. 28), pulling away in the third period for a 4-2 win. The Swedes seemed to be outplayed by the Swiss through the first half of the game, and Love Härenstam (St. Louis Blues) stood tall to help keep things in check. They will be looking to put together a full 60-minute performance against a weaker German roster. Their top-end talent, Victor Eklund (New York Islanders) and Anton Frondell (Chicago Blackhawks), will need to step up in the game to help offensively. For the Swedes, their most consistent player offensively seems to be one of the 2026 NHL Draft’s top prospects, Ivar Stenberg. Stenberg has been solid in both games in his first Under-20 WJC and has made an impact at both ends of the ice.
Favorite: Sweden
Players to Watch: Dustin Willhöft (Germany), Timo Kose (Germany), Ivar Stenberg (Sweden), Viggo Björck (Sweden)
Finland vs Czechia (3:30 p.m.)
Finland’s toughest matchup to this point in the tournament comes against Czechia. In their first two games, they have outscored their opponents 14-2 (Denmark and Latvia), and they were clicking offensively against Latvia in their 8-0 yesterday. The chemistry that the Finns have with the puck movement in the offensive zone will be a challenge for Czechia to keep in check, but the Czechs do have the defensive game to slow it down. After losing the likes of Jesse Nurmi (New York Islanders), Jesse Kiiskinen (Detroit Red Wings), and Konsta Helenius (Buffalo Sabres), the offensive firepower has been filled by players like Emil Hemming (Dallas Stars) and Jasper Kuhta.
Goaltender Petteri Rimpinen (Los Angeles Kings) has not been challenged a lot to this point, but that is certainly going to change against Czechia. Rimpinen playing like he did last year, which led to him winning the tournament’s best goalkeeper award, will be a major key to a Finland win.
Related: Guide to the 2026 World Junior Championship
Czechia’s offense has been rolling through their first two games, just like Finland’s. They have four players with at least four points, with defenseman Tomáš Galvas leading the way with five points. Václav Nestrašil (Chicago Blackhawks) has been a standout for the Czechs to this point and is one of three players on the team with four points. It will be interesting to see who they go with in the net against Finland, having split the two games between Michal Oršulák (six goals allowed against Canada) and Matyas Man (two goals allowed against Denmark).
The Czechs will need their defense to slow down the Finnish offensive talent if they want a chance at their second win of the tournament and to create a logjam at the top of Group B.
Favorite: Finland
Players to Watch: Petteri Rimpinen (Finland), Kasper Kuhta (Finland), Václav Nestrašil (Czechia), Tomáš Galvas (Czechia)
Slovakia vs United States (6:00 p.m.)
Slovakia comes in after a hard-fought game against the Germans, pulling away for a 4-1 win, and will need more of the same when it comes to the offensive side of the puck, especially from Tomas Chrenko, who had a hat-trick against Germany. They will need more offensive help from other players, as they have scored only six times in their first two games. Players like Ján Chovan (Los Angeles Kings) and Michal Svrček (Detroit Red Wings) will be two to keep an eye on in the game. Having Luka Radivojevič in the lineup for the second straight game will help bring added stability to the backend of the ice against a United States team that moves the puck well and has good speed. Radivjevič also adds some needed offense from his defenseman spot.
The Americans have won both of their games so far, but the biggest downfall, it seems, has been their power play. They have gone scoreless in six opportunities and at some point need to get their units rolling if they want to make a deep run in this year’s tournament. The loss of Cole Hutson (Washington Capitals) in their last game against Switzerland did not help the power play, as he is the “quarterback” on the top unit. He is currently day-to-day and may not play against the Slovaks, so someone will need to step up and fill his spot on the unit.
Outside of the power play, the United States has played a solid tournament and has gotten production from the entire lineup. Will Zellers (Boston Bruins) has led the Americans not just in points but also with his all-around play, and it has been contagious for the rest of the roster. Playing a solid defensive game will be key to an American win against Slovakia.
Favorite: United States
Players to Watch: Ján Chovan (Slovakia), Tomas Chrenko (Czechia), Brodie Ziemer (United States), Chase Reid (United States)
Canada vs Denmark (8:30 p.m.)
After two tightly contested games to start their tournament, Canada gets a game in which they should control every aspect. They were in a dogfight against Latvia again this year when they played on Dec. 27, but came out on the right side compared to last year and were not able to get their all-around game truly going.
Their top talent has not gotten going quite yet, with Michael Misa (San Jose Sharks) seeming to be shaking off some of the rust from not being in a ton of game action this season, and Gavin McKenna not being able to break through in five-on-five play much. Defensively, Canada has not been locked in 100%, which has led to more opportunities for their opponents than they would like, so this game will be a big one to get things in check and back on track.
Denmark will face a Canadian team looking to make a statement and show that they are the team many thought would be in the tournament. Denmark has been outscored 13-4 in their first two games against Finland and Czechia, with their netminder, Anton Wilde, facing the most shots in the tournament (96). The Canadians will overpower them, so keeping the front of the net clean to help Wilde see shots coming at him will be key to slowing Canada down a bit. With a loss, Denmark will drop to 0-3 in the tournament and need a win against Latvia tomorrow (Dec. 30) to avoid the relegation game.
Favorite: Canada
Players to Watch: Michael Misa (Canada), Ethan MacKenzie (Canada), Oliver Larsen (Denmark), Emil Jakobsen (Denmark)
Seeding Could Come Together After Day 4
With only two more days after today, the seedings of both groups could begin to take shape with today’s games. Whether it is staying out of the bottom spot of a group or establishing yourself as a top-two team, the results of these games are going to be just a little more crucial than on other days. A full slate of hockey that has plenty of storylines and things to keep an eye on makes for yet another exciting day in Minnesota at the 2026 WJC.
