The annual Under-20 World Junior Championship (U20 WJC) is a stage for upcoming draft-eligible players to showcase their talents to NHL scouts, as well as already drafted players to show their respective organizations what they can do on the ice. At the 2026 WJC, the Detroit Red Wings had five of their prospects representing their home countries. Each player had different levels of success and performance.
Carter Bear- Canada
After being general manager (GM) Steve Yzerman‘s first-round pick at the 2025 Draft, Carter Bear got himself healthy for this season after an Achilles tear shortened his draft-year season and earned himself a spot on Canada’s roster for this year’s tournament. On a deep Canadian roster, Bear was unable to make a true impact at the tournament, playing in only two of the seven games and seeing less than 10 minutes of ice time.
While the tournament did not go as hoped for Bear, he will be returning to the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League (WHL), where he has averaged over a point per game, tallying 27 points in just 23 games.
Eddie Genborg- Sweden
A second-round pick from this past draft, the Red Wings have been excited about the play and development of Eddie Genborg. Genborg has looked solid in his first full season in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) and earned a spot on Sweden’s World Juniors roster. He was slotted in on the second line on the wing with two of the 2026 Draft’s top prospects, Ivar Stenberg and Viggo Björck.
While Genborg’s numbers were solid for the Swedes (three goals, five assists), his play away from the puck is what stood out. He was relentless on both ends of the ice and made a major impact for the Swedes when he didn’t have the puck on his stick. His two-way game is one of the biggest reasons that Yzerman and the Red Wings were happy they were able to get him in the second round, and he was a key reason that Sweden ended up winning gold at this year’s WJC.
Max Plante- United States
Another prospect who plays a strong two-way game, and whom the organization has been excited about, there were high hopes that Max Plante could help the United States win their third consecutive WJC, but an injury cut his tournament short, playing in only three games. But, in those three games, he showed why he has been one of the NCAA’s most consistent offensive producers and well-rounded players. He only chipped in with one goal, but was always around the play in the offensive zone.
On the defensive side of the puck, his work ethic and motor were on full display, constantly being one of the first players in on a forecheck, looking to force turnovers and turning it into offense, and he was solid in his own end of the ice as well. The hope is that the upper-body injury he has does not keep him out long, as he returns to the University of Minnesota-Duluth, looking to finish his sophomore season on a high note.
Michal Pradel- Slovakia
The only goaltender with ties to the Red Wings organization at this year’s tournament, after Trey Augustine (United States) aged out of eligibility, Michal Pradel had an up-and-down performance for Slovakia. He played in a total of four games for the Slovaks, and at times looked really strong. In their loss to the United States on Dec. 29, Pradel was one of the main reasons the Americans did not pull away, as the game finished 6-5.
Related: Meet the Red Wings’ 2025 Draft Class
But on the other side of the coin, against Canada in the quarterfinals on Jan. 2, he struggled and was quickly pulled after allowing three goals on just nine shots. He finished the tournament with one win, a 4.11 goals-against average (GAA), and a .877 save percentage (SV%), and was named one of Slovakia’s three best players of the tournament.
The good news for Pradel is that he is one of 18 players on this year’s Slovakia roster who can return for next year’s tournament, so a strong finish to his season with the Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League (USHL) could help get him back on the roster for next year again.
Michal Svrček- Slovakia
The fourth player from the Red Wings’ 2025 draft class at the tournament, Michal Svrček, played solid minutes for the Slovaks at this year’s tournament, but the numbers just did not show it. He tallied only one goal in the tournament (vs. the United States), while also earning plenty of solid chances throughout the tournament. He showed off the speed and pace he can play at, and is another player eligible to play in next year’s tournament.
A Mixed Bag of Success
While Genborg helped lead Sweden to a gold medal, the likes of Bear and Plante did not have their tournament experiences go the way they had hoped. Either way, there is still plenty of excitement to be had with the mix of aforementioned prospects and those who are elsewhere within the Red Wings’ pipeline.
