The 2026 World Junior Championship (WJC) is set to take place beginning on Dec. 26, with games running through Jan. 5. The tournament takes place in Minnesota this year, but young hockey players from all over the world will be representing their home countries on the international stage.
Team Sweden is looking for some redemption after last year, when they placed fourth in the competition. They would love to take home a medal this year and are bringing a roster of elite talent, including some repeats from last tournament. Here are the players you should keep an eye on as the tournament gets underway.
Milton Gastrin
Milton Gastrin, an 18-year-old forward, will be showing up to the WJC once again. He was drafted this year by the Washington Capitals, but has been playing with MoDo Hockey. He has 18 points in 25 games this season. In last year’s WJC tournament, he tallied an impressive 10 points in seven games.
He is known to be a two-way player who is consistent in every zone on the ice. Whether it is opening a lane for a sharp pass, winning puck battles, or moving it across the rink, Gastrin is sure to find a way to make a play no matter where he is. He is a playmaker and a leader, serving as team captain in last year’s tournament.
Anton Frondell
Frondell’s talent is no secret — he was drafted third overall by the Chicago Blackhawks this year. He plays both center and left wing, making him a versatile player who can fill in where needed. With Djurgårdens IF this season, he has 10 goals and 15 points in 25 games. Frondell has an elite ability to get open, beat defenders for rebounds, and read the plays well in advance to capitalize on them.
This will also be Frondell’s second appearance in the WJC. Last year, he played five games, notching three points. This year, he will serve as one of the alternate captains, so expect to see him on the ice in most (if not all) of Sweden’s games.
Victor Eklund
Another alternate captain for the tournament is Victor Eklund, who was also drafted this year by the New York Islanders. His brother, William, plays in the NHL for the San Jose Sharks. Eklund is teammates with Frondell on Djurgårdens IF, where he has tallied 11 points in 25 games. He is a playmaker — 10 of those points have come from assists.
Eklund is a player who is noticeably faster than many others on the ice. He beats other skaters to open ice and exhausts defenders with his pace. His ability to outskate and outwit opponents makes him the perfect teammate for high-scoring forwards. He is clever in his playmaking and will be a solid asset to Sweden’s medal run this year.
Sascha Boumedienne
Sascha Boumedienne is in his sophomore season at Boston University and will be making his second appearance at the WJC. With Boston this season, the defenseman has tallied six points in 17 games. This year, he was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets.
He is relatively small as far as defenders go, standing at a tall 6-foot-2, but just 190 pounds. However, he is extremely attentive, constantly scanning the ice to read plays and fighting for the puck when the time comes. He is known to be strong on the power play and speedy on the ice. He’s also a playmaker, similar to Eklund. At last year’s tournament, he had 13 assists in seven games.
Love Härenstam
Love Härenstam stands out among the three goalies chosen for Sweden’s final roster due to his recent success with Södertälje SK. This season, he has played with both the HockeyAllsvenskan team and at the national level, totaling 21 games. With HockeyAllsvenskan, he has a 1.90 goals-against average (GAA) and an impressive .918 save percentage (SV%). His numbers are similar with the U20 Nationell team — 1.92 GAA and a .915 SV%.
Härenstam was drafted in the sixth round this year by the St. Louis Blues. He is known to be very skilled and athletic, and, per Elite Prospects, “makes extremely difficult saves look easy.” He will join a three-goalie tandem alongside Herman Liv and Måns Goos.
Will Sweden be able to medal in this year’s tournament? They certainly have the talent, speed, playmaking, and defensive ability to do so. The key will be to take early leads and win games at the start of the tournament in order to advance. Pacing is essential, too — it is a long series of games to the final.
Keep your eye on The Hockey Writers for continued coverage of Team Sweden and the World Junior Championship. All player statistics via Elite Prospects.
