Welcome back to The Journey, where we track the development of prospects as they excel in junior, make the NHL, and push towards stardom.

****

With the festive buzz of the World Junior Championship (WJC) still in the air, let's stick with the holiday spirit and shift our focus to the teams looking to stand in Team Canada's way of a goal medal. Today I will spotlight Team Sweden, Team USA, and Team Finland. By next week this time, the WJC action will already be heating up, so let's dive into a quick preview of these main contenders. For those who might be new to the WJC scene, here's the breakdown: the tournament features two groups of five teams each. They battle it out in a round-robin stage to secure their seeding before heading into the knock-stages. Group A features Canada, USA, Finland, Germany, and Latvia which is a stacked group that's going to provide fireworks right from the start. Meanwhile, over in Group B, you've got Czechia, Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Switzerland, and Sweden. This group looks equally competitive, with Sweden entering as the clear front-runner. Let's get into it!

Team Czechia

Team Czechia is heading into the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship with high hopes of coming back with a medal. After back-to-back medal performances, the Czechs are eyeing a third straight podium finish. Their lineup offers a solid mix of seasoned veterans and promising youth, highlighted by returnees from last year's bronze-medal squad. Among them is Eduard Sale, who, if selected, will cap off his junior career with a third tournament appearance. While the team will miss key players like Radim Mrtka and Maximilian Curran, they still pack a punch with 13 NHL draftees showcasing their depth and star potential.

Between the pipes, Michael Hrabal is primed to handle the starting duties. He has been solid at UMass, rocking a 2.49 GAA and a .917 SV%. All signs point to Hrabal being the starter, with Jan Kavan and Jakub Milota as backups. On the blue line, NHL prospects Adam Jiricek (St. Louis Blues) Jakub Dvorak (LA Kings) and Matteo Koci lead the charge. Up front, the offense flows through Sale, who's racked up 13 points in 20 games with the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Backing him are dynamic forwards like Jakub Stancl (32 points in 26 games), Adam Zidlicky (32 points in 27 games), and Matěj Mastalirsky. Czechia has proven over the past two tournaments that they're hungry and capable of delivering on the big stage. But powerhouses like Canada, the USA, and Sweden in the hunt, so another podium finish will be no easy feat.

Team Finland

Finland has not yet released their final roster; however, they are down to the wire, only needing to cut at least one player. We have a good idea as to how the team will shape.  Up front, they've got a strong group, with top Sabre prospect Konsta Helenius as their lead top center. He is the quintessential Finnish hockey player, tactical, methodical and very reliable. Joining him will be Kasper Halttunen (San Jose), Emil Hemming (Dallas Stars), Jesse Nurmi (New York Islanders), and Tuomas Uronen (Vegas Golden Knights), all expected to contribute offensively.

On defense, things are a bit more uncertain. There's no clear-cut No. 1 blueliner, but Minnesota prospect Aron Kiviharju will likely to take on that role. He's done it before in international play, but this team will need solid chemistry and a collective effort to succeed.

In net, Finland surprised many by leaving Eemil Vinni (Edmonton Oilers) off the roster and instead, they have gone with two undrafted prospect goalies in Petteri Rimpinen and Noa Vali along with Seattle Kraken prospect goalie Kim Saarinen. There is no clear-cut number one in this case as well so it will be interesting to see how they share the crease but I would suspect that Rimpinen and Saarinen to be the top two.  Finland is looking for their own redemption after falling short against Czechia in the bronze medal game but they'll need to hit the ground running, as they open against Canada in their first game.

Team Sweden

Following Canada's lead, Sweden locked in its roster, and there's plenty to get excited about. Leading the charge is Victor Eklund, a name you'll hear a lot ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft. Projected as a top pick, Eklund's inclusion highlights just how deep and well-rounded this squad is heading into the tournament. Sweden enters as a perennial gold medal contender, and rightly so. Their blue line is an absolute fortress, while their goaltending trio are all NHL draft picks. Melker Thelin will likely suit up as Sweden's starter and Gidlöf has the potential to establish himself as a top international goaltender, providing Sweden with a strong foundation in net for upcoming tournaments.

On defense, Alex Sandin-Pellikka is clearly the centerpiece. The Detroit Red Wings prospect isn't just Sweden's top blueliner—he's arguably their best player. Sandin-Pellikka's blend of stability and creativity will anchor Sweden's backend. He has recorded 8 goals and 14 assists in 25 games with Skellefteå AIK in Sweden. In addition, Tom Willander and Theo Lindstein are having strong years with their respective clubs and will add to make this a strong trio to an already impressive group.

Otto Stenberg is back for more. The St. Louis Blues prospect stole the spotlight last year with a hat-trick performance versus Germany. Nashville Predators prospect David Edstrom will likely center the top line, bringing smart, two-way play that pairs perfectly with Stenberg's offensive spark. Then there's Victor Eklund. The only first-year draft-eligible player on the roster, but does not play anything like it. His speed, tenacity, and ability to impact every shift, whether through physicality or playmaking show that he is mature well beyond his years.

If there's any question mark for Sweden, it's their forward depth. It's not a weakness, but compared to their elite defense, it's not as stacked. That said, their overall balance makes them a clear favorite alongside Canada and the USA. Sweden should dominate their group stages as they are the favourite however the real fun begins in the knockout rounds—where gold is on the line, and Sweden has every reason to believe it's theirs for the taking.

Team USA

Team USA to officially announced their roster a couple of days ago. No major shockers so far—except for Quentin Musty's absence. I figured he'd at least get an invite, but here we are.

In net, Team USA looks rock solid as Trey Augustine returns and enters the tournament as arguably the best goalie in the World Juniors and player on Team USA. He can easily change the outcome of a game with his play. It is safe to assume Team USA is set between the pipes.

On defense, Zeev Buium is ready to take the reins. He currently is leading all NCAA blueliners in scoring, and will anchor the backend with his dynamic, all-around game. Along with Buium, Cole Hutson was also announced as an addition to the team. I thought EJ Emery would have also made the cut and paired up with Hutson as their NTDP chemistry is well-documented, buy Team USA see's things differently.

Up front, Team USA brings back some heavy hitters: Gabe Perreault, Ryan Leonard, and returning names like Oliver Moore, Carey Terrance, and Danny Nelson are back. Moore should be a lock for a middle-six center role, where his all-situations play will shine. Teddy Stiga is able to provide versatility and could bounce anywhere in the lineup. He also has great chemistry with Cole Eiserman and James Hagens in the past—definitely something USA could entertain. 

All in all, Team USA looks primed to ice a competitive roster with a solid mix of experience, chemistry, and top-tier talent. Much like last year the USA squad is top heavy with an extremely strong first line, however, their forward depth may be their weak point. Make no mistake, this team is still a top contender to take it all. The stage is set for what should be an electrifying World Juniors campaign.

Thanks for reading! See you next week. For more content/fantasy hockey analysis, or if there’s a prospect, you’d like me to cover, follow and message me on X @Punters_hockey.