Atlantic Notes: Ullmark, Hakanpaa, Panthers, Cirelli
The Senators won’t have goaltender Linus Ullmark back for tonight’s game against Minnesota. However, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch relays (Twitter link) that the veteran is nearing a return and is expected to accompany the team on its upcoming four-game road trip that begins on Monday. Ullmark has missed nearly six weeks now due to a back injury. He had settled in well before being sidelined with a 2.38 GAA and a .915 SV% in 23 appearances. Fortunately for Ottawa, prospect Leevi Merilainen has played quite well since being promoted in Ullmark’s absence, helping the Sens not only hang around the playoff picture but actually enter play today in a top-three seed in the division.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic:
- The Maple Leafs announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Jani Hakanpaa will not play in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off due to his ongoing knee injury. He has been limited to just two appearances with Toronto this season, both of those coming in mid-November. He becomes the second blueliner that Team Finland will need to replace with Miro Heiskanen also out of commission.
- Panthers winger Mackie Samoskevich was scratched for today’s contest versus Chicago due to illness, relays Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). The 22-year-old has done well in his first full NHL season, collecting 16 points in 47 games so far. His spot in the lineup was taken by winger Jonah Gadjovich, who made his return after missing nearly six weeks with an upper-body injury. Gadjovich picked up his second goal of the season early on in the game.
- Lightning center Anthony Cirelli is listed as a game-time decision for tonight’s contest against the Islanders, relays team reporter Benjamin Pierce (Twitter link). It’s unclear if Cirelli is under the weather or just dealing with a minor injury. Cirelli has 19 goals and 20 assists in 49 games this season while logging 18:56 per game, a career-high. Considering his personal best in points is 45, he’s well on his way to establishing a new benchmark in that category as well.
Big Hype Prospects: Hagens, McKenna, Reber, Hynninen
The top flight of the World Junior Championships kicks off on Thursday. This year brings a wealth of strong international teams to Ottawa, Canada to face off against a loaded Team Canada roster. The last two tournaments hosted in Canada have both ended in a Canadian gold medal. The red-and-white will look to repeat those results this year, adding to their record-setting 20 titles. Team USA will look to curb that by becoming the first country other than Canada to win back-to-back golds since Russia in 2002 and 2003. With so much on the line, we’ll borrow a page from MLB Trade Rumors‘ Big Hype Prospect series to bring you four must-watch players this tournament.
Four Big Hype Prospects
James Hagens, C, Boston College (NCAA Hockey East, 2025 NHL Draft)
16 GP – 5 G – 15 A – 20 P – 4 PIM – +15 +/-
This year’s World Juniors will be headlined by 2025 NHL Draft talent. Nearly every team has a top prospect to showcase. Canada seems set to award Matthew Schaefer and Porter Martone – strong candidates for first-overall – with strong lineup roles. Sweden is bringing electric scorer Victor Eklund, younger brother of 2021 seventh-overall pick William Eklund. Even Slovakia is joining in, bringing Tomas Pobezal after a dazzling start to his second pro season. But of the many draft prospects looking to stake their claim, it seems Team USA star James Hagens has the most to prove.
Hagens has been electric for the BC Eagles this season. He’s seamlessly filled the hole between Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard that William Smith vacated in his move to the NHL. It took Hagens a small while to find his footing, but he’s fired on all cylinders as of late – with four goals and nine points in his last seven games. He’s been dynamic in all regards, but now faces the battle of proving his case for first-overall against a loaded Canadian offense. Hagens ended his last international stint – last season’s World U18 Championships – with a record-breaking 22 points in just seven games. But the wind seems against him, especially after the dazzling showing that Schaefer and Martone had at the CHL/NTDP matchup. Hagens may need to bring generational offense to this tournament as well if he wants to hang onto the top-of-the-draft hype he’s built over the last few seasons.
Gavin McKenna, F, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL, 2026 NHL Draft)
30 GP – 19 G – 41 A – 60 P – 8 PIM – +24 +/-
It’s not every year that looming draft talents make up so much of the World Juniors’ starring cast. This year, hockey fans get an even richer scene, with superstar 2026-prospect Gavin McKenna set to support the host city. Where Hagens set the U18-Championship scoring record last Spring, McKenna set the tournament record for players playing up a year – with 20 points in seven games. He’s another truly dynamic star, with an incredible ability to create space and beat goalies with speed and poise. McKenna, who turned 17 last week, has had to earn his way into Canada’s lineup during pre-tournament action. He started as the extra forward, then went without any scoring in back-to-back games when he received hardy minutes. But with a goal in Canada’s final pre-tourney matchup against Czechia, McKenna made it clear that he’s ready for a productive tournament. Canada features a lot of exciting offensive ability this year. Calum Ritchie brings near-pro-level playmaking, while Berkly Catton, Bradly Nadeau, and Easton Cowan have earned plenty of NHL hype. But it will be McKenna that paves his road ahead with this tournament – as he looks to join the ranks of Canadian legends Connor Bedard, John Tavares, and Sidney Crosby with a dazzling World Junior showing in his age-17 season.
Jamiro Reber, C/LW, HV71 (SHL, 2025 NHL Draft Overager)
25 GP – 7 G – 7 A – 14 P – 2 PIM – -5 +/-
Representing central Europe in the upcoming NHL Draft will be a shared task, but 18-year-old Jamiro Reber should carry plenty of attention early on. He’s been a surprise showing in Sweden’s SHL, working his way into HV71’s middle-six after starting the year in the U20 league. He’s a stout, two-way forward who’s earned his keep with his ability to work with his linemates and finish plays in front. But now, he’ll join Team Switzerland in an uphill battle at this tournament. Reber has just one point in seven international friendlies with Switzerland’s U20 team this season – matching his scoring in five World Junior games last season. The pair of showings line up with Reber’s tendency to score less internationally – when he’s leaned on as a star play-driver. This tournament will be the chance to buck that trend on the heels of a red-hot start to his pro career – and how he takes to the role could be a big sway in Switzerland’s success.
Topian Hynninen, C/LW, Jukurit (Liiga, 2025 NHL Draft Overager)
32 GP – 7 G – 17 A – 24 P – 2 PIM – 0 +/-
While Reber represents central Europe, Topias Hynninen will look to bring the attention of NHL scouts back to Scandinavia. The flashy forward was also overlooked in last year’s draft after netting a measly nine points in 43 games as a Liiga rookie. That lack of scoring landed him off of the World Junior roster, despite three points in five World U-18 games in 2023. But Hynninen has taken to the year of learning well. He’s launched himself into Jukurit’s top-six and scored 24 points in 32 games along the way – tied for second-most on the team. He’s shown talent all over the ice, using fast and tireless skating, gritty hitting, and heads-up offense to gel with his linemates at even-strength and on the man-advantage. Hynninen has already scored six points in seven games with Team Finland this season, and could be set for a smash tournament after a year-long absence from any notable tournaments. He’s shown an ability to either drive play himself from the middle-lane, or support his linemates from the flanks – and could be called upon for both as Finland fights for their place in a crowded top-end. He’ll be heavy-utilized, and a strong tournament could land him a high selection at next year’s Draft.
Poll: Which Team Will Win The 4 Nations Face-Off?
We are nearly two months away from the start of the 4 Nations Face-Off. NHL players from Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States will compete in the best-on-best matchup for an in-season tournament from February 12 through 20th, 2025. Rosters were recently released on December 4th and each country has a reason to be optimistic about their chances.
Canada objectively has the most star power on their roster and it’s not close. Most teams have trouble dealing with Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid on any given night and he’ll now be joined by the likes of Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Mitch Marner, and Cale Makar, among others, in the lineup. The only question mark for Team Canada will be in the crease as the combination of Jordan Binnington, Adin Hill, and Sam Montembeault have only combined for an approximated .900 SV% for their respective clubs this season.
One team’s weakness is another team’s strength. The United States will deploy the trio of Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger, and Jeremy Swayman in the net giving them an automatic chance to win every game. Team USA should be able to spread the wealth on offense by separating the trio of Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, and Kyle Connor onto their lines and allowing the puck-movers on defense to lead from the blue line. There were some notable absences from Team USA’s eventual roster but it’s tough to count them out of any game with their impressive conglomeration of netminders.
Team Sweden won’t have nearly the same star power on offense as their North American counterparts but does arguably have the tournament’s best blue line. Erik Karlsson, Victor Hedman, Rasmus Andersson, and Rasmus Dahlin are more than capable puck-moving defensive while Mattias Ekholm, Gustav Forsling, and Jonas Brodin are some of the best shutdown defensemen in the league. Sweden’s success in this tournament will be directly correlated with their defensive core.
Rounding out the group is Team Finland who will be bringing one of the stingiest groups to Montreal and Boston. Finland’s success will be connected to how well they can keep games close between their respective counterparts. Sebastian Aho, Aleksander Barkov, and Mikko Rantanen will be relied upon for most of Finland’s offense. Opposing teams will run into annoyance with Finland, having to beat Juuse Saros after getting through a staunch defense.
The rosters can and likely will change based on the health and availability of players heading into the tournament but the final group will look similar to how they are constructed today. Now the crystal ball is being passed to you — who do you think will win the 4 Nations Face-Off in February? Vote below!
NHL Announces Finland’s Roster For 4 Nations Face-Off
The NHL has confirmed Finland’s 23-man roster for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off in February:
F Sebastian Aho (Hurricanes)
F Joel Armia (Canadiens)
F Aleksander Barkov (Panthers)
F Mikael Granlund (Sharks)
F Erik Haula (Devils)
F Roope Hintz (Stars)
F Kaapo Kakko (Rangers)
F Patrik Laine (Canadiens)
F Artturi Lehkonen (Avalanche)
F Anton Lundell (Panthers)
F Eetu Luostarinen (Panthers)
F Mikko Rantanen (Avalanche)
F Teuvo Teräväinen (Blackhawks)
D Jani Hakanpää (Maple Leafs)
D Miro Heiskanen (Stars)
D Esa Lindell (Stars)
D Niko Mikkola (Panthers)
D Olli Määttä (Utah)
D Rasmus Ristolainen (Flyers)
D Juuso Välimäki (Utah)
G Kevin Lankinen (Canucks)
G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Sabres)
G Juuse Saros (Predators)
As expected, Team Finland will boast an adequately deep forward group led by Barkov, Rantanen, and Aho. The trio has combined for 86 points in 69 games for their respective organizations and should help Finland in the goal-scoring department. There will be a few more question marks toward the bottom of their offensive structure as Armia and Haula don’t necessarily jump off the page as international stars.
Goaltending won’t be an issue unless Saros is injured at any point during the event. He’s been objectively elite for the last nine years, collecting 188 wins in 353 starts (.532 W%) with a .917 save percentage and 2.63 goals-against average. Toss in four finishes in the top-five of Vezina Trophy voting and Team Finland has one of the most consistently good goaltenders over the last decade. It’ll be interesting to see whom the Finnish coaching staff tabs as their backup netminder given that Lankinen and Luukkonen are enjoying relatively similar seasons.
The real question marks for Finland lie on the blue line. Heiskanen is the only above-average puck-moving defenseman on the roster as he’s scored 24 goals and 140 points in his last 174 games in Dallas. The rest of the defensive group is comprised of ‘shutdown’ defensemen or at the very least defensemen not known for their offensive prowess.
Finland’s objective may have been to build their roster from the crease. Saros has been a top goaltender regardless of the defensemen playing in front of him and his skill may be even more highlighted with an entire group of defensive defensemen in front of him. If they keep the games close, Finland could succeed by relying on the abovementioned forwards to score clutch goals.
Atlantic Notes: Ostapchuk, Zub, Laine, Slafkovský, Motte, Benson
The Senators papered Zack Ostapchuk back up to the active roster today after sending him down to AHL Belleville yesterday, per a team announcement.
Ottawa has now recalled the young center on three separate occasions this season. After initially cutting him from their roster on the final day of training camp, he’s been recalled thrice in the past week to serve as an injury fill-in while David Perron and Shane Pinto are out of the lineup.
Ostapchuk has served as the Sens’ third-line center between Noah Gregor and Michael Amadio and will do so again against the Sabres tomorrow, according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia. The 21-year-old went without a point in seven appearances last season but has managed to get on the scoresheet in 2024-25, recording his first career assist and a +1 rating while averaging 11:55 through three games.
While Ottawa will remain without Perron and Pinto for a while yet, they’re getting healthier on the back end. Defenseman Artem Zub will make his return from a concussion “sooner than later,” Garrioch said today. He’s been practicing with the team for the better part of the past week but will likely miss his ninth straight game Tuesday in Buffalo. He sustained the concussion in the Sens’ third game of the season against the Kings on a hit from L.A. winger Tanner Jeannot.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Canadiens winger Patrik Laine hasn’t yet debuted for the team after sustaining a knee injury in preseason, but his return timeline predicates he’ll hit the ice and return to regular-season action sometime next month. He’s still done enough throughout his career to put himself in consideration for a spot on Finland’s roster for February’s 4 Nations Face-Off, general manager Jere Lehtinen told Shawn P. Roarke of NHL.com. There’s a solid chance he won’t get to see game action before rosters for the tournament are due in early December, but leaving him off the roster would leave the already-underdog Finns without a dynamic offensive talent. Health has been a significant hurdle for Laine over the past few years, but his 0.91 points per game since the beginning of the 2021-22 season rank fourth among Finnish NHLers behind Mikko Rantanen, Aleksander Barkov and Sebastian Aho.
- Still with the Habs, winger Juraj Slafkovský practiced today after leaving Saturday’s loss to the Penguins late after a high hit from Pittsburgh forward Noel Acciari, relays Patrick Friolet of RDS. Slafkovský confirmed to reporters that he didn’t suffer a concussion on the play and will remain in the lineup against the Flames tomorrow, albeit in a slightly reduced second-line role alongside Jake Evans and Alex Newhook, while Kirby Dach takes his spot on the top-line alongside Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. Slafkovský, 20, already missed three games earlier this season with a shoulder injury. When in the lineup, he has a goal and seven assists in nine appearances.
- The Red Wings will have forward Tyler Motte available on Wednesday against the Blackhawks after he missed the last seven games with an upper-body injury, head coach Derek Lalonde told reporters today, including Ansar Khan of MLive.com. However, he may still be out of the lineup as a healthy scratch after Detroit escaped their division-rival Sabres with a 2-1 win over the weekend. Signed to a one-year, $800K deal on the second day of free agency, Motte did not have a point with a -2 rating in four appearances with Detroit before exiting the lineup.
- The Sabres may activate winger Zach Benson from injured reserve before tomorrow’s contest against the Sens, head coach Lindy Ruff told Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News. The 19-year-old has sat out the last five games with a lower-body injury he sustained in their Global Series games against the Devils that never wholly resolved. It showed in his performance, as he was held off the scoresheet and logged a -4 rating in six appearances when in the lineup for Buffalo last month.
Boston, Montreal To Host 2025 4 Nations Face-Off
The NHL has announced that the inaugural 2025 4 Nations Face-Off – a best-on-best tournament featuring Canada, America, Sweden, and Finland – will be hosted in Boston’s TD Garden and Montreal’s Bell Centre (Twitter link). The festivities will include a rivalry day on Saturday, February 15 – with Team Finland and Team Sweden squaring off in the afternoon and Team USA set to face Team Canada that evening. The tournament will kick off in Montreal on February 12th, while Boston will host the tournament’s championship game on February 20th.
The 2025 4 Nations Face-Off was announced at the 2024 NHL All-Star Game and is intended to serve as a preparatory tournament to the 2026 Winter Olympics and will take place in place of an All-Star Weekend. The tournament will take place on NHL-sized rinks and follow NHL rules. The league also shared its intention to host the 2028 and 2032 World Cups of Hockey – a pre-season tournament that hasn’t been hosted since 2016, when it famously featured Team North America – a team comprised solely of U23 players from the USA and Canada.
While the addition of more international best-on-best tournaments is something fans have clamored for, the increase isn’t coming without controversy. Team Czechia is a notable exclusion from the 4 Nations lineup, after winning the 2024 World Championship. The four countries featured are four of the five most-represented nations in the NHL, joined by Russia, which is excluded from all IIHF competitions.
The early pieces of the 4 Nations tournament are coming into view, with Team USA already naming Mike Sullivan for 4 Nations and the 2026 Olympics. His appointment was made by Team USA general manager Bill Guerin, who is presiding over both events. Guerin is supported by other NHL GMs Chris Drury, Tom Fitzgerald, and Bill Zito as his assistants, and Chris Kelleher as ‘Director of Player Personnel’. Team Canada has also named its management staff, announcing that Don Sweeney will serve as GM, with Jim Nill as his associate GM. Fans can expect to see rosters come together soon as well, per TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie, who shares that the first six players of all four rosters will be announced during the NHL Draft’s first round on June 28 (Twitter link).
Team Finland Announces Final 2024 World Championship Roster
Team Finland has finalized their roster for the 2024 IIHF World Championship, with the additions of Jesse Puljujarvi and Valtteri Puustinen bringing the lineup to a full 23 skaters and three goalies. The lineup isn’t too deep with NHL talent, though it does feature top 2024 NHL Draft prospect Konsta Helenius, who joined the Men’s squad after posting seven points, all assists, in five games at the World U18 Championship. Helenius will have a chance to learn from San Jose Sharks centerman Mikael Granlund – who plays a similar pass-first, high-tempo style. Finland will hope the duo can click, with the support of NHL wingers, as they chase their third gold medal over the last five World Championships.
The full roster is as follows:
F Hannes Björninen (Örebro, SHL)
F Mikael Granlund (Sharks, NHL)
F Konsta Helenius (Jukurit, Liiga)
F Arttu Hyry (Kärpät, Liiga)
F Jere Innala (Frölunda, SHL)
F Juha Jääskä (HIFK, Liiga)
F Pekka Jormakka (Jukurit, Liiga)
F Oliver Kapanen (KalPa, Liiga, Canadiens)
F Saku Mäenalanen (SCL, National League)
F Ahti Oksanen (Oskarshamn, SHL)
F Iiro Pakarinen (HIFK, Liiga)
F Patrik Puistola (Jukurit, Liiga)
F Jesse Puljujarvi (Penguins, NHL)
F Valtteri Puustinen (Penguins, NHL)
D Oliwer Kaski (HV71, SHL)
D Mikko Lehtonen (ZSC, National League)
D Olli Määttä (Red Wings, NHL)
D Jesper Mattila (KalPa, Liiga)
D Juuso Riikola (SCL, National League)
D Rasmus Rissanen (Örebro, SHL)
D Vili Saarijärvi (SCL, National League)
D Veli-Matti Vittasmäki (Tappara, Liiga)
G Emil Larmi (Växjö, SHL)
G Lassi Lehtinen (MoDo, SHL)
G Harri Säteri (Biel, National League)
The World Championship is set to kick off in Ostrava and Prague, Czechia beginning on May 10. Finland will once again be commanded by head coach Jukka Jalonen set to coach in his 10th World Championship. Jalonen has also manned the Finnish bench at the World Juniors and served as a coach in the KHL and Liiga. He now works with Finland’s Men’s team full-time, building out this year’s roster with general manager Jere Lehtinen. Lehtinen, an 875-game veteran of the NHL and former Stanley Cup winner, has served as the GM for Finland’s men’s team for the last nine seasons.
Atlantic Notes: Luukkonen, Imama, Tkachuk
Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News is reporting that Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen won’t play for Team Finland at the upcoming IIHF World Championship. The 25-year-old is a restricted free agent on July 1st and without an extension in place has elected to not play in the event. The news is not surprising given that Luukkonen would be risking injury without the security of a long-term deal in place. It will be a blow to Finland’s roster for the tournament.
Luukkonen’s future looked murky at the start of the season, but the native of Espoo, Finland put up terrific numbers on a weak Sabres team registering a record of 27-22-4, along with five shutouts, a 2.57 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. His underlying numbers were also strong as he posted 9.4 goals saved above expected in 54 games. His contract negotiations will be interesting to watch as the Sabres will have to make a bet on whether or not Luukkonen can carry his strong play into the next few seasons.
In other Atlantic Division notes:
The Ottawa Senators have re-assigned forward Bokondji Imama to their AHL affiliate in Belleville. The 27-year-old was recalled two weeks ago by Ottawa and registered zero points and 7 PIM in six games while averaging 5:35 of ice time. He suffered an upper-body injury in Monday’s game against the Rangers and missed the Senators season finale against Boston on Tuesday. The Montreal, Quebec native is a former sixth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning and has registered a single goal in 15 career NHL games. Imama has spent the bulk of his seven-year professional career in the AHL where he has 29 goals and 43 assists in 310 career AHL games.
Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun reports that Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk will represent Team USA at the upcoming IIHF World Championships. A day after being nominated for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, the 24-year-old spoke with the Ottawa media and talked about the disappointment with his team’s season but expressed excitement about representing his country on the world stage. The former fourth overall pick had another strong season for the Senators, posting 37 goals and 37 assists in 81 games to lead the team in scoring for the second time in three years.
Finland Announces Preliminary 2024 WJC Roster
The best time of the year for prospect watchers is right around the corner. The 2024 edition of the IIHF World Junior Championship begins later this month, as normal, on December 26. This year’s event will take place in Gothenburg, Sweden, which was initially slated to host in 2022 but needed to be rescheduled due to COVID restrictions.
Exactly a week after Team Canada announced their preliminary roster, Team Finland made an official announcement on the players that will be joining them in Sweden. Unlike Canada and the United States, Finland released a 25-man roster instead of 29, meaning they will only have to cut one forward and one defenseman before the tournament begins.
As part of the “big six” in international hockey, Finland has had an up-and-down ride in the World Junior Championships over the last several years. The team won the gold medal in 2019 and has only medaled twice since that win. Hoping to get back into the top three after a disappointing performance last year, the Finnish roster is as follows:
F Rasmus Kumpulainen (Wild, 2023, 53rd overall)
F Konsta Helenius (2024 draft-eligible)
F Oiva Keskinen (Blue Jackets, 2023, 194th overall)
F Samu Bau (Coyotes, 2023, 162nd overall)
F Kasper Halttunen (Sharks, 2023, 36th overall)
F Jesse Kiiskinen (Predators, 2023, 68th overall)
F Aleksanteri Kaskimäki (Blues, 2022, 73rd overall)
F Max Koskipirtti (2024 draft-eligible)
F Jere Lassila (2024 draft-eligible)
F Lenni Hämeenaho (Devils, 2023, 58th overall)
F Emil Hemming (2024 draft-eligible))
F Jani Nyman (Kraken, 2022, 49th overall)
F Tommi Männistö (2024 draft-eligible)
F Janne Naukkarinen (2024 draft-eligible)
D Veeti Väisänen (2024 draft-eligible)
D Otto Salin (Kings, 2022, 148th overall)
D Arttu Kärki (Golden Knights, 2023, 96th overall)
D Kasper Kulonummi (Predators, 2022, 84th overall)
D Emil Pieniniemi (Penguins, 2023, 91st overall)
D Joona Väisänen (2024 draft-eligible)
D Kalle Kangas (Penguins, 2023, 223rd overall)
D Jesse Pulkkinen (2024 draft-eligible)
G Eemil Vinni (2024 draft-eligible)
G Niklas Kokko (Kraken, 2022, 58th overall)
G Noa Vali (2024 draft-eligible)
Of players already drafted to the NHL, the Nashville Predators, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Seattle Kraken all lead the way with two prospects a team. Amongst the players eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft, Helenius leads the way, largely projecting to be a top-10 selection next summer. As a 17-year-old, Helenius is currently playing with Jukurit of the Finnish Liiga, scoring eight goals and 20 points in 28 games to start the season.
List Of NHL Prospects Attending 2023 World Junior Summer Showcase
Today, the 2023 World Junior Summer Showcase got off to a raucous start. The four-team friendly summer tune-up tournament includes two contingents from the United States (a Blue team and a White team), as well as rosters from Sweden and Finland. All teams are made up of U20 players eligible for the 2024 World Junior Championships set to kick off in December, and the showcase tournament provides a chance for national organizations of three of the best hockey countries in the world to evaluate things like physical readiness and line chemistry that come into play when deciding on final rosters for the real deal in winter.
Unfortunately for the United States, both teams lost their opening games today at home in Plymouth, Michigan, rather decidedly – USA Blue dropped the tournament opener to Sweden by a score of 7-0, while USA White fared much better but still lost to Finland, 4-2.
There are a couple of notable draft-eligible players suiting up at this tournament for the US. Team White boasts presumptive 2024 top-two pick Cole Eiserman among their forward core, while Team Blue has 2025 top prospect James Hagens in the mix at center (he even dressed on their first line today). The Finns also boast a pair of high-level 2024-eligible prospects in defenseman Aron Kiviharju and forward Konsta Helenius.
That being said, the games for this tournament are available to watch for free online, and information on this can be found through USA Hockey’s social media channels. With that in mind, it’s of interest to NHL fans to see which of your team’s prospects is suiting up at this mid-summer exhibition tournament in advance of the biggest few days in junior hockey:
Anaheim Ducks – F Carey Terrance (USA White)
Arizona Coyotes – F Samu Bau (Finland), F Tanner Ludtke (USA White)
Buffalo Sabres – F Anton Wahlberg (Sweden)
Calgary Flames – F Topi Rönni (Finland)
Carolina Hurricanes – F Cruz Lucius (USA Blue), F Felix Unger Sörum (Sweden)
Chicago Blackhawks – F Gavin Hayes (USA Blue), F Oliver Moore (USA Blue), F Frank Nazar (USA White), D Sam Rinzel (USA White)
Columbus Blue Jackets – F Gavin Brindley (USA Blue), F William Whitelaw (USA White)
Detroit Red Wings – D Anton Johansson (Sweden), D Axel Sandin Pellikka (Sweden), G Trey Augustine (USA White)
Florida Panthers – G Tyler Muszelik (USA White)
Los Angeles Kings – D Otto Salin (Finland), G Hampton Slukynsky (USA White)
Minnesota Wild – F Charlie Stramel (USA White)
Montreal Canadiens – D Lane Hutson (USA White), G Jacob Fowler (USA Blue)
Nashville Predators – F Jesse Kiiskinen (Finland), F Felix Nilsson (Sweden), D Kasper Kulonummi (Finland)
New Jersey Devils – F Lenni Hämeenaho (Finland), D Seamus Casey (USA Blue), D Charlie Leddy (USA Blue)
New York Islanders – F Quinn Finley (USA Blue), F Danny Nelson (USA Blue), F Jessi Nurmi (Finland), D Calle Odelius (Sweden), D Zach Schulz (USA White)
New York Rangers – F Gabe Perreault (USA Blue), D Drew Fortescue (USA White)
Ottawa Senators – F Oskar Pettersson (Sweden), G Kevin Reidler (Sweden)
Philadelphia Flyers – F Cutter Gauthier (USA White), F Devin Kaplan (USA White), F Cole Knuble (USA Blue)
Pittsburgh Penguins – D Emil Pieniniemi (Finland)
San Jose Sharks – F Filip Bystedt (Sweden), F Kasper Halttunen (Finland), F Cam Lund (USA Blue), F Quentin Musty (USA Blue), F Will Smith (USA Blue), D Mattias Hävelid (Sweden), D Eric Pohlkamp (USA White)
Seattle Kraken – F Zeb Forsfjäll (Sweden), F Jani Nyman (Finland), G Niklas Kokko (Finland), G Visa Vedenpää (Finland)
St. Louis Blues – F Jimmy Snuggerud (USA White), F Otto Stenberg (Sweden), D Paul Fischer (USA Blue), D Theo Lindstein (Sweden)
Tampa Bay Lightning – F Isaac Howard (USA White)
Vancouver Canucks – D Hunter Brzustewicz (USA Blue), D Jackson Dorrington (USA White), D Elias Pettersson (Sweden)
Vegas Golden Knights – F David Edstrom (Sweden)
Washington Capitals – F Ryan Leonard (USA White), F Alexander Suzdalev (Sweden), D Ryan Chesley (USA White)
Winnipeg Jets – F Rutger McGroarty (USA White), F Fabian Wagner (Sweden), D Garrett Brown (USA Blue), D Elias Salomonsson (Sweden)
The Sharks lead the way with seven representatives at the tournament, led by 2023 fourth-overall pick Will Smith. Only five teams have no affiliated prospects at the showcase – the Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, and Toronto Maple Leafs.