The only captain among the under-20s at this year's World Championship, Canada's Macklin Celebrini is also second in scoring with eleven points in seven games.
photo: Matt Zambonin/IIHF
Although the World Championship is a senior event, there are some players who are young and just too good to be ignored. This year, there are 17 players among the 16 teams who have not yet celebrated their 20th birthday, but they are here all the same and contributing to their team’s success. Here is a quick look at each young star.
Gregor Biber AUT—The lanky 19-year-old has played in three U18s and three U20s at the lower levels for Austria, and is now also in his second, top-level WM. Although he averaged more than 16 minutes a game, the Austrians didn’t qualify for the playoffs.
Viggo Bjorck SWE—Only 18 and draft eligible this summer, Bjorck had nine points this past January in helping Sweden win gold at the World Juniors. The previous year, he won silver with the U18 team in Texas. He’s a first-rounder next month, for sure. He currently has six points at this year’s WM while averaging 18:20 ice time.
Macklin Celebrini CAN—The most accomplished of all the U20s here, Celebrini is captaining Canada at the end of a spectacular season. He was second in scoring at the Olympics, and his 115 points with San Jose in the NHL was fourth overall. He also has played at the U18 and World Juniors. He is second in scoring this year so far, will eleven points in seven games.
Mikkel Eriksen NOR—Drafted 111th overall by the New York Rangers last year, Eriksen has played in Sweden the last three years. He played at two U18s and Division I-A at last year’s U20 as well. He doesn’t have a point yet but is averaging nearly nine minutes of ice time and will gain valuable experience as the team heads to its first playoff game since 2012.
Anton Frondell SWE—Drafted 3rd overall by Chicago last year, Frondell was another key player in Sweden’s World Junior gold earlier this year. He developed in the Djurgarden system but also played 12 games with the Blackhawks this past year, recording an impressive nine points in just 12 games. He has played only three games in Fribourg so far, and has three points, including a goal.
Jan Golicic SLO—Selected by the Tampa Bay Lighting 118th overall in 2024, Golicic is a work in progress. He just finished his third year in the Q with Gatineau and has played lower levels of the U18 and U20. At 19, he represents the future of Slovenian hockey. He had two assists this year and averaged 19 minutes of ice time a game, and with Slovenia back in the top level for next year, his chances to develop improve greatly.
James Hagens USA—Drafted 7th overall by Boston last year, Hagens won gold and silver at the U18 in 2023 and 2024. He was named tournament MVP in the later year, and in 2025 helped the Americans win gold at the World Juniors. He also played at the U20 this past January. He has one assist so far and is averaging 13:37 ice time.
Love Harenstam SWE—The 19-year-old goalie was selected 179th by St. Louis at the 2025 draft. He was sensational at the last World Juniors, posting a 6-0 record en route to gold. He also won a bronze and silver at the U18. He has been the third goalie for Tre Kronor and hasn’t played yet this WM.
Tinus Luc Koblar NOR—Koblar played at the 2024 and 2025 U18s at the top level and was drafted 64th by the Maple Leafs last year. He also played at the last two U20s in the lower levels, and he was among the top scorers in 2026 Division I-A as he helped Norway return to the World Juniors for 2027. In Fribourg, he has been sensational. He leads the team with five goals, eight points, and a +7 and has been improving before our eyes.
Leon Kolarik AUT—Not the biggest forward, he is draft eligible for 2026. He developed at home, but this past year moved to Peterborough to play with the Petes in the OHL. He has experience at the U18 and U20 in Division I. Not a top prospect, every game he plays at a higher level can only help his development. He recorded two assists at the 2026 Worlds, averaging almost 12 minutes of ice time a game.
Porter Martone CAN—Martone played his first NHL games, with Philadelphia, this past season after finishing the year at Michigan State. He had played in the OHL but transferred for this past season to the NCAA. He has a gold and bronze medal from the U18s and has played in two World Juniors, winning bronze this past January. He also played at the 2025 World Championship. Martone has seen some time on the top line with Sidney Crosby and Macklin Celebrini, and he has five points so far (1+4).
Olivers Murnieks LAT—Still only 17, he will still be draft eligible this year as he turns 18 at the end of July. He has played at the last two World Juniors as well as three U18s and is part of the next wave of young prospects in Latvia. In Fribourg, he has had limited playing time but is learning and watching every day.
Gabriel Nitz ITA—Nitz has played in Italy all his life so far, and the 19-year-old has never played higher than Division I-B at the U18 or U20. He scored one of the team’s five goals this year, and as they head back to Division I-A for 2027, Nitz will no doubt get the opportunity to play more than the 10 minutes a game he was given here.
Luca Radivojevic SVK—The son of Branko, Luca is also draft eligible next month and is likely to be a lower-round selection. He has played at three World Junior Championships and two U18s and is currently at Boston College trying to get noticed while learning to play on the smaller ice. He had only one assist this tournament but played 15 minutes a night and left a better player than when he arrived.
Alberts Smits LAT—Perhaps the best prospect on the blue line at this World Championship. Big, strong, fast, determined, he will be drafted in the first round next month and will absolutely be in the NHL sooner rather than later. This year alone he has played at the World Juniors, Olympics, and World Championship. He is on the ice 21:31 on average, tops among Latvian defenders, and he has four assists and is +2. Everything about him screams superstar.
Ivar Stenberg SWE—Stenberg won’t just be drafted in the first round of the NHL draft next month—he will go in the top three. Yes, he’s that good, and playing here with the big boys can only help him. He has a U18 gold and silver to his name as well as a silver from the 2024 World Juniors. The next time he plays at the WM, he will almost certainly have NHL games on his resume. This year, he has been sensational, scoring four goals and eight points, and skating with men bigger and stronger yet not being pushed around.
Doman Szongoth HUN—The 17-year-old will turn 18 early next month and will be selected by one NHL team, for sure, probably in the second round. He has lots of lower level U18 and U20 experience and has been playing in Finland, where scouts have been impressed by his strong play up the middle. He had one goal in this year’s tournament but was a team-worst -10, but he has many years of hockey ahead of him to improve, learn, and develop.
Gregor Biber AUT—The lanky 19-year-old has played in three U18s and three U20s at the lower levels for Austria, and is now also in his second, top-level WM. Although he averaged more than 16 minutes a game, the Austrians didn’t qualify for the playoffs.
Viggo Bjorck SWE—Only 18 and draft eligible this summer, Bjorck had nine points this past January in helping Sweden win gold at the World Juniors. The previous year, he won silver with the U18 team in Texas. He’s a first-rounder next month, for sure. He currently has six points at this year’s WM while averaging 18:20 ice time.
Macklin Celebrini CAN—The most accomplished of all the U20s here, Celebrini is captaining Canada at the end of a spectacular season. He was second in scoring at the Olympics, and his 115 points with San Jose in the NHL was fourth overall. He also has played at the U18 and World Juniors. He is second in scoring this year so far, will eleven points in seven games.
Mikkel Eriksen NOR—Drafted 111th overall by the New York Rangers last year, Eriksen has played in Sweden the last three years. He played at two U18s and Division I-A at last year’s U20 as well. He doesn’t have a point yet but is averaging nearly nine minutes of ice time and will gain valuable experience as the team heads to its first playoff game since 2012.
Anton Frondell SWE—Drafted 3rd overall by Chicago last year, Frondell was another key player in Sweden’s World Junior gold earlier this year. He developed in the Djurgarden system but also played 12 games with the Blackhawks this past year, recording an impressive nine points in just 12 games. He has played only three games in Fribourg so far, and has three points, including a goal.
Jan Golicic SLO—Selected by the Tampa Bay Lighting 118th overall in 2024, Golicic is a work in progress. He just finished his third year in the Q with Gatineau and has played lower levels of the U18 and U20. At 19, he represents the future of Slovenian hockey. He had two assists this year and averaged 19 minutes of ice time a game, and with Slovenia back in the top level for next year, his chances to develop improve greatly.
James Hagens USA—Drafted 7th overall by Boston last year, Hagens won gold and silver at the U18 in 2023 and 2024. He was named tournament MVP in the later year, and in 2025 helped the Americans win gold at the World Juniors. He also played at the U20 this past January. He has one assist so far and is averaging 13:37 ice time.
Love Harenstam SWE—The 19-year-old goalie was selected 179th by St. Louis at the 2025 draft. He was sensational at the last World Juniors, posting a 6-0 record en route to gold. He also won a bronze and silver at the U18. He has been the third goalie for Tre Kronor and hasn’t played yet this WM.
Tinus Luc Koblar NOR—Koblar played at the 2024 and 2025 U18s at the top level and was drafted 64th by the Maple Leafs last year. He also played at the last two U20s in the lower levels, and he was among the top scorers in 2026 Division I-A as he helped Norway return to the World Juniors for 2027. In Fribourg, he has been sensational. He leads the team with five goals, eight points, and a +7 and has been improving before our eyes.
Leon Kolarik AUT—Not the biggest forward, he is draft eligible for 2026. He developed at home, but this past year moved to Peterborough to play with the Petes in the OHL. He has experience at the U18 and U20 in Division I. Not a top prospect, every game he plays at a higher level can only help his development. He recorded two assists at the 2026 Worlds, averaging almost 12 minutes of ice time a game.
Porter Martone CAN—Martone played his first NHL games, with Philadelphia, this past season after finishing the year at Michigan State. He had played in the OHL but transferred for this past season to the NCAA. He has a gold and bronze medal from the U18s and has played in two World Juniors, winning bronze this past January. He also played at the 2025 World Championship. Martone has seen some time on the top line with Sidney Crosby and Macklin Celebrini, and he has five points so far (1+4).
Olivers Murnieks LAT—Still only 17, he will still be draft eligible this year as he turns 18 at the end of July. He has played at the last two World Juniors as well as three U18s and is part of the next wave of young prospects in Latvia. In Fribourg, he has had limited playing time but is learning and watching every day.
Gabriel Nitz ITA—Nitz has played in Italy all his life so far, and the 19-year-old has never played higher than Division I-B at the U18 or U20. He scored one of the team’s five goals this year, and as they head back to Division I-A for 2027, Nitz will no doubt get the opportunity to play more than the 10 minutes a game he was given here.
Luca Radivojevic SVK—The son of Branko, Luca is also draft eligible next month and is likely to be a lower-round selection. He has played at three World Junior Championships and two U18s and is currently at Boston College trying to get noticed while learning to play on the smaller ice. He had only one assist this tournament but played 15 minutes a night and left a better player than when he arrived.
Alberts Smits LAT—Perhaps the best prospect on the blue line at this World Championship. Big, strong, fast, determined, he will be drafted in the first round next month and will absolutely be in the NHL sooner rather than later. This year alone he has played at the World Juniors, Olympics, and World Championship. He is on the ice 21:31 on average, tops among Latvian defenders, and he has four assists and is +2. Everything about him screams superstar.
Ivar Stenberg SWE—Stenberg won’t just be drafted in the first round of the NHL draft next month—he will go in the top three. Yes, he’s that good, and playing here with the big boys can only help him. He has a U18 gold and silver to his name as well as a silver from the 2024 World Juniors. The next time he plays at the WM, he will almost certainly have NHL games on his resume. This year, he has been sensational, scoring four goals and eight points, and skating with men bigger and stronger yet not being pushed around.
Doman Szongoth HUN—The 17-year-old will turn 18 early next month and will be selected by one NHL team, for sure, probably in the second round. He has lots of lower level U18 and U20 experience and has been playing in Finland, where scouts have been impressed by his strong play up the middle. He had one goal in this year’s tournament but was a team-worst -10, but he has many years of hockey ahead of him to improve, learn, and develop.