Mammoth Prospects Schedule
Want to watch Utah’s prospects in action? Here’s a list of preliminary round games to circle on the calendar:
December 26
Czechia vs Canada: 6:30 p.m. MT
CZE: Hoch, Pšenička; CAN: Beaudoin, Desnoyers, Iginla
December 27
Latvia vs Canada: 2:30 p.m. MT
CAN: Beaudoin, Desnoyers, Iginla
United States vs Switzerland: 4:00 p.m. MT
SUI: Johnson
Denmark vs Czechia: 6:30 p.m. MT
CZE: Hoch, Pšenička
December 28
Sweden vs Switzerland: 12:00 p.m. MT
SUI: Johnson
Finland vs Latvia: 2:30 p.m. MT
FIN: Väisänen
December 29
Finland vs Czechia: 1:30 p.m. MT
CZE: Hoch, Pšenička
Canada vs Denmark: 6:30 p.m. MT
CAN: Beaudoin, Desnoyers, Iginla
December 30
Switzerland vs Germany: 12:00 p.m. MT
SUI: Johnson
December 31
Switzerland vs Slovakia: 11:00 a.m. MT
SUI: Johnson
Czechia vs Latvia: 1:30 p.m. MT
CZE: Hoch, Pšenička
Canada vs Finland: 6:30 p.m. MT
CAN: Beaudoin, Desnoyers, Iginla
World Juniors Tournament Format
There’s two parts to the tournament, the preliminary round and the playoff round. Every country will play four preliminary round games. Each group will send the top four teams to the playoff round while the fifth-place team from Group A and B will play one relegation round game. The winner of the game remains in the top division next year while the loser of the game will play in the U20 Division I Group A tournament next year.
Like other IIHF tournaments, games are awarded off a three-point system. A regulation win earns three points. If the game goes to overtime or a shootout, the winning team receives two points and the losing team receives one. If a team loses in regulation, they will not receive any points.
Full rules, including overtime situations, can be found on the IIHF website!
Additional Under-20 World Championships
In addition to the World Junior Championship, there are six additional U20 World Championships: Division I Group A, Division I Group B, Division II Group A, Division II Group B, Division III Group A, and Division III Group B.
Based on the results of each level, teams will earn promotions or be regulated. As a result, the countries participating in any of the seven tournaments will change year to year.
2026 U20 Championships
The additional U20 World Championships started in December 2025 and will wrap in January 2026.
The Division I Group A tournament took place from Dec. 7-13 while the Division I Group B tournament was held between Dec. 8-14. Norway won the Division I Group A tournament and will be promoted to the 2027 World Junior Championship. Hungary won the Division I Group B tournament and will be promoted to the Division I Group A tournament for the 2027 edition.
Mammoth prospect Ludvig Lafton won gold with Norway this year and helped his country earn its return to World Juniors. Lafton won a bronze medal with Norway at last year’s U20 Division I Group A Championship.