Canada will return to the top of the junior hockey field at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship in Minnesota, according to three NHL.com writers.
NHL.com deputy managing editor Adam Kimelman, NHL.com senior draft writer Mike G. Morreale and LNH.com senior writer Guillaume Lepage predict Canada will win gold for the first time since 2023.
Canada has won the WJC 20 times, more than any other country, but has finished in fifth place the last two tournaments, losing to Czechia in the quarterfinals in Sweden in 2024 and Ottawa in 2025.
Who Canada defeats to win the championship varies by writer. Morreale believes the United States, the two-time defending champion, will lose in the gold-medal game. Kimelman and Lepage predict Canada will defeat Sweden in the final.
Each writer also made his pick for best goalie, best forward and best defenseman at the tournament. They also chose the top 2026 NHL Draft prospect, with Canada forward Gavin McKenna the unanimous selection.
The 2026 WJC will be held Dec. 26-Jan. 5. The 10 teams will play in two groups. Group A consists of the U.S., Germany, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland, and will play its preliminary-round games at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota. Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Finland and Latvia are in Group B, with its preliminary-round games at 3M Arena at Mariucci on the campus of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
The top four finishers in each group will play in the quarterfinals on Jan. 2. The semifinals are Jan. 4, and the championship and third-place games are Jan. 5.
All games will be broadcast live on NHL Network in the United States and TSN and RDS in Canada.
Kimelman
Group A winner: Sweden
Group B winner: Canada
Champion: Canada
Second: Sweden
Third: Czechia
Surprise star: Jack Berglund, F, Sweden
Best goalie: Jack Ivankovic, Canada
Best defenseman: Cole Hutson, United States
Best forward: Michael Misa, Canada
Top 2026 NHL Draft-eligible player: Gavin McKenna, F, Canada
Lepage
Group A winner: Sweden
Group B winner: Canada
Champion: Canada
Second: Sweden
Third: Czechia
Surprise star: Adam Novotny, F, Czechia
Best goalie: Carter George, Canada
Best defenseman: Cole Hutson, United States
Best forward: Porter Martone, F, Canada
Top 2025 NHL Draft eligible player: Gavin McKenna, F, Canada
Morreale
Group A winner: Sweden
Group B winner: Canada
Champion: Canada
Second: United States
Third: Finland
Surprise star: Adam Novotny, F, Czechia
Best goalie: Petteri Rimpinen, Finland
Best defenseman: Cole Hutson, United States
Best forward: Anton Frondell, Sweden
Top 2026 NHL Draft eligible player: Gavin McKenna, F, Canada