The Washington Capitals saw their prospects have a highly productive day at the 2026 World Junior Championship on Friday.

Four of the team’s six draft picks participating in the tournament lit the lamp for their respective nations. The four players, Petr Sikora, Cole Hutson, Maxim Schafer, and Leon Muggli, combined for eight points (4g, 4a) in the three games that they featured in.

While the four players had great individual games, only one of them, Sikora, will play again at this year’s tournament. The other three saw their runs at more World Juniors glory end.

Capitals prospects who scored today at the World Juniors
Petr Sikora, F – Team Czechia

Sikora scored his goal with 4:28 remaining in the second period of Czechia’s quarterfinal matchup with Switzerland. The rebound tally was the Czechs’ third goal in five minutes, helping them to a 6-2 victory and into the semifinals.

Sikora added two assists in the game to give him a three-point outing. The 19-year-old pivot is serving as Czechia’s captain after winning a bronze medal last year, notching seven points (4g, 3a) in seven games.

The 2024 sixth-round pick has again been one of the top players at this year’s tournament, posting eight points (2g, 6a) in five games. Sikora has also been dominant in the faceoff circle, winning 58.6 percent of his draws, and is the only forward remaining in the tournament who is averaging over 20 minutes of ice time per game (20:11).

Sikora’s next game will be against Team Canada on Sunday, a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal matchup, which the Czechs won in an upset. Sikora notably played a villain role at the Canadian-based tournament, attracting the ire of fans after he drew a five-minute kneeing major penalty in the win.

Cole Hutson, D – Team USA

Hutson returned Friday from his two-game absence after taking a puck to the back of the head and needing to be stretchered off the ice. He scored his goal, Team USA’s first against Finland, just 35 seconds into the second period.

Hutson, an alternate captain for the Americans, added an assist on a later Cole Eiserman goal to give him four points (1g, 3a) in three games. The two-point night made World Juniors history as he became the USA’s all-time scoring leader for defensemen.

The 19-year-old defenseman played 26:53 of the Americans’ 4-3 overtime quarterfinal loss to the Finns. Hutson fired two total shots on net in what will be his final game at the junior level for the USA. The 2024 second-round pick will return to Boston University to complete his sophomore season with the Terriers.

Maxim Schafer, F – Team Germany

Schafer was without a goal for the Germans at his second World Juniors until the team’s final game, an 8-4 triumph over Denmark to avoid relegation for next year’s tournament. He struck 7:06 into the first period to give Germany a 2-0 lead.

The power-play goal in front of Denmark’s net was his first of two points in the game as he added an assist on a later Lenny Boos goal. The two points give him three (1g, 2a) in five games, which matches his scoring output from last year (2g, 1a).

Schafer, 18, will be eligible to play in his third World Juniors in 2027. The 2025 third-round pick will head back to the QMJHL, where he plays on a Chicoutimi Sagueneens team that is expecting to challenge for the Memorial Cup.

Leon Muggli, D – Team Switzerland

Muggli scored his first goal at the World Juniors in his third tournament with Switzerland, just 3:47 into the first period against Czechia. The 2024 second-round pick let go a wrister from the point to put the Swiss up 1-0.

Muggli, who was awarded player of the game honors for the Swiss, has been one of the top defensemen at the tournament. He posted five points (1g, 4a) in five games, and led the Swiss team in average time on ice per game (20:35).

The 19-year-old defenseman wraps up his under-20 junior career with nine points (1g, 8a) in 14 total World Juniors games. Muggli will return to the AHL’s Hershey Bears, where he has played just two games this season due to injury.

The Capitals’ Milton Gastrin also played on Friday, but the 2025 second-round pick did not register a point in Sweden’s 6-3 win over Latvia. He does not yet have a point in five games for the Swedes.

Goaltender Nick Kempf, a 2024 fourth-round pick, started in net for the Americans, making 21 saves on 25 shots faced against Finland.

The semifinals will get underway on Sunday, with the gold medal game taking place at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Monday night.