Sweden claimed gold at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship for the first time since 2012. The team won all seven games during the tournament and outshone the heavy favorites from Team USA. In the finals, Swedish youngsters faced another European nation. Czechia lost 4-2. The Philadelphia Flyers prospect and Team Sweden captain, Jack Berglund, recorded three goals and seven assists in seven contests. Scandinavians have built a powerhouse and enjoyed their third gold at the World Juniors. They have previously won in 1981 and 2012.
It wasn’t the most compelling tournament for the Florida Panthers and their fans. Only two prospects at the competition represented the back-to-back champions. Denmark and Mads Klyvo weren’t ready to challenge more dominant opponents, finishing last in Group B with no wins or points. A fourth-round draft pick, 112th overall, had a great time against Germany, succeeding twice on power plays. The 18-year-old winger registered four (3+1) points in five games at the World Juniors in Minnesota. Klyvo’s stats placed him third in points and first (along with his teammate Anton Linde) in goals on Team Denmark. It was an excellent opportunity for the Panthers prospect to assess his current condition after an injury that prevented him from playing this season in Sweden's top league. It looks like he is ready to be back and gain more experience competing in the men’s league.
Sweden and Linus Eriksson, who led Group A with four wins and 12 points in the preliminary round, celebrated a long-awaited success at the World Juniors. The 19-year-old Swedish center, who was pointless in the first four matchups, collected one goal and one assist in three playoff games. He showed up when he was most needed.
Linus Eriksson set the tone against Finland, scoring 36 seconds into the game. His team defeated the Nordic opponents 4-3 in a shootout and advanced to the final to face Czechia.
Eriksson captained Sweden at the 2024 U18 World Junior Championship, leading his team to a bronze medal, and scored two goals at the 2024 U20 World Juniors. He may not be the most productive player, but his dedication and hard work have earned him a good reputation. Now, he added a gold medal to his prominent hockey resume.
The Florida Panthers drafted six players in 2025 and six in 2024. None of them was in the first round due to trades and deals. The Cats haven’t exercised the first-round option since 2021, when they selected Mackie Samoskevich. Their 2026 selection will go to the Chicago Blackhawks for Seth Jones, and their 2027 first-round choice will go to the Boston Bruins for Brad Marchand. Hopefully, the Panthers will have their hands untied in 2028. So the fans and franchise could have more talent from various countries representing them at the World Juniors.