2026 World Junior Preview: Denmark have their work cut out for them

Denmark was once a top-level mainstay, with the likes of Nikolaj Ehlers and Oliver Bjorkstrand keeping the team relevant in the top event from 2015-19. But the road back to the main show was a long one.

The team nearly got relegated to Division IB in 2020, 2022 and 2023 (the 2021 tournament was cancelled) before they eventually took home third in 2024. Finally, the Danes managed to survive and win gold in 2025, sending them to Minnesota for the next few weeks.

Even just making it to the top event can be huge for a nation’s youth development. Any visibility is huge – especially after watching Denmark challenge for bronze after beating Canada in the quarterfinal of the 2025 World Championship.

But in terms of on-ice results, expect this to be a difficult stretch for the proud hockey nation.

Looking Back to 2025

The Danes entered the Division IA World Juniors in Slovenia last year with a mission – win at any cost. Highlighted by Seattle Kraken prospect Oscar Fisker Mølgaard, the team started off with close victories against Hungary and Slovenia to kick things off on the right foot. They then lost a 5-4 game to France, which meant the last two days of the tournament were going to be wild.

Denmark needed a perfect record the rest of the way, and they impressed with a 3-0 victory over Norway. They then needed a victory in the final game to overtake the Austrians to advance, and a big three-goal first period helped make it happen. Austria would fight back, but Denmark held on for the 5-4 victory to seal the deal and send them to Minnesota.

Goaltenders

It’s going to be a difficult time for the Danes in net, as expected. Anton Emil Wilde Larsen should be the team’s No. 1, just like he was when he posted a 4-0-0-0 record at the Division IA U-18s last year. He’s playing against men in the top Danish league this year, and while that’s far from the best pro league in Europe, he has had plenty of opportunities to get busy in the crease. He was the best goalie at the U-18s, and he’ll need some heroic performances to keep Denmark in the top tournament for 2027.

As for the rest of the crop, Patrick Tiedjen had some tough showings internationally, but has a big 6-foot-4 frame and moves decently well. Tobias Renner Christensen was the Division IA goaltender two years ago and put up decent efforts in tight games against Ukraine and Japan. Don’t be surprised if the Danes ride Larsen the whole way, though – if he gets hot (which always seems to happen from at least one underdog goaltender), they might give him every single start.

Defensemen

The Danes tend to play shutdown defense at every level – that’s not going to change here. The expected top pair includes Jeppe Kramer and Jesper Bank Olesen, both of whom played big roles in Denmark’s most recent U-20 action in November. Kramer has received positive reviews for his play with Herlev’s second-division Danish team, and has spent the past few weeks with the big club. Olesen, meanwhile, is a bit better with the puck, although he has typically been muted offensively with the Danes.

In terms of raw skill, Markus Jakobsen is the best Denmark has. He put up great numbers in the BCHL before jetting over to the USHL, where he has a point-per-game early in his tenure with the Sioux Falls Stampede. He had never been that productive at any level before this year, but his mobility has allowed him to open some new doors in the USHL. Keep a close eye on him.

Denmark doesn’t have much size on their back end – their biggest players are forwards, actually. But Emil Saaby Jakobsen and Jeppe Bertram give the team some raw muscle on the back end. Both like to throw the body around, but they can kill penalties and block shots as well. ESJ has some proficiency with the puck, and he might be the best skater on the blueline.

For the rest of the crop, Viggo Damgaard has been one of the better U-20 defenders in the Danish U-20 league, and he played a lot in the second half of the Division IA tournament last year. He’ll likely be paired with Frederik Rundh, who at one point was seen as one of the best playmaking defenders out of Denmark.

Forwards

Linus Rørth was named the top player in Denmark at the Division IA U-18s last year and was expected to be part of the team’s top line. But an injury will keep him out of this event, leaving a big hole in an otherwise weak Danish roster.

The Danes have just one NHL-drafted player on this team – Florida Panthers prospect Mads Kongsbak Klyvø. The 6-foot-2 forward plays with a lot of pace and has a quick wrister. He played well on the Division IA team a year ago and was one of the main reasons why Denmark managed to win the DIA U-18s last year. The issue, though? Injuries have kept him out of action all season long. Will he actually be good to go when the event heads to Minnesota? We’ll see.

The top scorer from that U-18 team was William Bundgaard, who put up 10 points through five games. He also had three points at the U-20 tournament to help the team advance. He’s a big 6-foot-4 forward who plays with pace, but he also can knock down just about anyone.

Then there’s Oliver Green. The 2007-born forward – who also plays some defense – might be undersized at 5-foot-10, but he skates and plays the puck better than just about anyone on this Danish team. He doesn’t have much to show for it on the scoresheet with Malmo’s U-20 team in Sweden, but he has been one of Denmark’s better players internationally. Look for him to drive a lot of the offense and play on the power play.

Tristan Petersen serves as more of a defensive forward with the WHL’s Penticton Vees. On this team, though, he’s almost certainly a play-driver. He has a good shot and had a decent showing with the U-20 team a year ago. He’ll likely play on both the power play and the penalty kill for Denmark. Sticking in Canada, Anton Linde likes to shoot the puck. He hasn’t produced much with the QMJHL’s Chicoutimi Sagueneens, but he plays with a bit of edge and his skating continues to improve. He’s set for his fourth U-20 national team tournament after making his tournament debut back in December of 2022.

One other name to keep an eye on is Oliver Dejbjerg Larsen. He was good at the U-18s in the spring, and has kept that up with a 44-point pace in the Swedish U-20 league. The NHL might not be in the cards for him, but Larsen is one of the more promising junior-aged prospects in Denmark right now and has been for a few years.

Beyond that, Albert Grossman has also put up some decent performances in the red and white and could be more of a middle-six scorer. At 6-foot-6, he commands attention. Sebastian Strømstad has spent the past three years playing in the top Danish league, where he has proven he can handle the physical action. If none of these seven players can put pucks in the net, though, it could get ugly for the Danes.

Projection

This team is bad. Simple as that. They don’t have a star forward, a high-end goalie or much depth at any position, really. The Danes are the favorite to be relegated back to Division IA unless they can get a huge performance out of their goaltenders or a few lucky bounces. They’ll be circling that game against Latvia on Dec. 31 – that’ll likely decide who stays around for 2027. If they can survive, Denmark can bring back 13 players when the event heads to Alberta next year, which is a plus.

Schedule

Dec. 21 vs. Switzerland – 8:00 PM ET (Pre-tournament)
Dec. 23 vs. Canada – 8:00 PM ET (Pre-tournament)
Dec. 26 vs. Finland – 3:30 PM ET
Dec. 27 vs. Czechia – 8:30 PM ET
Dec. 29 vs. Canada – 8:30 PM ET
Dec. 31 vs. Latvia – 4:30 PM ET

NHL Prospects

Forwards:
Mads Kongsbak Klyvø (Florida Panthers)

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