2026 World Juniors Preview: Can Finland thrive without its top prospect?

It wasn’t that long ago that Finland was the most boom/bust team in the tournament.

In 2014, they won gold. In 2015, they finished seventh. The following year? Gold again. 2017? Relegation round. They haven’t finished worse than fifth since 2018, so they’ve remained consistent.

But this year’s team is not looking too spicy. Sure, they’re bringing back a handful of players from the 2025 team that nearly won gold. But with Konsta Helenius staying in the AHL, they’re missing their most dangerous weapon, while their 2007-born age group is coming off a disappointing U-18 campaign.

Finland always does better than their lineup might suggest – but chasing a medal might be a bit harder in Minnesota:

Looking Back to 2025

The Finns got off to a bad start in Ottawa, getting shut out 4-0 to the hosts from Canada. They then needed a late-game goal to beat Germany 3-1, but otherwise looked a little indecisive with the puck. Everything changed two nights later, though, with Finland edging out the United States 4-3 in overtime to help swing momentum their way. A 3-0 shutout win over Latvia on New Year’s Eve pushed the Finns into third place in Group A and ahead of Canada.

Finland then met up with Slovakia, a team that had given them some fits at the U-18 level in recent years. Finland won the game 5-3, before needing overtime as the bottom seed in the semifinals to beat Sweden 4-3. At this point, people started to really believe in the Finns. Sure, they were the underdogs heading into the final, but they had grinded their way to the final despite the odds being stacked against them. In the end, the Americans got revenge and won the championship game 4-3, but Petteri Rimpinen still walked away with top goaltender honors after giving his team a fighting chance every single night.

Goaltenders

“Showtime” is back. Petteri Rimpinen (Los Angeles Kings) made a strong case to get drafted as an overager last year after winning top goalie honors in Ottawa. He went 5-2-0 with a .933 save percentage, helping a Finnish team that often struggled to sustain high-end offensive pressure come within a goal of the gold medal. Rimpinen had never stolen the show like that at any previous international competition, but his hot play in Finland’s top pro league suggested it was possible. He has a perfect international record this season, too. By all accounts, the 19-year-old should be one of the top goaltenders in this tournament.

The backups are nothing to sneeze at, either. Seattle Kraken draft pick Kim Saarinen is in his second full season with HPK in the top Finnish league, where he has put in some solid results as a 19-year-old. He has plenty of international experience, but has never been a starter at any major national team event. And then there’s Patrik Kerkola, who was passed over at the draft last June after a so-so performance at the U-18s. It felt like he always did a lot of heavy lifting for the team, though, and he should challenge for the starter’s gig in 2027.

Overall, it’s a strong goalie crop. Rimpinen could end up being Finland’s most important player, but Saarinen is capable of stepping in if needed, as well. That’s a good situation to be in, given that the team lacks overall depth elsewhere.

Defensemen

For just about his entire life, Aron Kiviharju (Minnesota Wild) has been the top Finnish defender in his age group. He’s as good as anyone at getting the puck out of the zone and controlling the game from the blueline. He’s great on the power play, can create high-end passes and plays a lot of minutes, too. The HIFK product was Finland’s captain a year ago, and they expect him to play a lot of essential minutes again this year.

Set for his second World Juniors, Daniel Nieminen (Nashville Predators) has always been solid internationally. He’s a slick puck mover who moves quite well and has continued to add some bulk to his game. Drafted as an overager last year, Nieminen has spent the past year and a half playing against men in the Liiga, often skating in around 12 minutes a night. Internationally, though, he plays a lot – and the Finns will need that from him in Minnesota.

The Medicine Hat Tigers are one of the top teams in the WHL, and Veeti Väisänen (Utah Mammoth) is a big reason why. He’s tracking for a solid 40-point season, with his mobility allowing him to thrive with the puck. This will be his second World Juniors, but look for him to take an elevated role after mainly serving in a depth spot last winter.

The only other NHL-drafted blueliner is Lasse Boelius, an Anaheim Ducks product. Taken 60th overall last year, Boelius is coming off an impressive showing at the U-18s from the spring. He’s been great with the U-20 team, too, with his recent playing at the 5 Nations event in November turning some heads. Look for him to get plenty of shots on net.

As for the rest, Arttu Välilä is having a solid campaign with Lukko, who could thrust him into a top-four spot. Niklas Nykyri has been a fixture of the Finnish program for a few years now, and he’ll likely serve as more of an all-around defender who can hold his own defensively. Mitja Jokinen is a bit small, and he’s still seeking his first point of the Liiga season. But as a returnee, it’ll be interesting to see how they use him.

There’s one more name missing from this list – but more on him in the draft pick section.

Forwards

This is where things get interesting. Aatos Koivu (Montreal Canadiens) has been great for Finland throughout his career, and was the top player at the World Junior Summer Showcase in April. He has had a decent season with TPS, but this is the event that’ll help put him back on the map. If Koivu can dominate as he did in the summer – especially on the power play – the team might surprise some people.

Another U-20 standout has been Max Westergård (Philadelphia Flyers). He was outstanding at the U-20 Five Nations tournament last month, registering four points in the opening game before finishing with another three against Sweden and Switzerland. He has bounced between the SHL and the Swedish U-20 league, with the 5-foot-11 forward putting a beating on his own age group. He’s Finland’s most creative player, and his skating is a huge asset.

If you’ve followed the WHL closely, you know how good both Julius Miettinen (Seattle Kraken) and Matias Vanhanen have been for the Everett Silvertips. Miettinen is tracking for 100 points this year, using his big 6-foot-4 frame to dominate the competition, especially in front of the net. Vanhanen is just 5-foot-10, but his impact has been anything but small. He’s going to be Finland’s most important playmaker, but he’s no slouch as a shooter, either. Look for him to exploit opponents on the man advantage.

Next up: a pair of Dallas Stars picks. Atte Joki is a strong, two-way forward who works so hard away from the puck. He has also been one of the most productive U-20 players in Liiga, which should help him secure plenty of ice time. Emil Hemming, meanwhile, is set for his third WJC after splitting the season between the AHL and OHL. Now with the Barrie Colts, Hemming has been one of the OHL’s most dominant wingers. Let’s see if he can keep the momentum up and become a high-end producer in Minnesota.

Two players who always show up for their country are 2006-born forwards Joona Saarelainen (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Heikki Ruohonen (Philadelphia Flyers). Saarelainen is a small, but crafty forward who uses his speed to win battles and get into scoring roles. He’s having a solid year with KalPa and should play on the power play for the Finns. Ruohonen looked great in the summer and has adjusted to life with Harvard University, where he continues to earn more ice time. Look for them both to be leaned on for secondary scoring.

2026 NHL Draft

Juho Piiparinen has played himself into the top 20 conversation for the draft. The 6-foot-1 defender isn’t flashy by any means, but he does such a great job at handling quality competition in his own zone. Piiparinen is smart, defensively responsible and can shut you down without getting himself into trouble. He was one of Finland’s standouts at the U-18s last year and has thrust high up draft boards quickly this season thanks to his responsible play around the net.

NHL teams love their big, 6-foot-3 centers, and they’re going to love Oliver Suvanto. The big forward had a great showing at the Hlinka Gretkzy Cup and has done decently well against men in the top Finnish league. He’s not lighting the world on fire by any means, but he’s difficult to play against and consistently gets 2-3 shots on net a night. With Helenius out, Suvanto can step up in a big way.

Projection

Finland has proven over and over again that it doesn’t need high-end talent to make noise. Losing Helenius is a big blow, for sure, and they don’t have the overall depth to make up for it – on paper, at least. If we’ve know anything about this program, it can often take a few games for them to get going. The 2007 age group has struggled internationally for the most part, but perhaps some of the returning players can make some noise. For now, though, it feels like they’re headed for a quarterfinal exit.

Schedule

Dec. 19 vs. Germany – 8:00 PM ET (Pretournament)
Dec. 23 vs. USA – 7:00 PM ET (Pretournament)
Dec. 26 vs. Denmark – 3:30 PM ET
Dec. 28 vs. Latvia – 4:30 PM ET
Dec. 29 vs. Czechia – 3:30 PM ET
Dec. 31 vs. Canada – 8:30 PM ET

NHL Prospects

Forwards:
Emil Hemming (Dallas Stars)
Atte Joki (Dallas Stars)
Aatos Koivu (Montreal Canadiens)
Julius Miettinen (Seattle Kraken)
Kasper Pikkarainen (New Jersey Devils)
Heikki Ruohonen (Philadelphia Flyers)
Joona Saarelainen (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Max Westergård (Philadelphia Flyers)

Defensemen:
Lasse Boelius (Anaheim Ducks)
Aron Kiviharju (Minnesota Wild)
Daniel Nieminen (Nashville Predators)
Veeti Väisänen (Utah Mammoth)

Goaltenders:
Petteri Rimpinen (Los Angeles Kings)
Kim Saarinen (Seattle Kraken)

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