2026 World Juniors Preview: It’s gold or bust for Sweden

No team has had a tougher time in the World Junior Championship medal round than the Swedes.

Remember that 54-game round-robin win streak? It feels like forever ago. The team hasn’t won gold since 2012, despite being a legit title contender year after year. Many believe the Swedes can win it all this year – but can you trust this group?

On paper, absolutely. The team is stacked with depth up front and on the point. Their goaltending leaves a bit to be desired, but they’ve got the raw talent to make things happen. The execution is all that matters, though – and that’s been the difficult part for close to a decade and a half.

Let’s break things down:

Looking Back to 2025

The Swedes had a perfect run in Group B, sweeping the action at TD Place Arena in Ottawa with a 4-0 record. Surprisingly, their toughest opponent was Switzerland, who nearly erased a 6-1 deficit to make it 7-5. The Swedes eventually met their match in the semifinal, losing 4-3 to Finland in overtime before losing the bronze medal game 3-2 to the Czechs, this time in the shootout.

Goaltenders

This is their weakest position, and by a fair bit. The Swedes’ overall depth means goaltending won’t be crucial to their success. They can’t afford it to be their downfall, though.

Love Härenstam (St. Louis Blues), Herman Liv and Måns Goos (Dallas Stars) have all represented Sweden in various international tournaments, and both Härenstam and Goos are eligible to return in 2027. It’ll likely come down to a battle between both Härenstam and Liv for the starter’s gig, with Liv having the age advantage as a 19-year-old.

Härenstam was Sweden’s starter in consecutive U-18 World Championships (to mixed results), but he has played some excellent hockey for a bad Södertälje SK squad in the second Swedish league. Liv, meanwhile, has also had a solid year in the Allsvenskan but has never served as Sweden’s goaltender for an IIHF event. There isn’t too much separating the pair, so we’ll see how they fare in the two pre-tournament games against Canada.

As for Goos, he has the biggest frame at 6-foot-5. He takes up so much of the net, and I like how he bounced back at the U-18s last year after a difficult start. The fact that he’s playing U-20 hockey while the others are going up against pro competition won’t help his odds at getting a start, though.

Defensemen

What a blueline. They’ve had stronger in the past, but this is still one of the best D-corps you’ll find heading to Minnesota. It starts with Leo Sahlin Wallenius (San Jose Sharks), who’ll be counted on as a puck-mover after Axel Sandin Pellikka and Tom Willander aged out. LSW has been more of a third-pairing defenseman with the SHL’s Växjö Lakers, but has played some of his best hockey when given more ice time.

He’d be a perfect fit alongside Victor Johansson (Toronto Maple Leafs), who was one of the most improved prospects in 2024-25. He hasn’t played a ton of hockey this year, but has looked good against men in the Allsvenskan and was Sweden’s top defender at the World Junior Summer Showcase. If that’s the top pair, that’s a lot of high-quality puck movement.

Alfons Freij (Winnipeg Jets) has had a quiet season offensively in the SHL, but he has seen his ice time range anywhere from 18-20 minutes a night since the start of November. He had a solid showing at the U-20 Five Nations tournament a few months ago, where he showed his prowess with the puck.

For a bit more muscle, Viggo Gustafsson (Nashville Predators) can make things happen. He was, arguably, Sweden’s top defenseman at the 5 Nations tournament, registering nine shots over the first two games. He looked good at this tournament a year ago, but I expect him to be leaned on a bit more this time around.

If you watched the U-18s last spring, you know just how remarkable Sascha Boumedienne (Winnipeg Jets) was. He had 14 points in seven games, marking one of the best outputs ever seen by a defenseman at that tournament. Boumedienne’s numbers have been middling at best in the NCAA, but his confidence has been impressive on a Boston University team that has struggled to keep pucks out of the net.

Boumedienne will either play with potential 2026 first-rounder William Håkansson or SHL blueliner Felix Öhrqvist – someone known for using his speed to win battles. Felix Carell was the surprise addition to this team, but he’ll give the team a physical edge – just like he has provided the Malmo Redhawks all season long.

Forwards

This is a loaded offensive group. The three main contributors should be Anton Frondell (Chicago Blackhawks), Victor Eklund (New York Islanders) and Ivar Stenberg (more on him later). Frondell started off so hot in the Allsvenskan, only for his ice time to diminish in recent weeks. His usage has been odd, but at his best, Frondell has established himself as one of the top 2007-born forwards in the world. Eklund had a great showing at this event a year ago and should remain a key point-producer, even if scoring has been (surprisingly) limited out of him this year.

A pair of Anaheim Ducks prospects – Lucas Pettersson and Eric Nilson – should be relied on to give the team some two-way love. Pettersson is having a strong first full season in the SHL, playing at just under a 30-point pace. Nilson hasn’t blown the NCAA away by any means, but he has established himself as an important contributor to one of the best teams in college. You can always rely on them when they don the blue and yellow.

It feels like Eddie Genborg (Detroit Red Wings) is destined for a top-six spot. He’s a human wrecking ball who brings a boatload of energy to every shift. He’s putting up great numbers with Timra, and while he has never been a big-time producer internationally, he makes everyone around him better because of his energy. He’d be a perfect fit alongside Viggo Björck, allowing the 2026 NHL Draft prospect to play a bit more freely offensively.

Sweden’s depth makes them scary. Wilson Björck (Vancouver Canucks) has had a quiet year at Colorado College, but was one of Sweden’s best players at the World Junior Summer Showcase. Milton Gästrin (Washington Capitals) doesn’t lose many faceoffs, and he’s got the size you’re looking for in the bottom six.

Beyond that, Jack Berglund (Philadelphia Flyers) has always played well internationally. Loke Krantz (Seattle Kraken) is a bit underrated, but he can kill penalties and play physical without going over the line too often. Valter Lindberg has been great with the Swedes this year and could play anywhere in the lineup. Overall, it’s a strong group with no shortage of weapons, no matter what line you’re looking at.

2026 NHL Draft

Not only is Sweden loaded, but some of their top young talent happen to be draft eligible, as well. Forward Ivar Stenberg is tracking for close to 50 points this season in the SHL, which would mark the best output by a draft-eligible player in league history. Stenberg could add a bit more muscle and play a bit more physical – the size disadvantage compared to the 6-foot-4 Keaton Verhoeff is the deciding factor for me right now when ranking them at the top of the 2026 NHL Draft class behind Gavin McKenna. But you should fully expect a strong World Junior showing to boost Stenberg’s stock further. He’s going to be so crucial for the Swedes.

Sticking up front, Viggo Björck has seen his draft stock fall a bit, but it’s good that he has played against men all season. He was great at the recent U-20 tournament in Slovakia, putting up five points in the first two games alone. Björck is a strong skater who can exploit open ice, but his lack of physical play will hurt him ahead of the draft. From a skill perspective, though, Björck is one of the most intriguing prospects in this tournament.

Casper Juustovaara Karlsson was the biggest surprise up front. The 18-year-old is small at 5-foot-9 and had never played for the Swedes before this year. But the team must love his energy, something he brings to every shift in the SHL. He’s a long shot to get drafted, but he could definitely fill a role on the penalty kill.

The Swedes left Ottawa Senators prospect Gabriel Eliasson off the roster, but they still wanted someone with size. That’s where 6-foot-4 defender William Håkansson comes in. He is already playing against men and doesn’t look out of place with his physicality. He’ll do whatever it takes to keep you from getting close to the net, even if it ultimately penalizes him in the process. Håkansson moves well and is a decent playmaker, so I don’t think he’ll turn into one of those big players who can’t do anything other than crush people.

Projection

Sweden always comes in with high expectations but rarely lives up to them. This year, they boast one of the deepest teams in the tourney and should be strong enough to overcome the Americans in Group A. They’ve got a ton of built-in chemistry, and as long as they’re not afraid to allow their younger forwards to flourish, they’ll be in good shape. At this point, though, this nation is desperate for success on the U-20 stage. Anything worse than a gold with this group will feel like a missed opportunity, especially if Frondell or Stenberg are up in the NHL next year.

Schedule

Dec. 17 vs. Canada – 7:00 PM ET (Pre-tournament)
Dec. 20 vs. Canada – 7:00 PM ET (Pre-tournament)
Dec. 23 vs. Switzerland – 8:00 PM ET (Pre-tournament)
Dec. 26 vs. Slovakia – 1:00 PM ET
Dec. 28 vs. Switzerland – 2:00 PM ET
Dec. 29 vs. Germany – 1:00 PM ET
Dec. 31 vs. USA – 6:00 PM ET

NHL Prospects

Forwards:
Jack Berglund (Philadelphia Flyers)
Wilson Björck (Vancouver Canucks)
Victor Eklund (New York Islanders)
Linus Eriksson (Florida Panthers)
Anton Frondell (Chicago Blackhawks)
Eddie Genborg (Detroit Red Wings)
Loke Krantz (Seattle Kraken)
Eric Nilson (Anaheim Ducks)
Lucas Pettersson (Anaheim Ducks)

Defensemen:
Sascha Boumedienne (Winnipeg Jets)
Alfons Freij (Winnipeg Jets)
Viggo Gustafsson (Nashville Predators)
Victor Johansson (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Leo Sahlin Wallenius (San Jose Sharks)

Goaltenders:
Måns Goos (Dallas Stars)
Love Härenstam (St. Louis Blues)

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