2026 World Junior Preview: Switzerland just needs to avoid relegation

Switzerland is second in the IIHF’s men’s hockey rankings. But the junior program? It’s a bit of a mess right now.

Switzerland has finished seventh or eighth in each of the past four years and was in the relegation round in 2021 (although relegation didn’t occur that season). The team rarely has a clean round-robin and often gets blasted once the games start to matter on Jan. 2.

Mix in a terrible run for the U-18 program – they were just relegated to Division IA for 2026 – and it’s clear the Swiss junior national team is in trouble. Switzerland should be able to fight to avoid relegation this year, but it won’t be easy:

Looking Back to 2025

Switzerland had an interesting showing in Group B. They never really got destroyed by any means, outside of the 5-1 loss to Czechia on Day 1. They bounced back with a tight 2-1 loss against the Slovaks, but they then scored four goals in the third period to erase a 6-1 deficit against Sweden in the third game. They still lost 7-5, but it had to be a confidence builder.

Switzerland then beat Kazakhstan 3-1 on the final day of the round robin, securing a spot in the quarterfinal and setting up a date with the United States. Predictably, that game went south quickly, with the Americans winning the game 7-2 en route to their second straight gold medal.

Goaltenders

This will be a critical position for the Swiss. It starts with Kitchener Rangers keeper Christian Kirsch (San Jose Sharks), who went 1-3-0 last year. The early results have been impressive, with the 19-year-old doing a good job of keeping games tight. Kirsch had a reputation for giving up far too many weak goals in the past, but he has been Switzerland’s starter long enough to know how to handle the pressure and bounce back when needed.

The Anaheim Ducks took a chance on the 6-foot-4 Elijah Neuenschwander midway through the 2025 NHL Draft, giving them some more size in the crease. Neuenschwander has played well against second-tier pro competition in Switzerland and has already seen plenty of action with the U-20 national team, with mixed results. He’s a competitive goaltender who moves quite well, and his play is often better than the stats suggest.

And then there’s Phileas Lachat. The Waterloo Black Hawks keeper has had some tough starts in his first full USHL season, but it’s rarely been smooth sailing in front of him. He has good size at 6-foot-3 and does a good job of covering the upper half of the net. But he’s prone to allowing poor goals down low from time to time. The Swiss just need one of the three to get hot and steal a game or two. That’s easier said than done, but it’ll be crucial for their survival.

Defensemen

This is the last kick of the can for Leon Muggli (Washington Capitals), the team’s top defender. Muggli looked good to start the season, playing heavy minutes in summer U-20 national team competition before making his mark with the AHL’s Hershey Bears. But an injury midway through October has kept him on the sidelines ever since. If he’s healthy and ready to go, he’ll be Switzerland’s most important player – he’s capable of shutting down skilled, speedy forwards with little difficulty.

19-year-old Ludvig Johnson (Utah Mammoth) has always been a reliable player internationally. He did a good job of shutting opponents down on the rush a year ago, and he’s tracking to double his output with Fribourg-Gotteron in the National League. Look for Johnson to play heavy minutes for this squad.

Basile Sansonnens (Vancouver Canucks) is a more defensively responsible option for the Swiss. I personally like his game – it’s no frills, just all defense. He has a good frame, blocks shots and can play the penalty kill. He seems destined for the second pair, potentially alongside someone like Mischa Geisser or Gian Meier. Geisser is a former winger-turned-defender, and while he has never shown much offensive flair since returning, he has proven to be a pain in the rear end to deal with, physically. Meier is much more of a two-way force and has been one of Switzerland’s best U-20 national team players from the get-go.

The biggest wild card is Daniil Ustinkov. Once viewed as a potential first-rounder in 2024, Ustinkov has been passed over at the past two NHL Drafts. He was even left off Switzerland’s roster a year ago after making the team in 2024. Nobody will discount his pure skill with the puck, but his decision-making can be a total mixed bag. He’s playing decent hockey this season, though, so we’ll see if he can give the team a boost, perhaps on the second power-play unit.

Forwards

This will be a young forward group without a ton of high-end offensive talent. That being said, there’s a handful of players looking to prove themselves – both to Switzerland and NHL scouts. That starts with Lars Steiner, who should be Switzerland’s most skilled player. He’ll be on the top line for sure – but more on him later.

Jamiro Reber is one of the more notable names, having played in this tournament as an underager two years ago before taking on a more prominent role last year. The speedy, two-way forward has struggled to produce in the SHL this year but is still playing around 15-16 minutes a night. That type of experience against pro players every single night should come in handy.

The most fascinating player up front will be 6-foot-3 forward Jonah Neuenschwander. At 16 years old, he’s set for his second World Junior tournament already, which is bonkers. He was great with the U-18 team a year ago and has put up great numbers for a player his age in the National League. Neuenschwander isn’t eligible until the 2027 NHL Draft, but scouts already love his two-way game, his shot and, obviously, his big frame.

Switzerland’s most productive player this season has been Paul Mottard, a 19-year-old with Ilves in the top Finnish league. He has seven points in nine games with the national team, including four points in the final two games of the Five Nations tournament in November. He was recently sent back down to the Finnish junior league, where he has played some of his best hockey of the season.

The offensive depth beyond that is shaky, though. Beni Waidacher looked good at points at the Five Nations tournament and has recently upped his play with HC Davos. Kimi Körbler has had middling numbers this year, but he’s quick and does a good job of handling the smaller North American ice.

While Robin Nico Antenen‘s development has slowed down a bit, he’s still good as a net-front presence – something he proved capable of a year ago. Mike Aeschlimann can serve as a middle-six shooter, while Kevin Haas will serve as more of a dual threat as a passer and a sniper.

The reality is that Switzerland’s offense simply isn’t enough to scare many teams in this tournament. But if they can pair their shutdown blueline with their speed up front, maybe they’ll grind a team down and win 1-0 along the way.

2026 NHL Draft

Lars Steiner is hoping to become the latest Swiss player taken in the first round. He missed over a month of the QMJHL season due to injury, but he has hovered around the point-per-game mark ever since with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. He’s a valuable member of that organization, and there’s hope he’ll find another gear in the coming games and skyrocket his draft stock. He’s on the smaller side of the spectrum, but he plays with a ton of power and pace. I have high hopes for Steiner, who should be on the top line for Switzerland.

Projection

This isn’t a good team – simple as that. The good news is they’ll get the good teams out of the way to start the tournament before getting a day off ahead of their big game against Germany. If they win that, the Swiss should be able to avoid relegation. The Slovaks are a young team, but they’ve got plenty of speed and skill. That one will also be important. Beyond that, don’t expect Switzerland to push the envelope if they make the quarterfinal.

Schedule

Dec. 16 vs. Minnesota State – 8:00 PM ET (Pre-tournament)
Dec. 21 vs. Denmark – 8:00 PM ET (Pre-tournament)
Dec. 23 vs. Sweden – 8:00 PM ET (Pre-tournament)
Dec. 27 vs. USA – 6:00 PM ET
Dec. 28 vs. Sweden – 2:00 PM ET
Dec. 30 vs. Germany – 2:00 PM ET
Dec. 31 vs. Slovakia – 1:00 PM ET

NHL Prospects

Defensemen:
Ludvig Johnson (Utah Mammoth)
Leon Muggli (Washington Capitals)
(Vancouver Canucks)

Goaltenders:
Christian Kirsch (San Jose Sharks)
Elijah Neuenschwander (Anaheim Ducks)

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2026 World Junior Championship Previews

• Team Czechia looks ready to medal again (Dec. 10)
• Slovakia hoping for a big showing from young team (Dec. 11)
• Germany just hopes to stick around (Dec. 12)
• Is Team Canada back? (Dec. 15)
• It’s gold or bust for Sweden (Dec. 16)