Lindstrom, Koivu And Hagens Lead Standouts At The World Junior Summer Showcase

The World Junior Summer Showcase is the unofficial kick off to each hockey season, beginning the run of summer hockey tournaments that international organizations use to evaluate their group. This year, with the World Junior Championship set to take place in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minn. in December, the WJSS wasn’t in its typical location of Plymouth, Mich. at USA Hockey Arena, opting to go to Minnesota to familiarize some of the players with the area. 

Although it is just summer hockey and things are typically less structured and more free flowing, the WJSS has become a tournament where fans are able to check in on their team’s latest draft pick or get the chance to see some of their team’s European prospects that they don’t typically get to see. It’s also a chance to see some of the top draft eligibles for the following season. 

Let’s dive into some of the standouts from the festivities in Minnesota, where plenty of talent showed up and showed out. 

Cayden Lindstrom, LW/C, Canada (Columbus Blue Jackets)

Columbus fans rejoice, your prize prospect looks like he’s returned to form! While he wasn’t dominant in every single game, the combination of power and skill rose to the surface once again. The unrelenting speed was really the most impressive part of this event for Lindstrom. He was absolutely flying around the ice. 

When he returned to Medicine Hat at the end of last season, he looked good but there was clearly some tepidness in his game at times. At the WJSS, that was gone and Lindstrom was unleashed. If this is a sign of things to come for Lindstrom this year, he could very well be in line for a very good season at Michigan State. 

Aatos Koivu, C/RW, Finland (Montreal Canadiens)

There may not be a player who has had a more impressive tournament than Aatos Koivu when you take into account the expectations coming in. Finland didn’t have Konsta Helenius so there was a question of who would step up in his absence, especially since they might not have him in the winter for the world juniors. The answer was Aatos Koivu who has been a goal scoring machine at the WJSS. 

He’s shown off his one-timer on the powerplay and his ability to stalk open ice at even strength. Koivu has just been a step ahead whenever he is on the ice, making smart plays with the puck and supporting play without it. He’s even made a few nice defensive plays. He should be one of the most important Finns in December. 

James Hagens, C, USA (Boston Bruins)

Whenever James Hagens was on the ice, it seemed like he was trying to prove that he was the best player in the 2025 NHL draft class. The dynamism, pace and skill that was constantly on display when Hagens was taking his shift was incredible. He asserted himself as the top American at the WJSS and if we’re being honest, it wasn’t close. 

Hagens’ ability to dictate what was happening on the ice was as impressive as anyone at the event. We all kind of knew that heading into the WJC, Hagens was going to be ‘The Guy’ but his performance here showed that he should probably go into the tournament in December as the favorite to take home the MVP, especially if he pushes this U.S. team to a third straight gold medal. 

Ryker Lee, RW, USA (Nashville Predators)

The name Ryker Lee is quickly becoming more well known in the prospect world and it’s for very good reason. Lee had truly fantastic stretches of play at the WJSS. His skill with the puck on his stick is tantalizing to watch at times, and he can often make something out of nothing. What was truly impressive at the WJSS though, was his ability to create at pace and showcase the offensive tools that he has when playing against some of the best U20 players in the world. 

Lee’s issue has always been his ability to ramp up when things really got going, but the WJSS showed that not only can he keep up, but he can thrive. He could be a sneaky name to play in the top six in December for Team USA. 

Ivar Stenberg, LW, Sweden (2026)

In an event that featured surefire first-overall pick, Gavin McKenna, and superstar Swedish scorer, Viggo Bjorck, it was Ivar Stenberg who stood out as the most impressive 2026 NHL draft-eligible player. Stenberg plays the game with the intention of taking everything head-on. He has the puck handling and skill to deke and dangle or play a less structured brand of hockey but he doesn’t. He plays with purpose, attacking up ice and going to the high-danger areas every time he’s on the ice. 

Despite not scoring after his opening game hat trick, Stenberg was a constant source of offensive creation. The top pick in 2026 might already be locked up, but if anyone is going to give McKenna a run for his money, it might be Stenberg. 

Michael Hage, RW/C, Canada (Montreal Canadiens)

Throughout the week, Hage kept finding himself involved in the action for Canada. Whether he was scoring a big goal or getting into it with fellow Montreal prospect Aatos Koivu, this was a great event for Hage. His speed and puck handling were evident throughout the WJSS and he even made the decision to become more involved in puck pursuit and on the forecheck. Simply put, Hage was involved all over for Canada and was often their most consistent attacker. If he has a good start to the season at Michigan, Hage should be a shoo-in for the WJC roster. 

Cole Reschny, C, Canada (Calgary Flames)

It was an impressive showing for Cole Reschny who will need to have a good start at the University of North Dakota to earn a spot on the final roster. The reality is, the passing and vision that Reschny possesses should get him a spot as is but as an undersized center who isn’t a blazing fast player, Reschny is going to have to keep proving his worth. 

While he wound up with four goals and an assist at the WJSS, Reschny’s real strength is as a playmaker who finds the smallest seam and hits it with precision passing. There aren’t many players for Canada who can facilitate play at such a high level. Reschny deserves a spot on the WJC squad and this event was just one piece of evidence as to why. 

Daniel Nieminen, D, Finland (Nashville Predators)

It’s tough to stand out in a summer tournament for defensemen. The play is so loose and it’s easier to standout as a goal scorer or forward who is having a big week. What made Nieminen’s week impressive was that not only was he putting together some really nice moments with his puck moving on display but he was also playing pretty solid two-way hockey. He’s an excellent skater who gets himself into positions to succeed. For a Finnish team that lacks star talent, Nieminen could wind up being a very useful piece on the back end come WJC time. 

Victor Johansson, D, Sweden (Toronto Maple Leafs)

The development of Victor Johansson over the last couple of years has been impressive. He remains a bit thin and undersized but his fluidity and willingness to engage were both traits that impressed during the WJSS. Despite being on the smaller side, he was throwing some hits and fighting for pucks in corners. 

The most encouraging sign for Johansson was his ability to finally put the flashes of impressive offensive play together in a bit of an extended run. His puck handling, passing and breakout vision were all on display at the WJSS. If Johansson can keep this up, he could very well be one of the sneakiest additions to any WJC roster in December, playing a larger than expected role for the Swedes. 

Luke Osburn, D, USA (Buffalo Sabres)

I don’t know if there was a more well-rounded, impressive blueliner for Team USA than Luke Osburn. He was taking shifts on the powerplay and showing that he can be a creator and not just a facilitating presence at the top of the zone. 

In the defensive zone, Osburn was shutting play down before it even had a chance to develop. This was an excellent showing from a defender many don’t think will be on the roster in December. If he keeps this kind of play up at the University of Wisconsin, maybe this will have left a big enough imprint on the Team USA staff to change that.

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