The World Junior Summer Showcase is a chance to see some of hockey's next stars from the USA, Sweden and Finland. Tony Ferrari looks at 12 of the most intriguing players taking part.

Every summer, the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich., – the home of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program – hosts a small event in preparation for the World Junior Championship at the end of December.

Team USA will be split into two squads, and Sweden and Finland will bring a squad to Plymouth. Practices start Thursday, July 27, and each team will kick off on Saturday, July 29. Each team will play four games through the week-long event.

The World Junior Summer Showcase has quickly become the first big event after the draft, where NHL fans can begin to salivate over their newest prospects while continuing to hype themselves up for other players in their prospect pipeline. There will be plenty of talent to get excited about at the showcase. Let’s look at some of the most intriguing players heading to USA Hockey Arena.

Trey Augustine, G, USA Team White

The Americans turned to their youngest goalie last year at the world juniors, and he was a steadying force in the crease. He wasn’t able to dominate and push them to the gold medal game, but with a year of development, he could put them over the top this year. The Detroit second-round pick will look to keep his name atop the depth chart for the Americans with a solid performance at the showcase.

Cole Eiserman, LW, USA Team White

The World Junior Championship is always a great chance to see the top draft eligibles in any given year, and this time, Eiserman will look to not only make the American team but show he is one of their best players. Eiserman is an elite-level shooter who scored at a ridiculous rate at the U-17 and U-18 levels. Eiserman is in the conversation for first overall, and the World Junior Summer Showcase could be a first step toward creating some separation in the top tier of players.

Frank Nazar, C, USA Team White

After missing most of last season with a hip injury, Nazar is expected to come into camp with a chip on his shoulder and the motivation to not only be a standout on the U.S. roster but possibly one of the best players at the tournament. Nazar plays with speed, skill, and controlled chaos that wreaks havoc on his opponents. His high-octane game is perfect for a small tournament which could make him one of the world juniors' most dangerous players.

Seamus Casey, D, USA Team Blue

While he still may not be able to get much power-play time with Lane Hutson on the roster, Casey has a chance to be one of the Americans’ most important defenders at 5-on-5. Despite not dressing for a single game in last year’s world juniors, he is one of the few defenders who seemingly have a spot locked up on the under-20 squad in December. Casey’s ability to play uptempo hockey will be important for a team that may have some issues with defenders playing at pace.

Will Smith, C, Team USA Blue

The top American selected at the 2023 NHL draft, Smith will be one of the most exciting talents in Plymouth. He will have a chance to showcase his ability away from Ryan Leonard at the summer showcase, which will be a great gauge of whether his success comes from the insane chemistry of his line last year at the NTDP. Smith’s dynamic puckhandling and playmaking should excite at the showcase, but expect to see him reunited with Leonard at the big tournament when December rolls around.

Gavin Brindley, RW, Team USA Blue

After playing a small role to start the world juniors last year and growing into one of their best play-drivers in the bottom six, Brindley will be looking to find himself in a top-six role this year. His excellent world juniors propelled him into being one of the most productive college players in the second half of last year. The versatile Brindley will be one of the most interesting and exciting players to watch over the next calendar year, with the summer showcase being the start.

Felix Unger Sorum, RW, Sweden

He was one of the youngest players in the 2023 draft, just two days shy of being eligible for the 2024 class, and he was a late addition to the summer showcase camp for Sweden after a few older players pulled out. Unger Sorum will play with something to prove. He may be a bit of a long shot to make the U-20 team, but a strong summer showcase would get his year started on the right foot and move his name closer to the final roster list. He is a skilled passer with excellent puck skill. He needs to mature physically a bit, but if he does, he could be a dangerous offensive weapon to provide secondary scoring.

Filip Bystedt, C, Sweden

After tying for the team lead in scoring last year, Bystedt is going to be looked at to become one of the most important pieces for the Swedish roster. The San Jose Sharks prospect is a refined center who is a true do-it-all player at the junior level. Bystedt’s roster spot isn’t in question for the main tournament, but a great performance in Plymouth could reassure the Swedes they have a player they can rely on to be a difference-maker.

Axel Sandin Pellikka, D, Sweden

After growing into a bigger role by the end of last year’s tournament, Sandin Pellikka could be one of the Swedes’ best players. His ability to play at both ends of the ice at the U-20 level and bring a dynamic presence to the offensive side of the ice should give Sweden the high-end skill that any competitive team requires at the World Junior Championship. He will have his work cut out for him with some older veterans on the team, but the skill of A.S.P. should win out.

Aron Kiviharju, D, Finland

The young Finn is among the best players available in the 2024 NHL draft, thanks to his ability to play such a refined, mature game. He has very little panic with the puck on his stick and can make any play look easy. Kiviharju understands how to play a defensive game built on positioning, using his skating and stick to break up play and turn it around quickly. On a Finnish team with questions on the back end, Kiviharju could be their No. 1 defenseman.

Konsta Helenius, C, Finland

While Finland doesn’t love sending young players into battle in a big role, Helenius could force their hand. He has proven more than capable of playing and producing at the Liiga level against men. He has scored in bunches against the U-18 level as a 16-year-old. There is no reason for Helenius ,not to have a big role at the tournament in December but it will be interesting to see exactly where the Finnish coaching staff slots him in.

Lenni Hameenaho, RW, Finland

One of the few returnees from last year’s U-20 team, Hameenaho could be one of the Finns’ most productive players heading into the world juniors. Hameenaho is a very intelligent player who can diagnose and pick apart a defense with the best of them, but his biggest flaw is that his skating is subpar. Against junior-aged competition, it’s much less noticeable, which should allow him to make an impact both at the summer showcase and the main tournament.