2023 U-18 World Championship Preview: Players to Follow in Group B

In Part 2 of the 2023 U-18 World Championship preview, Tony Ferrari analyzes the rosters and X-factors in Group B, including the USA, Finland and more.

The premier event on the international calendar for evaluating NHL draft-eligible prospects has arrived.

The men’s Under-18 World Championships begins on Thursday, and it could be the final chance for many of the world’s best draft-age prospects to leave a mark on scouts.

Every year, this tournament is why a player rises up draft boards or falls a round from where they were perceived beforehand. Scouts and GMs of NHL teams are always dialed in on the U-18s, looking to unearth a gem or solidify their opinion on a top prospect.

On Tuesday, we went through Group A, which included Canada, Sweden, Czechia, Slovakia and Germany. Let’s dive into each team in Group B, looking at which nation has a shot at the title and what players are set to play a massive role in getting them there.

X-Factor: G Trey Augustine

This is the tournament the USA Hockey National Team Development Program works toward all year.

The under-18 squad plays against USHL and NCAA competition to prepare for their age group’s best talent. They swept and dominated a Five Nations event in November, going undefeated while outsourcing their opponents 29-8. They were good at a Four Nations event but lost to the Finns 5-2. At the end of the day, the NTDP squad heads into the U-18s as the tournament favorite.

The offensive firepower on this squad is lethal. Will Smith powers the Boston College line flanked by Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault. The trio has been one of the most entertaining lines outside of the NHL. Smith is the dynamic, playmaking human highlight reel of a center. Leonard is the bull in a china shop winger who can finish from distance or in tight. Perreault is the play-connecting, complementary piece that finds a way to produce no matter how good or bad he plays. This is likely to be the hardest line to stop in the tournament.

The offense doesn’t stop there, though. Oliver Moore is a pivot who could play on the top line of any team in this tournament, and he centers the second line for the Americans. His speed and high-octane offensive attack can put defenders in knots as they try to defend his unreal raw skating ability with his cerebral scoring mindset. On his wing, Moore often has the duo of U-17 stars James Hagens and Cole Eiserman or some combination of Ryan Fine, Danny Nelson and Will Vote, who all bring a craftiness and offensive touch to the line in their own ways.

The defensive group has a number of interesting prospects, highlighted by Aram Minnetian, who has led the way for the American blueline this year. He is a willing participant in offensive play, joining the rush and activating from the blueline to pressure down the half wall or penetrate the slot. His game is built off his upper-echelon skating ability.

Drew Fortescue and Paul Fischer show capable defensive tendencies and thwart play with good gaps and smart reads. They make solid passes out of their own end in transition, with Fischer often leaving you wondering why there isn’t more offensive production. Brady Cleveland is an all-defensive player who has the size and mobility everyone seeks out in a defender.

The Americans are set in net as they look to Trey Augustine to hold the crease down. Augustine has become one of the best goalie prospects in the 2023 draft class, thanks to his excellent technical play and advanced play-reading ability. Augustine has good size, but the combination of technical efficiency and athleticism could make Augustine the best goalie at the U-18s.

X-Factor: LW Jesse Nurmi

The Finns look to be in a great place in Group B, with only the Americans to compete with for the top spot. The Finnish team is underrated as always, littered with players with pro experience at the Liiga level. Finland always plays a structured and intelligent game, often equalling more than the sum of their parts. They will be heavily relying on their underage players in key roles as their 2005-born group is a bit underwhelming.

Whenever the Finns have success, they have a couple of players who take on leading offensive roles. This year, they’ll likely rely on Jesse Nurmi to take the lead offensively. Nurmi has been one of the most divisive prospects in the draft world this year. His production in the Finnish U-20 league has been impressive on the surface, but much of it has come against the league’s lesser competition. He plays with speed, but it will be integral that he puts all of his offensive tools together at the U-18s to solidify his standing in the draft world.

Jesse Kiiskinen has been the Finnish U-18 team’s best player at international events this year. He plays a straightforward game that works extremely well within the Finns’ system. Konsta Helenius is their top underage forward and could be their best player by the end of the tournament. He’s had more success at the Liiga level than just about anyone on the roster. His chemistry with Kapser Halttunen has been evident in the past, so the duo should be reunited at the U-18s.

Aron Kiviharju is a 2024 draft eligible and will likely assert himself as the team’s top blueliner after a fantastic tournament last year. His transition game will excel at the U-18s. He deals with pressure efficiently and never seems to panic, evading pressure and making the right play quickly and decisively. Kiviharju’s intelligence is the base of his game, allowing him to excel at both ends of the ice.

The rest of the defense corp will be a mixed bag. Emil Pieniniemi should earn himself a top-four role with the Finns, leveraging his do-it-all ability to play a sound defensive game in transition and when dealing with sustained zone pressure. If they are looking for a physical defender, Kalle Kangas could find himself playing big minutes. Young defensemen such as Mitja Jokinen and Veeti Vaisanen are good skaters with puck-moving abilities, which could be valuable for the Finns. The Finnish coaching staff’s pairings could change early on before settling on something heading into the medal rounds.

In net, the Finns have a two-horse race for the starter gig. Noa Vali has been the better goaltender this season, playing well for TPS U-20. He is a smaller netminder who plays with quickness in his crease. Eemil Vinni is the most highly touted netminder on the squad and could be in contention for the top netminder eligible for the 2024 NHL draft. He has the size, athleticism and technique to excel, but he has been a bit underwhelming throughout this season. Whoever wins the starting gig must have a big tournament for the Finns to compete for a medal.

X-Factor: D Eric Schneller

The Swiss squad will be competitive and should finish third in the group. But if they were in Group A, they would likely be battling it out with Germany to stay out of last place. They don’t have the top-end talent or standout player to be a difference-maker at an international event. With Latvia and Norway in their group, Switzerland should feel better about their chances of finishing in the top three of their side.

The Swiss forward group leaves a lot to be desired, but they have a couple of pieces that could find the scoresheet for the team. Simon Meier has been one of the most exciting U-18 players in the Swiss junior league. He is a good passer and uses his teammates well, but the bump in the competition will tell us all a lot about the quality of player Meier is. Lenn Zehnder has been quite good for Switzerland at the U-18 level and has been a point-per-game player in Swiss junior hockey as well.

On the back end, the Swiss will be led by the only player with any semblance of high-level hockey experience in Eric Schneller, who plays at the J20 level in Sweden. The slightly undersized defender moves the puck quite well and plays a smart defensive game. He can be pushed around sometimes, but when leading with his stick and using his skating ability to the fullest extent, he can be a solid blueliner for this squad.

The rest of the blueline group is filled with question marks. Nic Balestra has had a good season playing in Swiss junior leagues. He shows some capability as a puck mover but struggles defensively at times. Nils Rhyn has spent most of the season at the U-20 level, so he should also be relied upon at the U-18s. In all honesty, the defense group for Switzerland may wind up looking like Swiss cheese.

In net, the team will likely rely on Ewan Huet. The son of former NHLer Cristobal Huet had moments of quality play for the Swiss U-18 team in Five Nation tournaments and international play but certainly hasn’t been a star. It will take him standing on his head for the Swiss to compete.

X-Factor: RW Kristers Ansons

The Latvian squad has been feisty over the last few years, but they lack the upper-tier talent to be all that dangerous in this tournament. They could be poised to upset one of the tournament’s better teams should they catch them sleeping the way the Swedes started last year’s U-18s. The Latvians will be the second-biggest team in terms of height in the tournament despite also being the youngest team, so expect hiccups should along the way.

Despite being just 16 years old and not being NHL draft eligible until 2024, Kristers Ansons could be the team’s best and most skilled player. He has his 6-foot-4 size and some speed that should allow him to attack defenders at the U-18s. If he can showcase his skill against the best U-18 talent in the world, he could set himself up for an outstanding draft season next year.

Eriks Mateiko should provide some offensive punch after a decent season in the QMJHL. The 6-foot-4 winger should bring some of the experience from last year’s team to the tournament and build off the two goals he scored last time. Davids Livsics is another returning forward who will likely be relied upon.

Peteris Bulans is a returning defender and yet another player with QMJHL experience. He’s shown the ability to move the puck a bit in the ‘Q’ and brings some decent defensive structure to the Latvian blueline. The Latvians could have as many as four 16-year-old defenders in the lineup, as their lack of experience will be especially evident on the blueline.

In net, Latvia could rely on 16-year-old Nils Roberts Maurins as he looks to be the most talented of the bunch, but throwing a young kid to the fire like that could be detrimental. Aksels Ozols has played pro in Latvia to decent results but hasn’t stood out much. The crease could be a work in progress for Latvia, and they should probably just go with the hot hand when able.

X-Factor: C Felix Granath

The smallest and second-youngest team in the U-18 World Championship will have a tough time in their first appearance in the tournament since 2011. They lack talent at every level and could be in line to be relegated once again, just as they have been in their last five appearances at the U-18s.

Felix Granath and Alieu Moldal Bah both play in the J20 Nationell in Sweden and look to be the team’s most talented forwards, but neither has found great success. Granath, in particular, is a skilled, speedy forward who could be a difference-maker at the U-18 event.

On the blueline, there is a mishmash of talent with no real standouts. Philip Monnich Hagen has shown some puck-moving ability. Felix Haugen Amundsen and Ludvig Lafton have some experience at the pro level, albeit with mixed results. The Norwegian defenders will likely be thrown to the fire and could be in over their heads against Finland and the USA.