Every NHL team in the Eastern Conference has a prospect to watch at the world juniors in Gothenburg, Sweden. Tony Ferrari lists a player per team for fans to follow closely, including the Bruins' Poitras, Sabres' Ostlund and Maple Leafs' Cowan.

The world juniors are one of the most exciting international hockey events on the calendar. All of the action in Gothenburg, Sweden, kicks off on Dec. 26, and the tournament finishes on Jan. 5, 2024.

It’s also one of the first times many fans who primarily watch the NHL get a chance to see their team’s top prospects. It’s a time when fans around the NHL get to jump on the hype train of the “Next Big Thing,” or the kid they’ve been told will help bolster their core en route to a championship.

With that said, let’s take a look around the NHL’s Eastern Conference and focus on one player to watch for each team at the World Junior Championship.

Boston Bruins - Matthew Poitras, C, Canada

Canada had its holiday wishes granted when the Boston Bruins loaned Matthew Poitras to the world junior squad. The 54th overall pick in 2022 should slot into a top-of-the-lineup role down the middle, playing big minutes and being relied upon heavily to contribute offensively.

Bruins fans will want to see him capture some of the confidence we’ve seen from him at points in the early NHL season. The hope is he comes back to the Bruins, hot off a big world juniors performance and ready to help the team in the stretch run.

Buffalo Sabres - Noah Ostlund, C, Sweden

The Sabres will have plenty of prospects at the tournament to watch, such as Matthew Savoie and Jiri Kulich. But the player they'll want to keep their eye on is Noah Ostlund. Sabres fans have seen Kulich and Savoie up close, but Ostlund's played overseas in the SHL this season. The high-octane center could be one of the best players at the world juniors.

Coming off a concussion, the 2022 first-round pick is set to play an important role for the host Swedes, who are one of the favorites to win the tournament. His pace and play-driving ability are going to help him be an offensive catalyst, leading one of the best offensive units in the tournament.

Carolina Hurricanes - Felix Unger Sorum, RW, Sweden

A second-round pick in the most recent NHL draft, Felix Unger Sorum will be one of the most interesting players at this year’s World Junior Championship. His game is built on his unrelenting motor and constant willingness to outwork his opponents. That should allow him to play in a bottom-six role for Sweden.

On the flip side, Unger Sorum’s playmaking has been his offensive calling card for a while. He has the vision to work off the wall and make a play to the middle as a passer, but he doesn’t rush anything. Where Unger Sorum plays will be a development to follow for the Swedes.

Columbus Blue Jackets - Jordan Dumais, RW, Canada

The QMJHL’s leading scorer over the past two years so far is set to be one of the offensive catalysts for a Canadian squad desperately looking for someone to take on that lead role. His 187 points in 85 QMJHL games since the start of last season seem like video game numbers. The Dumais hype train has been growing because of it.

Dumais is one of the most dangerous players in junior hockey when in the offensive zone. His size and play when the puck isn’t on his stick are the reasons he fell to the 96th overall pick in the 2022 NHL draft. At the world juniors, he should be paired up with a high-end puck transporter and finisher, which shouldn’t be too hard for Canada to do.

Detroit Red Wings - Nate Danielson, C/W, Canada

Danielson was drafted ninth overall this past June, and when people questioned his offensive upside, his fans said he was playing on a bad team in WHL Brandon and shouldn’t be knocked for teammates not cashing in on his chances. Over two months and 24 games into his draft-plus-one season, he is scoring at a lower rate than he was last year.

While the Red Wings will have plenty of prospects to watch, including fellow 2023 first-round pick Axel Sandin Pellikka, seeing what Nate Danielson can do with a much better supporting cast will be important. There have been some who think Danielson will top out as a third-line center, and this will be his chance to prove them all wrong.

Florida Panthers - Marek Alscher, D, Czechia

The Panthers' prospect pool isn’t incredibly deep, but Czech defender Marek Alscher is certainly an interesting player who could play an important role on the back end for Czechia. He plays a sound defensive game, physically engaging players around the net and looking to punish those who try to get in his goalie’s eyes.

He likely won’t score a bunch at the world juniors, but he should play important minutes for the Czech squad. Alscher brings some size to the blueline and should make life difficult for opponents. He isn’t a flashy player, but he’s effective.

Montreal Canadiens - Filip Mesar, RW, Slovakia

Lane Hutson (USA) and Owen Beck (Canada) will get the majority of the attention from Canadiens fans and media alike, and for good reason. The player who might ultimately have the best tournament of the bunch is Slovak forward Filip Mesar. The 26th overall pick in 2022 has been tearing up the OHL with the Kitchener Rangers.

Mesar is a highly skilled, high-octane winger who can frustrate his opponents with shifty moves and cutbacks. Mesar always seems to find a way to create separation. The Slovak squad will be one of the feistiest teams at the world juniors, and Mesar should be one of the leading forces for the Slovaks.

New Jersey Devils - Lenni Hameenaho, RW, Finland

A highly intelligent player who has been a quality producer at the Liiga level over the last couple of years, Hameenaho could be the Finns' secret weapon. If they have any hopes of competing with one of their weaker rosters in recent memory, the recent second-round pick must have a strong performance.

None of his physical tools jump off the page, but it's been his ability to blend them all together that's allowed him to be an effective player. He anticipates play at a high level, looking to pop into a pocket of space or make passes to space for a teammate to skate onto. The Finns may ultimately go as far as Hameenaho is willing to take them.

New York Islanders - Danny Nelson, RW/LW, USA

The Islanders only have two players at the world juniors, and they may end up playing on the same line. Quinn Finley and Danny Nelson are set to be fixtures in the Americans' bottom six. The perfect bottom-six player on a loaded Team USA, Nelson should bring the energy and provide some solid depth scoring for the Americans.

The 2023 second-rounder plays a relentless game, keeping his feet moving and pressuring his opponents whenever he can. It’s a bit of a cliche at this point, but Nelson has that "dawg" in him. He will throw the body a bit, score a few goals and give the Americans solid minutes.

New York Rangers - Adam Sykora, LW/C, Slovakia

The World Junior Championship came at the perfect time for Sykora as he's gone scoreless in his last six AHL games. He's still figuring out the North American game in his rookie AHL season but heads back to international ice in Gothenburg for the tournament. The 63rd overall pick in 2022 should attack junior-aged head-on as he always has while finding the scoresheet and getting back to his confident self.

Sykora plays an aggressive style of hockey, looking to pressure and annoy the opposing team whenever he doesn’t have the puck. When he does have the puck, he is constantly looking to push the pace and attack right at defenders, looking to give them little to no time to decide how to defend him. This could be the fuel to light the fire for a hot second half of his AHL season.

Ottawa Senators - Oskar Pettersson, RW, Sweden

This should be a big tournament for Oskar Pettersson, who plays in the SHL and has just one assist through 21 games. He's played well in his limited J20 playing time, but he’s spent much of his season against men, looking like he’s just doing everything he can to hold his head above water in bottom-of-the-lineup minutes.

Seeing Pettersson against U-20 competition should allow him to open his game up while still showcasing the pro habits he’s learned in his SHL time. He has a heavy shot and could be a scoring threat for the Swedes, who will need some depth production. The 2022 third-rounder may not be a difference-maker, but he’s going to be worth watching for Sens fans as they get a glimpse of what he could be.

Philadelphia Flyers - Alex Ciernik, RW/LW, Slovakia

With Cutter Gauthier (USA) and Oliver Bonk (Canada) both garnering the bulk of the attention of Flyers fans, Alex Ciernik may fly under the radar. He should be a very important part of the Slovak team that will look to take down the superpowers that his fellow Flyers prospects will be on.

Ciernik plays the game at breakneck speed with the mobility and skill to overwhelm his opponents when he is at his best. The recent fourth-round pick should be an important part of how Slovakia plans to turn the puck around and counterattack on the rush. The high-octane winger will look to constantly create chances for himself and for his teammates. He very well could be the most entertaining prospect at the tournament for the Flyers.

Pittsburgh Penguins - Brayden Yager, C/W, Canada

The Penguins’ prospect pool has been barren for so long, but this year, they have a few players at the world juniors. Emil Pieniniemi and Kalle Kangas will be suiting up for Finland, but the player Pens fans will want to watch is Brayden Yager, the first draft pick of the Kyle Dubas era and the best player they’ve had in their prospect pool in a few years.

Fresh off being selected 14th overall, Yager should be an important player for this Canadian squad, playing center in the top nine and looking to provide some depth scoring. This is his chance to prove to the world he truly is a solid 200-foot center. His shot has always been his best weapon, and although he hasn’t seen the power play in pre-tournament practice, he should find his way onto one of the units throughout the tournament.

Tampa Bay Lightning - Isaac Howard, LW, USA

After a disappointing freshman season with the University of Minnesota-Duluth, Howard transferred to Michigan State and has already eclipsed his scoring totals in half of the games played. The former first-rounder will look to continue his impressive run with Team USA at the world juniors, where he will be looked at to play a top-nine scoring role and put up numbers.

Howard is a skilled, speedy winger who can play a highly effective complementary role on a line driven by a high-end center. The Americans are blessed to have options when it comes to who they are going to pair Howard with. The Lightning don’t have many prospects of note in their system, but Howard’s reemergence this season has been a welcome sight.

Toronto Maple Leafs - Easton Cowan, C/W, Canada

The Leafs surprised a lot of people by selecting Easton Cowan in the first round this past June. Since then, Cowan has done nothing but impress. He was one of the final cuts from the Leafs training camp. His high-energy game, blended with impressive skill, has him playing in all situations for the London Knights.

Cowan wasn’t the most impressive player at Team Canada's selection camp – the coaching staff said as much – but he has so much versatility and vigor that he can be a difference-maker up and down the lineup. He could get the chance to play with fellow Leafs’ prospect Fraser Minten in the bottom six. If they do, Leafs fans will look for the duo to wreak havoc in Canada’s bottom six.

Washington Capitals - Ryan Leonard, RW, USA

There are players who go around their opponents, and then there are players who can go through their opponents. Unfortunately for every non-American at the world juniors, Ryan Leonard can play both. 

The kid is a bulldozer, lowering his shoulder and punishing defenders who attempt to step up on him. He can split defenders with silky mitts as well.

He should play on a line with fellow 2023 first-rounders Will Smith and Gabe Perreault, his linemates at the USA Hockey National Team Development Program for the last couple of years and now again at Boston College. The trio has been one of the most impressive lines in all of hockey as their chemistry has been growing for three years, a reality that isn’t afforded to many players at their age. Leonard is the big, physical straw that stirs their drink. Assuming he ends up with his BC teammates, the sky is the limit for Leonard.