The time has come for NHL draft expert Tony Ferrari to break down performances by top prospects Gavin McKenna, Alberts Smits and Tomas Chrekno at the world juniors.
The world juniors are a great chance for NHL scouts to take a look at some of the top draft-eligible players going up against the top U-20 competition in the world.
As much as a small-sample tournament shouldn't completely dictate a draft stock, NHL scouts have always highly valued strong play at the World Junior Championship.
Sometimes, players have been playing against men in Europe, and they are able to tap into their offensive skills a bit more here against junior-aged competition. Other times, players are beating up on junior competition, and this tournament forces them to refine aspects of their game.
Let's take a peek into my personal scouting notebook, looking at three of the top NHL draft-eligible performers at the tournament so far.
We're looking at Gavin McKenna and Alberts Smits going head-to-head as Canada and Latvia played into overtime. We're also analyzing Tomas Chrenko's game against the United States, as he helped the Slovaks push the Americans in one of the most competitive games of the tournament so far.
Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State (NCAA), Six-foot, 165 pounds
Canada vs. Latvia, Dec. 27, 2025 (WJC)
This was a pretty typical Gavin McKenna game. He was muted at even strength for much of the game as the Latvians met his skill with physicality, yet he ended up with two assists on the game, both coming on the power play, with the second coming on a 4-on-3 in overtime.
The game also featured some defensive miscues and shifts where his engagement was less than optimal. It was the full McKenna experience.
Early on in this game, McKenna didn't seem to be quite as sharp as he usually is as a passer. He was just a bit off, missing teammates by just a couple of inches or getting his passes disrupted or picked off by Latvian defenders.
So many times in the early going of this game, McKenna was trying to make the perfect play or create something with high skill, looking for a back-door tap-in. Like most of the Canadian roster, if he were to keep it a bit more simple and straightforward, he may have found a bit more success early and at even strength.
McKenna looked dangerous on the power play, through, taking advantage of the extra space around the offensive zone to exploit east-west passing lanes and find teammates in open ice.
His first assist of the game came on a play in which he rotated into the high slot with the puck, then passed it off and switched places with Cole Reschny, allowing them to skate into the slot and fire the puck from a great spot.
McKenna showcased his puckhandling and passing at times, especially as Canada pushed for more offense in the second period when they had a five-minute power play. So much of that impressive play came on the power play, which is when there is extra space and plenty of time for him to do things that he wants.
He was a big part of the breakdown that led to Latvia's tying goal as well. He received the puck along the wall in the defensive zone, and a Latvian defender came crashing down the wall. When McKenna was bumped, he lost the puck, and the Latvians picked it up and quickly worked the puck around the ice before getting to the net and scoring.
After McKenna lost the puck, he didn't make much of an effort to get it back or even get engaged in the play. He wasn't the only one to make a mistake, as his linemates, Michael Hage and Brady Martin, both made mistakes on the play. Still, McKenna had a couple of opportunities to immediately prevent the chance, but he kind of just rolled into open space and didn't defend the point with any purpose and then just floated into the slot where he wasn't covering anyone. This was the exact lack of defensive engagement and physical fortitude that has caused concern this season.
In overtime, McKenna managed to make up for his mistake, setting up the game-winner with a slick cross-seam pass on the power play. A look at the net before the pass froze the defenders, and then the lateral pass caused the goalie to be late on the shot.
McKenna is a supremely talented offensive player who could be a big-time difference-maker, but the lack of functional physicality or the ability to handle it remains an issue, and his lack of defensive engagement at times burns him. He was backchecking and applying some back pressure in transition, which is a great sign, but when the play reached his own end, he became far less engaged.
Alberts Smits, D, Jukurit (Fin.), 6-foot-3, 205 pounds
Latvia vs. Canada, Dec. 27, 2025 (WJC)
This was always going to be the game that Smits was most harshly critiqued on because it was his opportunity to show he could be a defensive presence against one of the most potent offenses in the tournament.
Throughout this game, Smits not only met the moment, but he exceeded expectations.
Leading Latvia's defense, Smits was all over the ice. He played over 24 minutes in the game, continuously thwarting Canadian chances.
Latvia plays a very reserved, counter-attack style game that doesn't really allow them to push for offense, but rather, they play within their structure and take advantage of mistakes made by the other team.
Smits' skating and overall mobility were on full display in this game, winning races to loose pucks or preventing easy entries. He showed some elusiveness when dealing with the forecheck, side-stepping opponents down low and evading pressure.
When he did face forecheckers, Smits used his size and length to protect the puck or seal off the opposing player, allowing the puck to be chipped to an open player.
Smits was willing to allow opposing players to take low-danger shots from bad angles or high in the zone, but he really shut down the middle of the ice. There were times when the Canadian attackers were trying to make the high-skill play or looking to make the pretty pass, and Smits was getting his stick in the lane or picking off passes. His anticipation in the defensive zone was quite impressive.
2026 World Junior Championship: Full Roster List
Find all the rosters for the 2026 World Junior Championship in Minnesota here.
Smits likes to push the pace generally, getting involved in transition and the offensive game, but he understood his assignment in this game. He understood he needed to play a reserved, defensive game, relying on him to stay a bit more conservative. His experience at the men's level in Finland was evident in this game, as he consistently made the right play.
There were a few chances for Smits to make a play offensively or jump into a shooting lane, and he did so when it presented itself. He wasn't his usual pace-pushing self, though. Much of that could be attributed to the game script.
Smits didn't get a point on Latvia's late tying goal, but he was a massive factor in creating the chance. Smits came flying down the wall to engage physically with Gavin McKenna, who was trying to calm the puck down to move it. When he met McKenna, he forced a turnover, and the puck moved high to low and was eventually buried from in tight. Latvia doesn't get a chance to generate a play if Smits doesn't pinch in and create the turnover within a few seconds of the goal.
In a game against one of the tournament favorites, Smits managed to be a plus-1 on the game and prevent Canada from scoring when he was on the ice at even strength. He played nearly six minutes of shorthanded ice time and kept Canada to the outside primarily throughout the game.
For all of the offensive upside and physical tools that have intrigued scouts in Smits, this is the kind of game that showcases a floor as a shutdown defender who can win with his mobility and size.
Tomas Chrenko, C, Nitra (Svk.), 5-foot-11, 170 pounds
Czechia vs. USA, Dec. 29, 2025 (WJC)
Throughout this game, Chrenko was consistently a threat offensively thanks to his speed and pace of play.
There wasn't a time in this game when Chrenko looked to be behind the play. He was consistently looking to dictate play. He was all around the net, scoring twice on four shots and seven attempts.
Chrenko is a smaller forward who can get bumped around at times, and the American defense tried to engage with him physically, but he showed some nice battle and fought through it most of the night. He used defenders as screens on both of his goals, snapping the puck home with minimal effort.
His first goal came on a beautiful shot off the half-wall, extending the puck out from his body as he skated to the slot and fired it around the screen to just inside the far-side post on the power play. It barely looked like he put any pop into the shot, but it jumped off his stick.
Chrenko scored again late in the game to get the Slovak team back within one, getting the puck along the wall and skating just below the faceoff dot before firing it by the goalie with a mess in front of him. His shot is impressive as it doesn't take much movement to get it off, and he is very quick to shoot when there is an opening.
There were moments defensively when Chrenko looked to be a bit overwhelmed in terms of strength, and he misread a play here and there, but his skill and pace are impressive factors.
Throughout this tournament, he's been one of the Slovak squad's most impressive generators of offense, primarily using his speed to get by defenders and into a shooting lane. He's tied for the tournament lead in goals and points after four games, and he's been important in each game.
Chrenko isn't a refined 200-foot player just yet, but effort is rarely the issue. He works hard and stays engaged most shifts. There wasn't much hype around him before the world juniors, but his performance here, especially if he can help Slovakia to a quarterfinal upset, will go a long way toward boosting his draft stock.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.