Projected first-round NHL draft picks Keaton Verhoeff, Adam Novotny and William Hakansson are expected to play at the world juniors. Draft expert Tony Ferrari shares scouting notes for each player.
The World Junior Championship is where so many hockey fans get their first impressions of the top prospects from around the world.
The two-week tournament is one of the biggest events on the hockey calendar. Fans and analysts across hockey make sweeping judgments about the event because it assembles the best of the best when it comes to prospects.
As we head into the WJC, let's take a peek into my personal scouting notebook for the 2026 NHL draft class and get a sense for how some of the draft eligibles are playing as they head into the annual U-20 tournament.
Keaton Verhoeff is having a very good season with North Dakota in the NCAA and could be a key piece for Canada's blueline. Adam Novotny has had some ups and downs in the OHL, but the Czech forward will be leaned on to be an important piece for his squad. William Hakansson might be one of the most underrated prospects in the draft because he doesn't play a flashy game, but he could be a steadying presence for Sweden on the back end.
Let's dive into a recent game for each of those players as we begin to prepare for the World Junior Championship.
Keaton Verhoeff, D, Univ. of North Dakota (NCAA)
6-foot-4, 212 pounds
Dec. 5, 2025 vs. St. Cloud State (NCAA)
This was a solid but unspectacular game from Verhoeff. He was held off the scoresheet, but he showed off some very solid puck-moving and passing ability throughout the game. Verhoeff's mobility and poised play in his own end have made him a very steady presence for NoDak in his freshman season.
Early in the game, Verhoeff did a very good job of defending through the neutral zone, closing the gap quickly and forcing decisions. He was fluid in his pivots and got back to pucks dumped in, quickly collecting the puck and making a decision. He kept a lot of the noise out of his game, refraining from making the big mistakes that could have flipped the game on its head.
The really impressive part about Verhoeff's game is that he isn't always looking to make the big play; he makes the right one.
A number of times throughout the game, he absorbed pressure and made a quick little slip pass or a pass up the wall. Other times, he would spin off a check and keep his eyes up ice to advance the puck in the right direction.
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His transition ability throughout the game was as steady as it gets. He was consistently making the right pass or skating with the puck when he had time and space.
Simple little bumper passes, or bank passes off the wall to get around a defender, were key to his success and once again showcased the simple, unspectacular elements of his game that drove positive results.
In the offensive zone, Verhoeff was active in cycling high in the zone, moving the puck down the wall and activating on the back side to present a passing option. He was a very smart passer on the power play and consistently found teammates open with the extra man. There were a couple of really nice plays in this game that resulted in shots on net but no finish that could have put Verhoeff on the scoresheet.
Verhoeff was on the ice for two goals-for, one on the power play, and a goal against, but he wasn't a major factor in any of the plays. On the goal against, he was the backside defender on a scramble around the net, and the puck just found its way in through the chaos. Verhoeff did have a chance to clear it from the net front at the beginning of the mess but had it bounce over his stick.
Overall, this was a very good example of what the floor for Verhoeff feels like. Good, smart, efficient play without much fuss or mistakes. He doesn't panic under pressure, which is a very important trait for defenders, and he really showed poise with the puck.
Verhoeff is a solid, steady blueliner who should be among the best in the class.
Adam Novotny, LW/RW, Peterborough (OHL)
6-foot-1, 198 pounds
Dec. 4, 2025 vs. Flint Firebirds (OHL)
Seeming more comfortable now than at the start of the season in the OHL, Novotny has really come on strong as of late. His performance against the Firebirds was an excellent example of it.
His speed, center-lane drive and excellent motor at both ends of the ice have become consistent factors. The defensive pursuit through the neutral zone has become a trait of his game that NHL coaches and scouts will love.
Novotny scored two of Peterborough's goals and had a fantastic secondary assist on the other. They came from Novotny simply putting in the work, skating his tail off and making the direct play.
The first goal came on the counterattack with Novotny off the puck, driving off the far side. He established an inside position on the defender as he slipped into the slot and buried a pass to the front of the net on a very nice redirection. Novotny's skating and positional route path allowed him to be in the perfect position to score on the play.
On his assist, Novotny chased down a loose puck when an opposing player got to it first and started up ice. Novotny never stopped skating, catching up to the puck carrier in the neutral zone before tying up their stick and knocking the puck loose.
Immediately, Novotny corralled the puck high in his own zone and had his eyes up ice where his teammates were still retreating back. He fired a pass up to the offensive blueline to create an odd-man rush and eventual goal. Novotny's defensive effort was well-rewarded on the play with an assist.
About halfway through the third period, Novotny scored what would end up being the game-winning goal. Sitting just inside the faceoff dot as the puck was battled for and cycled down the wall, Novotny popped inside a defender to receive a pass and score from in tight for his second of the night.
Novotny was excellent in this game beyond his three points, though.
He used his skating to get back defensively and disrupt play through the middle of the ice. He read the opposing transition well, getting into their paths and forcing them outside. On the forecheck, he was pressuring the puck deep when he was the F1, and when he was the F2, he often looked to get into position to cut off the easy outlet.
Novotny's a very smart player who plays with speed. He's versatile enough that an NHL team could use him all over the lineup. Skill development will determine how high in the lineup he plays.
William Hakansson, D, Lulea (Swe.)
6-foot-4, 207 pounds
Dec. 2, 2025 vs. Ilves Tampere (Champions League)
Playing just over eight minutes in this game, Hakansson showed that despite some muted usage as of late, he can hang at the pro level.
His skating has improved so much over the last year, continuing to add layers to his mobility, whether it be crisper edge work, incorporating some mohawk skating and even adding some additional speed and quickness.
In this game, Hakansson showed some aggressive gap defending in transition, closing quickly at the blueline and forcing dump-ins or outside routes.
There is a bit of a physical deficit at the moment, as Hakansson is half of some of the opposing players' ages. But that didn't stop him from getting into the battle.
Hakansson seems to understand defensive positional play at a high level, ensuring he's in the right spot at the right time.
His puck skill is a bit lacking at times, but he can carry the puck if he keeps things simple and his passing is quite steady. He's not a dynamic puck-mover or a slick handler, but the puck doesn't die on his stick, either. He can effectively get the puck to skilled teammates.
In the offensive zone, he showed some flashes of nice play-advancing ability. He would pinch and fire a pass around the boards or to the front of the net. His quickness was certainly an asset in that regard. When Hakansson had the opportunity to jump in on the backside of the attack, he did, but wasn't truly a scoring threat.
Hakansson is a defensive stopper who is growing into the role. His size and mobility are excellent assets. While his offensive tools will be a bit limiting, there is a really solid stabilizer here who could be the perfect foil to an offensive-minded blueliner that needs the defensive help.
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