Team USA will try to win its third straight gold medals at the 2026 world juniors, but it might not have the same depth and goaltending as in recent years.
The Americans have dominated the World Junior Championship in recent years.
They are coming off back-to-back gold medals, and they have three in the past five years. The dominance of the Americans at the under-20 level has been fantastic to watch, as they've featured some of the most exciting prospects throughout their lineup.
Team USA has been grateful for incredible goaltending and depth all over the lineup, but this year, they might be in trouble in both regards. It'll be a different look for the Americans. Junior hockey is cyclical, and they are experiencing that now.
This should be one of the better teams at the tournament, but it's taking a step down in terms of raw talent, so Team USA's outcomes range from going home without a medal to being a threat to go for a third straight title. They'll need some key players to bring their A-game, and if they do, this team should be quite fun to watch.
Forwards
The American forward group is quite solid, with James Hagens leading the way.
The highly skilled playmaker will center their top line and should be a candidate to lead the tournament in scoring.
If Hagens is Team USA's Batman, Teddy Stiga will be the Robin that he needs to be most successful. Hagens' cerebral intelligence and Stiga's endless motor and dual-threat offensive skill are a perfect match.
Adding Brody Ziemer to the top line trio made all the sense in the world as he's an excellent off-puck attacker who thrives on quick possession. The trio played together at the USA Hockey National Team Development Program a couple of years ago, and Stiga and Hagens routinely play together at Boston College as well, so there is plenty of built-in chemistry.
Speaking of chemistry, Kamil Bednarik and Cole Eiserman play together at Boston University, and they could be joined by their former NTDP teammate, Max Plante, on the second line to give the Americans another trio with some familiarity. Eiserman is a lethal shooter, and where he lacks a bit defensively, Bednarik makes up for it. Plante is having a great season at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, really coming into his own of late. This could be a headache-inducing second line for the Americans.
William Horcoff and Cullen Potter are another duo with some familiarity, playing at the NTDP for their U-17 season. Potter departed for college after that season, and Horcoff jumped to the NCAA mid-season. They didn't play together all that much at the NTDP, but their skill sets should match up pretty well with Potter's high-octane offensive game and Horcoff's defensively sound play down the middle. Add in the uber-skilled Ryker Lee, who can dance and dangle as a dual threat option on the wing, and this line could be incredibly effective depth.
The Americans could use their fourth line as a matchup line with Cole McKinney centering Shane Vansaghi and AJ Spellacy. The line would be fast, physical, and defensively sound. They would make life difficult for any opponent that they play and they would be trusted to play against other team's top lines if needed.
LJ Mooney and Trevor Connelly both fall into the same category of being too talented to leave off, but also not really having a directly obvious spot in the lineup. They are outstanding offensive talents who could be difference-making players. They could be inserted on any line when they are looking for some offensive punch.
Final Cuts: Will Zellers, JP Hurlbert, Jack Murtagh, Nikita Klepov, Nicolas Sykora
The American team doesn't have quite the depth that they've had in past years, but there will still be some very talented players left off this roster.
Hurlbert is the leading scorer in the CHL, but his game is still fairly immature, and the coaching staff of the U-20 squad will want players who have a bit more of a well-rounded game. Jack Murtagh could fit in on this roster in a role, but they have players like Vansaghi and Spellacy who can plan the role that he would fill.
World Juniors 2026: Projecting Team Canada
Team Canada needs the best players possible at the 2026 world juniors. They need to lean into their depth and worry less about role players. Here's their projected roster.
Defensemen
On the back end, it's Cole Hutson and his merry men. His skill and passing ability are going to be leaned on heavily by Team USA as they lack truly offensive blueliners beyond him. Hutson has the potential to be one of the top scoring players at the tournament, and it would be mildly shocking if he wasn't in the top three among defensive scorers.
Adam Kleber is one of the defensive-minded blueliners who could fit nicely alongside the best puck-moving defender the Americans have. Blake Fiddler could be another option as well, with a bit more puck-moving ability. They could also opt to play EJ Emery with Hutson, as they have some experience together from their NTDP days, but Emery might struggle to keep up with Hutson's pace.
Luke Osburn and Logan Hensler could be a really solid duo who both have some two-way ability. They are very mobile blueliners who can cut play off in transition and make a breakout pass with efficiency. They are going to be important players as they provide the kind of versatility that this blueline will need.
One of the more interesting players will be Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen, a blueliner who has always leaned defensively, but his offensive touch has shown up this season as he's become a much more effective puck-mover in all three zones. He’s the kind of safe, do-it-all guy they could use on the back end. Jacob Rombach is another defender who fits that mold, albeit with a bit less puck-moving ability and a bit more physicality.
Final Cuts: Chase Reid, Will Skahan, Lukas Fischer, Henry Brzustewicz
The blueline will be a collective effort because the high-end talent falls off pretty quickly. Chase Reid could be used as a puck-mover, but the Americans may opt for some safer depth players. That same reason is why Henry Brzustewicz is left off the roster. Other players like Will Skahan and Lukas Fischer are of the same mold as Rombach and Emery, and with their limited skill sets, they may not be needed.
Goalies
After years of having one of the best goalies in the tournament, the Americans have some questions in the crease.
Nick Kempf will likely get the first crack at the starter job, but Caleb Heil has done well in college this season, and he should get a game or two as well in an effort to determine who gets the starting job once the quarterfinals arrive.
Bringing a player like Harrison Boettiger could be good from a developmental standpoint, with the hopes that he can be the goalie next year at the WJC. His poise and play in the WHL this season have earned him a shot, but the third goalie spot seems up in the air with a few candidates who could get the job.
Final Cuts: Kam Hendrickson, John Parsons, Ajay White
The most realistic option for a player to bring as the third netminder is Hendrickson, as he has had a decent season to this point. Parsons and White are longer shots, but they could be interesting additions to the U.S. U-20 squad.
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