The 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase takes place this week in Minneapolis at the University of Minnesota. Team practices began on Friday, July 25 with the first set of games on Sunday, July 27. Six Ducks prospects have been named to the summer showcase rosters of Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States.
The summer showcase is an evaluation period for teams ahead of the World Juniors tournament, which takes place every winter. The showcase allows teams to see players whom they might not be as familiar with as others. The Ducks had four players at last year's showcase in Austin Burnevik, Carey Terrance, Lucas Pettersson and Beckett Sennecke. Burnevik and Terrance were named to Team USA's world juniors roster that winter and helped the U.S. win a second consecutive gold medal.
While six of the Ducks' prospects were named to showcase rosters, only four will be participating. Sennecke and Roger McQueen were named to Canada's summer showcase roster but were listed as "unable to attend." Per a team source, the reason for McQueen and Sennecke's absences is not due to injury.
Because Sennecke and McQueen will not be participating, that makes defenseman Tarin Smith the lone Ducks representative on Canada's roster. Smith, who was drafted by the Ducks in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Draft, was unable to take part in Ducks development camp at the beginning of July because his gear never arrived. But the mobile defenseman had a productive 2024-25 season in the WHL with the Everett Silvertips.
Canada's roster is loaded with talent, so it may be difficult for Smith to crack the eventual World Juniors roster. Players like Sam Dickinson, Matthew Schaefer and Kashawn Aitcheson are ahead of Smith in the pecking order. For Smith to be invited to the showcase alone, though, demonstrates that Canada at least recognized how strong of a season he had.
Pettersson and Eric Nilson were named to Sweden's summer showcase roster and both may see an uptick in usage after 2025 first round picks Victor Eklund and Anton Frondell withdrew from playing in the showcase.
Pettersson and Nilson share several similarities. Both players were drafted in the second round in 2024 and 2025, respectively, and profile as two-way centers. Pettersson will be playing for Brynäs in the SHL next season while Nilson has opted to play for Michigan State in the NCAA after primarily playing for Djugårdens' J20 team last season.
Anaheim Ducks Development Camp Takeaways: Lucas Pettersson and Eric Nilson, Similar Yet Different
The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks">Anaheim Ducks</a> held their annual development camp from June 30 to July 2. This year’s camp was shorter than the last couple of years, typically a five-day camp concluding with a 3v3 scrimmage.
Drafted by Anaheim in the second round of the 2025 NHL Draft, Lasse Boelius was one of the eight defensemen named to Finland's summer showcase roster. Boelius played primarily for Ässät's U20 team in Finland last season and will aim to establish himself in the senior team on a more regular basis this upcoming season.
Only one of Finland's defensemen on the showcase roster is right-handed, meaning several players will have to play their off-side. Whether Boelius is one of those asked to do so could turn into an interesting development, given the plethora of left-handed defensemen already in Anaheim's system.
Despite McQueen and Sennecke being unable to participate in the showcase, both players should have a good shot of making Canada's World Juniors roster this winter, especially Sennecke, whose snub from last year's roster raised many eyebrows.
Related articles:
Can ‘Rangers West’ Help Get the Ducks Back Into the Playoffs?
Lukas Dostal: Increased Pressure, Journey from 'No-Name Goalie' to Paid Among NHL Elite
Ducks Goalie Prospect Damian Clara Loaned Back To Sweden
Chatting With the Ducks’ 2025 Draft Class
Featured image caption: Jul 1, 2025; Irvine, California, USA; Beckett Sennecke looks on during a drill at Ducks development camp at Great Park Ice. Mandatory Credit: Derek Lee-The Hockey News