Just weeks after the Lightning’s first-round playoff exit to the Montreal Canadiens, two defensemen are already back at it, representing their countries at the 2026 IIHF Men’s World Championship.
J.J. Moser will suit up for Team Switzerland at this year’s tournament, which is being held in his home country. Meanwhile, Declan Carlile will represent Team USA in what marks his first appearance with the senior national team on the international stage.
Moser enters the tournament with plenty of international experience. Earlier this year, he posted four points in five games for Switzerland during the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. He was named an assistant captain for this year's tournament and has now appeared in five different IIHF World Championships.
At the 2025 World Championship, Moser finished with one goal and six points in 10 games, ranking third among Swiss defensemen in scoring.
The 16-team tournament is split into two eight-team groups for the preliminary round, with the top four teams from each group advancing to the quarterfinals on May 28. From there, the tournament shifts to a single-elimination format, with the semifinals scheduled for May 30 before the bronze and gold medal games on May 31.
Preliminary-round play began Friday, May 15, and the tournament will conclude with the medal games on Sunday, May 31.