The first day of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship has officially passed, with two Vancouver Canucks prospects’ teams taking part in today’s matchups. While only one, Braeden Cootes, played today, Wilson Björck and Team Sweden also registered a win during the opening day of the preliminary round. Here’s how today’s matchups concluded. SWEDEN 3, SLOVAKIA 2 Björck, whose brother Viggo is also on Team Sweden during the 2026 World Junior Championship, was listed as a healthy scratch for today’s match against Slovakia and did not end up playing. He also sat during Sweden’s second exhibition game against Canada earlier in the lead-up to the tournament’s start. A big factor in Sweden’s win was Ivar Stenberg, who scored the game-winning goal and assisted on his team’s opening tally. Stenberg played alongside Viggo in Sweden’s first game of the preliminary round of the tournament. CANADA 7, CZECHIA 5 For a good chunk of the game, Canada and Czechia were knotted at equal scores of 3–3 and 4–4, before Canada took an eventual lead thanks to Tij Iginla and Ethan MacKenzie. During this game, Cootes reprised the role he has been showcased in at times during the exhibition games, acting as Canada’s fourth-line center paired with Los Angeles Kings prospect Liam Greentree and Sam O’Reilly of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Cootes played a total of 9:21 throughout the game. DECEMBER 27 SCHEDULE Latvia vs. Canada: 1:30 pm PT USA vs. Switzerland: 3:00 pm PT Oct 13, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Braeden Cootes (80) handles the puck during warm up prior to a game against the St. Louis Blues at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/5d868972-f51f-465b-9c9a-7bcc3966a38f.jpeg] Oct 13, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Braeden Cootes (80) handles the puck during warm up prior to a game against the St. Louis Blues at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwr-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks]. Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/]: Canucks Kiefer Sherwood Has One Of The Most Valuable Contracts In The NHL [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/canucks-kiefer-sherwood-has-one-of-the-most-valuable-contracts-in-the-nhl] Why The Vancouver Canucks Should Change Their Goal Song [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/why-the-vancouver-canucks-should-change-their-goal-song] Canucks Prospect Of The Month: Basile Sansonnens Finding His Way In The NL [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/canucks-prospect-of-the-month-basile-sansonnens-finding-his-way-in-the-nl] For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription?_gl=1*twovkp*_ga*MTk0NDM0Mzk0OS4xNzQ2MjQ0ODA2*_ga_ZET34ZFCGX*czE3NjEyNTE0MDEkbzU3MCRnMSR0MTc2MTI1MjA1MyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum. The Hockey News [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/1b6e7596-f497-4318-8a96-3794f309e344.jpeg] The Hockey News
