Ten players from eliminated QMJHL teams will represent their country in Slovakia.
The under-18 IIHF World Championships are here, a good chance for some NHL draft eligible prospects for both this year, and down the road to showcase themselves against the best in the world in their age group.
This year, 10 QMJHL prospects have been named to their respective countries at the top level, spanning Canada, Latvia, Czechia and Slovakia.
Here's a look at each one of them as the tournament concludes its first day.
Quebec's Maddox Dagenais will have a big chance to further boost his draft stock at the u18 worlds for Canada. (Photo: Jonathan Roy)Canada
G: Patrick Deniger (Quebec Remparts)
D: Cameron Chartrand (Saint John Sea Dogs)
F: Maddox Dagenais (Quebec Remparts)
F: Alexis Joseph (Saint John Sea Dogs)
F: Thomas Rousseau (Sherbrooke Phoenix)
A solid representation from the Q on team Canada this year, featuring five players from across the league.
Technically, Deniger and Chartrand are yet to be registered, but are extras that are with the team and will be registered if needed (by the looks of things with starting goaltender Gavin Betts going down through injury, Deniger may be on the official roster for game two).
Joseph is a potential first overall pick in the 2027 NHL draft, and is here as an underager, centring the second line in Canada's opening loss to Slovakia.
He's coming off a fantastic rookie season after being the top pick in the 2025 QMJHL draft for Saint John where he recorded 60 (23+36) points in 54 regular season games, and three assists in the Sea Dogs' opening round loss.
Dagenais, who was the top pick in the 2024 QMJHL draft, had a breakout second half of 2025-26 with the Remparts that's seeing him vault up draft boards. His blend of physicality, skating and a bomb of a one timer could see him go in the top 20 of the 2026 NHL draft, which he's hoping to solidify with a big tournament.
Rousseau is a solid, hard-working player that Canada enjoys in the bottom six of their rosters at these types of events. He had 22 goals and 30 assists in his second full QMJHL season with the Phoenix, and will hope to hear his name called in the middle of the NHL draft this summer.
Chartrand doesn't pop off the stat sheet, but is a useful defensive defenseman. He's a smooth-skating, right-shot blueliner that will start as an extra in this tournament.
Deniger isn't eligible until the 2027 NHL draft thanks to his October 2008 birthday, but is coming off a season where he won the starting role for the Remparts down the stretch and into the playoffs. His .910 save percentage ranked him first among rookies, and top 10 league-wide.
Latvia
F: Martins Klaucans (Sherbrooke Phoenix)
F: Olivers Murnieks (Saint John Sea Dogs)
The only two CHL players representing Latvia at this tournament come from the QMJHL, as these two are key players in the Latvian youth setup.
Klaucans had 11 (4+7) points in 50 games in a depth role for Sherbrooke in his rookie season, and featured for Latvia at the World Juniors as well. He should grow into a bigger role next year as he gets older, and a big tournament here could open some eyes.
Murnieks didn't quite have the breakout season he desired with Saint John this year, battling injury and putting up just seven goals and 13 assists in 31 games.
His international play has been the base of his NHL draft stock, as he's been a key contributor for the Latvians at two straight World Juniors tournaments, and a big performance in Slovakia this April will help vault him back into the conversation in June.
Olivers Murnieks will hope to have a big u18 tournament as a go-to guy for Latvia. (Photo: Mike Hawkins)Czechia
G: Jan Larys (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
F: Adam Klaus (Cape Breton Eagles)
A pair of players who have been part of Czechias youth programs through multiple age groups once again see themselves named as part of this year's under-18 roster.
Larys had a fantastic rookie year as Drummondville's starter, with his 26-10-2 record and .908 save percentage helping the Volts to a surprising top-three finish in the West.
While the playoffs didn't go to plan for him or his team, expect Larys to hear his name called at the NHL draft this summer, as NHL central scouting has him as their fifth-ranked North American goaltender.
Klaus was another QMJHL rookie, putting up eight goals and 16 assists as an energy depth forward on Cape Breton. He'll likely fill a similar role for a sneaky solid Czech roster at this tournament.
Slovakia
D: Filip Kovalcik (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Kovalcik is a New Year's Eve birthday in 2008, so he is the youngest non-underage player in this tournament.
Despite that, he's a leader for this Slovak group, who played big minutes at the World Juniors and will have an 'A' on his sweater at this tournament.
The 6-foot-2 blueliner had a goal and 17 assists in his rookie year for Drummondville, and will be pushing to have an even bigger year in what will be his NHL draft year next season.
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