A look at which WHLers had standout performances at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship.
The 2026 World Juniors is underway and features plenty of talent from the WHL. Every day, THN's WHL team will be highlighting standout performances from the tournament. Here are the WHL standouts from December 27, 2025.
Game Results:
Slovakia 4, Germany 1
Canada 2, Latvia 1 (OT)
USA 2, Switzerland 1
Czechia 7, Denmark 2
Harrison Brunicke- Kamloops Blazers/Canada
Harrison Brunicke is leading by example so far at the World Juniors. The Kamloops Blazers defenceman had an assist while playing 21:18 in Canada's win over Latvia. There is no doubt that the Blazers are hoping he returns to the WHL after the tournament, as Brunicke is a difference maker from the blue line.
Dustin Willhöft- Saskatoon Blades/Germany
Dustin Willhöft has kicked off his tournament with back-to-back strong performances for Germany. After recording two assists against the US, the Saskatoon Blades forward scored his first goal of the tournament on Saturday against Slovakia. Willhöft also logged 20:12 of ice time, which was the most by an German forward in the game.
Max Curran- Edmonton Oil Kings/Czechia
While Max Curran didn't record a point in Czechia's latest win, he did play a significant role on Saturday. The Edmonton Oil Kings center won 12 of his 24 faceoffs while recording five shots on goal. Curran has been dynamic this season and is already impressing at this year's tournament.
December 28 Schedule:
Sweden vs Switzerland, 11:00 am PT
Finland vs Latvia, 1:30 pm PT
Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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