Teenagers To Watch At The 2026 World Championships

The women's IIHF World Championships are set to drop the puck in Denmark. The tournament will feature the best in the world, including many of the top teenagers in the world.

This includes, for the first time, several Canadian teenagers set to make their senior national team debuts at the World Championships. Overall, more than 30 teenagers are expected to take to the ice at the 2026 World Championships ushering in a new generation.

No teen carries the capacity to impact this tournament more than Chloe Primerano. The the University of Minnesota junior made her World debut back in 2025, but was left off Canada's Olympic roster. It was their loss, as Primerano has returned this season looking more dominant than ever on both sides of the puck. She could be a top four defender for Canada, and was taking power play reps in camp. She'll be joined by Wisconsin forward Rosalie Tremblay who was taking top six minutes in Canada's intrasquad games, and the NCAA rookie who just turned 18 is already being discussed as the next star among Canada's forwards. Add in the reigning ECAC Player of the Year Sara Manness (Clarkson), and Ohio State rookie Hayley McDonald, and Canada is loaded with young talent. 

Sweden has ushered through young stars like Hilda Svensson and Mira Jungaker, and now it looks like they're banking onn Tilde Grillfors being the next in that line. The 18-year-old is already in her third season with Brynäs, one of Europe's top teams, and having aged out of Sweden's U-18 program, she took the step before her peers. Czech Olympian Linda Vocetkova is also back. At 19, Vocetkova has three points in her first nine games with Colgate in the NCAA. The former Czechia U-18 national team captain has a line of talented young forwards following her. With the absence of several veterans from their roster, Czechia is also welcoming defenders Ellen Jarabková and Aneta Paroubková, and forward Tereza Gildainová.

Switzerland also has their share of teens impacting their roster including second-year Holy Cross forward Naemi Herzig who has five points in eight games in the NCAA this season, and already has an Olympic bronze medal to her name. She's joined by Laure Mériguet, an 18-year-old blueliner playing boys' hockey and in the PostFinance Women's League this season, who also won bronze at the Olympics. Other Swiss teens making the World roster for 2026 include Norina Muller, who is the nation's top scorer in the PostFinance Women's League who had 11 goals and 24 points in 11 games as an 18-year-old to open the season. They'll also be joined by Elisa Dalessi, Ilana Leibundgut, and Jael Manetsch.

Germany is the other top nation with a number of teenagers on their roster headlined by Wisconsin commit and Bishop Kearney forward Alexandra Boico. She'll be joined by Hanna Weichenhain and Mathilda Heine.

Japan, Denmark, and Austria will bring their own cohort of up and coming players to the World Championships hoping that their upside will help keep these nations in the top division and out of relegation play.

Japan's Umeka Odaira is off to a stellar start in Canada's top junior league playing for the North York Storm this season ahead of making the jump to the NCAA with Maine. She's joined by Kika Terauchi, who is also playing junior in Ontario this season.

Denmark's Nikita Bergmann is a rising star in the game, and may already be the host's best forward this season. She should be in North America soon to compete in the NCAA, although the 5-foot-11 forward has yet to commit. She is joined by a large list of teens representing Denmark including Olivia Ranum, Freya Ekberg, Silja Rasmussen, Klara Holm, Alma Madsen-Mygdal, and Teresa Christensen.

Austria will also feature a group of teens headlined by Emma Lintner who is headed to the University of Vermont next season. She'll be joined by Artemis Tekin, Vanessa Picka, and Amelie Suppan.