Three first-round NHL picks and a candidate to go first overall in this year’s draft headline Sweden’s roster for the 2026 world junior hockey championship.
The preliminary roster, unveiled Friday, features 26 players. Sweden will need to make one cut before the tournament starts Dec. 26 in Minnesota.
Forward Ivar Stenberg will be in the spotlight all tournament. The 18-year-old, who has six goals and 17 assists for 23 points in 24 games for Frolunda HC this season, is on pace to put up one of the best seasons in history for a draft-eligible player in Sweden’s top league.
Stenberg is projected to be in a battle with Canadian forward Gavin McKenna and defenceman Keaton Verhoeff for top pick in next year’s NHL Draft. Canada will name its world-junior roster Monday.
First-round picks on Sweden’s roster are forwards Anton Frondell (third overall, 2025, Chicago Blackhawks) and Victor Eklund (16th overall, 2025, New York Islanders), and defenceman Sascha Boumedienne (28th overall, 2025, Winnipeg Jets).
Sweden finished fourth last year after earning silver in 2024. Its last gold, and second overall, was in 2012.
Sweden will play Canada in a pair of pre-tournament games on Dec. 17 and 20 in Kitchener and London, Ont., respectively.
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