NHL draft prospects get their final crack at showcasing their skills ahead of this summer's draft, as the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship begins this week.
The international competition features the best U18 players from around the world. A number of these skaters will have their name called at the 2023 NHL Draft or are considered top prospects for 2024 or 2025 drafts.
Sweden enters this year's tournament as the defending gold medalist. The Swedes defeated the USA in the gold-medal game last year, claiming the country's second gold medal at the event.
MORE: Watch the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship on NHL Network with Fubo
The Sporting News has everything you need to know about the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship.
2023 IIHF U18 World Championship schedule, results
Thursday, April 20
| Time (ET) | Matchup |
|---|---|
| FINAL | Sweden 8, Canada 0 |
| FINAL | USA 7, Latvia 1 |
| FINAL | Slovakia 3, Czechia 2 (SO) |
| FINAL | Finland 4, Switzerland 2 |
Friday, April 21
| Time (ET) | Matchup |
|---|---|
| FINAL | Canada 8, Germany 0 |
| FINAL | Finland 5, Latvia 2 |
| FINAL | Sweden 5. Slovakia 3 |
| FINAL | Switzerland 5, Norway 0 |
Saturday, April 22
| Time (ET) | Matchup |
|---|---|
| FINAL | Czechia 7, Germany 1 |
| FINAL | USA 12, Norway 1 |
Sunday, April 23
| Time (ET) | Matchup |
|---|---|
| FINAL | Canada 4, Slovakia 3 |
| FINAL | Switzerland 5, Latvia 1 |
| FINAL | Sweden 2, Czechia 0 |
| FINAL | USA 8, Finland 4 |
Monday, April 24
| Time (ET) | Matchup |
|---|---|
| FINAL | Slovakia 6, Germany 4 |
| FINAL | Latvia 1, Norway 0 |
Tuesday, April 25
| Time (ET) | Matchup |
|---|---|
| FINAL | Sweden 3, Germany 0 |
| FINAL | USA 10, Switzerland 0 |
| FINAL | Canada 8, Czechia 3 |
| FINAL | Finland 10, Norway 2 |
Thursday, April 27
| Time (ET) | Matchup |
|---|---|
| FINAL | Norway 6, Germany 1 (Placement Game) |
| FINAL | USA 4, Czechia 1 (Quarterfinal) |
| FINAL | Slovakia 3, Finland 2 (Quarterfinal) |
| FINAL | Canada 7, Switzerland 3 (Quarterfinal) |
| FINAL | Sweden 6, Latvia 1 (Quarterfinal) |
Saturday, April 29
| Time (ET) | Matchup |
|---|---|
| FINAL | Norway 3, Germany 2 (Placement Game) |
| FINAL | USA 7, Slovakia 1 (Semifinal) |
| FINAL | Sweden 7, Canada 2 (Semifinal) |
Sunday, April 30
| Time (ET) | Matchup |
|---|---|
| FINAL | Canada 4, Slovakia 3 (OT) (Bronze-Medal Game) |
| FINAL | USA 3, Sweden 2 (OT) (Gold-Medal Game) |
2023 IIHF U18 World Championship pool standings
| Team | Games | W-OTW-OTL-L | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden* | 4 | 4-0-0-0 | 12 |
| Canada* | 4 | 3-0-0-1 | 9 |
| Slovakia* | 4 | 1-1-0-2 | 5 |
| Czechia* | 4 | 1-0-1-2 | 4 |
| Germany** | 4 | 0-0-0-4 | 0 |
| Team | Games | W-OTW-OTL-L | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA* | 4 | 4-0-0-0 | 12 |
| Finland* | 4 | 3-0-0-1 | 9 |
| Switzerland* | 4 | 2-0-0-2 | 6 |
| Latvia* | 4 | 1-0-0-3 | 3 |
| Norway** | 4 | 0-0-0-4 | 0 |
* = advance to playoffs
** = play in relegation round
There are 10 teams at the 2023 U18 World Championship. Those participants are split into two groups of five for the preliminary round.
Teams will play four preliminary games in a round-robin format within their group, followed by a three-round playoff.
In the group stage, teams earn three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime win, one point for an overtime loss and no points for a regulation loss.
The top four teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals, where the matchups are determined by seeding. They will cross over between groups for these games: 1A vs. 4B, 1B vs. 4A, 2A vs. 3B and 2B vs. 3A. The teams that advance to the semifinals will be reseeded.
The winners of the semifinals will face off in the gold medal game. The losers will play for bronze.
When is the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship?
- Start: Thursday, April 20
- End: Sunday, April 30
The 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship begins on Thursday, April 20. The preliminary round begins that day and will run until Tuesday, April 25.
The playoff portion of the tournament begins on Thursday, April 27 with the quarterfinals. The teams have an off day before the semifinals on Saturday, April 29 and the medal matches on Sunday, April 30.
How to watch the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship
- TV Channel (U.S.): NHL Network
- Live stream (U.S.): Fubo
- TV Channel (Canada): TSN, RDS
- Live stream (U.S.): TSN.ca, TSN app
In the United States, all games involving Team USA and other select pool play games will be broadcast on NHL Network. The network will have both semifinal games and medal games.
Cord cutters can stream NHL Network through Fubo, which offers a free trial.
Canadians can view games on TSN (English language) or RDS (French language). The network will carry every game with Canada involved at the tournament and select other games, including all of the playoff contests.
TSN can be streamed on TSN.ca, through the TSN App and TSN+.
Where is the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship?
- Cities: Basel/Porrentruy, Switzerland
- Venues: St. Jakob Arena/Raiffeisen Arena
This year's IIHF World Championship is taking place in Switzerland which is the site for the annual international competition.
Group A will play its pool play games at Raiffeisen Arena in Porrentruy. Group B has its preliminary round at St. Jakob Arena in Basel. All of the playoff and relegation games will take place in Basel.
It is the first time that either Basel or Porrentruy is hosting the U18 tournament. This is the third time the competition has been played in Switzerland, previously being held in Kloten and Weinfelden in 2000, and then in Zug and Lucerne in 2015.
