World Juniors 2021: Breakdown of every NHL teams' prospects

Jackie Spiegel

World Juniors 2021: Breakdown of every NHL teams' prospects image

The puck drops on the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship on Dec. 25 as 10 teams hit the ice aiming for a spot on the podium and the ultimate prize — gold. While national pride is on the line over the course of the tournament's 12 days, the premier event on the juniors stage also provides fans a chance to check out the next batch of NHL stars.

This year's tournament will see more than 100 prospects suit up for their country, including an NHL-best nine who hope to wear silver and black for the Kings. And, with the COVID-19 pandemic also putting a pause to the start of the 2021 NHL season, this year the ice will be littered with a number of prospects who are NHL-ready, such as Canada's Kirby Dach (Blackhawks), Finland's (Ville Heinola), Austria's Marco Rossi (Wild) and Germany's Tim Stutzle (Germany).

Here's a team-by-team breakdown of the players who will suit up in Edmonton for all 31 NHL teams from Christmas Day to Jan. 5 at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship.

NHL prospects playing in 2021 World Juniors

Anaheim Ducks

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Canada Jamie Drysdale D Erie (OHL) 1st/2020
Sweden Albin Sundsvik F Skelleftea (SHL) 6th/2020
USA Jackson LaCombe D Minnesota (Big Ten) 2nd/2019
USA Henry Thrun D Dubuque (USHL) 4th/2019
USA Sam Colangelo F Northeastern (HE) 2nd/2020
USA Trevor Zegras F Boston Univ. (HE) 1st/2019

Arizona Coyotes

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Finland Aku Raty F Karpat (SM-Liiga) 5th/2019
Sweden Victor Soderstrom D AIK (SHL) 1st/2019
USA John Farinacci F Muskegon (USHL) 3rd/2019

Boston Bruins

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Finland Matias Mantykivi F SaiPa (Liiga) 6th/2019
Russia Roman Bychkov D Buran Voronezh (VHL) 5th/2019

Buffalo Sabres

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Canada Dylan Cozens F Lethbridge (WHL) 1st/2019
Canada Jack Quinn F Ottawa (OHL) 8h/2020
Germany John-Jason Peterka F EHC Red Bull Munchen 2nd/2020
USA Ryan Johnson D Minnesota (Big Ten) 1st/2019

Calgary Flames

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
USA Dustin Wolf G Everett (WHL) 7th/2019
Canada Jakob Pelletier F Val-d'Or (QMJHL) 1st/2019
Canada Connor Zary F Kamloops (WHL) 1st/2020
Russia Yan Kuznetsov D Connecticut (HE) 2nd/2020

Carolina Hurricanes

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Canada Ryan Suzuki F Saginaw (OHL) 1st/2019
Russia Vasily Ponomarev F Shawinigan (QMJHL) 2nd/2020
Sweden Noel Gunler F Brynas (SHL) 2nd/2020
Sweden Zion Nybeck F HV71 (SHL) 4th/2020

Chicago Blackhawks

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Czech Rep. Michael Krutil D Litomerice (CZE-2) 4th/2020
Czech Rep. Michal Teply F Litomerice (CZE-2) 4th/2019
Canada Kirby Dach* F Blackhawks (NHL) 1st/2019
USA Landon Slaggert F Notre Dame (Big Ten) 3rd/2020

*Dach got injured in Canada's exhibition game and will not play in the tournament.

Colorado Avalanche

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Canada Justin Barron D Halifax (QMJHL) 1st/2020
Canada Bowen Byram D Vancouver (WHL) 1st/2019
Canada Alex Newhook F Boston College (HE) 1st/2019
USA Drew Helleson D Boston College (HE) 2nd/2019

Columbus Blue Jackets

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Finland Mikael Pyyhtia F TPS U20  4th/2020
Russia Yegor Chinakhov F Avangard Omsk (KHL) 1st/2020
Slovakia Samuel Knazko D TPS U20 3rd/2020

Dallas Stars

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Canada Thomas Harley D Mississauga (OHL) 1st/2019

Detroit Red Wings

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Czech Rep. Jan Bednar G Karlovy Vary (CZE) 4th/2020
Finland Eemil Viro D TPS (Liiga) 3rd/2020
Sweden Gustav Berglund D Vasteras (Allsvenskan) 6th/2019
Sweden Albert Johansson D Farjestad (SHL) 2nd/2019
Sweden Theodor Niederbach F Frolunda (SHL) 2nd/2020
Sweden Lucas Raymond F Frolunda (SHL) 1st/2020
Sweden Elmer Soderblom F Frolunda (SHL) 6th/2019

Edmonton Oilers

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Canada Dylan Holloway F Wisconsin (Big Ten) 1st/2020
Sweden Philip Broberg LHD Skelleftea (SHL) 1st/2019

Florida Panthers

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Canada Devon Levi G Northeastern (HE) 7th/2020
Finland Kasper Puutio D Karpat (Liiga) 5th/2020
Finland Anton Lundell F HIFK (Liiga) 1st/2020
Sweden Emil Heineman F Leksands (SHL) 2nd/2020
USA Spencer Knight G Boston College (HE) 1st/2019

Los Angeles Kings

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Canada Jordan Spence D Moncton (QMJHL) 4th/2019
Canada Quinton Byfield F Sudbury (OHL) 1st/2020
Czech Rep. Lukas Parik G Benatky (CZE-2) 3rd/2019
Finland Kasper Simontaival F Tappara (Liiga) 3rd/2020
Finland Kim Nousiainen D KalPa (Liiga) 4th/2019
Slovakia Martin Chromiak F Kingston (OHL) 5th/2020
Sweden Tobias Bjornfot D Djurgarden (SHL) 1st/2019
USA Brock Faber D Minnesota (Big Ten) 2nd/2020
USA Arthur Kaliyev F Hamilton (OHL) 2nd/2019
USA Alex Turcotte F Wisconsin (Big Ten) 1st/2019

Minnesota Wild

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Austria Marco Rossi F ZSC Lions (NL) 1st/2020
Czech Rep. Pavel Novak F Litomerice (CZE-2) 5th/2020
Russia Vladislav Firstov F Connecticut (HE) 2nd/2019
Russia Marat Khusnutdinov F SKA St. Peterburg (MHL) 2nd/2020
USA Matthew Boldy F Boston College (HE) 1st/2019

Montreal Canadiens

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Canada Kaiden Guhle D Prince Albert (WHL) 1st/2020
Czech Rep. Jan Mysak F Litvinov (CZE) 2nd/2020
USA Cole Caufield F Wisconsin (Big Ten) 1st/2019

Nashville Predators

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Canada Philip Tomasino F Oshawa (OHL) 1st/2019
Finland Juuso Parssinen F TPS (Liiga) 7th/2019
Russia Yaroslav Askarov G SKA St. Petersburg (KHL) 1st/2020
Russia Semyon Chistyakov D Avangard Omsk (KHL) 4th/2019
Russia Yegor Afanasyev F Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL) 2nd/2019

New Jersey Devils

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Canada Dawson Mercer F Chicoutimi (QMJHL) 1st/2020
Czech Rep. Jaromir Pytlik F Litomerice (CZE-2) 4th/2020
Russia Shakir Mukhamadullin D Salavat Yulaev Ufa (KHL) 1st/2020
Russia Arseny Gritsyuk F Avangard Omsk (KHL) 5th/2019
Sweden Alexander Holtz F Djurgarden (SHL) 1st/2020
USA Patrick Moynihan F Providence (HE) 6th/2019

New York Islanders

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Finland Matias Rajaniemi D Pelicans (Liiga) 6th/2020
Sweden Simon Holmstrom F Bridgeport (AHL) 1st/2019

New York Rangers

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Canada Dylan Garand G Kamloops (WHL) 4th/2020
Canada Braden Schneider D Brandon (WHL) 1st/2020
USA Hunter Skinner D London (OHL) 4th/2019
USA Brett Berard F Providence (HE) 5th/2020

Ottawa Senators

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Finland Roby Jarventie F Ilves (SM-Liiga) 2nd/2020
Germany Tim Stutzle F Adler Mannheim 1st/2020
USA Tyler Kleven D North Dakota (NCHC) 2nd/2020
USA Jake Sanderson D North Dakota (NCHC) 1st/2020

Philadelphia Flyers

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Sweden Emil Andrae D HV71 (SHL) 2nd/2020
USA Bobby Brink F Denver (NCHC) 2nd/2019
USA Cam York D Michigan (Big Ten) 1st/2019

Pittsburgh Penguins

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Finland Joel Blomqvist G Karpat (Liiga) 2nd/2020
Sweden Calle Clang G Kristianstads (Allsvenskan) 3rd/2020

San Jose Sharks

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Czech Rep. Adam Raska F Rimouski (QMJHL) 7th/2020
Finland Santeri Hatakka D Ilves (SM-Liiga) 6th/2019
Russia Artemi Kniazev D Irbis Kazan (MHL) 2nd/2019
Russia Yegor Spiridonov F SKA St. Petersburg 4th/2019

St. Louis Blues

No players.

Tampa Bay Lightning

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Russia Maxim Groshev F SKA St. Petersburgh (VHL) 3rd/2020
Sweden Hugo Alnefelt G HV71 (SHL) 3rd/2019

Toronto Maple Leafs

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Finland Mikko Kokkonen D Jukurit (SM-Liiga) 3rd/2019
Finland Topi Niemela D Karpat (Liiga) 3rd/2020
Finland Roni Hirvonen F Assat (Liiga) 2nd/2020
Russia Artur Akhtyamov G Ak Bars Kazan (KHL) 4th/2020
Russia Mikhail Abramov F Victoriaville (QMJHL) 4th/2019
Russia Rodion Amirov F Salavat Yulaev Ufa (KHL) 1st/2020

Vancouver Canucks

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Russia Vasily Podkolzin F SKA St. Petersburg (KHL) 1st/2019
Sweden Arvid Costmar F Linkoping (SHL) 7th/2019

Vegas Golden Knights

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Canada Kaedan Korczak D Kelowna (WHL) 2nd/2019
Canada Peyton Krebs F Winnipeg (WHL) 1st/2019
USA Brendan Brisson F Michigan (Big Ten) 1st/2020

Washington Capitals

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Canada Connor McMichael F London (OHL) 1st/2019
Czech Rep. Martin Hugo Has D Benatky (CZE-2) 5th/2019

Winnipeg Jets

COUNTRY PLAYER POS CURRENT TEAM ACQUIRED
Canada Cole Perfetti F Saginaw (OHL) 1st/2020
Finland Ville Heinola D Lukko (Liiga) 1st/2019
Finland Henri Nikkanen F Jukurit (Liiga) 4th/2019

Jackie Spiegel