The World Juniors has seen a number of historical performances. From Peter Forsberg's historic run with Sweden in 1993 to Jordan Eberle's heroics in 2010, there has been no shortage of sensational showings.
The IIHF rewards those who performed at the highest level at their tournament with the IIHF Directorate Awards. There is one for Best Forward, Best Defenseman and Best Goalie.
At the 2023 tournament, Canada's Connor Bedard won Best Forward, in addition to being named tournament MVP, as he helped Canada to win gold.
Czechia's David Jiricek was voted Best Defenseman, earning a silver medal with the team as well. Slovakia's Adam Gajan earned Best Goalie honors.
MORE: 2023 World Juniors schedule, standings, results
Here is a look at all the past winners of the IIHF Directorate Awards.
What are the IIHF World Junior Championship Directorate awards?
At the conclusion of each tournament, the IIHF hands out three awards — Best Forward, Best Defenseman and Best Goalie.
The Directorate of the IIHF selects the winners of the three honors. They have been handed out every year since the IIHF took over the tournament in 1977.
Any player from any team is up for the award, no matter where the country finishes in the tournament.
Who has won Best Forward, Best Defenseman and Best Goalie at the World Juniors?
The honors have been handed out every year since 1977, but there are only two players ever to win honors multiple times.
Viacheslav Fetisov earned the award for Best Defenseman in both 1977 and 1978 playing for the Soviet Union. Vladimir Krutov followed that by earning the award for Best Forward in 1979 and 1980, also playing for the Soviet Union.
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Here is the list of every winner of all three honors.
| Year | Best Forward | Best Defenseman | Best Goalie |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Connor Bedard (MVP) | David Jiricek (Czechia) | Adam Gajan (Slovakia) |
| 2022 | Mason McTavish (Canada) | Kasper Puutio (Finland) | Jesper Wallstedt (Sweden) |
| 2021 | Tim Stutzle (Germany) | Topi Niemela (Finland) | Devon Levi (Canada) |
| 2020 | Alexis Lafreniere (Canada) | Rasmus Sandin (Sweden) | Joel Hofer (Canada) |
| 2019 | Ryan Poehling (USA) | Alexander Romanov (Russia) | Pyotr Kochetkov (Russia) |
| 2018 | Casey Mittelstadt (USA) | Rasmus Dahlin (Sweden) | Filip Gustavsson (Sweden) |
| 2017 | Kirill Kaprizov (Russia) | Thomas Chabot (Canada) | Felix Sandstrom (Sweden) |
| 2016 | Jesse Puljujarvi (Finland) | Zach Werenski (USA) | Linus Soderstrom (Sweden) |
| 2015 | Max Domi (Canada) | Vladislav Gavrikov (Russia) | Denis Godla (Slovakia) |
| 2014 | Filip Forsberg (Sweden) | Rasmus Ristolainen (Finland) | Oscar Dansk (Sweden) |
| 2013 | Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Canada) | Jacob Trouba (USA) | John Gibson (USA) |
| 2012 | Evgeni Kuznetsov (Russia) | Brandon Gormley (Canada) | Petr Mrazek (Czech Republic) |
| 2011 | Brayden Schenn (Canada) | Ryan Ellis (Canada) | Jack Campbell (USA) |
| 2010 | Jordan Eberle (Canada) | Alex Pietrangelo (Canada) | Benjamin Conz (Switzerland) |
| 2009 | John Tavares (Canada) | Erik Karlsson (Sweden) | Jacob Markstrom (Sweden) |
| 2008 | Viktor Tikhonov (Russia) | Drew Doughty (Canada) | Steve Mason (Canada) |
| 2007 | Alexei Cherepanov (Russia) | Erik Johnson (USA) | Carey Price (Canada) |
| 2006 | Evgeni Malkin (Russia) | Marc Staal (Canada) | Tuukka Rask (Finland) |
| 2005 | Alex Ovechkin (Russia) | Dion Phaneuf (Canada) | Marek Schwarz (Czech Republic) |
| 2004 | Zach Parise (USA) | Sami Lepisto (Finland) | Al Montoya (USA) |
| 2003 | Igor Grigorenko (Russia) | Joni Pitkanen (Finland) | Marc-Andre Fleury (Canada) |
| 2002 | Mike Cammalleri (Canada) | Igor Knyazev (Russia) | Kari Lehtonen (Finland) |
| 2001 | Pavel Brendl (Czech Republic) | Rostislav Klesla (Czech Republic) | Tomas Duba (Czech Republic) |
| 2000 | Milan Kraft (Czech Republic) | Alex Riazantsev (Russia) | Rick DiPietro (USA) |
| 1999 | Maxim Afinogenov (Russia) | Vitali Vishnevskiy (Russia) | Roberto Luongo (Canada) |
| 1998 | Olli Jokinen (Finland) | Pavel Skrbek (Czech Republic) | David Aebischer (Switzerland) |
| 1997 | Alexei Morozov (Russia) | Joe Corvo (USA) | Marc Denis (Canada) |
| 1996 | Jarome Iginla (Canada) | Mattias Ohlund (Sweden) | Jose Theodore (Canada) |
| 1995 | Marty Murray (Canada) | Bryan McCabe (Canada) | Yevgeni Tarasov (Russia) |
| 1994 | Niklas Sundstrom (Sweden) | Kenny Jonsson (Sweden) | Jamie Storr (Canada) |
| 1993 | Peter Forsberg (Sweden) | Janne Gronvall (Finland) | Manny Legace (Canada) |
| 1992 | Michael Nylander (Sweden) | Darius Kasparaitis (CIS) | Mike Dunham (USA) |
| 1991 | Eric Lindros (Canada) | Jiri Slegr (Czechoslovakia) | Pauli Jaks (Switzerland) |
| 1990 | Robert Reichel (Czechoslovakia) | Alexander Godynyuk (Soviet Union) | Stephane Fiset (Canada) |
| 1989 | Pavel Bure (Soviet Union) | Ricard Persson (Sweden) | Alexei Ivashkin (Soviet Union) |
| 1988 | Alexander Mogilny (Soviet Union) | Teppo Numminen (Finland) | Jimmy Waite (Canada) |
| 1987 | Robert Kron (Czechoslovakia) | Calle Johansson (Sweden) | Markus Ketterer (Finland) |
| 1986 | Jim Sandlak (Canada) | Mikhail Tatarinov (Soviet Union) | Evgeny Belosheikin (Soviet Union) |
| 1985 | Michal Pivonka (Czechoslovakia) | Vesa Salo (Finland) | Craig Binnington (Canada) |
| 1984 | Raimo Helminen (Finland) | Alexei Gusarov (Soviet Union) | Alan Perry (USA) |
| 1983 | Tomas Sandstrom (Sweden) | Ilya Byakin (Soviet Union) | Dominik Hasek (Czechoslovakia) |
| 1982 | Petri Skriko (Finland) | Gord Kluzak (Canada) | Mike Moffat (Canada) |
| 1981 | Patrik Sundstrom (Sweden) | Miloslav Horava (Czechoslovakia) | Lars Eriksson (Sweden) |
| 1980 | Vladimir Krutov (Soviet Union) | Reijo Ruotsalainen (Finland) | Jari Paavola (Finland) |
| 1979 | Vladimir Krutov (Soviet Union) | Alexei Kasatonov (Soviet Union) | Pelle Lindbergh (Sweden) |
| 1978 | Wayne Gretzky (Canada) | Viacheslav Fetisov (Soviet Union) | Alexander Tyznych (Soviet Union) |
| 1977 | Dale McCourt (Canada) | Viacheslav Fetisov (Soviet Union) | Jan Hrabak (Czechoslovakia) |
How to watch 2023 World Juniors games on TV, live stream
- TV channel (Canada): TSN
- Live stream (Canada): TSN.ca, TSN app
- TV channel (U.S.): NHL Network
- Live stream (U.S.): fuboTV
TSN and the NHL Network will once again be home to all of the action for the 2023 World Juniors.
Canadian viewers can watch the competition on TSN or can stream the games through TSN.ca or on the TSN app.
The American audience can view the games live on TV on the NHL Network, or can stream them through fuboTV.
MORE: Watch the 2023 World Juniors live with fuboTV (free trial, U.S. only)
Where is the 2023 World Juniors?
- Location: Halifax N.S./Moncton, N.B.
- Venue: Scotiabank Centre/Avenir Centre
The World Juniors will once again be split between two host cities, as the tournament will be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Moncton, New Brunswick.
The games in Halifax will be played at the Scotiabank Centre, the home of the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads. Any of the contests in Moncton will be played at the Avenir Centre, where the QMJHL's Moncton Wildcats call home.
This will be the second time Halifax is a host city for the World Juniors. Previously, the 2003 World Juniors were split between Halifax and Sydney, N.S. Moncton has never hosted the World Juniors before.
The 2023 tournament was originally planned to be held in Russia, with Novosibirsk and Omsk as the two host cities. However, due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, their rights were pulled by the IIHF.
