Expect some surprises in the preliminary round of play at the World Under-18 Championship as Czechia and Sweden look to upend the favoured Americans. And don’t sleep on the Germans or Swiss as both teams have plenty of firepower.
Czechia
Many eyes will be on Radim Mrtka during the World U18s. One reason is he’s really good at hockey. But, maybe more of a factor, is simply the space he takes on the ice. It’s hard not to look at this kid, who stands 6-foot-6, weighs over 200 pounds and is a force on the ice.
Team Czechia will go as far as Mrtka can take them. Following two seasons with Trinec Ocelari HC, the right-shot defenceman spent the 2024-25 season in Canada’s Western Hockey League with the Regina Pats, posting impressive totals of three goals and 35 points in 43 games.
No surprise that the towering D is expected to be selected in the first round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. All the tools are there.
The Czechs are trying to return to the podium at U18s for the first time since 2014, when they won silver. Surprisingly, Czechia has own but four medals all-time at U18s, one silver and three bronze.
Germany
The Germans moved into this year’s main event by winning gold at the 2024 U18 World Championship Division 1A. Seven players from that team are back this year as Germany attempts to surprise some opponents and pundits by making noise on the main stage.
For Germany to be able to make it to the quarterfinal stage of the tournament, they’ll need strong performances from three leaders – defenceman Carlos Händel and forwards David Lewandowski and Maxim Schäfer. The trio represented its country at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship and helped Germany stave off relegation with a 4-3 win over Kazakhstan. Lewandowski and Schäfer each scored two goals in that tournament and all three players are 2007-borns who competed in a tournament heavily populated by players two years older.
One other Germany to watch at U18s is Max Penkin, a double-underager at this event who will likely hear his name called at the 2027 NHL Entry Draft.
Sweden
Team Sweden has been a model of consistency and you can look at that in one of two ways.
Glass half full – the Swedes consistently earn medals at U18s, reaching the podium at each of the past six events and 10 of the last 14 World U18s.
Glass half empty – only one of those medals is gold, that win coming for the Swedes at the 2022 tournament in Germany.
The 2025 edition of Team Sweden is expected to have three…
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