World Juniors 2026: Quarterfinals Are Set

The world juniors are off to the elimination rounds as the round-robin finished off with some exciting action on New Year's Eve. We have our quarterfinal matchups as we head into 2026. 

Canada and Finland played a tight affair with goaltending struggling mightily at the start of the game. The Canadians eventually found a way to come away with the 7-4 win to capture Group B.

The Swedes took it to the Americans before the latter eventually made the game closer than it seemed at the end. Sweden won 6-3.

In the earlier pair of games, the Swiss upset Slovakia 3-2 by getting out to a lead before the Slovaks eventually pulled within one. Czechia took care of business against Latvia even though the Latvians pushed to keep it close at 4-2. 

This set up quarterfinal matchups as follows on Jan. 2: 

• Sweden vs. Latvia, 2 p.m. ET
• Czechia vs. Switzerland, 4:30 p.m. ET
• USA vs. Finland, 6 p.m. ET
• Canada vs. Slovakia, 8 p.m. ET

Let's look at each matchup and how each team is performing heading into the elimination rounds. 

Sweden vs. Latvia

The top-ranked Swedes face off against the tournament pests, Latvia, in a matchup that could be much more entertaining than expected. 

The Swedes have been the powerhouse of the tournament with the offensive punch to keep up with anyone and the defensive prowess to shut down any offensive players that pose a threat. 

Sweden have had contributions from all over the lineup. In one game, Anton Frondell played hero; in another, it was Lucas Pettersson.

On the back end, they saw solid efforts from everyone, from Alfons Freij and Leo Sahlin Wallenius to Sascha Boumedienne and William Hakansson. The Swedes skate better than any team, and they can overwhelm opposing teams with their speed and pace of play. 

Latvia only managed to win one game at this tournament, beating Denmark 6-3, but they pushed Canada to overtime and stayed close with Czechia in their final game. They don't boast a ton of high-end talent, but Alberts Smits on the back end and with Kristers Ansons and Oliver Murnieks up front have allowed them to push back. They play a very steady, conservative game, and they will take advantage of mistakes. 

This is a true David-versus-Goliath game with the best team in the tournament so far taking on the team that has been nothing but feisty. 

Sweden should come out of this one with the win, but Latvia have surprised before, beating Canada in last year's round-robin.

2026 World Junior Championship: Full Roster ListFind all the rosters for the 2026 World Junior Championship in Minnesota here.

Czechia vs. Switzerland

With Czechia finishing second in Group B, they'll take on Switzerland in a game that should be more than winnable. A victory would bring the Czech squad back into the medal rounds for the fourth straight year. 

Switzerland have proven capable, though, as they upset Slovakia in their final game to secure third place in Group A. 

The Czechs have been outstanding in this tournament. They pushed Canada to the brink of defeat in a tight game that Canada eventually won, then beat Finland in overtime and easily handled the Danes and Latvia. Adam Jiricek has been outstanding for the Czech blueline, contributing at a high level on both ends of the ice. Vojtech Cihar has been great, as he always is when he pulls on a Czech jersey, while Tomas Galvas looks like one of the best offensive defenders in the tournament. 

Switzerland was up and down at this event, but they took care of business against Germany, which helped them finish third in the group after beating Slovakia. They played their most complete game on New Year's Eve against the Slovaks. 

So much of the Swiss offensive game flows through their blueliners with Ludvig Johnson, Daniil Ustinkov and Lean Muggli shining for Switzerland when it mattered most. Lars Steiner has arguably been the best forward, improving his NHL draft stock in the process. 

This matchup will be closer than many assume, but Czechia is the kind of team that should do just enough to handle its business in a game like this. Switzerland may threaten at times and even push back against the Czechs if they get a lead, but Czechia is a fast, structured team that can play physical hockey and lean on teams. The Swiss just don't have the firepower to keep up. 

World Juniors 2026: Tomas Galvas Continues To Flash Brilliance Despite NHL Teams Passing On HimTomas Galvas may have been passed by in the NHL draft twice, but the Czechia defender is once again showing why he deserves to be selected by an NHL team as he dominates junior hockey's biggest stage.

USA vs. Finland

In what could be the most competitive quarterfinal matchup of the bunch, the host Americans will take on the Finns, who always put their best foot forward in the elimination rounds. Both teams met in the gold medal game last year, with the Americans captializing in overtime to go back-to-back, so Finland will want to avenge that loss.

The Finns may have finished third in their group, but they were right in the final round-robin game against Canada, where a win would have had them in first in the group. The Americans were undefeated until their final game against the Swedes. This is the closest to a heavyweight tilt we have in the quarters. 

Team USA isn't as dominant as it's been in recent years, but the group has had some really impressive performances. 

Will Zellers, who was a late addition to the roster, leads the team in scoring with five goals and seven points. He's been an excellent offensive complement to James Hagens and Brodie Zeimer. Defenseman Cole Hutson hasn't played since he was hit in the head with a puck, but he could be back for the quarters, which would be a game-changer. 

The Finns struggled at times against Canada and Czechia, losing in overtime to the Czechs and chasing the Canadians. They have lacked the offensive punch that could keep up with top-end teams. They needed excellent goaltending from Petteri Rimpinen and offensive performances from unexpected sources, such as Jasper Kuhta and Roope Vesterinen. They'll need others to step up if they want to compete. 

The defensive groups might end up deciding this quarterfinal contest. If Rimpinen can stand on his head in net for the Finns, they have a chance to win this game. The Americans need to keep putting goals on the board the way they have to this point. It could be a tight game, especially if it ends up a low-scoring affair. 

Stay tuned for the preview of Canada versus Slovakia.

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