It’s the most wonderful time of the year! That’s right, it’s time for the Junior World Championships. An annual holiday treat for hockey fans where we all become irrationally patriotic over a group of 19-year-old hockey players and wouldn’t wish it any other way. For a team like the Chicago Blackhawks, there are always good reasons to keep an eye on the future. With two candidates in this year’s tournament and at least five standout players from the 2025 NHL Draft Class participating, Blackhawks executives and fans alike will be excited for this year’s event in Ottawa.

Here’s a quick rundown of who to keep an eye on at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, taking place December 26th to January 5th.

Oliver Moore
(C – USA)

Oliver Moore is one of four Blackhawks prospects tasked with helping Team USA win at least the gold medal at the World Junior Championships in Sweden. He returns and wants to help the US do something it has never done before: repeat. The 2023 first-round pick will play center for Team USA and will likely start the tournament on the third line. But don’t take the opening day lines and pairings for granted, as Moore was the U.S.’s extra forward at the start of the competition last year, but ended up playing up front.

Jiři Felcman
(C – Czech Republic)

Jiři Felcman is playing for the Czech Republic on the Junior World Championship stage for the second time, after playing five games at the U18 Junior World Championship. Jiři Felcman has the chance to showcase his skills to Blackhawks fans who haven’t been able to see him play often overseas. Felcman has been playing professionally in Switzerland’s top league this season, recording seven assists in 26 games after averaging nearly a point per game in the Swiss U20 division last season. Two years ago, the Czech Republic took second place against Canada and won the gold medal at the Junior World Championships twice in the country’s history, in 2000 and 2001.

James Hagens
(C – USA)

James Hagens began the year as the favorite to go No. 1 in the 2025 NHL Draft in June. Many have begun to ponder the idea of ​​Matthew Schaefer, Porter Martone or Michael Misa taking the spot, but Hagens’ true potential cannot be ignored. An impressive performance at this year’s World Junior Championships in Ottawa could undoubtedly take him back to the top of the mountain.

Hagens is a projected top-six center in the NHL who will be an important part of the US offensive plans. He plans to center Team USA’s top tier between his Boston College linemates Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard – both of whom helped the Americans win gold in 2024.

Porter Martone
(F – Canada)

At 6-foot-3 and weighing over 200 pounds, Martone has the size that all NHL teams covet and has a skill set that has the potential to be a game-changer in the NHL. He’s close to NHL readiness and a dominant performance at the World Junior Championships could be a good reason for him to be considered for the No. 1 pick.

This will be Martone’s first World Junior appearance after captaining Canada to a gold medal at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship. He finished second on the team with 17 points in seven games in that tournament.

Matthew Schafer
(D – Canada)

Widely considered the top defenseman in the 2025 NHL Draft class, Matthew Schaefer is preparing for a standout draft year that puts him in the conversation as a No. 1 overall prospect. Schaefer is chasing his fourth gold medal in his fourth international appearance with Canada. He won gold at the 2023 World U17 Hockey Challenge as well as the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

He was the best player in the CHL vs. USA Prospects showdown earlier this month and is putting in a performance that would place him among the top three defensemen in the OHL had he not started the season late due to illness. Schaefer is arguably the best skater in the draft, equally explosive and agile. Combine that with a 6-foot-3 frame and good instincts on offense and defense, and it’s easy to see why a team like the Blackhawks might have a hard time overtaking Schaefer for the No. 1 spot.

Logan Hensler
(D – USA)

Logan Hensler, a standout from the University of Wisconsin, has a chance in this tournament to establish himself as one of the top two or three defensemen in the 2025 NHL Draft Class with an outstanding performance. With a loaded U.S. roster looking to repeat, if Hensler is more than just a “follower” in a deep run with Team USA, he can make a case for moving up the rankings.

A right-shooting, 6-foot-1, 196-pound defenseman with good mobility, Hensler’s skillset is enough to make him a consideration as a lottery pick in the top 15 of the 2025 NHL Draft Class. He has the potential to be top-four in his NHL future, especially if he continues to mature physically. He’s not the most offensively dynamic defender, but his length and running ability make him a reliable defender.

Victor Eklund
(F – Sweden)

Victor Eklund is in fact the younger brother of San Jose Sharks forward William Eklund and will do something his older brother never did: represent Sweden in a World Junior Championship. Eklund is one of the best European skaters in the 2025 NHL Draft Class and a creative playmaker with excellent foot speed.

Eklund is the only qualified first-year draft prospect on this Swedish team. He has an outstanding shot, a high level of competition and sees the ice at an elite level. He’s currently projected to be in the middle of the first round, and with two selections in the opening round of the 2025 NHL Draft, the Blackhawks could have a chance to take Eklund with their second of two first-round picks.