Today’s junior stars are tomorrow’s NHL stars
More than 296,000 fans attended the 2025 World Juniors Tournament held in Ottawa and it is anticipated more than 250,000 will attend this year’s tournament held primarily at Grand Casino Arena in the heart of St. Paul.
More than 400 athletes from around the globe will converge on the State of Hockey, showcasing the top amateur talent in the world. Many of the players who play in this tournament go on to play in the NHL. The top players in this tournament are tomorrow’s top NHL stars.
“Every one of your major stars who will be playing in the NHL will be playing in this tournament,” said Lou Nanne. “The best players in the NHL, now and before, their path to the NHL went through the World Junior Tournament.”
Tournament rosters are chock full of NHL draft picks form the past two years. Twenty-two of the 25 players on the TEAM USA roster have been drafted in the NHL, with six first-round picks and seven second-round choices. Three players are eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft.
Minnesota last hosted the World Junior Hockey Championships in 1982 and was also held in nearby Grand Forks, North Dakota in 2005. They finished sixth in 1982 and fourth in 2005. The first tournament was held in Leningrad, Soviet Union in 1974. Since then Team USA has won seven gold, two silvers and seven bronze medals. They have won gold medals the last two years and will look to make it three in a row in St. Paul.
“Years ago the U.S. was just fighting to get into the playoff round and then around 2006 when we won our first Gold medal the U.S. started to get better and more competitive,” Nanne said. “Now it isn’t an upset when the U.S. wins a gold medal and we are always contending for a gold medal. When they don’t win it’s a big disappointment.”
Minnesota native and current Gopher coach Bob Motzko will be the bench boss for Team USA and is joined by Boston College’s Greg Brown, Gopher assistant Steve Millers, and Augustana Head Coach Garrett Raboin. USA Hockey’s David Lassonde will be the team’s goalie coach.
The roster was finalized earlier this week and includes seven Minnesotans.
NO. | FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | POS. | HT (CM) | WT (KG) | DOB | S/C | HOMETOWN | CURRENT TEAM (LEAGUE) | NHL RIGHTS (NHL DRAFT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Asher | Barnett | D | 6-1 (185) | 197 (89) | 5/16/07 | L | Wilmette, Ill. | University of Michigan (Big Ten) | EDM (2025, 5th rd., 131st ovrl) |
| 38 | Kamil | Bednarik | F | 6-1 (185) | 185 (84) | 5/26/06 | L | Elmhurst, Ill. | Boston University (Hockey East) | NYI (2024, 2nd rd., 61st ovrl) |
| 34 | Cole | Eiserman # | F | 6-0 (183) | 189 (86) | 8/29/06 | L | Newburyport, Mass. | Boston University (Hockey East) | NYI (2024, 1st rd., 20th ovrl) |
| 16 | EJ | Emery | D | 6-3 (191) | 185 (84) | 3/30/06 | R | Compton, Calif. | University of North Dakota (NCHC) | NYR (2024, 1st rd., 30th ovrl) |
| 10 | James | Hagens # (A) | F | 5-11 (180) | 193 (88) | 11/3/06 | L | Hauppauge, N.Y. | Boston College (Hockey East) | BOS (2025, 1st rd., 7th ovrl) |
| 30 | Caleb | Heil | G | 6-2 (188) | 196 (89) | 6/19/06 | L | Victoria, Minn. | Madison Capitols (USHL) | TBL (2025, 7th rd., 193rd ovrl) |
| 5 | Logan | Hensler # | D | 6-2 (188) | 198 (90) | 10/14/06 | R | Woodbury, Minn. | University of Wisconsin (Big Ten) | OTT (2025, 1st rd., 23rd ovrl) |
| 24 | Will | Horcoff | F | 6-5 (196) | 201 (91) | 1/23/07 | L | Birmingham, Mich. | University of Michigan (Big Ten) | PITT (2025, 1st rd., 24th ovrl) |
| 44 | Cole | Hutson # (A) | D | 5-11 (180) | 171 (78) | 6/28/06 | L | North Barrington, Ill. | Boston Universitiy (Hockey East) | WAS (2024, 2nd rd., 43rd ovrl) |
| 31 | Nick | Kempf | G | 6-2 (188) | 196 (89) | 3/1/06 | L | Morton Grove, Ill. | University of Notre Dame (Big Ten) | WAS (2024, 4th rd., 114th ovrl) |
| 6 | Adam | Kleber # | D | 6-5 (196) | 210 (92) | 3/24/06 | R | Chaska, Minn. | University of Minnesota Duluth (NCHC) | BUF (2024, 2nd rd., 42nd ovrl) |
| 35 | Brady | Knowling | G | 6-5 (196) | 203 (92) | 3/9/08 | L | Chicago, Ill. | U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL) | 2026 NHL Draft Eligible |
| 17 | Ryker | Lee | F | 6-1 (185) | 185 (84) | 11/8/06 | R | Wilmette, Ill. | Michigan State University (Big Ten) | NSH (2025, 1st rd., 26th ovrl) |
| 11 | Cole | McKinney | F | 6-1 (185) | 198 (90) | 3/16/07 | R | Lake Forest, Ill. | University of Michigan (Big Ten) | SJS (2025, 2nd rd., 53rd ovrl) |
| 22 | Brendan | McMorrow | F | 5-11 (180) | 180 (82) | 3/27/06 | L | Lakeville, Minn. | University of Denver (NCHC) | LAK (2025, 7th rd., 196th ovrl) |
| 18 | LJ | Mooney | F | 5-8 (173) | 165 (75) | 3/2/07 | R | West Mifflin, Pa. | University of Minnesota (Big Ten) | MTL (2025, 4th rd., 113th ovrl) |
| 2 | Luke | Osburn | D | 6-1 (185) | 189 (86) | 9/9/06 | L | Plymouth, Mich. | University of Wisconsin (Big Ten) | BUF (2024, 4th rd., 108th ovrl) |
| 26 | Max | Plante # (A) | F | 5-11 (180) | 180 (82) | 2/20/06 | L | Hermantown, Minn. | University of Minnesota Duluth (NCHC) | DET (2024, 2nd rd., 47th ovrl) |
| 25 | Chase | Reid | D | 6-2 (188) | 185 (84) | 12/30/07 | R | Chesterfield, Mich. | Soo Greyhounds (OHL) | 2026 NHL Draft Eligible |
| 7 | Dakoda | Rheaume-Mullen | D | 6-1 (185) | 188 (85) | 12/18/06 | L | Northville, Mich. | University of Michigan (Big Ten) | 2026 NHL Draft Eligible |
| 8 | AJ | Spellacy | F | 6-3 (191) | 205 (93) | 2/24/06 | R | Westlake, Ohio | Windsor Spitfires (OHL) | CHI (2024, 3rd rd., 72nd ovrl) |
| 4 | Teddy | Stiga # (A) | F | 5-11 (180) | 178 (81) | 4/5/06 | L | Sudbury, Mass. | Boston College (Hockey East) | NAS (2024, 2nd rd., 55th ovrl) |
| 23 | Shane | Vansaghi | F | 6-2 (188) | 215 (98) | 10/11/06 | R | St. Louis, Mo. | Michigan State University (Big Ten) | PHI (2025, 2nd rd., 48th ovrl) |
| 12 | Will | Zellers | F | 6-0 (183) | 180 (82) | 4/4/06 | L | Maple Grove, Minn. | University of North Dakota (NCHC) | BOS (COL, 2024, 3rd rd., 76th ovrl) |
| 74 | Brodie | Ziemer # (C) | F | 5-11 (180) | 195 (88) | 2/22/06 | R | Chaska, Minn. | University of Minnesota (Big Ten) | BUF (2024, 3rd rd., 71st ovrl) |
Nanne said the development of the U.S.-born player has skyrocketed in the last 20 years as evidenced by Team USA’s success on the world stage and the amount of U.S.-born players in the NHL.
“The U.S. has so many more players now,” he said. “They are up to 30 percent of the players in the (National Hockey League).”
In 1980, the amount of U.S.-born players in the league was around 11 percent.
Team USA opened play Dec. 21 in a pre-tournament game against Germany at Amsoil Arena in Duluth where they won 8-0. They followed that with a game against Finland on Dec. 23 also at Amsoil Arena and won 3-1. The preliminary round begins Friday, Dec. 26 at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul.
With more than 250,000 fans expected during the course of the tournament, it will be a financial boon for downtown St. Paul businesses and a chance to highlight all the city and state has to offer for hockey fans. Nanne said it’s the next biggest hockey tournament in the world other than the Olympics itself.
“It’s a two-week commercial for the city of St. Paul and the state of Minnesota on the worldwide stage,” said Nanne. “It’s a very big deal. This has become, in my mind and the mind of many, probably the next biggest hockey tournament in the world.”
