Mason Moe (Eden Prairie, MN) unleashes a shot against Canada Saturday at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis. PHOTO BY ROBERT BRENT

Motzko gets long look at 42 players, including 14 Minnesotans

by Robert Brent, Let’s Play Hockey

Twin Cities hockey fans got an early taste of the World Juniors this past weekend as the Summer Showcase wrapped up with a spotlight on intense action and top prospects from across the globe.

The exhibitions featured prospective rosters from Sweden, Finland, Canada, and the USA, with games held in Ridder Arena on the University of Minnesota campus. The USA invited 42 players to participate, led by 14 Minnesotans.

Team USA struggled to gain traction at times throughout the event, dropping three games to Sweden (twice as a split team, and once as a full squad), one game to Finland, and the finale of the event against Canada.

Gopher recruit LJ Mooney in action versus Canada Saturday. PHOTO BY ROBERT BRENT

USA head coach and World Juniors veteran Bob Motzko spoke about the challenges of the format, especially with such a large team consisting of players who haven’t previously played together.

“It’s summer hockey, and this is an evaluation process…This is the fourth World Juniors that I’ve been able to work and I think that helps when you go through the summer process,” Motzko said. “We bring our guys in from all over the country, you have two practices, and then you go out and play.”

While every team wants to win, the World Juniors Summer Showcase is far more critical as an evaluation tool. The exhibition gives the coaching staff a chance to assess players and build familiarity.

“The concrete starts to harden a bit in the process of watching these players and getting to know them — learning who we can trust in certain situations. Obviously, the top players that play need to be our top players, but there’s also the key ingredients of the team,” – Bob Motzko

“The concrete starts to harden a bit in the process of watching these players and getting to know them — learning who we can trust in certain situations. Obviously, the top players that play need to be our top players, but there’s also the key ingredients of the team,” Motzko said. “That’s what we spend this time for. Not on wins and losses. Watching players and mixing your lineup back and forth.”

Caleb Heil (Victoria, MN) makes a save during action Saturday. PHOTO BT ROBERT BRENT

Despite the lack of wins, the showcase achieved its main goal: helping Team USA begin to solidify its roster and identify players who stood out against elite international competition.

James Hagens led the way for Team USA, tallying one goal and adding four assists in four contests. The Boston College forward was drafted seventh overall by the Boston Bruins in the 2025 draft and showed off his elite skating and offensive instincts at Ridder Arena. Hagens is a returning player from last year’s gold-medal winning USA World Juniors Squad and will be expected to play a key role in their title defense.

Fans of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers also got their first look at L.J. Mooney. Mooney, a U.S. National Development Team product, will skate in his freshman year with the Gophers this fall. The skilled and speedy winger tallied two goals and added an assist in three games for the Red, White and Blue.

Another Gopher, Brodie Ziemer, also had a strong showing in limited action. Ziemer, a Chanhassen native, played three games for the USA and scored three points. Like Hagens, the forward is a returning member of last year’s team and is primed to play an essential role on this year’s squad when they take the ice.

Line Chart for Saturday’s USA vs. Canada game:

Away from Team USA, the exhibition event featured a few other interesting storylines with Minnesota ties.

The leading scorer of the week came from Team Finland, with Aatos Koivu scoring six goals and adding an assist in five games. Koivu is the son of former NHLer Saku Koivu and nephew of Minnesota Wild great Mikko Koivu.

Officials break up a scrum during Saturday’s action as Canada and Team USA battled in the Summer Showcase, a precursor to the World Juniors Tournament in St. Paul this coming December/January. PHOTO BY ROBERT BRENT

Minnesota Wild prospects were also in action: Aron Kiviharju suited up for Finland, while Ryder Ritchie represented Canada.

The Summer Showcase gave fans a thrilling preview of the 2026 World Juniors, with top-tier talent and intensity on full display. When the puck drops in Minneapolis and St. Paul this December, many of the names from Ridder Arena will be ready for the world stage.

You can find complete information on the rosters, results, and statistics of the World Juniors Summer Showcase here.