2026 NHL Draft-Eligible Standouts at World U18 Championship – The Hockey Writers – NHL Entry Draft

The World U18 Championship has come and gone with Sweden taking home the gold medal over Slovakia 4-2. It truly was a tournament to remember as it was an eventful and even chaotic from start to finish with a number of upsets. 

Amidst all the chaos in the tournament, it also serves as one of the final showcases for 2026 draft-eligible players to improve their draft stock. There were plenty of players that really stood out and made their case, even those that are up for future drafts. However, we’ll just focus on this current draft class for now. Here are the top performers from the tournament as players had the final chance to impress the scouts.

Mathis Preston, RW, Canada

Mathis Preston was probably Canada’s most impressive and consistent forward as he had six points in five games. He was constantly buzzing and creating with his speed and high pace that he is known for. He was forcing turnovers and stealing pucks, winning battles with his positioning and speed and was in control in the offensive zone. This is exactly the same kind of play that we saw at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and his hot start in the Western Hockey League before he cooled off and dealt with an injury. This was the performance and consistency many wanted to see all season and he has certainly kept his name in the running as a first-round selection.

Adam Valentini, C, Canada

Adam Valentini was always a second rounder for me all season and he cemented that status. Valentini was always playing with a high amount of pace and energy. He was one of Canada’s go-to producers offensively with three goals and five points. He was a quick, highly competitive and a skilled playmaker for Canada. His speed allowed him to challenge defenders and push them back to create more space for himself. He got by everyone easily with his hands and puck control. He’s small but he played a much bigger game, both in skill and in battling in the tough areas. He served as both a shooter and setup man and was setting the tone every shift. 

Ryan Lin, RD, Canada

The leading point getter amongst defensemen with six, Ryan Lin was exceptional on the backend. While all eyes may have been on Keaton Verhoeff, Lin showed why he should still be one of the top defenders in this draft. His vision, playmaking and distribution and offensive awareness was on another level. He was confident, poised and a facilitator from the backend. He showed some physicality but also the attention to detail without the puck. His smarts and IQ was evident and despite being on the small side (5-foot-11, 176), he showed that he should be taken early in the draft. 

Jakub Vanecek, LD, Czechia

Jakub Vanecek was a top pairing defender for Czechia, being their go-to defender, logging big minutes (22:39 per game) and playing in all situations. He really showed his poise and composure on the breakout and patience within the offensive zone when setting up plays. He was a constant shooting presence, getting pucks on net effectively and led all defenders in the tournament with three goals. He was responsible defensively and is always active on both sides of the puck, showing a strong work ethic and motor to make an impact play.