The stage is set for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. Sweden will take on Czechia in the gold-medal game at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Monday. Meanwhile, Finland will face Canada in the third-place game, also on Monday.

Sweden will face Finland in the 2026 World Junior Hockey Championships semifinal game on Sunday, January 4.

The world junior hockey championship is entering the final day of the preliminary round. How do standings, overtimes, shootouts differ from NHL?

Latvia is always a long shot in these tournaments, but there are some familiar names on the roster, with six NHLers (goaltenders Elvis Merzļikins and Artūrs Šilovs, defenseman Uvis Balinskis, and forwards Rodrigo Ābols, Zemgus Girgensons and Teddy Bļugers) and four AHLers. Former NHLers Kaspars Daugavinš and Rūdolfs Balcers are also on the team.

Hockey Hall of Famer Bob Pulford, a four-time Stanley Cup champion and longtime NHL leader, has died at 89, leaving a lasting impact.

The United States will face Finland in the world junior hockey championship quarterfinals. It's a rematch of last year's gold-medal game won by USA.

Canada takes on Finland in the IIHF World Junior Championship bronze medal game on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026 at Grand Casino Arena in Saint Paul, Minn.

One takeaway from each of the three Vancouver Canucks prospects' 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship performances.