ST. PAUL – Some of the classic games in World Juniors history haven’t happened with a medal on the line. Many of them happen before the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve. 

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Based on how the standings have played out at the 2026 World Junior Championship, Dec. 31 is almost like a defacto start to the playoff round as there are massive seeding implications for host USA and one of their budding rivals – Sweden.

USA is set to take on the Swedes at 5 p.m. on New Year’s Eve at Grand Casino Arena in what is expected to be a near-capacity crowd at the home of the Minnesota Wild. Though Minnesota has a large Swedish population, you better believe most of the crowd will be red, white, blue and loud.

It’s setting up to be a dream scenario for the native Minnesotans on the team and anyone on the U.S. side, playing in front of the largest supportive crowd many of them have ever seen. It’ll be like a taste of the NHL before many of them get there for good in the next few years.

Team USA has earned three straight regulation wins – none of them easy – while Sweden has done the same. Both teams enter Wednesday’s contest with nine points in the standings. A win of any kind secures first place in the group and a date with the No. 4 seed from Group B – almost guaranteeing avoidance of one of Canada, Czechia or Finland in the quarterfinals.

It’s a big one. 

“Electric” is the word that Maple Grove, Minn., native and Team USA’s leading scorer Will Zellers (BOS) used to describe the expected atmosphere at Grand Casino Arena.

“It’s going to be so much fun,” Zellers said. “Sweden has been a great team in the World Juniors. 2024 going to the gold medal. It’s going to be a really intense atmosphere.”

Beyond that, though, the importance of earning the No. 1 seed is not lost on the players.

“That’s our goal. We want to be No. 1, there’s no just making the playoffs,” Zellers said. “We want to be that No. 1 seed and have that advantage. That’s crucial for us and that’s going to be a battle.”

As far as head coach Bob Motzko is concerned however, getting the No. 1 seed would be great, but he has other concerns.

“I’d like [being the No. 1 seed], but the importance is how we’re playing,” said Motzko. “Who knows who you play? For us, it’s all about how we play.”

Here's what you need to know before the big New Year's Eve Showdown.

Hutson, Plante Still Day-To-Day

Team USA is going to be heading into the big matchup potentially undermanned. No. 1 defenseman Cole Hutson (WSH) missed USA’s last game against Slovakia and center Max Plante (DET) left the game with an apparent injury.

Both are officially listed as day-to-day, but no new info has been made available about their status and whether or not they will be available for the game against Sweden.

That would be two massive holes in USA’s lineup. Each team carries two extra skaters, which USA will have to likely use if those two players are out of the lineup.

They found a way to step up in a very tense game against Slovakia, but Sweden comes in with the tournament’s best power play, one of its most consistent scoring attacks and a solid goaltending tandem of Herman Liv and Love Härenstam. Sweden has a legitimate gold-medal contending team.

USA’s PK Vs. Sweden’s Penalty Kill

Sweden’s power play has six goals on 14 advantages so far in this tournament. Only Canada has scored more efficiently on the power play. Meanwhile, USA’s PK has killed seven of nine penalties. Though their percentage is just 77.8%, that PK has been a bright spot for the Americans.

Sweden’s top power play unit is absolutely loaded, though. Anton Frondell (CHI), Victor Eklund (NYI), Ivar Stenberg (2026), Jack Berglund (PHI) and Alfons Freij (WPG) work the puck around incredibly well and every single player on that line is dangerous in their role.

Frondell’s shot from the right circle has been lethal. Berglund is a net-front menace. Freij is an effective quarterback. Stenberg keeps teams honest from the halfwall, while Eklund can create havoc down low. 

Meanwhile, USA has leaned heavily on AJ Spellacy (CHI) and Brendan McMorrow (LAK) as their best penalty killing forwards. Those two combined for a shorthanded goal against Slovakia. 

Seeing those two units go head to head is going to be a treat for fans of tactical hockey.

USA’s Blue Line Remains In Flux

Even with Cole Hutson was in the lineup, USA was struggling to find the right mix on its back end. Without him, that effort is even more difficult. It seems like USA has one pairing they will stick with in Chase Reid (2026) and Luke Osburn (BUF), while Hutson’s partner Adam Kleber (BUF) had a rotating group around him that included a number of different partners.

Kleber leads all players averaging 22:34 per game, Osburn is next at 21:49 and Reid has averaged 19:44. After that, USA has been a bit more strategic with ice time for everyone else.

The U.S. needs a lot better performances from first-round draft picks Logan Hensler (OTT) and EJ Emery (NYR), who each have averaged closer to 12:00 per game so far. 

Who Will Start In Net For USA Or Sweden?

It appears Sweden’s No. 1 goalie is going to be Love Härenstam (STL). He’d be my best bet for who gets the nod against the U.S.

As for Team USA, Caleb Heil (TBL) has started two of the three games so far, but I’d bet we’re going to see Nick Kempf (WSH) take his spot between the pipes for USA. Heil gave up five against Slovakia and head coach Bob Motzko was non-committal about who would be in.

Kempf had a good showing against the Swiss in his lone start and did not allow a goal during pre-tournament play. The Notre Dame netminder has backstopped a U.S. team at the U18 Worlds. He has not been confirmed as Team USA's starter, but it seems like he's the safest bet to get the assignment in what feels like a must-win game in a raucous environment.

Players To Watch: USA Vs. Sweden

James Hagens, C, USA (BOS)

Hagens scored his first two goals of the tournament against Slovakia and that could be the breakout USA’s best forward needed to get his tournament kicked into high gear. In this particular game, Hagens will be a critical piece for the Americans as they look to match the high skill of Sweden with their own. Hagens is a veteran of this tournament and after stepping up in a big way against Slovakia, he needs to keep that energy up in his team’s biggest game to date.

Chase Reid, D, USA (2026)

Head coach Bob Motzko has consistently praised Chase Reid’s emergence over the course of the tournament, continually getting better, continually getting more responsibility and making the most of it. Reid has seen his ice time go up, he’s on the power play and he’s been one of the better and more consistent defensemen at five-on-five for USA>

Viggo Bjorck, C/W, Sweden (2026)

Björck has three goals in his last two games and has made Sweden’s second power play look just as threatening as their first which has a bit more star power. Björck is a heady forward who can pick apart defenses and has made his mark despite being the youngest player on the team.

Leo Sahlin Wallenius, D, Sweden (SJS)

He is not as heralded as some of the other players on Sweden, but he has quietly been one of their most important players. He leads the team in minutes with an average of 19:37 per game, plays on the second power play and is probably going to see a lot of the tougher matchups. Sahlin Wallenius is solid and is likely going to get a heavy dose of James Hagens on New Year’s Eve.

2026 World Juniors Quarterfinal Schedule

Friday, January 2

• 12:30 p.m. ET - Relegation Game
• 2:00 p.m. ET - Quarterfinals Game 1 - Sweden vs. TBD
• 4:30 p.m. ET - Quarterfinals Game 2 - TBD vs. TBD
• 6:00 p.m. ET - Quarterfinals Game 3 - USA vs. TBD
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Quarterfinals Game 4 - Canada vs. TBD

2026 World Juniors Medal Round Schedule, Semifinals and Final

Sunday, January 4

• 4:30 p.m. ET - Semifinals Game 1
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Semifinals Game 2

Monday, January 5

• 4:30 p.m. ET - Bronze Medal Game
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Gold Medal Game

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