MINNEAPOLIS – Following the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase, there appears to be plenty of work to be done when it comes to building the U.S. roster for the 2026 World Junior Championship in St. Paul and Minneapolis.

It was already known that this U.S. team would lack the depth and wouldn’t quite have the top end of the teams that won back-to-back gold medals. When you host the tournament, though, the expectations are high that you’re going to compete.

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The U.S. will be able to ice a competitive roster, but they will not be the favorites entering the tournament. The World Junior Summer Showcase may have left a few more questions than answers, which puts more pressure on the decision makers to really evaluate the first half of the season and see who rises to the occasion.

The U.S. roster has a lot of talent on the wings, but they’ll be shallow at center and in net. Goaltending was a known weakness coming in and the WJSS only enhanced the concerns that the drop off from Trey Augustine to what USA has to work with in 2026 is beyond dramatic.

On the blue line, USA has a glut of right-shot defenders, but I don’t think many of their right-shot guys performed at a particularly high level, including returnees Adam Kleber and Logan Hensler. The left side will be anchored by returnee Cole Hutson, who did not participate in the camp. But I think any spot after him is open, with Luke Osburn making a strong case that he should be on the roster in camp. I also really liked Will Skahan’s overall game in camp and think that gets him on the radar.

USA does not have a No. 1 goalie at this point and I’m not sure they’ll have one by December. Nick Kempf has the best international experience, while Caleb Heil had the best camp. One of the current issues for Team USA is that there’s no guarantee that most of their NCAA goalies will be primary starters. Heil is heading back to the USHL and will play a lot in the lead-up to the tournament. 

If there was one thing made clear in camp, this is James Hagens’ team. He was the best American player by a large margin in camp. He, along with former U18 linemates Teddy Stiga and Brodie Ziemer, will make up the top likely top line for Team USA. They know each other and will very likely have to carry the team offensively. There isn’t another consistent play-driving center in the mix at this point, which is going to be something the U.S. has to figure out if they’re going to compete.

Every team has a chance to pull surprises at the WJC, but this U.S. team is going to have its work cut out for it.

There is a long way to go in the decision process and players are going to emerge going into the season. Summer evaluation camps won’t tell the full story and not every decision made is going to be tied to how the WJSS went. But I figured I’d take my best stab at what I think Team USA would look like if the tournament started tomorrow.

Projected USA Roster For 2026 World Juniors After Summer Showcase

Forwards

Teddy Stiga (NSH) – James Hagens (BOS) – Brodie Ziemer (BUF)

Cole Eiserman (NYI) – Kamil Bednarik (NYI) – Ryker Lee (NSH)

Trevor Connelly (VGK)  – Cullen Potter (CGY) – Max Plante (DET)

Shane Vansaghi (PHI) – Will Horcoff (PIT) – AJ Spellacy (CHI)

LJ Mooney (MTL) – Cole McKinney (SJS)

Defense

Cole Hutson (WSH) – Adam Kleber (BUF)

Luke Osburn (BUF) – Logan Hensler (OTT)

Will Skahan (UTA) – EJ Emery (NYR)

Jacob Rombach (NSH) – Tanner Henricks (CBJ)

Goalies

Nick Kempf (WSH)

Caleb Heil (TBL)

Jack Parsons

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