The 2024 World Junior Summer time Showcase kicked off a couple of days in the past in Plymouth, Michigan, as gamers look to crack the lineup for his or her respective nationwide staff for the 2024-25 IIHF World Junior Championships. The defending champions, america, will look to defend their gold medal from a 12 months in the past and shall be joined by Canada, Finland and Sweden.
A majority of gamers on every staff’s roster have already been chosen by groups within the NHL Draft however there are a couple of notable gamers who’re making ready to listen to their names referred to as within the 2025 NHL Draft. Listed below are a couple of of these gamers:
James Hagens, Boston School (NCAA), United States
Hagens is the present betting favourite to listen to his title referred to as for the primary total choose of the 2025 NHL Draft. The younger star shall be becoming a member of the Boston School Eagles subsequent 12 months within the NCAA after an electrical efficiency with the U.S. Nationwide U18 Group through which he scored 39 targets and 102 factors in 58 video games. As one of the crucial dominant gamers in his age group, and with future teammates Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault becoming a member of him on the prime of Group USA’s ahead core — Hagens ought to give america a whole lot of confidence to repeat as champions.
Porter Martone, Brampton Steelheads (OHL), Canada
Projected to fall within the prime three of the 2025 NHL Draft, Martone needs to be a standout participant for Group Canada through the showcase. Martone not too long ago wrapped his second season with the Steelheads (previously of Mississauga) and scored 33 targets and 71 factors in 60 video games. The younger winger was additionally a drive to be reckoned with final 12 months on the worldwide stage as he scored 5 targets and 17 factors in solely seven video games whereas captaining Canada’s U18 staff.
Victor Eklund, Djurgardens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan), Sweden
Eklund is projected to fall towards the again half of the primary spherical in 2025 however has each alternative to push his title up the board. He’s undersized at 5-foot-11 however performs with such depth that his recreation ought to translate properly towards North American gamers. Eklund break up time between Djurgardens IF and Djurgardens IF J20 final season the place he scored 4 factors in 15 video games for the previous and 25 factors in 30 video games for the latter.
