The Flyers don’t return to game action until Sunday night, but before then, there are plenty of chances to catch up with some potential Flyers of the future. The 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship opens on Friday, with 10 nations competing for a gold medal.
Six Flyers prospects will take part in the annual tournament. Porter Martone and Jett Luchanko will play for Team Canada. Jack Berglund will play for Team Sweden, Heikki Ruohonen and Max Westergard will play for Team Finland. And finally, Shane Vansaghi will play for Team USA.
Martone and Luchanko are the obvious headliners here, as the two first-round picks among the group of Flyers prospects participating. Berglund and Vansaghi are second-round picks. Ruohonen was a fourth-round pick. Westergard was a fifth-round pick.
Adding to the intrigue are some lofty responsibilities for some of these prospects among leadership groups. Martone will be the captain of Team Canada. Berglund will be the captain of Team Sweden. Ruohonen was named an alternate captain for Team Finland.
Martone, Luchanko, and Ruohonen are all making their second appearance in a World Junior Championship tournament. Martone played in three games for Canada last year. Luchanko played in five games for Team Canada last year. And Ruohonen played in seven games for Finland last year.
It will be the first appearance in World Juniors for Berglund, Vansaghi, and Westergard.
The tournament opens with Round Robin games from Friday through Wednesday, Dec. 31. The quarterfinals will be on Friday, Jan. 2. The semi-finals will be Sunday, Jan. 4. The medal games will be on Monday, Jan. 5.
Team Canada plays Czechia on Friday at 8:30 p.m., Latvia on Saturday, Dec. 27 at 4:30 p.m., Denmark on Monday, Dec. 29 at 8:30 p.m., and Finland on Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 8:30 p.m.
Team Finland also plays on Friday, Dec. 26, against Denmark at 3:30 p.m., on Sunday, Dec. 28, against Latvia at 2 p.m., and on Monday, Dec. 29, against Czechia at 3:30 p.m.
Team Sweden plays Slovakia on Friday at 1 p.m., Switzerland on Sunday, Dec. 28, at 2 p.m., Germany on Monday, Dec. 29, at 1 p.m., and USA on Wednesday, Dec. 31, at 6 p.m.
Team USA also plays Germany on Friday at 6 p.m., Switzerland on Saturday, Dec. 27, at 6 p.m., and Slovakia on Monday, Dec. 29, at 6 p.m.
Games will be televised on NHL Network throughout the tournament, including all quarterfinals, semi-finals, and medal games.
Kevin Durso is Flyers insider for 97.3 ESPN. Follow him on social media @Kevin_Durso.
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