Three Chicago Blackhawks prospects recorded multi-point performances as the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship opened Friday.

Day one of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship concluded on Friday, Dec. 26. Team USA topped Team Germany 6-3, Team Canada beat Team Czechia 7-5, and Team Sweden won 3-2 over Team Slovakia. Of note: three Chicago Blackhawks prospects put up multi-point games.

Anton Frondell

The Chicago Blackhawks first round pick in 2025, Anton Frondell, had a goal and an assist in Team Sweden’s 3-2 victory over Team Slovakia. Frondell had nine shots on goal, played 18:08 minutes, and was named player of the game. Both of his points came on the powerplay. Team Sweden features an incredibly young roster (15 players are eligible to return to next year’s World Juniors) and top-prospect Ivar Stenberg—some are already naming him the No. 1 overall prospect in the next draft class.

A.J. Spellacy

A.J. Spellacy—drafted in the third round in 2024—had two assists in Team USA’s 6-3 victory over Team Germany. Spellacy’s play was notable in what he did away from the puck. He created traffic in front of the net and played a very physical game, including the hit featured below. Spellacy played 12:50 minutes in a bottom-six role.

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Vaclav Nestrasil

Vaclav Nestrasil—a first-round pick in the 2025 draft—had two assists in Team Czechia’s 7-5 loss to Team Canada. One of Nestrasil’s points included a beautiful no-look pass. Nestrasil played 16:09 minutes and had one shot on goal. Don’t let the lack of shots on goal fool you; Nestrasil’s playmaking garnered a lot of attention despite losing to Team Canada.

What’s On Tap Next?

A.J. Spellacy and Vaclav Nestrasil will be in action again today, Dec. 27. Anton Frondell and Team Sweden will play Team Switzerland tomorrow. You can view the World Juniors schedule at the IIHF website and catch the World Juniors on the NHL Network.