Sweden's Anton Frondell #16 skates with the puck against USA’s Asher Barnett #13 in the first period during Semifinal Round action at the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Comerica Center on May 2, 2025 in Frisco, Texas, USA.
photo: © Tim Austen/IIHF
From April to June, from Frisco to Los Angeles to the NHL. From prospect to NHLer, and from boy to man.
It doesn’t take long for 18-year-old “kids” at the IIHF Men’s U18 World Championship to go from a development tournament to the big show.
Indeed, an astounding 63 players from eight countries who played at the U18 in Texas just two months ago were drafted into the NHL this weekend. Leading the way (by one metric) was Canada, which had seven of its players from the gold-medal team selected in the first round. In all 12 of the 32 first-rounders played at the 2025 U18.
Also leading the way (by another metric) was the bronze-medal-winning United States, which had 16 draftees, the most of any country. Canada and Sweden both had 15, and it is no coincidence these were the three teams that won medals at the U18 (Sweden took silver).
It doesn’t take long for 18-year-old “kids” at the IIHF Men’s U18 World Championship to go from a development tournament to the big show.
Indeed, an astounding 63 players from eight countries who played at the U18 in Texas just two months ago were drafted into the NHL this weekend. Leading the way (by one metric) was Canada, which had seven of its players from the gold-medal team selected in the first round. In all 12 of the 32 first-rounders played at the 2025 U18.
Also leading the way (by another metric) was the bronze-medal-winning United States, which had 16 draftees, the most of any country. Canada and Sweden both had 15, and it is no coincidence these were the three teams that won medals at the U18 (Sweden took silver).
Other U18s selected over the last two days included six Czechs, three players each from Finland, Germany, and Slovakia, and two players from Norway.
Pretty much every player who starred in Texas and who was eligible to be drafted was, indeed, selected.
The MVP in Frisco, Sweden’s Filip Ekberg, didn’t get selected until 221st overall, by Carolina. He led the U18s in goals (10) and points (18). Jack Ivankovic, the winning goalie for Canada who was named IIHF Directorate Best Goalie as well as named to the All-Star Team, was taken by Nashville 58th overall.
Swedish defender Sascha Boumedienne replicated Ivankovic’s feats at the U18, being named Directorate and All-Star, and he was drafted a lofty 28th overall by Winnipeg. He led the U18 in assists, with 13 and was second in tournament scoring with 14 points. Canada’s Brady Martin, also named to the U18 All-Star Team, went 5th overall, also to the Predators.
Interestingly, Anton Frondell, who had only three points in five games at the U18, was the highest Swede, going 3rd overall to Chicago. The highest American selected was Will Horcoff, son of Shawn, who was taken by Pittsburgh with the 24th selection.
Other sons factored into the draft as well. Cullen Potter, son of Jenny Potter, was taken 32nd overall by Calgary, and Boumedienne is, of course, the son of Josef. Blake Fiddler, son of Vernon, went to Seattle with the 36th selection, and German David Lewandowski, son of Eduard, went to Edmonton in the 117 slot. Slovakia’s Jan Chovan, whose father bears the same name, went to Los Angeles at 184th.
Only five U18 goalies were taken: Two from Canada, Ivankovic and Lucas Beckman (97th to Ottawa); two from Sweden, Mans Goos (Dallas, 158th) and Love Harenstam (St. Louis, 179th); and, Slovakia’s Michal Pradel (Detroit, 75th).
The two Norwegians from Frisco who were drafted included Tinus Luc Koblar, who went to Toronto with the 64th selection at the end of the second round, and Mikkel Eriksen, taken by the New York Rangers at 111th.
Pretty much every player who starred in Texas and who was eligible to be drafted was, indeed, selected.
The MVP in Frisco, Sweden’s Filip Ekberg, didn’t get selected until 221st overall, by Carolina. He led the U18s in goals (10) and points (18). Jack Ivankovic, the winning goalie for Canada who was named IIHF Directorate Best Goalie as well as named to the All-Star Team, was taken by Nashville 58th overall.
Swedish defender Sascha Boumedienne replicated Ivankovic’s feats at the U18, being named Directorate and All-Star, and he was drafted a lofty 28th overall by Winnipeg. He led the U18 in assists, with 13 and was second in tournament scoring with 14 points. Canada’s Brady Martin, also named to the U18 All-Star Team, went 5th overall, also to the Predators.
Interestingly, Anton Frondell, who had only three points in five games at the U18, was the highest Swede, going 3rd overall to Chicago. The highest American selected was Will Horcoff, son of Shawn, who was taken by Pittsburgh with the 24th selection.
Other sons factored into the draft as well. Cullen Potter, son of Jenny Potter, was taken 32nd overall by Calgary, and Boumedienne is, of course, the son of Josef. Blake Fiddler, son of Vernon, went to Seattle with the 36th selection, and German David Lewandowski, son of Eduard, went to Edmonton in the 117 slot. Slovakia’s Jan Chovan, whose father bears the same name, went to Los Angeles at 184th.
Only five U18 goalies were taken: Two from Canada, Ivankovic and Lucas Beckman (97th to Ottawa); two from Sweden, Mans Goos (Dallas, 158th) and Love Harenstam (St. Louis, 179th); and, Slovakia’s Michal Pradel (Detroit, 75th).
The two Norwegians from Frisco who were drafted included Tinus Luc Koblar, who went to Toronto with the 64th selection at the end of the second round, and Mikkel Eriksen, taken by the New York Rangers at 111th.
Other than U18 players, Canada dominated the draft from start to finish, starting with Matthew Schaefer, who went first overall. The nation had 86 of the 224 selections, or nearly 40 per cent, while the Americans were second, with 51 names called (22.8 per cent). European content held steady. There were 86 selections, down from 89 a year ago, but in the last five years there have been between 86 and 89 each year.
Sweden, as usual, led the way with 30, and in all eleven countries from overseas were represented: Belarus (3), Croatia (1), Czechia (11), Denmark (1), Finland (8), Germany (4), Norway (2), Russia (1), Slovakia (3), and Switzerland (2).
The most notable name was Simon Wang. Born in Beijing, he became only the third Chinese player ever drafted, and the highest, when San Jose selected him 33rd overall. He started playing hockey at age four, and as he got older and wanted to take the game more seriously, he moved to Toronto to develop. Andong Song had been drafted 172nd by the New York Islanders in 2015 and Kevin He 109th overall by Winnipeg only last year.
There were other notable players by birth. Jakob Ihs Wozniak (55th, Vegas) is Swedish, although he was born in Adelaide, Australia. Koblar was born in Slovenia and Matous Kucharcik (103rd, Buffalo) in Italy.
The lone Croatian player was Bruno Idzan, selected 181st by Ottawa, and the only Danish player was Mads Kongsbak Klyvo, taken by Florida with the 112th pick.
Sweden, as usual, led the way with 30, and in all eleven countries from overseas were represented: Belarus (3), Croatia (1), Czechia (11), Denmark (1), Finland (8), Germany (4), Norway (2), Russia (1), Slovakia (3), and Switzerland (2).
The most notable name was Simon Wang. Born in Beijing, he became only the third Chinese player ever drafted, and the highest, when San Jose selected him 33rd overall. He started playing hockey at age four, and as he got older and wanted to take the game more seriously, he moved to Toronto to develop. Andong Song had been drafted 172nd by the New York Islanders in 2015 and Kevin He 109th overall by Winnipeg only last year.
There were other notable players by birth. Jakob Ihs Wozniak (55th, Vegas) is Swedish, although he was born in Adelaide, Australia. Koblar was born in Slovenia and Matous Kucharcik (103rd, Buffalo) in Italy.
The lone Croatian player was Bruno Idzan, selected 181st by Ottawa, and the only Danish player was Mads Kongsbak Klyvo, taken by Florida with the 112th pick.