The Finns are fired up to face Sweden in the semi-finals after eliminating the defending champion U.S. with a 4-3 sudden-death win at the 2026 World Juniors.
photo: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / MICHELINE VELUVOLU
You come at the king, you best not miss. Finland applied that ancient philosophy in its wild 4-3 quarter-final win over the host Americans. Not only did coach Lauri Mikkola’s troops eliminate the defending champions in sudden death, but they also earned revenge for their 4-3 OT loss to the U.S. in the 2025 gold medal game. Befittingly, Suomi surges into first place in our third Power Rankings of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. Canada holds strong in second place after thumping Slovakia 7-1 to set up a semi-final showdown with the Czechs. Meanwhile, Sweden occupies third place after defeating Latvia 6-3 and is psyched to battle the archrival Finns in the other semi-final. Bring on the drama in the on-ice action and the off-ice comments!
Click here to check out the previous editions of the Power Rankings.
The Power Rankings are for the enjoyment of IIHF.com readers, and reflect the progress of teams during the IIHF World Junior Championship. They are distinct from the official standings and IIHF World Ranking.
The Power Rankings are for the enjoyment of IIHF.com readers, and reflect the progress of teams during the IIHF World Junior Championship. They are distinct from the official standings and IIHF World Ranking.