What a magical and unpredictable ride we’ve witnessed in Minneapolis and St. Paul! And a long wait is finally over for a classic Scandinavian hockey power. In our final Power Rankings of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, Sweden winds up on top after its exciting 4-2 gold-medal win over the never-say-die Czechs, whose medal streak now sits at four years. Meanwhile, Canada nails down third place after beating Finland 6-3 in the bronze medal game. Even though this is our last edition, don’t worry. Rumor has it that two major international hockey tournaments are taking place in Italy very soon. Since you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take, according to Wayne Gretzky, we will 100 percent be back with more Power Rankings in a month from now!

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.