Zellers Has Hot Start to World Junior Championship

BostonBruins.com – Will Zellers was a late add to Team USA’s roster for the 2026 World Junior Championship. But the 19-year-old showed that any hesitation about whether he belongs among his country’s best U-20 players is well in the past.

Zellers potted two goals and tallied an assist in the United States’ 6-3 win over Germany in the team’s opening game of the tournament on Friday night in Minnesota.

The winger’s first tally came with 9:29 to go in the second period when he buried a rebound from the blue paint to give the U.S. a 4-2 lead. Just over four minutes later, Zellers gave the United States back a two-goal cushion when he cut to the top of the slot and fired home a wrister for a 5-3 advantage.

The Maple Grove, Minnesota, native is playing in front of plenty of friends and family with the tournament being held in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

“I've got a lot of family [here], I’ve got some from Fargo, North Dakota, that came up to visit. My cousins from Missouri, too,” Zellers told NHL Network’s Jon Morosi following the second period. “A lot of people in there supporting me. It takes a village to get to this point. Happy they’re all here to enjoy it, too.

“We’re in the state of hockey. This is an unbelievable tournament, such a big tournament for the Untied States and especially for Minnesota to have something like this. It’s pretty special to have all that support from everyone cheering us on and it, for sure, motivates us.”

Bruins 2025 first-rounder James Hagens also added a helper in Team USA’s victory, as he assisted on Will Horcoff’s goal at 15:55 of the first to open up a 3-0 lead.