The Washington Capitals have six prospects playing in the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, which begins today and will run through Jan. 5, 2026, in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. Capitals prospects Cole Hutson (USA), Nicholas Kempf (USA), Leon Muggli (Switzerland), Milton Gästrin (Sweden), Petr Sikora (Czechia) and Maxim Schäfer (Germany) are representing their countries at the annual tournament. Washington’s six prospects at the 2026 World Junior Championship are tied for the third most among NHL teams.
Hutson (2024 Draft, 2nd round, 43rd overall) is participating in his second World Junior Championship. Last year, Hutson won gold with Team USA and led the tournament in scoring with 11 points (3g, 8a) in seven games. Hutson broke Team USA’s single-tournament scoring record for a defenseman and became the first defenseman in World Junior Championship history to lead the tournament in scoring outright. This year, Hutson, an alternate captain, will attempt to lead the Americans to their third straight World Juniors gold medal. The North Barrington, Illinois native has recorded 20 points (7g, 13a) in 18 games with Boston University (NCAA) this season. Hutson leads the Terriers in assists, points, shots (86), game-winning goals (3), ranks second in goals, third in plus-minus rating (+8) and tied for third in blocked shots (23).
Kempf (2024 Draft, 4th round, 114th overall) will be playing in his first Under-20 World Junior Championship. The 6’2”, 196-pound goaltender previously represented the U.S. at the 2024 U18 World Championship, where he earned a silver medal and ranked first among all goaltenders at the tournament in goals-against average (1.89) and save percentage (.919). Kempf also backstopped Team USA to a gold medal at the 2022 World U17 Hockey Challenge, posting a record of 4-0-0 with a 2.50 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. This season at Notre Dame (NCAA), Kempf has earned all four of his team’s wins and posted a 3.57 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage.
Muggli (2024 Draft, 2nd round, 52nd overall) will serve as captain for Switzerland in his third World Junior Championship. The 6’1”, 180-pound defenseman led Switzerland in assists (3) at last year’s tournament and has recorded four assists in nine career World Junior games. Muggli, 19, has recorded one assist in two games with the Hershey Bears (AHL) this season. Muggli, who missed Hershey’s previous 20 games with an upper-body injury before being re-assigned to Team Switzerland on Dec. 15, has appeared in four total games with the Bears since making his AHL debut on April 12.
Gästrin (2025 Draft, 2nd round, 37th overall) will compete in his first U20 World Junior Championship after captaining Sweden to a silver medal and registering 10 points (3g, 7a) in seven games at the 2025 U18 World Championship. Gästrin also served as captain for Sweden at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the 2022 World U17 Hockey Challenge. The 6’1”, 194-pound forward has recorded 18 points (8g, 10a) in 25 games with MoDo of HockeyAllsvenskan (Sweden-2) this season. Gästrin, 18, ranks tied for second on his team in points, tied for third in goals, fourth in assists and tied for fifth in plus-minus rating (+7).
Sikora (2024 Draft, 6th round, 178th overall) will represent Czechia at the World Junior Championship for a second time. Sikora won the bronze medal with Czechia last year and was named a top three player on his team. Sikora finished the 2025 tournament with seven points (4g, 3a) in seven games played, which ranked tied for 13th among all skaters, while his +10 plus-minus rating ranked tied for second. In the quarter-finals against Canada, Sikora recorded an assist on the game-winning goal to eliminate the host nation. This season, Sikora has recorded six points (2g, 4a) in 12 games with HC Oceláři Třinec of the Czech Extraliga (Czechia-1).
Schäfer (2025 Draft, 3rd round, 96th overall) will appear in his second straight World Junior Championship. Last season, the 6’4”, 195-pound forward represented Germany at the 2025 World Junior Championship, the 2025 U18 World Championship and the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, amassing seven points (5g, 2a) in 14 games. At last year’s World Junior Championship, Schäfer recorded three points (2g, 1a) in five games, which ranked third on his team. Schäfer served as an alternate captain for the Germans at the U18 World Championship, where he tied for the team lead in goals with three in five games. This season, Schäfer has registered 23 points (12g, 11a) in 25 games with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL). The 18-year-old ranks fifth on the team in goals and eighth in points.
