2026 World Junior Summer Showcase: 3 things learned on Day 5

Thursday was the fifth day of the World Junior Summer Showcase, which will help determine the rosters for the United States, Canada, Finland and Sweden at the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship, which will be held in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta, from Dec. 26-Jan. 5.

WINDSOR, Ontario -- Braeden Cootes was already excited for the potential of playing in Edmonton for the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship.

He grew up in nearby Sherwood Park, Alberta, going to Rogers Place to watch Edmonton Oilers games with friends and family.

Now, he could be playing on that same ice in one of the biggest international tournaments of the season. Not to mention there's the potential that the Vancouver Canucks forward prospect could be Canada's captain for that tournament.

Cootes was captain for Canada's 5-3 loss to Sweden at WFCU Centre on Wednesday, its first game of the World Junior Summer Showcase. 

And although it's just summer hockey, Cootes did allow himself to look ahead to December and have a what-if moment.

"Yeah, it would be really cool," he said. "Obviously, that's a huge honor. We have so many good leaders here as well. Anyone could really wear that thing, so it's a huge honor, and it would be really cool."

Cootes is one of eight players at camp from the team that finished third at the 2026 WJC in Minnesota. He scored two goals in seven games, including one in the first period of a 6-3 win against Finland in the bronze-medal game.

Canada coach Misha Donskov was an assistant on that team and has seen growth in Cootes' on-ice skill and confidence.

"He's got another layer under his belt," Donskov said. "He's got experience, obviously, with this tournament. He's got a lot of respect in our room. He's a guy that is a consistent every-dayer, and that's a big part of what we're trying to instill throughout the course of our lineup with the rest of the guys, and he earned that."

It's a long way until Canada has to make any leadership decisions for the WJC, and there's no assurances Cootes will be on the team. That includes the possibility that the 19-year-old could be in the NHL, where he started last season after being selected with the No. 15 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

But that won't stop Cootes from imagining himself skating onto the ice at Rogers Place as the captain of his home country playing about a 10-mile drive from his hometown.

"To wear the 'C' and play on home soil and be in front of just where I grew up watching Oilers games will be really special," he said.

Goos ready for bigger role

To win a gold medal at the WJC, every player on the roster has to fill a particular role. And for Mans Goos (Dallas Stars), the third goalie for Sweden's 2026 WJC championship team, it came in practice and off the ice.

But as the only goalie at the WJSS from last year's team, Goos feels ready to go from positive energy guy to difference-maker on the ice.

"Of course you want to be the guy, and you're going to need to work hard for that," Goos said. "Just be focused and just compete every practice and prove that you are the guy."

Goos proved he was the right fit for last year's team with his energy and positive mindset on and off the ice.

"Just his way of being as a person," said forward Milton Gastrin (St. Louis Blues), who played six games at the 2026 WJC. "Brings good energy to the locker room, never stresses about anything. I think it's good. ... He was really calm and brought a lot of energy. Good impact on the team."

The 19-year-old, selected by the Stars in the fifth round (No. 158) of the 2025 draft, will make the jump to full-time pro hockey this season with Karlskoga in Allsvenskan, Sweden's second-highest level. He said his focus is going to be on improving his skating and puck-handling as he works on earning a larger role at the 2027 WJC.

He made another step in that process Thursday, making 19 saves in a 5-2 win against the United States.

With Love Harenstam (St. Louis Blues), who was voted the best goalie of the 2026 WJC, available to return for the 2027 tournament, Goos likely will be battling Isak Sorqvist (2027 draft eligible) for the No. 2 spot. But coach Magnus Havelid said the team has a lot of confidence in Goos because of what he can do on the ice and what he's proven he can bring off of it.

"He's a big guy (6-foot-5, 190 pounds)," Havelid said. "He's a big goalie. He protects a lot of things like that. And he's a good competitive guy. So those things, I think, is the way he helps us and gives us some confidence."

Sneak preview for Nightingale

United States coach Adam Nightingale is using the Summer Showcase to get to know the players he and the USA Hockey management staff will be choosing from for the WJC.

But he's also getting to know several of the players that will be playing for him in his full-time job as coach at Michigan State. That includes five U.S. players that will be new on campus this season: defensemen Tommy Bleyl and Chase Reid, and forwards Jack Hextall, Cullen Potter and Mason West.

"You can watch guys on video and go watch them live in person, but when you're on the bench with them and seeing areas that maybe they're doing well right now, or maybe some areas to continue to grow, that's our job, right?" said Nightingale, who has assistant coach Jared DeMichiel and strength and conditioning coach Will Morlock from Michigan State on his U.S. staff. "Every day we've got to try to help our guys get better. So definitely think it gives us a head start."

With Bleyl, selected by the Nashville Predators in the first round (No. 31) of the 2026 NHL Draft, Nightingale sees a player ready for a step up in competition. The 18-year-old, who committed to Michigan State in 2024, was voted Canadian Hockey League rookie of the year last season after he led Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League defensemen with 81 points (13 goals, 68 assists) in 63 games with Moncton.

"We told him when he came, you're going to come in when you dominate your level," Nightingale said. "And as the year went on, he ended up being CHL Rookie of the Year and however many points he had. To me, he dominated that level."

Bleyl said he's enjoyed seeing a different side of Nightingale.

"He's a really intense coach, and he's someone that I definitely want leading the team," he said. "I knew him as more of just someone that I met when I toured ... but I've gotten to know the coach side of him. I've learned a lot of stuff about him. He has a winning mentality which is something I always value with coaches and I'm really excited to play for him."

West, a first-round pick (No. 29) by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2025 draft, also is enjoying his first experience with Nightingale.

"He's super honest, which is really helpful," he said. "I feel like maybe some coaches aren't, and I feel like having Adam be really honest in how I'm playing and what I need to do better and what I'm doing well. I think it's nice to have that support system."

'Smooth guy' Laatikainen standing out for Finland

Finland defenseman Max Laatikainen was the youngest player in the 2026 draft class, with his Sept. 14 birthday coming on the final day of eligibility.

It was his age, as well as his ability, that pushed the Philadelphia Flyers to select the 18-year-old in the seventh round (No. 213).

"I think skating is one of my biggest strengths, and the way I read the plays and my passing skills," Laatikainen said. "Those are my biggest strengths I think."

Finland coach Ville Mantymaa certainly has been impressed. He used Laatikainen on the top defense pair in a 5-3 loss to Canada on Thursday, including at the point during a power play with the goalie pulled for a 6-on-4 advantage in the third period.

"Young guy, smooth guy, skating pretty well, and I think he's pretty calm all the time on the ice," Mantymaa said.

Laatikainen has also impressed his future Flyers teammates. Canada defenseman Brek Liske, a second-round pick (No. 53) in the 2026 draft, said Laatikainen stood out during drills at development camp.

"He's a super nice kid, works hard," Liske said. "He really wants to get better. He's super smooth. I think it's a great pick. He's a much better player than where he was picked."

Laatikainen (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) will play for Sport in Liiga, the top league in Finland, this season, with a spot for Finland at the 2027 WJC a great motivator to get into the gym and add some needed strength.

"It would be a huge honor to represent Finland in those games," he said. "It would be huge."