European notebook: NHL prospects shine at U20 Five Nations tournament

Future NHL stars are developing in Europe this season. Every other week, NHL.com will highlight some of the top NHL-affiliated prospects outside of North America. This week, a look at nine players who stood out at the U20 Five Nations tournament, listed in alphabetical order.

The Swedish Ice Hockey Association and local club Nykopings SK hosted the tournament Nov. 4-8 at Rosvalla Ishall in Nykoping, Sweden. The under-20 teams from Czechia, Finland, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland each played four games. For Sweden coach Magnus Havelid, it was the last tournament to evaluate players before choosing the team that will defend gold at the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship. Sweden won all four of its games, finishing with a 2-1 victory against Czechia on Nov. 8.

Jakub Floris, D, Lukko (Nashville Predators)

The 18-year-old defenseman helped Slovakia hold off Switzerland for a 7-5 victory, its only win of the tournament. After the Swiss cut a three-goal deficit to 3-2 in the second period, Floris scored on the power play to give Slovakia some breathing room. He finished with three points (two goals, one assist) in four games.

Floris, who has played for both Lukko’s junior team and its senior club in Liiga, Finland’s top professional league, helped Slovakia win silver on home ice at the 2026 IIHF Under-18 World Championship. He assisted on Slovakia’s first goal in the gold-medal game against Sweden, a 4-2 loss.

Nashville selected Floris in the fourth round (No. 106) of the 2026 NHL Draft.

Eddie Genborg, F, Timra (Detroit Red Wings)

Sweden’s captain needed only three games to lead the tournament in goals (five) and points (eight). The 19-year-old left wing scored in each appearance, but the highlight came in a 9-2 win against Switzerland on Nov. 5. Genborg put his stick between his legs to score his first goal, completed his hat trick in the third period and sent Milan Sundstrom in alone for Sweden’s ninth goal.

The Timra forward has scored in bunches for Sweden before. He had two goals in a 6-3 win against the United States on the way to gold at the 2026 World Juniors.

Detroit took Genborg in the second round (No. 44) of the 2025 NHL Draft.

Love Harenstam, G, Sodertalje (St. Louis Blues)

Finland gave the 19-year-old Sweden goalie plenty to do in his lone start. Harenstam made 24 saves on 26 shots in a 4-2 win Nov. 7, the second time this year he has defeated Finland with Sweden’s under-20 team. The first came in a shootout in the semifinals of the World Juniors in January. He followed that with 27 saves against Czechia to help Sweden win its first gold medal since 2012.

Harenstam plays for Sodertalje in Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second division. He was chosen by the Blues in the sixth round (No. 179) of the 2025 draft.

Gustav Hillstrom, F, Brynas (New Jersey Devils)

The 19-year-old center had a hand in two first-period goals for Sweden against Switzerland. He scored on the power play 3:31 into the game, and before the first period was over also set up the first of Genborg’s three goals. Two days later, Genborg returned the favor against Finland, assisting on Hillstrom’s second-period goal.

Hillstrom, who plays for Brynas in the Swedish Hockey League, finished with four points (two goals, two assists) in four games. New Jersey selected him in the fourth round (No. 114) of the 2025 draft.

Viktor Klingsell, F, Kalmar (Winnipeg Jets)

The 19-year-old left wing saved his only goal for Sweden’s closest game, a 2-1 win against Czechia on Nov. 8. With the hosts leading 1-0 midway through the second period, Klingsell scored unassisted. It stood as the game-winner when Czechia got a goal back in the third.

Both of his assists in four games came on the power play. The Kalmar forward helped set up Theo Stockselius against Slovakia and Hillstrom against Switzerland the following day. Klingsell plays in Allsvenskan and was picked by Winnipeg in the fifth round (No. 156) of the 2025 draft.

Loke Krantz, F, Linkoping (Seattle Kraken)

The 19-year-old wing scored in each of Sweden’s first two games. He struck 2:28 into the third period of the opening 4-1 win against Slovakia. A day later, he skated past the Swiss defense for his second goal in as many nights. Krantz, who plays for Linkoping in the SHL, finished with three points (two goals, one assist) in three games.

The Kraken selected Krantz in the seventh round (No. 218) of the 2025 draft.

Liam Pettersson, D, Djurgarden (Boston Bruins)

No defenseman collected more points in Nykoping than the 19-year-old, who had five (two goals, three assists) in four games for Sweden to finish tied for second among all skaters. Pettersson helped set up Genborg for his team second goal against Slovakia. Against Switzerland a day later, he scored from the blue line in the first period and assisted on Leo Sundqvist’s goal in the second.

Pettersson has split time between Djurgarden’s junior team and its SHL club this season. He was chosen by Boston in the second round (No. 61) of the 2025 draft.

Lars Steiner, F, Davos (St. Louis Blues)

The right wing scored three goals in three games for Switzerland, including one early in the second period against Slovakia to get the Swiss on the board after they fell behind 3-0. He tied teammate Tim Munger for second in goals at the tournament, behind Genborg.

Steiner played in Nykoping the week before his 19th birthday. Already a veteran of two World Juniors tournaments, he is back with his hometown club in Switzerland’s National League after two seasons with Rouyn-Noranda in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.

St. Louis took Steiner in the sixth round (No. 171) of the 2026 NHL Draft.

Oliver Suvanto, F, Tappara (Washington Capitals)

The 18-year-old Tappara center skated at right wing for Finland and finished with three points (two goals, one assist) in three games. Against Sweden, he helped set up a goal with one minute left in the second period to send Finland into the intermission down 3-1.

Suvanto has been playing a bigger role for his Liiga club since signing with Washington in July. He needed 16 games this season to match his point total from 48 games last season and has played more than 20 minutes in a game for Tappara.

The Capitals chose Suvanto in the first round (No. 18) of the 2026 draft.