Another opportunity for gold.
A summer tradition for hockey fans around the globe, 16 countries will compete at the 2026 IIHF World Championship in Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland from May 15-31.
Starting on Friday, the puck will drop and teams will square off in group play.
The top four teams from Group A and Group B will advance to the quarterfinals.
From there, the final eight teams will battle until a champion is crowned.
Group A features the United States, Switzerland, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Austria, Hungary, Great Britain, while Group B consists of Canada, Sweden, Czechia, Denmark, Slovakia, Norway, Slovenia, Italy.
All games will be broadcast on NHL Network in the United States.
Well represented at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 in February with a league-leading 10 players, the Florida Panthers will once again send a large group overseas to compete in this tournament, with five players and five staff members traveling abroad.
Entering the tournament, the United States is the defending champion.
To see what’s in store for the Panthers, continue reading below.
Czechia
Marek Alscher
Most recently playing for his country in the 2024 World Junior Championship, the 22-year blueliner will once again be representing Czechia internationally.
A year to remember, Alscher set AHL career highs in goals (3), points (11) and plus/minus rating (+17) in 2025-26.
His +17 rating ranked second amongst defensemen on the Charlotte Checkers.
Getting a taste of the NHL at the end of the season, Alscher recorded three assists and a +4 plus/minus rating in four games with the Panthers.
Finland
Aleksander Barkov
The captain returns.
After missing the entire 2025-26 season with a torn ACL and MCL, Barkov will return to the ice for the first time since Game 6 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.
“It's a big honor to represent Finland for me and one of those childhood dreams to win World Championships is a big goal for me too,” Barkov said during his end-of-season exit day availability. “Really excited about that and been working really hard to get in shape.”
Last playing for Finland during the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Finnish captain recorded two points (1G, 1A) in three games.
Anton Lundell
Joining Barkov in Switzerland, Lundell will look to earn some more hardware after coming home with a bronze medal at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
On his way to medaling, Lundell recorded two points (1G, 1A) in five games.
“It's a big honor to be able to go represent my country, play for the country, play for Finland in World Championships and I'm excited for that opportunity,” Lundell said at the end of the season.
Stepping up during an injury-filled season for the Panthers, the 24-year-old center registered 44 points (18G, 26A) in 64 games.
Latvia
Sandis Vilmanis
A whirlwind season for Vilmanis, the 2022 fifth-round (157th overall) pick saw action in the AHL, NHL and internationally.
For the Checkers, Vilmanis set AHL highs in goals (17), assists (21) points (38) and plus/minus rating (+17).
Making his NHL debut and getting 19 games with the big club, Vilmanis notched five points (3G, 2A) in 19 games with the Panthers.
At the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, the 22-year-old appeared in four games for Lativa.
United States
Matthew Tkachuk
A chance to make history.
With already a Stanley Cup and an Olympic gold medal already on his resume, Tkachuk has a chance to become the first American to join the “Triple Gold Club” (Stanley Cup, Olympic gold medal, World Championship gold medal) if he can pull out another victory.
Helping the United States to their first gold since 1980, Tkachuk dished out six assists in six games at the Olympics in February.
After missing the first 47 games of the season to recover from surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia, No. 19 came back with a presence, notching 34 points (13G, 21A) in 31 games.
Staff
Canada
- Assistant General Manager Gregory Campbell (Hockey Operations)
USA
- Panthers General Manager & President of Hockey Operations Bill Zito (Advisory Group)
- Assistant General Manager Brett Peterson (General Manager)
- Head Equipment Manager Teddy Richards (Equipment Manager)
- Head Athletic Trainer Dave DiNapoli (Athletic Trainer)
SCHEDULE
May 15-26: Group stage games
May 28: Quarter-finals
May 30: Semi-finals
May 31: Bronze medal game; Gold medal game
For full schedule, click here.
