PROSPECTS: Eriksson helps Sweden win gold at 2026 World Junior Championship

Linus Eriksson has added some new shiny hardware to his collection.

After earning a bronze medal at the U18 IIHF World Junior Championship in 2024, the 19-year-old center helped Sweden secure a gold medal at the 2026 U20 World Juniors with a 4-2 win over Czechia on Monday at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Building off a 4-0 showing in the group stage, Sweden, who hadn’t won gold since 2012, defeated Latvia (6-3) and Finland (4-3 SO) in the playoff round to advance to the final.

In seven games at the tournament, Eriksson, a 2024 second-round (58th overall) pick of the Florida Panthers, collected two points (1G, 1A) and owned a +1 plus/minus rating.

Striking early in the semifinals game against Finland on Sunday, Eriksson put Sweden on the board just 36 seconds into play to make it 1-0 set the stage for a crucial victory.

In the championship game, he ranked fifth among Sweden’s forwards in ice time (17:28).

With a gold medal now around his neck, Eriksson will look to carry some momentum back to the SHL where he’s logged two assists in his first full pro season for Timra IK thus far.

Putting up good numbers but not earning a medal, Mads Kongsbak Klyvø, a fourth-round pick (112th overall) of the Panthers in 2025, was tied for first on Denmark with three goals.

Klyvø also served as one of Denmark’s alternate captains.

To stay up to date on Eriksson, Klyvø and all the other talented prospects in Florida’s pipeline, stay tuned for the next Panthers Prospect Report at FloridaPanthers.com.