2024 World Junior Summer Showcase: 3 things learned on Day 6

Wednesday was the sixth day of the World Junior Summer Showcase to help determine the rosters for the United States, Canada, Finland and Sweden at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, to be held in Ottawa from Dec. 26-Jan. 5.

PLYMOUTH, Mich. -- James Hagens and Cole Eiserman showed why they could be on the United States' top line at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship during a 5-3 loss to Finland at USA Hockey Arena on Wednesday.

Hagens, the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, centered a line with Eiserman, selected by the New York Islanders in the first round (No. 20) of the 2024 NHL Draft, at left wing. They combined on an Eiserman goal in the first period and created chances for each other throughout the game at 5-on-5 and on the top power-play unit.

They were teammates with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team last season, but the majority of their time together came on the power play. They haven't been consistent linemates at 5-on-5 since 2022-23 with the NTDP Under-17 team.

"It was good be back with him," Eiserman said. "He's a real good player and it felt good to kind of get that connection back.

"I kind of know what he's doing and he kind of knows what I'm doing out there. It's one of those things where it's a lot of fun and you can kind of read off each other."

It was an easy read for Hagens on the goal as he forced a turnover at the Finland blue line, skated down the left slot and barely had to look to know Eiserman was open on the other side for a one-timer.

"You're sitting there waiting for him to come into the play, and you know if you give it to him he's going to score there," Hagens said. "It's kind of nice having a guy like that out on the ice with you."

U.S. coach David Carle isn't ready to commit to any lines nearly five months before the WJC starts, but Eiserman and Hagens know Carle saw the kind of chemistry they have together.

"He's a smart guy and he knows what works, what doesn't," Eiserman said. "I'm just trying to do my best with him and see what happens."

Here are three things learned Wednesday:

Kumpulainen starts with 'C'

Rasmus Kumpulainen was honored to serve as captain for Finland on Wednesday.

"Obviously it means a lot," the Minnesota Wild forward prospect said. "Our captain, (Detroit Red Wings forward prospect) Jesse Kiiskinen, wasn't playing today and I was an assistant before that, but captaincy or just being part of the captaincy is a big thing. Whether you wear the 'C' or the 'A,' you've just got to be a leader. So it's a big thing for me."

Kumpulainen, who scored in the third period, is one of four players back from the team that finished fourth at the 2024 World Juniors, when he scored two goals in seven games. A second-round pick (No. 53) by the Wild in the 2023 NHL Draft, he’ll turn 19 on Aug. 8 and is expecting to have a larger role at the 2025 WJC.

"Last year was a good experience," he said. "Didn't play that much, now just want to be in a bigger role this year and just want to be the player who makes the big decisions and plays the big minutes."

He'll get ready for the WJC with Pelicans in Liiga, the top professional men’s league in Finland. He had 56 points (28 goals, 28 assists) in 58 games with Oshawa of the Ontario Hockey League last season, but now that he’s grown bigger than last season, when he played at 6-foot-1 and 191 pounds, he felt a chance to play against older competition was a better option for him this season.

"It wasn't an easy decision. ... I just think it's better for me to play against men now," he said. "I'm 6-3 and over 200 pounds, so I just think it makes more sense now to play pro and kind of get ready that way to come over here someday and play in the NHL."

Emery's unique warmup plan

EJ Emery has a pretty unique routine for relaxing before games.

An hour or so before the game Wednesday, the New York Rangers defenseman prospect came out to the bench with a handful of pucks and first attempted to toss them into the face-off dot on the far side of the ice.

After that, he stood in the bench doorway with a stick and moved his hands, visualizing the kind of plays he'd be making in the game.

"I try to stay as loose as possible so that just kind of takes my mind off waiting for the game," he said. "Just trying to have fun out there."

Emery, selected by the Rangers in the first round (No. 30) of the 2024 draft, started the puck-flipping and visualization during the 2022-23 season with the NTDP U-17 team as a way to calm himself before games. He feels the routine has helped improve his play.

"I felt like I was too in my head sometimes," he said. "I just made it a way I can just have fun out there and just relax a little bit. Take the game off my mind and just focus on having fun."

Some power in Powell

Noah Powell does his share of on-ice conditioning in preparing for any season, but including jujitsu and boxing in his off-ice regimen has helped provide added endurance.

"Jujitsu is low-impact cardio, so you're not wearing and tearing your knees or your shoulders," the Philadelphia Flyers forward prospect said. "It is a little dangerous, so you've got to be careful, but it's quite fun and different, unique. You have to have a degree of flexibility to do it well and I didn't have that at first, so I'm kind of working on that.

"Boxing is all about the physicality, the balance, and footwork was also something I needed. And it went hand in hand with the conditioning aspect."

Powell, selected by Philadelphia in the fifth round (No. 148) of the 2024 draft, led the United States Hockey League last season with 43 goals and 16 power-play goals in 61 games with Dubuque. He'll play at Ohio State University in the fall and has been one of the more noticeable forwards among the 25 here for the United States at the showcase, which runs through Saturday.

"Making this team ... it's been a dream growing up," Powell said. "Everyone watches this tournament on Christmas break, so it'd be huge."

NHL.com senior draft writer Mike G. Morreale contributed to this report