WJC Blog: Follow Preds Prospects at the 2025 World Junior Championship

The pipeline of future talent in Nashville is rather stacked, and that fact is perfectly evident at the 2025 World Junior Championship in Ottawa taking place now through the first week of January.

The Predators have eight prospects - the second most of any NHL team - participating in the tournament, including two skaters each with Canada and the United States, two of the favorites to win Gold.

Defensemen Tanner Molendyk and Andrew Gibson make up the top defensive pair for the Canadians, while forwards Joey Willis and Teddy Stiga could add an offensive pop to Team USA.

The Preds have three participants with Team Sweden - David Edstrom (F), Viggo Gustafsson (D) and Felix Nilsson (F) - while goaltender Jakub Milota is on the roster for Czechia.

This year’s iteration of the World Junior Championship began on Dec. 26, and a champion is set to be crowned on Jan. 5 in the Canadian capital. Be sure to catch all the action on the NHL Network in the United States and TSN in Canada - see a full schedule here - and stay tuned to this blog to keep with some of Nashville’s top prospects in the days ahead.

December 26:

Sweden began the day by defeating Slovakia by a 5-2 final with Edstrom picking up a secondary assist on his club’s fourth goal.

The United States hit double digits with a 10-4 victory over Germany. Willis recored a primary assist on Brandon Svoboda’s goal in the second period.

Canada shut out Finland by a 4-0 final. Their top D-pair of Molendyk and Gibson saw plenty of action, with Gibson recording five shots on goal while leading the team with 21:32 of ice time.

December 27:

Sweden topped Kazakhstan by an 8-1 final, and the Preds prospects factored in. Both Edstrom and Nilsson scored in the victory, while Gustafsson added a pair of helpers to give their club two wins in as many tries.

December 28:

The United States defeated Latvia by a 5-1 final on Saturday, and Stiga helped the U.S. finish off the scoring with a beautiful assist on the day's final goal

December 29:

The Swedes continued their offensive outbursts in a 7-5 win over Switzerland, with Nilsson collecting a secondary assist on his club's third goal.

The Americans lost in overtime to Finland by a 4-3 final, but Willis added an assist, and for the second-straight game, Stiga had a perfect dish to a teammate for a goal.

December 31:

Nilsson again found the scoresheet with a pair of assists for Sweden in their 4-2 win over Czechia. Later on New Year's Eve, Team USA defeated Canada by a 4-1 final. Molendyk was the lone Preds prospect to record a point - a secondary assist on Canada's only goal - in the showdown between the two powerhouses.

January 2:

The Quarterfinals are underway, and Team Sweden earned a 3-2 victory over Latvia on Thursday. Edstrom scored what proved to the be game-winning goal for the Swedes, and Nilsson added another assist in the win.

Molendyk, Gibson and Team Canada saw their time at the tournament come to an end with a 4-3 loss to Czechia. Molendyk collected another assist and was named one of the best three players for Canada at the tournament.

January 4:

Nilsson and Gustafsson each recorded an assist, but Sweden fell to Finland by a 4-3 final in overtime Saturday. Sweden will now face Czechia for a bronze medal on Sunday. Edstrom was named one of Sweden's top three players at the tournament. The United states defeated Czechia by a 4-1 count and will face Finland for gold on Sunday night.

January 5:

Stiga scored the Golden Goal for Team USA on Sunday night. The forward, who did not have a single goal yet in the tournament, played the role of hero in OT to give the United States their second consecutive Gold medal with a 4-3 OT victory over Sweden.

Stiga, along with Willis, are now World Junior Champions.

Czechia defeated Sweden in the bronze medal game by a 3-2 final that required a 14-round shootout to decide a winner. Milota, who served as Czechia's third goaltender, earned a medal with his club. Edstrom, who scored both goals for Sweden in the game, was named Sweden's player of the game.