PROSPECTS: Eriksson set to play in quarterfinals of World Juniors

Linus Eriksson will try to advance to the semifinals to the 2025 IIHF World Juniors Championship when Sweden takes on Latvia in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

Puck drop is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET on NHL Network and TSN.

The lone prospect for the Florida Panthers at the tournament, Eriksson helped Sweden finish the preliminary round with a perfect 4-0-0 record to claim the top spot in Group B.

With gold-medal aspirations, Sweden has outscored the opposition 24-10 thus far.

Making an impact in a fourth-line role, Eriksson is one of seven players on Sweden’s roster with multiple goals through four games. After lighting the lamp in a 5-2 win over Czechia on Dec. 26, the Stockholm native scoured again in an 8-1 beatdown of Kazakhstan on Dec. 27.

Heading into the semifinals, Eriksson boasts a +3 plus/minus rating.

Trading up in the 2024 NHL Draft, the Panthers selected Eriksson in the second round (58^th overall). Suiting up in 18 games with Djurgårdens IF in Sweden’s HockeyAllsvenskan prior to the World Juniors, the 18-year-old forward recorded four points (one goal, three assists).

Also appearing in three games in J20 Nationell, he notched one goal and four assists.

To keep up with Eriksson’s status at the World Juniors, stay tuned to @FlaPanthers on X.

REMAINING WORLD JUNIORS SCHEDULE

Jan. 2

Relegation game: Germany vs. Kazakhstan (11 a.m. ET)
Quarterfinal 1: Sweden vs. Latvia (Noon ET; NHLN, TSN)
Quarterfinal 2: United States vs. Switzerland (2:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN3, TSN4, TSN5)
Quarterfinal 3: Finland vs. Slovakia (5 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN)
Quarterfinal 4: Czechia vs. Canada (7:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN)

Jan. 4

Semifinal 1 (3:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN)
Semifinal 2 (7:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN)

Jan. 5

Third-place game (3:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN)
Championship game (7:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN)