Florida Panthers prospects Linus Eriksson and Mads Kongsbak Klyvo will represent their countries at the 2026 IIHF U20 World Junior Championship in Minnesota. The tournament runs from December 26 to January 5, with Eriksson suiting up for Sweden and Klyvo for Denmark. Both young players bring international experience and aim to shine on the global stage.
The 2026 IIHF U20 World Junior Championship will take place in Minnesota, featuring games at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul and 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis. Broadcasts in the United States will air on NHL Network.
Linus Eriksson, drafted 58th overall in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft, will play for Sweden in Group A alongside the defending champion United States, Slovakia, Switzerland, and Germany. The Stockholm native, who turns 20 in March, is in his second season with Timra IK in Sweden's SHL, where he has recorded two assists in 25 games while adjusting to a bottom-six role against professional players. Eriksson has prior international success, including captaining Sweden to a bronze medal at the 2024 U18 World Juniors and scoring two goals at last year's U20 tournament. Scouts praise his leadership skills. "It was a big jump," Eriksson said of transitioning to the SHL. "It’s such good players."
Mads Kongsbak Klyvo, a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, represents Denmark in Group B against Canada, Finland, Czechia, and Latvia. The 18-year-old, who turned 18 in May, has yet to play this season due to injury but impressed last year with 29 points (14 goals, 15 assists) in 42 games for Frolunda HC J20 in Sweden's J20 Nationell. He contributed to Denmark's promotions in both U18 and U20 D1A IIHF World Junior Championships, earning nine points (four goals, five assists) in five games at the U18 level. As the only NHL-drafted player on Denmark's roster, Klyvo aims to help avoid relegation and make a strong showing. "I’m really excited for the World Juniors," he said during Florida’s development camp. "I think that’s probably the biggest international [junior] tournament in the world. There’s a lot of hype and such. I’m looking forward to it."
The tournament schedule begins December 26 with Sweden facing Slovakia at 1 p.m. ET and Denmark playing Finland at 3:30 p.m. ET, culminating in the championship game on January 5 at 8:30 p.m. ET.
