Day two marked the beginning of the results truly starting to matter. Getting off on a bad foot on day one in these “four teams per group” tournaments means your fate can be sealed the next day. We started to see these narratives take shape in the action that went on today. Let’s make some evaluations, focusing on players primarily but with some team implications, as well, from beginning to end:

Game five: Czech Republic 7-3 Germany

You probably know the story by now. Adam Benák set the record in this game for career points at the tournament with his three goals and two assists as he was an easy choice for player of the game. He is a driving force, using impressive acceleration and just having every offensive weapon in the arsenal possible. The skill and offensive IQ ooze out of him at every moment. It’s almost assured self-destruction to give him much time with the puck, particularly when he gets a chance to gather up speed through the neutral zone. That said, I also have to commend Adam Novotny for exhibiting his ability to put puck to tape with consistency and ease in this matchup. The Czechs remain undefeated at the tournament and you can’t rule out them being in the gold medal game again, something Benák declared that he wants he and his teammates to make go their way this time.

For Germany, I have to say that I do admire the innate chemistry between twins Rihards and Gustavs Griva (Jungadler Mannheim, 2025 NHL Entry Draft eligible). After they accounted for both of the goals that Germany scored in their 2-1 OT win against Finland on day one, they showed some more creativity and obvious knowledge of each other’s tendencies and positioning in a manner akin to the Sedin twins today that I enjoyed watching. After he had gotten some good looks, I was also pleased to see David Lewandowski (Düsseldorfer EG, 2025 NHL Entry Draft eligible) have one pan out for him on a terrific release on the power play. We also saw him dictate play well in transition (though he and his teammates occasionally ran into some trouble making successful zone entries, which was a factor in the game playing out the way that it did) and forechecking well when he and his group did get penetration. He’s looking like a dark horse to be a high value, late first round selection in this coming class. Should be fun to track him in the coming year.

Game six: USA 3-1 Finland

The story here for the USA was conducting shot suppression by lining themselves up to stop Finland’s formations and cut them off at the pass the moment the puck got up too high for their liking. It was definitely a group statement game on both ends, as, while Team USA’s strategy worked, it was a reminder that this Finnish group didn’t have much offensive firepower. It seemed like the Americans consistently had the advantage whenever the play shifted to special teams in any context, most potently demonstrated by the shorthanded goal by Ben Kevan (Des Moines Buccaneers, 2025 NHL Entry Draft eligible), who consistently impresses me with his awareness and work rate, that ultimately stood as the game-winning goal and what would end the hopes of knockout stage play for the Finns.

Finland had to lean on Patrik Kerkola for the last couple of games and he mostly showed very good form. However, most likely due to overambitious coaching, I think the group as a whole was hindered by trying to be something that they were not. That said, this is a nation that competed for medals in each of the last four tournaments that were played. You can expect them back and being their top end self not long from now, even if it isn’t in the immediate future.

Game seven: Sweden 12-1 Switzerland

I missed this one, but I think some conclusions can be reached at face value. Sweden had one player with eight points in this game in the form of Milton Gastrin (MODO Hockey, 2025 NHL Entry Draft eligible), while also having two seven point performances from Ivar Stenberg (Frölunda HC, 2026 NHL Entry Draft eligible) and Viktor Klingsell (Skellefteå AIK, 2025 NHL Entry Draft eligible). It just looks like Switzerland was outmatched by the top end of competition, judging by their 22-1 GA vs. GF over their games against Canada and the Swedes. I do recall Matia Birchler (EV Zug, 2025 NHL Entry Draft eligible) exhibiting impressive form despite the massive number of shots faced and the goals allowed that inevitably came with it against Canada, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Jovin Trachsel (SCL Tigers, 2026 NHL Entry Draft eligible) performed similarly. Swiss hockey has been on the rise, not just with NLA as a refuge for pros looking to continue their careers and European big timers coming for a pay day or up-and-comers from other countries getting their early taste of pro hockey on a big stage, but as a dev environment. While this tournament might not have gone the way they hoped, I believe we won’t be seeing this sort of scene some day in the not too far off future.

Game eight: Canada 5-1 Slovakia

A thing that made me enthused about this game was seeing some of Canada’s quieter profile guys make their marks. Cameron Schmidt (Vancouver Giants, 2025 NHL Entry Draft) is a little guy with a lot of heart and a nose for the net, willing to get established in front of the goal mouth and just go for it to make his mark offensively and it was great to see him get on the board twice in this matchup. Luca Romano (Kitchener Rangers, 2025 NHL Entry Draft eligible) has been having a lot of impact shifts in the lower part of the forward group and he also got on the board twice today, once on a terrific setup with speed by Liam Kilfoil (Halifax Mooseheads) and another by driving to the net and taking advantage of a turnover on a fantastic individual effort, immediately after a very fast PPG by Émile Guité. Speaking of that goal, that was yet another play that Gavin McKenna and Matthew Schaefer had their fingerprints on. The former is very well established as a clear star in the CHL and on the junior international circuit, but his time is a ways off as a 2026 class member. Schaefer, though, is entering his DY and is using this chance to show what he’s made of to full effect. His prolificacy as an absurdly young defenseman with so many different things in the toolbox has been on display non-stop. Should be exciting to see what else he has in store for us.

Day three schedule:

Czech Republic vs. Finland: 2:00 PM ET

USA vs. Germany: 5:30 PM ET

Switzerland vs. Slovakia: 7:30 PM ET

Sweden vs. Canada: 9:30 PM ET