Eleven current and former WHLers medal at 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship

Ottawa, Ont.- That’s a wrap!

Eleven current and former Western Hockey League players will return to their clubs with some fresh hardware after medaling at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.

For a second straight year, the United States has won gold- this time with an overtime win over Finland- while Czechia picked up a second consecutive bronze medal with a historic 14-round shootout against Sweden.

St. Louis Blues prospect Jakub Stancl (Kelowna Rockets) led the tournament with seven goals and finished second in points with 10.

The first-year WHL winger is now tied for fourth in all-time scoring by a Czech player at the World Juniors with 16 points (11 goals, five assists) in 14 games. He’s also tied for third in goals among Czech skaters in tournament history.

Stancl tallied the game-opening goal against Calgary Flames prospect Axel Hurtig (Calgary Hitmen) and Sweden, with fellow Blues prospect and towering Edmonton Oil Kings forward Adam Jecho earning the primary assist.

You simply cannot stop Jakub Stancl! He pots his tournament leading seventh goal and Czechia is up early on Sweden in the bronze medal game. @TheWHL | @StLouisBlues | #WorldJuniors | #StLBlues

🎥 @TSN_Sports pic.twitter.com/9NnNr6NP0t

— Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets) January 5, 2025

Jecho’s Oil Kings teammate, Miroslav Holinka, also played a major role with an assist on Eduard Sale‘s goal.

With the match tied 2-2 and overtime solving nothing, the match went to a shootout.

Stancl netted Czechia’s first goal in the second round, but nothing would be solved until round 14 when Sale buried his second goal of the shootout.

The dramatic finale is headed for the history books as the longest-ever shootout at the World Juniors, while Stancl, 19, was also named to the 2025 World Juniors All-Star Team.

Jakub Stancl strikes first in the shootout!#WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/8Zee7n5aKS

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 5, 2025

Former WHLers Jakub Dvorak (Swift Current Broncos) and Vojtech Husinecky (Calgary Hitmen), who now play in the AHL and Czech league, respectively, also medaled for their home country.

Seattle Kraken pick Julius Miettinen (Everett Silvertips) and Utah Hockey Club selection Veeti Vaisanen (Medicine Hat Tigers) won silver for the Finns in a nail-biting 4-3 overtime decision.

This marks Finland’s first podium finish at the tournament since claiming silver versus Canada in 2022.

While they didn’t medal, Winnipeg Jets prospect and Canadian Captain Brayden Yager (Lethbridge Hurricanes) and Nashville Predators pick Tanner Molendyk (Saskatoon Blades) were named to the top three players of the tournament for their country.

Another ‘Canes forward, Leo Braillard, also earned the top-three honour for Switzerland.

Finally, Medicine Hat Tigers star Gavin McKenna became the eighth-youngest player to suit up for Canada at the event at just 17-year and seven days old.

Finland (silver)

F- Julius Miettinen, Everett Silvertips (Seattle Kraken)

D- Veeti Vaisanen, Medicine Hat Tigers (Utah Hockey Club)

Czechia (bronze)

F- Miroslav Holinka, Edmonton Oil Kings (Toronto Maple Leafs)

F- Adam Jecho, Edmonton Oil Kings (St. Louis Blues)

F- Dominik Petr, Brandon Wheat Kings

F- Jakub Stancl, Kelowna Rockets (St. Louis Blues)

D- Jakub Dvorak, Swift Curent Broncos*

D- Vojtech Husinecky, Calgary Hitmen*

D- Matteo Koci, Kamloops Blazers

D- Vojtech Port, Lethbridge Hurricanes (Anaheim Ducks)

D- Marek Rocak, Kelowna Rockets

*Denotes WHL alumni

 

About the Western Hockey League

Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for close to 60 years. The WHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.

 

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