Ahead of next week’s World Junior Summer Challenge in Minnesota, a series of games involving four U-20 teams is taking place in Vierumäki, Finland on Sunday and Monday. Two teams from Finland – essentially an A-team and a B-team – will host the Czech and Swiss national junior teams once each.

Most of the A-team has already been drafted by NHL teams, including forwards Kosta Helenius and Emil Hemming, who were first-round picks in 2024 and have both already been signed by the Buffalo Sabres and Dallas Stars, respectively. Both played for Finland in last year's World Juniors and are locks to make it again. 

Presumably, the Finns will take the players that impress them the most from these two games to Minnesota, with the A-team presumably supplying most or all of the squad.

A-Team:

Goaltenders: 1 Saarinen Kim, HPK Hämeenlinna – Seattle Kraken 30 Rimpinen Petteri, Kiekko-Espoo – Los Angeles Kings

Defensemen:  2 Jokinen Mitja, TPS Turku 3 Kiviharju Aron, HIFK Helsinki – Minnesota Wild 4 Nykyri Niklas, HIFK Helsinki 5 Muhonen Niilopekka, Medicine Hat Tigers WHL – Dallas Stars 6 Soini Sebastian, Ilves Tampere – Minnesota Wild 7 Nieminen Daniel, Pelicans Lahti – Nashville Predators 13 Väisänen Veeti, Medicine Hat Tigers WHL – Utah Mammoth 25 Boelius Lasse, Ässät Pori – Anaheim Ducks

Forwards:  8 Kettunen Anton, Pelicans Lahti 9 Koivu Aatos, TPS Turku – Montreal Canadiens 10 Pulkkanen Akseli, KalPa Kuopio 11 Kalto Onni, TPS Turku 12 Saarelainen Joona, KalPa Kuopio – Tampa Bay Lightning 17 Tuuva Leo, Lukko Rauma 19 Helenius Konsta, Buffalo Sabres NHL 21 Westergård Max, Frölunda HC Sweden – Philadelphia Flyers 22 Hemming Emil, Dallas Stars NHL 23 Vesterinen Roope, HPK Hämeenlinna 26 Sinivuori Lauri, Oshawa Generals OHL 27 Miettinen Julius, Everett Silvertips WHL – Seattle Kraken 28 Ruohonen Heikki, Harvard University NCAA – Philadelphia Flyers

Kings 2nd-Round Draft Pick Contemplates Staying In Czechia Or Moving Overseas Czech left winger Vojtěch Čihař, who turned 18 in March, was drafted in the second round, 59th overall, by the Los Angeles Kings at this year’s NHL Entry Draft, which happened to be in Los Angeles.

B-Team:

Goaltenders: 30 Härkönen Masi, Sport Vaasa 31 Kerkola Patrik, KalPa Kuopio

Defensemen: 2 Marila Eelis, Kiekko-Espoo 3 Jalasti Bruno, HIFK Helsinki 4 Kotajärvi Jesper, Tappara Tampere 5 Vikla Atte, Jokerit Helsinki 6 Välilä Arttu, Lukko Rauma 7 Wallenius Eerik, HPK Hämeenlinna – Ottawa Senators 8 Amhamdi Onni, Pelicans Lahti 9 Mononen Veikka, KalPa Kuopio

Forwards: 10 Loponen Markus, Victoria Royals WHL – Winnipeg Jets 11 Puolanne Elias, Kiekko-Espoo 12 Pikkarainen Kasper, TPS Turku – New Jersey Devils 13 Suoniemi Tuomas, Kiekko-Espoo 14 Teshome Nathan, Jukurit Mikkeli 15 Kuhta Jasper, HIFK Helsinki 16 Kopiloff Oliver, HPK Hämeenlinna 17 Räsänen Veeti, Jokerit Helsinki 18 Somervuori Jere, HIFK Helsinki 19 Joki Atte, Lukko Rauma – Dallas Stars 20 Vanhanen Matias, HIFK Helsinki 21 Pietilä Benjamin, Kärpät Oulu

Photo © Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images: Buffalo Sabres center Konsta Helenius (94) shoots the puck as Ottawa Senators left wing Matthew Highmore (15) moves in during NHL pre-season action in September 2024.

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