Welcome back to our predictions segment, as we continue our coverage of the World Juniors, live from Minneapolis, Minnesota. This is the 2026 World Junior Championship predictions, with us here at Last Word On Hockey. What better way to spend your holiday season than to carry on this annual tradition with us. In tonight’s game, it is the classic New Year’s Eve game, and it features Finland and Canada, so who are you taking?
2026 World Junior Championship Predictions With Canada vs Finland
Time: 8:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), 5:30 Pacific
How to Watch: TSN, NHL Network
Location: 3M Arena in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Canada came into the tournament as favourites to win Group B, and they’ve done little to deviate from that plan. It took them a little bit to get by Latvia, as it was forced to overtime, but still a convincing finale. They enter play today one point up on Finland for tops in the group. Finland has also done well, and their only blemish was a beautiful finish by Team Czechia defenceman Adam Jiricek. It was a spectacular between-the-leg goal. Otherwise, Finland has done well and will provide a strong test for Canada in this one.
The Story for Team Finland
Finland plays a calculated, hard-working, and mix in some skill, type of game. They will play a north-south game, trying to stymie the Canucks speedy attack. A couple guys to keep an eye on for Finland include Emil Hemming and Aatos Koivu.
Hemming was a first-round selection from the 2024 NHL Entry Draft to the Dallas Stars. He is an explosive scorer, and one of the offensive leaders for Team Finland. So far he has three goals in three games, including the 1-1 goal that sent Finland’s previous game against Czechia into overtime. Canada will have to keep eyes in the back of their head to defend this Finn, who attacks like a shark. In addition, Hemming has appeared in five AHL games, so he knows about the physical, North American pro ranks.
The other Finland player we will highlight is Aatos Koivu, you know, son of Saku Koivu. He is a strong prospect for the Montreal Canadiens, and is currently playing in Finland. He has a goal and an assist for Finland so far, and someone Canada needs to prevent from attacking the middle of the ice, using his skill and stickhandling.
The Canadian Story
For Canada, they just need to stick to the process. They need to keep building chemistry and playing hard, and things will keep getting better as they grow as a unit heading into the medal round. This matchup serves as the last tune up. Now not everyone has been finding the sheet out of the Canadian forward group, but many have, and often.
The star of the Canadian side, projected possible 2026 first-overall pick Gavin McKenna has shown his ability to elevate his game against major competition. He is up to seven points, with a hat trick against Denmark, and four assists besides.
Another forward who has been filling the scoresheet is another Montreal Canadien prospect, Michael Hage. He’s up to six points in the tournament (two goals and four assists). Canada will look to attack with their high-end skill and hopefully they can find those tape-to-tape passes when the game is on the line.
A Battle of Two Actual Kings in Goal
The goaltending matchup promises to be world class. Although it is not confirmed as of print, but we expect the goalies to be Carter George for Canada and Petteri Rimpinen for his Finnish squad. This is a good time for our disclaimer, to please check social media for the very latest lineup news. If this does end up as the final goaltending matchup, it is interesting in that it pits a couple of Los Angeles Kings prospects against one another. The loser gets traded? Just kidding.
George comes in with an .870 save percentage, having allowed six goals on 46 shots. Meanwhile, Rimpinen has been a bit stronger, turning away 39 of 43 shots on goal. In any sense, we expect for the two goalies to keep it close.
Prediction
One thing we didn’t really touch on is the specialty teams. This has been a physically demanding tournament, as the refs have somewhat let the battles happen, and the players decide things for themselves. Needless to say, if either team gets into penalty trouble, the opposing power plays have plenty of star power to make them pay. In a tight checking contest like we anticipate this one to be, we don’t think it will be a huge differentiator.
Their all-time record, since the inaugural IIHF World Junior Championship in 1977, Canada leads the series over Finland at 27-9-6 (Finland leads 1-0 in OT/SO). Canada has netted 169 goals to Finland’s 105, in those games. In the recent past, they’ve played in the playoff rounds five times, since 2012. One cool individual stat is that Jonathan Huberdeau posted the best game for Canada against Finland. In 2012, he had five points (one goal and four assists).
Prediction: Canada 3 – Finland 2
Main Photo Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images
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