Fantasy Hockey: 5 Standouts from the IIHF World Championships

The IIHF World Championships have become an annual coming-out party for young players and prospects in NHL organizations. For vets, it can be a fountain of youth. This year was no different. Not all of the players discussed will have an immediate impact. There were a lot of great performances in this tournament, but I had to narrow it down. Here are five standouts from the world championships.

5 Standouts From the IIHF World Championships

Konsta Helenius (C/RW, Buffalo Sabres)

The golden boy. Helenius scored the gold medal game-winning goal in overtime against Switzerland for Finland. He didn’t join Finland until mid-way through the tournament, due to the Buffalo Sabres advancing into the second round of the NHL playoffs. His impact was immediate; he gelled with Alexander Barkov and picked up six points in six games. He was a plus-7 to boot. After a superb season with the Rochester Americans (63 points in 63 games), he’s poised to make the jump to the NHL next season.

Right now, there are too many cooks in the Sabres’ kitchen. With Jack Quinn, Ryan McLeod, Jason Zucker, Josh Doan, Zach Benson, Peyton Krebs, all seeking top-six ice time. This excludes Tage Thompson and unrestricted free agent Alex Tuch. Noah Ostlund and Jiri Kulich will battle Helenius for a roster spot. Gaining meaningful ice time will be difficult. It’ll be his 200-foot game that had him clicking immediately with Barkov at the World Championships that puts him on the team and earns coaches’ trust.

I expect him to make the team out of camp and push 40 points. Beyond that, Helenius has 70+ upside.

Tinas Luc Koblar (C, Toronto Maple Leafs)

If you said, ‘Who?’, you are not alone. This one is for deep fantasy hockey dynasties.

He was the 64th selection in the 2025 NHL draft by the Maple Leafs. There’s nothing flashy about his game: average shot, average skating. He does have a high compete level and likes the front of the net and gets into the dirty areas.

Koblar’s success at the World Championships was as big a surprise as his country’s run to the bronze medal. That run included a 3-2 win over Canada. He picked up eight points in nine games and was a plus-nine. These nine international games have turned Koblar from a long shot into a player to watch.

Even with this international success, Koblar is two to three years away from the NHL. Currently, David Kampf feels like a decent comparison. If we’re looking at upside, Fraser Minten or Ryan McLeod is as far as I am willing to project.

Roman Josi (D, Nashville Predators)

From long shot prospect to first ballot Hall of Famer, Josi finds his way onto my list for an entirely different reason. At 36 and with a recent health scare, people are expecting Josi to begin his inevitable decline. The World Championships demonstrated that decline isn’t here yet.

Named the top defender and tournament MVP, Josi played the best hockey of the season in those nine games.

Age in hockey pools is like kryptonite. When a player hits 35, it becomes, ‘Sell! Sell! Sell!’ And then they sell at a massive discount. In one year pools, expect Josi to be drafted one to two rounds later than younger comparables like Josh Morrissey (Winnipeg Jets).

In dynasties, he will cost significantly less than 60-point defencemen under the age of 30.

I am targeting Josi in all formats next year. I expect 60 points at a minimum.

Lukas Reichel (LW, Boston Bruins)

Few teams do a better job of identifying players and turning them into valuable NHLers than the Bruins. When they make a move to acquire a struggling young player, I pay attention. They have found a real challenge in Reichel, who finds himself on his third team in less than a year.

He clicked right away after moving to the Providence Bruins in a trade from Vancouver, putting up six points in five games. His play was deserving of a call-up to end the season.

After a season filled with injuries, Reichel ended on a high note, scoring four goals and adding four assists on 15 shots in six games for Germany.

Interestingly, he is sitting on his breakout threshold of 198 games played. Temper expectations here, as his career high in points sits at 20.

My recommendation: Add to your watch list. Do not draft.

Hopefully, we’ll revisit Reichel as a streaming option next year.

Ivar Stenberg (LW, 2026 NHL Draft #2 Rated Prospect)

Stenberg was relentless every shift. He was one of the standouts of the tournament, and not because of his age. Every time he stepped on the ice, something good happened.

Still, it will be shocking if the Toronto Maple Leafs do anything but draft Gavin Mckenna’s first overall.

The NHL comparisons to Stenberg are all over the map. The most intriguing comparison out there is to Marian Hossa. Not everyone remembers how incredible and dominant Hossa was in his prime. He played one of the strongest 200-foot games by a forward and could electrify offensively.

My suggestion – ignore the low-end comparisons. Stenberg is going to be a star and produce a lot of points in his career. The World Championships remind us every year that the fantasy hockey calendar never truly stops. Whether it’s a golden goal, a veteran encore, or a name you’ve never heard of putting up a plus-nine, May has a way of reshaping August draft boards. Start taking notes now.