BEMIDJI — Ahead of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championships in the Twin Cities, three teams are taking the ice at the Sanford Center in Bemidji for exhibition games.
Czechia, Slovakia and Latvia will scrimmage against each other before the tournament’s preliminary rounds begin on Dec. 26 at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul and 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis.
On Friday, Dec. 19, Czechia will play against Latvia. On Sunday, Dec. 21, Latvia takes on Slovakia. Czechia and Slovakia will round out the exhibition games at the Sanford Center on Monday, Dec. 22. All games start at 7 p.m.
Notably, 18 NHL draft picks will hit the ice for exhibitions this weekend and early next week, including three first-round picks and two second-round picks. Here are the draftees and the countries they play for:
- Radm Mrtka, D: The ninth pick in the 2025 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres, Mrtka, a 6-foot-6, 218-pound defenseman, will play in his first WJC. Mrtka has one goal and 15 assists for the Seattle Americans in the Western Hockey League this season through 14 games. He also played in four American Hockey League games and recorded an assist for the Rochester Americans.
- Adam Jiříček, D: The 2024 first-round draft pick by the St. Louis Blues (No. 16) is gearing up for his third WJC next week. The 6-foot-2, right-shot defenseman had five assists in seven games in last year’s tournament and played in one game for Czechia two years ago. Jiříček, brother of Minnesota Wild defenseman David Jiříček, has 10 goals and 19 assists for the Brantford Bulldogs in the Ontario Hockey League this season.
- Vaclav Nestrasil, F: One of the younger players in all of college hockey, Nestrasil, 18, has 10 goals and 10 assists in 18 games for Massachusetts this season. Nestrasil is a first-round pick by the Chicago Blackhawks (No. 25) in the 2025 draft.
- Max Psenicka, D: The 2025 second-round pick by the Utah Mammoth (No. 46) is a 6-foot-3, 187-pound defenseman for the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL. He has two goals and 10 assists in 24 games this season.
- Vojtech Cihar, F: The 6-foot winger with four goals and eight points for HC Energie Karlvoy Vary in Czechia this season was a 2025 second-round pick by the Los Angeles Kings. Cihar played in the WJC last year and had a goal and an assist in seven games.
- Stepan Hoch, F: The Mammoth took another Czech in the third round in the 2025 draft with the 78th pick. Hoch has two goals in 24 games with HC Motor České Budějovice in Czechia this season.
- Adam Jecho, F: Suiting up for his second WJC, Jecho is a third-round pick by the St. Louis Blues in the 2024 draft (No. 95). Jecho has six goals and 22 points for the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL this season and had two goals and five assists in last year’s tournament. Jecho, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound forward, scored the game-winning goal in an upset win over Canada in the knockout rounds.
- Vashek Blanár, D: Selected with the 100th pick in the 2025 draft, Blanár is a 6-foot-5, 192-pound defenseman for HV71 in Sweden. He has three goals and seven assists in 18 U20 Nationell games this season.
- Adam Benák, F: Benák, the lone Minnesota Wild draft pick playing exhibition games in Bemidji, is a 5-foot-8, 163-pound center who has 15 goals and 28 assists for the Brandtford Bulldogs in the OHL this season. Benák was selected by the Wild with the 102nd pick in the 2025 draft.
- Tomas Poletin, F: Poletin, a fourth-round pick by the New York Islanders (No. 106) in the 2025 draft, is a 6-foot-1 winger for the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL. He has 14 points and 11 assists in his first 25 games this season.
- Max Curran, F: Selected with the 161st pick by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2024 draft, Curran has 11 goals and 24 assists for the Oil Kings in the WHL this season. Curran is a 6-foot-3, 187-pound forward.
- Petr Sikora, F: Playing in his second WJC, Sikora is a sixth-round pick by the Washington Capitals in the 2024 draft (No. 178). Sikora, a 6-foot, 194-pound center, has two goals and four assists for HC Oceláři Třinec in Czechia this season.
- Jakub Fibigr, D: Fibigr will dress for his second WJC this year and is a seventh-round pick in the 2024 draft by the Seattle Kraken (No. 202). Fibigr has eight goals and 16 assists in 27 games for the Brampton Steelheads in the OHL this season and had five assists in last year’s tournament.
- Michal Pradel, G: Pradel, the highest-drafted goalie playing exhibition games in Bemidji, was selected with the 75th pick in the 2025 draft by the Detroit Red Wings. Pradel is a 6-foot-5, 198-pound goalie who has a 2.46 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage with the Tri-City Storm in the United States Hockey League this season. Pradel was rostered for last year’s WJC but did not play.
- Michal Svrcek, F: Svrcek is a fourth-round pick by the Red Wings in the 2025 draft (No. 119). The 5-foot-11, 190-pound winger has six goals and 14 points for Brynäs IF in U20 Nationell this season. Svrcek has also played in 12 SHL games this season.
- Jan Chovan, F: Picked by the Los Angeles Kings in the seventh round of the 2025 draft (No. 184), Chovan will play in his second WJC this year. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound forward had a goal and an assist in five games for Slovakia a year ago. Chovan also has seven goals and 11 assists for the Sudbury Wolves in the OHL this season.
- Mikuss Vecvangus, G: Vecvangus is one of two drafted goalies playing in Bemidji. He’s also the highest-drafted Latvian player. Vecvangus was taken with the 13th pick in the 2024 draft by the Montréal Canadiens and has a 3.86 goals-against average and a .850 save percentage in six games with the Newfoundland Regiment in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League this season.
- Darels Uljanskis, D: Selected with the 214th pick by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2024 draft, Uljanskis is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound defenseman for the Flint Firebirds in the OHL with three goals and 10 assists in 13 games. This will be his third WJC tournament this year.
