While many prospects continue their playoff pushes at the club level, a significant portion of the 2026 draft class has taken center stage internationally at the IIHF U18 World Championship in Slovakia. The tournament provides one final opportunity for players to measure themselves against their peers and make a lasting impression ahead of the NHL Draft.
This week’s three stars feature a Swedish winger leading the charge offensively for his country, a Canadian center continuing to find his game after an up-and-down season, and a Swedish pivot beginning to deliver on his first-round projection.
Here are the draft-eligible three stars for the week of April 20 to 27.
Elton Hermansson | RW/LW | Sweden U18
Swedish winger Elton Hermansson continues to excel against his age group, building on a strong international season in which he recorded 19 points (10 goals, nine assists) in 10 games. The 6-foot-1, 174-pound forward has carried that momentum into the U18 World Championship, where he has been a consistent offensive driver for Sweden.
The Örnsköldsvik native spent much of his draft year playing in HockeyAllsvenskan with Modo, where he led all draft-eligible players in both points (21) and games played (38). He saw limited action during the playoffs before Modo was eliminated in the semifinals.
Hermansson opened the tournament with an assist and four shots on goal in a 7-2 win over Germany. He followed that up with another four-shot performance in a 2-1 loss to Czechia and again led Sweden with four shots in a 9-1 defeat against the United States.
He broke through in a big way in Sweden’s final group stage game against Denmark. Hermansson opened the scoring just 32 seconds into the contest and later added a secondary assist in the first period. He took over in the third, scoring Sweden’s seventh goal before adding three assists as the team closed out the round-robin with a 10-1 victory.
Tynan Lawrence | C | Canada U18
Tynan Lawrence’s draft year has been marked by adversity, beginning with an injury in the USHL preseason that delayed his debut. Despite that, the Fredericton, New Brunswick native produced 17 points in 13 games with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, serving as team captain and reinforcing his standing as one of the top centers in the 2026 class behind Caleb Malhotra.
The 2025 USHL playoff MVP transitioned to Boston University in January, stepping into the NCAA midseason. While offense was slow to come initially — he recorded his first point in his sixth game — Lawrence gradually found his footing, finishing with seven points in 18 games. Head coach Jay Pandolfo noted his strong play down the stretch, identifying him as the team’s best forward over its final games.
At the U18 World Championship, Lawrence has continued to contribute in key moments. He picked up an assist on Canada’s lone goal in its opening loss to Slovakia. He followed that with a goal against Latvia, retrieving a puck along the boards before driving play and sending a pass to the front that deflected through the goaltender.
His most impactful performance came in a dominant win over Norway. On the power play, Lawrence found space in the slot and wired home a one-timer to extend the lead. He added two assists in the second period as Canada rolled to an 8-0 victory.
Alexander Command | C | Sweden U18
Alexander Command entered the tournament following a highly productive season at the junior level, leading all draft-eligible players in Sweden’s U20 Nationell with 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists) in 30 games. He added 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 14 playoff contests and contributed 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 13 international games. The Danderyd native also gained pro experience, appearing in six SHL games with Örebro HK.
The 16th-ranked skater on Draft Prospects Hockey’s 2026 NHL Draft Rankings had a quieter start to the U18 tournament, recording one assist and four shots on goal in the opener against Germany. He followed that with another four-shot effort in Game 2 but was held off the scoresheet and added a lone assist in Sweden’s loss to the United States.
A late adjustment to Sweden’s forward lines proved to be a turning point. Slotted alongside Hermansson and Marcus Nordmark on the top unit, Command broke through in the final group stage game against Denmark.
He recorded an assist on the opening goal just 32 seconds into the contest, scored later in the first period, and added another goal in the third to secure his first multi-point performance of the tournament.