Over the last few renditions of the World Junior Championship, the NY Islanders weren’t very well represented. But for the 2026 rendition, the Isles should be near the top of the leaderboard among NHL teams with players participating, as six prospects are projected to make their nation's roster according to Scott Wheeler, Corey Pronman, and Max Bultman of The Athletic.
Starting with Team Canada, the first name likely on the roster is 2025 first overall pick Matthew Schaefer. Schaefer was arguably Canada’s best defenseman in 2025, before his tournament was cut short after breaking his collarbone in Canada’s second game against Latvia.