It's the most wonderful time of the year. The puck drops on the 2025 World Junior Championships on December 26. The tournament is a glorious combination of displays of unbridled patriotism and opportunities to watch some of the biggest names in the next generation of men's hockey.

Across the last decade or so, parity in the tournament has been growing; it's no longer a tournament where Canada comes to feast—though in that same decade the gold-medal winners have all been Canada, the United States or Finland. We're seeing smaller countries begin to put up much more of a fight, and that's fun.

More importantly, it's great for the development of the sport.

If you're a prospect person, you already know who you're watching this year. If you aren't a prospect person, but you're planning to watch World Juniors, here are some guys to keep an eye on.

10. Luka Radivojevic, Defense, Slovakia

A skilled, creative defenseman, Luka Radivojevic made the leap to North American hockey this season, moving to the USHL from Sweden, where he got a few games in with Orebro of the SHL and their J20 team.

In the first half of the season, he has 10 assists in 19 games with the Muskegon Lumberjacks. He had six points in six games for Slovakia at last year's World Juniors, where he was the tournament's youngest player.

He's a smooth skater, highly skilled and intelligent. He has the ability to make creative plays on the breakout, seeing big-play options, but he doesn't always manage to execute them. Slovakia will be hoping that he can manage in tournament games, as the team will no doubt be playing him in big minutes after his performance last year.

9. Dalibor Dvorsky, Center, Slovakia

Selected by the St. Louis Blues 10th overall in 2023, Dalibor Dvorsky has spent the first half of this season with the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL—and he's more than holding his own.

His 21 points in 26 games are tied with Matt Luff for team lead, and his 11 goals are the most on the team. That AHL experience will only benefit him as he represents Slovakia in this year's tournament, which will be Dvorsky's fourth.

He was on last year's team that exited the tournament in the quarterfinals in overtime, so there's clearly some unfinished business there. Slovakia will no doubt welcome his scoring ability and the way that he can find teammates easily in play. He isn't the most urgent player on the ice, but he gets it done regardless thanks to his vision and skilled hands.

8. Logan Hensler, Defense, United States

Another draft-eligible defenseman, Logan Hensler is playing for the University of Wisconsin on the top defensive pairing. It's never easy to play college hockey in your draft year, even as an 18-year-old, because you're consistently going up against bigger and more experienced players. Hensler has shown he's up for the challenge, though.

While he is capable of contributing offensively—he's notched seven assists in 17 games this season for the Badgers—Hensler's biggest strengths lie in his defensive play. He might be the best pure defender in this year's draft class. With the way much of the rest of Team USA likes to go full-send offense, this is a good thing.

He'll likely be relied on in depth minutes for that side of his skill set, particularly when combined with his size and how he uses it to cut off opponents. His mobile skating, as well, makes him a valuable part of the lineup.

7. Carson Rehkopf, Left Wing, Canada

Carson Rehkopf has had an impressive first half of the OHL season with the Brampton Steelheads (it's still weird typing Brampton instead of Mississauga) after being acquired from the Kitchener Rangers in exchange for a whopping 10 draft picks.

A 2023 second-round pick of the Seattle Kraken, Rehkopf has 47 points in 27 games, a projected 110-point pace. One of his biggest strengths, and how he's accomplishing this scoring, is the way he's able to anticipate the game, and anticipate his teammates.

He was a raw prospect with high upside last season. This season it looks like he's leaning into that upside. He's got a dangerous wrister, and he's able to use it because that anticipation allows him to get to exactly where he needs to be in order to receive passes from teammates. Expect to see him on one of Canada's power-play units.

6. Victor Eklund, Right Wing, Sweden

We never got to see San Jose Sharks forward William Eklund play at the World Juniors. We will see his brother represent Sweden this year. It's exciting, because Eklund is the best draft-eligible prospect coming out of Europe this year, and getting to see this many draft eligibles go head-to-head isn't always something we get at World Juniors. He has the bonus of being the only draft-eligible player on this year's Swedish team.

Eklund's strengths lie in his relentless pace and his excellent shot. He might be a smaller forward, but his skating is right up there with his offensive skill in terms of things teams are going to value.

He's spent the season so far playing against men in the Allsvenskan for Djurgårdens IF, with 15 points in 24 games. Barring an unforeseen disastrous second half, he should be inside the top 10 in June for sure. A great tournament, however, could catapult him even higher in the eyes of scouts.

5. Konsta Helenius, Center, Finland

Things might be bleak in Buffalo, but there is a bright light on the horizon of the prospect variety. Konsta Helenius has played 28 games in his first AHL season so far, netting 17 points, and will no doubt be one of the leaders on this year's Finnish team.

Given that he ended last year's tournament with only two points, and given Finland's fourth-place finish, it's not difficult to imagine that he comes into this year's tournament with a bit of a chip on his shoulder.

Helenius is able to drive play thanks to his hockey sense and attention to detail. Not just offensively, though he has shown flashes of creative playmaking that point to that being an area where he can grow even further. His attention to detail is incredibly valuable off the puck as well—something Finland will likely look to him for in this year's quest for a medal.

4. Matthew Schaefer, Defense, Canada

Matthew Schaefer is one of several draft-eligibles looking to make his mark at this tournament, probably hoping that a good performance will help him leapfrog past other potential top picks.

It's not a vain hope, either; Schaefer's mobility alone is going to benefit Canada's blue line. Add his offensive instincts to that and you've got a recipe for a statement tournament—if Schaefer puts the ingredients together and is given allowance to play his game.

Despite missing the first nine games of the season with mononucleosis, an illness with a notoriously slow recovery, Schaefer has 22 points in 17 games. He's a dynamic skater and an impressive activator, and he also knows when to dial it back and make the simplest play.

If his team loses the puck, he does whatever it takes to get it back. There's nowhere on the ice he doesn't make an impact. If he has even an above-average tournament, expect the chorus of people calling for Schaefer to go first overall to get louder.

3. Gabe Perreault, Right Wing, United States

The New York Rangers are a mess. But fans have something to look forward to in Boston College forward Gabe Perreault. (Unless the Rangers botch his development and trade him—too soon?)

Perreault will once again play on the "BC Line" for Team USA, at least to start the tournament, though draft-eligible teammate James Hagens will be centering the line this year. He scored 10 points in last year's tournament; look for him to match or beat that this year, as he is one of the best playmakers on Team USA this year, if not in the entire field.

It wouldn't be surprising if Perreault ended up one of the top scorers of the whole tournament, especially as he'll certainly be on the USA's top power-play unit.

His creativity and instincts will match well with Hagens' reliability and third linemate Ryan Leonard's relentless motor. If they start out strong, expect to see that line stay together the entire tournament.

2. Berkly Catton, Center, Canada

I love watching Berkly Catton play hockey. After this tournament, even if you're rooting against Canada, I'm pretty sure you will too.

The dynamic playmaking center, a Seattle Kraken prospect, finished last season with 116 points in 68 games, and while he's scoring at a lower pace this season, he's still on pace to break the 100-point mark. He's a future top-line NHL center, and it's likely he'll put that on display in this year's tournament.

Catton's hockey IQ is unreal; it gives him the ability to set up his teammates in creative ways, or to know where precisely to be to receive a pass from a teammate. His skating, including his top speed, is one of the highlights of his game, and many opponents simply can't keep up. He's improved his pace and ability to control the play this season too, which is exciting.

1. Gavin McKenna, Left Wing, Canada

Did we mention that Gavin McKenna isn't draft eligible until 2026? Yet here he is on Canada's roster. This doesn't usually (or almost ever) happen, but McKenna is good enough that he forced Hockey Canada's hand. Though I don't imagine it took much pushing.

At the time of writing he still leads WHL scoring with 60 points, a two-point-per-game pace. The next-highest scorer is Washington Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall, a Team Canada cut, with 55.

The Medicine Hat Tigers center isn't just expected to be part of the team; he's expected to play a significant role. One look at his skill set makes it clear that's the right decision.

McKenna is a phenomenal playmaker, thanks to elite hockey sense that allows him to slow the game down for himself and make plays his opponents can't see coming. They're the kind of plays you have to watch multiple times to really understand how he does it.

There's been some discussion about whether his high level of offense will stand up against international opponents bigger and more experienced than him. I'm not worried.