Blues Set Franchise Record for World Juniors
The St. Louis Blues will lead all NHL teams in number of prospects at 2025 IIHF World Juniors Tournament
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The St. Louis Blues are at it again. Just when we thought they had shown us their depth of prospects, showcasing seven prospects who participated in the 2024 IIHF U20 World Juniors with seven prospects, they broke that record only a year later. At the 2025 IIHF U20 World Juniors tournament, the Blues will have nine prospects participating to win the gold medal for their respective countries. These nine prospects will be more than any other NHL team has represented in the tournament.
2024 World Juniors
It felt like every time a team scored, a Blues prospect played a role in the action. During last year’s tournament, Blues draft picks collectively led all NHL teams in total scoring, amassing 44 points from 22 goals and 22 assists. Five of the seven Blues prospects who participated last year are returning for this year’s event: Dvorsky, Pekarcik, Lindstein, Stenberg, and Stancl. Jiricek took part in the 2024 event as an undrafted player. Lindstein and Stenberg earned silver medals, while Stancl claimed bronze.
Here’s a look at the Blues prospects participating in the upcoming World Juniors tournament.
Team Czechia
Adam Jecho
Age: 18
Drafted: 2024 - 95th Overall
Position: C/RW
This season, the 6’5", 201-pound forward has appeared in 26 games for the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings, ranking fourth on the team with 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists). A native of Zlín, he has represented Czechia on multiple occasions, including at the 2023 and 2024 U-18 World Junior Championships.
Additionally, he played a key role in helping the team secure a silver medal at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. His blend of power forward physicality and as a finesse skater should play a crucial role for Czechia.
Adam Jiricek
Age: 18
Drafted: 2024 - 16th Overall
Position: RD
This season, the 6’2", 179-pound defenseman has played six games for the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs, recording three points (two goals, one assist). Before joining Brantford, he spent three seasons with the HC Plzeň organization in the Czech Republic. A native of Plzeň, Jiricek has represented Czechia on several occasions, including at the 2024 U-20 World Junior Championships, where he earned a bronze medal. He also helped lead the team to a silver medal at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Jiricek suffered a season-ending knee injury in the World Junior Championship’s opening game and a lower-body injury that has kept him sidelined for the better part of a year. With two goals and three points in two games since returning from injury and heading into the tournament, there will be plenty of eyes on Jiricek in this tournament.
Ondrej Kos
Age: 18
Drafted: 2024 - 81st Overall
Position: LW
This season, the 6’2, 167-pound forward has appeared in six games with Ilves U20 and 13 with Ilves, posting 11 points (six goals, five assists) across all competitions. A native of Kurim, Kos previously represented Czechia at the 2024 U-18 World Junior Championships and led the team to the Silver Medal at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Kos is an underrated forward known as a smart two-way winger with raw skill and physique; Kos has been noted for his potential to develop into a reliable third-liner at the peak of his career.
Jakub Stancl
Age: 19
Drafted: 2024 - 106th Overall
Position: LW
This season, the 6’3", 198-pound forward has appeared in 26 games for the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets, tying for second on the team with 32 points (11 goals, 21 assists). Before joining the Rockets, Stancl spent three seasons with the Växjö organization in Sweden. Hailing from Praha, Stancl has represented Czechia in international play, including the 2023 U-18 World Junior Championships and the 2024 U-20 World Junior Championships, where he earned a bronze medal. Stancl is known for his size, strength, and offensive capabilities, making him a key player for the Kelowna Rockets in the current WHL season, and he should play a prominent role for Czechia.
Team Slovakia
Dalibor Dvorsky
Age: 19
Drafted: 2023 - 10th Overall
Position: C/RW
This season, the 6’1", 203-pound forward has played 25 games for the Springfield Thunderbirds, the AHL affiliate of the Blues, leading the team with 11 goals and 20 points. Before joining the Thunderbirds, Dvorsky spent three seasons with AIK and one with IK Oskarshamn in Sweden.
A native of Zvolen, he has represented Slovakia in multiple international tournaments, including the 2022, 2023, and 2024 U-20 World Junior Championships. Dvorsky also captained Slovakia to a gold medal at the 2022 U-18 World Junior Championships (Division 1A) and earned a silver medal at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. After an underwhelming 2024 tournament and over 20 professional games under his belt, Dvorsky seems poised to make a big splash and make another run at the gold with Team Slovakia.
Juraj Pekarcik
Age: 19
Drafted: 2023 - 76th Overall
Position: W/C
This season, the 6’2", 197-pound forward has appeared in 29 games for the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats, ranking third on the team with 35 points (12 goals, 23 assists). During the 2023-24 season, he recorded 59 points (nine goals, 50 assists) in 43 regular-season games and added 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 11 playoff games, helping the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints reach the Clark Cup Final. A native of Trstená, Pekarčík has represented Slovakia on multiple occasions, most recently at the 2024 U-20 World Junior Championships, where he scored one goal and three points in five games. During last year's tournament, Dvorsky and Pekarcik saw time on the same forward line and could be paired together again this year.
Team Sweden
Theo Lindstein
Age: 19
Drafted: 2023 - 76th Overall
Position: LD
Lindstein has had a strong 2024-25 season, recording four points in 23 games for Brynäs IF in the SHL. A native of Gävle, Sweden, he has represented his country in multiple international tournaments, most recently helping Sweden earn a silver medal at the 2024 U-20 World Junior Championship. Lindstein also won gold at the 2022 U-18 World Junior Championship and silver at the 2023 U-18 World Junior Championship and the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
At the 2024 World Juniors, he was a late addition to Sweden’s roster due to injury but made a significant impact, forming a strong pairing with Tom Willander and earning a spot as a tournament All-Star. Lindstein finished with two goals and eight points in seven games, the highest among any defenseman in the tournament.
Otto Stenberg
Age: 19
Drafted: 2023 - 25th Overall
Position: C/LW
In his first season with the Malmo Redhawks of the SHL, the 6'0", 187-pound forward from Stenungsund, Sweden, has recorded six points (three goals, three assists) in 25 games. Before joining Malmö, he played two seasons with Frölunda HC, totaling nine points (four goals, five assists) in 54 games. Stenberg has represented Sweden in several international tournaments, most recently at the 2024 U-20 World Junior Championships, where he played a key role in helping the team secure the silver medal. Over seven games, he recorded five goals and four assists for nine points, showcasing his offensive abilities. Stenberg’s performance, which included a strong presence in Sweden's gold medal game against Team USA, added to his impressive international resume, which also includes a silver medal at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and a gold medal at the 2022 U-18 World Junior Championships.
Team USA
Colin Ralph
Age: 19
Drafted: 2024 - 48th Overall
Position: LD
This season, the 6’5, 227-pound defenseman has played 17 games with St. Cloud State University, recording four points (one goal, three assists). Before attending St. Cloud, the Maple Grove, Minnesota, native spent two seasons with Shattuck St. Mary’s 18U Prep team, totaling 101 points (10 goals, 91 assists) in 111 games overall. In 2021-22, Ralph played for CarShield AAA (16U) and attended Kirkwood High School in St. Louis. 2025 will mark his first time representing the United States in international play.
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