Nashville Predators Set to Play in 2026 IIHF Hockey World Championship: How to Watch
The Olympics wrapped up three months ago with Team USA winning its first gold medal since the Miracle on Ice in 1980. College hockey secured its national champion in early April. The National Hockey League season ended a month ago. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are closing in on the conference finals.
The offseason is essentially here, right? The draft lottery came and went, and even the Toronto Maple Leafs have cleared out management (although the Nashville Predators still haven't named a general manager to replace Barry Trotz).
Not so fast. There's still the annual IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship (note that it's singular, and not championships), which will get under way Friday and go to the end of the month in Switzerland. Although its not on par with the Olympics, and doesn't include a lot of top players, the competition features prominent names, a high pace of play, and the lure of international play.
It also opens with some big-time games including Canada vs. Sweden, and a rematch of last year's gold-medal game USA vs. Switzerland.
Here's a look at who will be playing from the Nashville Predators organization, including some prominent players who almost always represent their country whenever they can, and a pair of high-level prospects who are still in college. Additionally, assistant coach Darby Hendrickson and video coach Lawrence Feloney are on the Team USA staff:
Justus Annunen, Finland
The goaltending situation for Finland will be interesting as Joonas Korpisalo (Bruins) is the other NHL veteran, and might be on the verge of being traded by Boston to make way for Michael DiPietro, who was named the AHL's top goaltender this past season. In 28 NHL games this season Annunen had a 2.68 GAA and .907 save percentage. The guess here is that head coach Antti Pennanen will alternate through the preliminary round and see if someone gets hot. Annunen's done that before, going 6-0 to lead Finland to the gold at the 2018 U-18 World Championship.
Team Finland note: Aleksander Barkov will play after missing the entire NHL season with the Florida Panthers and the Olympics due to a knee injury.
Jack Ivankovic, Canada
Goaltending hasn't exactly been Canada's strength of late, and it seems pretty logical that head coach Misha Donskov is going to give the two NHL players, Jet Greaves (Blue Jackets) and Cam Talbot (Red Wings), most, if not all, of the big starts. Nevertheless, Ivankovic had a 2.15 GAA, and .921 save percentage last season at Michigan, and despite being just 18 (he turns 19 next week), already has a lot of experience in international competition.
• Selected No. 58 (second round) in the 2025 NHL Draft
Team Canada note: The preliminary roster was set by Brad Treliving, Jason Spezza as well as Kyle Dubas. Of course, Treliving was recently relieved of his duties as the Toronto Maple Leafs general manager.
Roman Josi, Switzerland
Josi was still in the top 20 in scoring among defensemen by finishing with 55 points (13 goals, 42 assists), but he's also 35. Only two players that age or older finished with more points (Erik Karlsson, 66; John Carlson, 60). This will be his ninth World Championship and he's helped lead Switzerland to three silver medals, including last year. This will be different as its the first time the country will host the tournament since 2009.
Team Switzerland note: There were only six NHL players on the preliminary team roster, the others being Janis Moser, Nino Niederreiter, Timo Meier, Pius Suter and Nico Hischier.
Ryker Lee, Team USA
Lee's playmaking ability really began to shine during his freshman season at Michigan State, where he had 15 goals and 15 assists in 35 games. The 19-year-old is the youngest player on the American roster but he seemed to fit in with his older counterparts in with a goal in the team's exhibition against Germany last weekend.
• Selected No. 26 overall, first round, 2025 NHL Draft
Team USA Note: The U.S. is the reigning champion after last winning the tournament in 1933, which was sandwiched between winning the silver in both 1932 and 1934.
What an absolute beauty from Ryker Lee 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/4n7QJ8nLVB
— Big Ten Hockey (@B1GHockey) January 10, 2026
Ryan O'Reilly, Canada
It'll be very interesting to see who the center is paired with, especially with Sidney Crosby and Macklin Celebrini on the team as well. O'Reilly was named an assistant captain with John Tavares, while Celebrini is the team captain (Crosby was a late addition). The-35-year-old O'Reilly had 25 goals and 49 assists for the Predators (74 points). Last year he passed Ryan Smyth for the most games played by a Canadian at the World Championship, but could this be the final time?
Team Canada Note: The 38-year-old Crosby has played in 53 games for Canada, and has scored 27 goals and 43 assists for 70 points. And yes, Celebrini is still 19. He doesn't turn 20 until June 13.
Ryan Ufko, Team USA
The 23-year-old former Massachusetts defenseman was an AHL All-Star last season. In 52 games with Milwaukee (AHL) he had 44 points (11 goals and 33 assists). After being called up to the Predators he notched 11 points (two goals and nine assists) In 18 games. In the initial lineup for last week's exhibition against Germany he was paired with Declan Carlile of the Tampa Bay Lightning (former Merrimack defenseman).
• Selected No. 115 (fourth round) in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Team USA Note: Forward Matthew Tkachuk is aiming to become the first American to join the "Triple Gold Club" (Olympic Gold, World Championship Gold and Stanley Cup). He's also attempting to be the first U.S. player to win both the Olympic and World Championship tournaments in the same year.
Tournament Format
• There are 16 teams in the tournament.
• Group A includes Austria, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Latvia, Switzerland and Team USA.
• Group B features Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Italy , Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden.
• Each team will play every opponent in its group during the preliminary round.
• Teams get 3 points for a regulation win, 2 for OT/SO win, 1 for OT/SO loss.
• The top four teams in each group advance to "cross-group" quarterfinals: 1 Group A vs. 4 Group B; 2B vs. 3A; 1B vs. 4A; 2A vs. 3B.
• Teams are re-seeded for the semifinals.
• The bottom team from each group is relegated to Division I Group A for the following year.
How To Watch: 2026 IIHF World Championship Schedule
All Times ET
Where: in Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland. Group A will play at Swiss Life Arena in Zurich; Group B plays at BCF Arena in Fribourg. Times and locations for quarterfinals, semifinals and finals at Swiss Life Arena in Zurich
TV: NHL Network will show all Team USA games and "select matchups."
Friday, May 15
Group A
10:20 a.m. — Finland vs Germany
4:20 p.m. — USA vs Switzerland
Group B
10:20 a.m. — Canada vs Sweden
4:20 p.m. — Czechia vs Denmark
Saturday, May 16
Group A
6:20 a.m. — Great Britain vs Austria
10:20 a.m. — Hungary vs Finland
4:20 p.m. — Switzerland vs Latvia
Group B
6:20 a.m. — Slovakia vs Norway
10:20 a.m. — Italy vs Canada
4:20 p.m. — Slovenia vs Czechia
Sunday, May 17
Group A
6:20 a.m. — Great Britain vs USA
10:20 a.m. — Austria vs Hungary
4:20 p.m. — Germany vs Latvia
Group B
6:20 a.m. — Italy vs Slovakia
10:20 a.m. — Denmark vs Sweden
4:20 p.m. — Norway vs Slovenia
Monday, May 18
Group A
10:20 a.m. — Finland vs USA
4:20 p.m. — Germany vs Switzerland
Group B
10:20 a.m. — Canada vs Denmark
4:20 p.m. — Sweden vs Czechia
Tuesday, May 19
Group A
10:20 a.m. — Latvia vs Austria
4:20 p.m. — Hungary vs Great Britain
Group B
10:20 a.m. — Italy vs Norway
4:20 p.m. — Slovenia vs Slovakia
Wednesday, May 20
Group A
10:20 a.m. — Austria vs Switzerland
4:20 p.m. — USA vs Germany
Group B
10:20 a.m. — Czechia vs Italy
4:20 p.m. — Sweden vs Slovenia
Thursday, May 21
Group A
10:20 a.m. — Latvia vs Finland
4:20 p.m. — Switzerland vs Great Britain
Group B
10:20 a.m. — Canada vs Norway
4:20 p.m. — Denmark vs Slovakia
Friday, May 22
Group A
10:20 a.m. — Germany vs Hungary
4:20 p.m. — Finland vs Great Britain
Group B
10:20 a.m. — Canada vs Slovenia
4:20 p.m. — Sweden vs Italy
Saturday, May 23
Group A
6:20 a.m. — Latvia vs USA
10:20 a.m. — Switzerland vs Hungary
4:20 p.m. — Austria vs Germany
Group B
6:20 a.m. — Denmark vs Slovenia
10:20 a.m. — Slovakia vs Czechia
4:20 p.m. — Norway vs Sweden
Sunday, May 24
Group A
10:20 a.m. — Great Britain vs Latvia
4:20 p.m. — Finland vs Austria
Group B
10:20 a.m. — Denmark vs Italy
4:20 p.m. — Slovakia vs Canada
Monday, May 25
Group A
10:20 a.m. — USA vs Hungary
4:20 p.m. — Germany vs Great Britain
Group B
10:20 a.m. — Czechia vs Norway
4:20 p.m. — Slovenia vs Italy
Tuesday, May 26
Group A
6:20 a.m. — Hungary vs Latvia
10:20 a.m. — USA vs Austria
4:20 p.m. — Switzerland vs Finland
Group B
6:20 a.m. — Norway vs Denmark
10:20 a.m. — Sweden vs Slovakia
4:20 p.m. — Czechia vs Canada
Thursday, May 28
Group A
10:20 a.m. — Quarterfinals Game 1
4:20 p.m. — Quarterfinals Game 2
Group B
10:20 a.m. — Quarterfinals Game 3
4:20 p.m. — Quarterfinals Game 4
Saturday, May 30
9:20 a.m. — Semifinals Game 1
4:00 p.m. — Semifinals Game 2
Sunday, May 31
11:30 a.m. — Bronze Medal Game
4:20 p.m. — Gold Medal Game
This story will be updated if necessary.
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Christopher Walsh is the publisher of Nashville Predators On SI. He's also the founder of Alabama Crimson Tide On SI, which first published as BamaCentral in 2018, and the publisher of Boston Bruins On SI, along with the Boston College Eagles, Miami Hurricanes, and Vanderbilt Commodores sites. The longstanding sports writer is the author of 26 books including “100 Things Crimson Tide Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die” and “Nick Saban vs. College Football.” He's an eight-time honoree of Football Writers Association of America awards and three-time winner of the Herby Kirby Memorial Award, the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s highest writing honor for story of the year. In 2022, he was named one of the 50 Legends of the ASWA. Previous beats include the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks. Originally from Minnesota and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, he currently resides in Tuscaloosa.