Bruins, Penguins Prospects Headline USA World Juniors Roster

A pair of prospects from the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins headline the United States' roster for the 2026 World Juniors Championship.

Feb 28, 2025; Chestnut Hill, MA, USA; Boston College forward James Hagens (10) skates against the University of New Hampshire Wildcats during the second period at Conte Forum. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The United States will attempt to defend its gold medal at the 2026 World Junior Championships. Team USA has captured the top honor in back-to-back years, catapulting the Americans to the top of the international amateur circuit.

USA Hockey announced its final roster for the upcoming tournament, officially starting their title defense. The lineup features top prospects, and multiple NHL teams will keep a close eye on the tournament.

Say hello to the 2026 #WorldJuniors roster 🇺🇸

Roster details: https://t.co/GZVa6amhMO pic.twitter.com/JKp0ztkTen

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) December 24, 2025

Two players on the roster stand out as the most important, and they are tasked with leading the charge for the United States. Boston Bruins center James Hagens and Pittsburgh Penguins forward William Horcoff are two of the most exciting young players to come out of the 2025 NHL Draft. While they are currently tearing up the NCAA at their respective universities, Team USA is counting on their efforts to lead the way to more success at the World Juniors.

Bruins Next Top Center

The Bruins managed to get away with robbery at the 2025 NHL Draft. Somehow Hagens, who many viewed as the best player available in the most recent class, fell to Boston with the seventh-overall pick.

With that pick, the Bruins landed their next top-line center. The franchise has been starved for it since the prime days of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, and now they believe they finally have him. Currently a sophomore at Boston College, he's on a point-per-game pace once again with 10 goals and 18 points in 16 games for the Eagles.

This tournament is the ideal evaluation tool for Boston. As they look for him to take those next steps toward the NHL, he gets the chance to be the top center man for Team USA. If it goes well, the Bruins might be looking directly at their future.

March 8, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Will Horcoff (44) handles the puck during the first period against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Yost Ice Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images | Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images

Penguins' Re-Stocked Prospect Cupboard

Will Horcoff represents the changing of the guard in Pittsburgh. One of the team's three first-round picks in 2025, Horcoff's game has exploded during his first full NCAA season. Through the first 20 games of the University of Michigan's season, he's registered 19 goals and nine assists for 28 points.

The 6'5", 200-pound forward was projected to be a top-six player in Pittsburgh when they selected him. A few months and 19 goals later, his ceiling looks to be a 30-goal scorer in the NHL.

For the upcoming tournament, the United States will rely on his physicality and ability to get into scoring positions to keep their offense moving. The team has talent throughout the lineup, but Horcoff's combination of size and skill could be an x-factor at the 2026 WJC.

That's what Team USA and their respective franchises are hoping for. Riddled with future NHL talent, Hagens and Horcoff stand out as the players

Make sure you bookmark Breakaway On SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!