MINNEAPOLIS — It wouldn’t come as too much of a shock if the top line for the United States in the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship is a familiar one.
James Hagens, the playmaking forward who was chosen No. 7 by the Boston Bruins in the 2025 NHL Draft, centered a line with left wing Teddy Stiga (Nashville Predators) and right wing Brodie Ziemer (Buffalo Sabres) in the opener for USA White during the World Junior Summer Showcase at Ridder Arena on Sunday.
If the trio sounds familiar, it should. The Stiga-Hagens-Ziemer line wreaked havoc on the opposition for USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team in 2023-24.
“It’d be nice playing with those guys but you’re not the coach and you don’t know what lines are going to be put together,” Hagens said. “What I liked about the line (with the NTDP) was there were no egos, just being able to go out there and play freely. We’re best buddies off the ice, so being able to have that connection where you could talk to a guy, could say something, it’s just awesome. That’s a huge part of hockey, and if you’re communicating with your linemates, it just makes it that much easier.”
They were up to their old tricks in a scrimmage against Finland, combining for five points, including two goals by Stiga, in a 5-2 victory.
“Obviously, playing with [Hagens and Ziemer] at NTDP was great and getting back out there with them today was really fun,” Stiga said. “Obviously, I play with James at Boston College, but Brodie is a guy I miss playing with. He’s just a dog out there, always going to give it his best.”
Here are three things learned Sunday:
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