For the past two and a half weeks, NHL stars and countries in the IIHF have been competing in the 2026 Men's World Championships. After a hard-fought competition, Finland took home the Gold with Switzerland taking the Silver and Norway clinching the bronze. This is not only an accomplishment for these countries' hockey program, but also for the players who participated, several of whom are in the New York Rangers organization. Urho Vaakanainen was a part of Team Finland, and Rangers prospect Mikkel Eriksen was on Team Norway. But what role did these players play in their team's success, and can they carry it over to this upcoming season?
Congrats to Urho Vaakanainen and @leijonat on winning Gold and to #NYR prospect Mikkel Eriksen and @norskishockey on earning Bronze at the 2026 IIHF #MensWorlds! pic.twitter.com/hwNwr0lulY
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) June 1, 2026
How did these Rangers preform during the tournament
While Vaakanainen is seen as a 7th defenseman for the Rangers, he was a key part of Finland's defensive core. He appeared in seven games during the tournament, playing 16:25 minutes per game. He was also able to register a couple of points during the tournament. The first one game in Finland against Hungary, where he had a primary assist on Ville Heinola's goal in the second period. His second one came in the quarterfinal matchup against Czechia with an assist on Anton Lundell's goal in the first period.
After a rough season for Vaakanainen, this performance should give him some confidence. He still can make an impact on the biggest stage. Now, it likely does not change anything with his spot on the Rangers. He still will be beaten out by guys like Matthew Robertson and Drew Fortescue for a third-pairing role with the Rangers. But he should be able to play great as the team's 7th defenseman. Someone they know will hold their own and provide solid play until the injured player returns.
Unlike Vaakanainen, Eriksen was not on the ice during Norway's Bronze Medal win. He only appeared in six games for Norway and failed to record a point. He was able to record five shots in the net, with him averaging 8:52 of ice time per game. He was essentially a fourth-liner and a depth option for Team Norway. Someone they could rely on to generate offense in the bottom six and be successful based on the matchup.
This may not be the stat line that the Rangers or fans hoped he would have during the IIHF, but this is a huge step in his development. Being able to play on the biggest stage with some of the best players in the world shows Eriksen what it takes to make it at the highest level of hockey. He can take everything he learned back to the SHL and use it to improve his game. Sure, he won't help him make the NHL next season, but it will put him on track to make it someday.
Overall, it was nice to see a few Rangers players win a championship and take home some hardware. Hopefully, this success will translate to Broadway.
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