The International Ice Hockey Federation organizes the World Junior Championship, an annual ice hockey tournament for national under-20 teams. Established in 1977, the international tournament is held from late December to early January. The event features the top-10 nations in the 'Top Division' while lower-ranked teams compete in divisions I, II, and III for promotion or relegation.
The WJC mainly features hockey powerhouse nations like Canada, the United States, Sweden, Finland, and Russia, among others. Canada holds the record for the most gold medals, with 20 championships. Apart from team achievements, the WJC recognizes individual awards such as Best Goaltender, Best Defenceman, and Best Forward of the Tournament.
Related: Most IIHF Junior Championship Best Goaltender Winner
IIHF World Junior Championship Tournament awards
Each year, the IIHF Directorate honors three standout players with awards for Best Goaltender, Best Defenceman, and Best Forward.
Since the tournament officially started in 1977, the awards have recognized many ice hockey players like Wayne Gretzky, Alexander Ovechkin, and Connor Bedard. The tournament also recognizes the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament. The MVP award has been given to iconic names in hockey history such as Peter Forsberg, Connor Bedard, and Trevor Zegras, as per SportingNews.
| Year | Best Goaltender | Best Defenceman | Best Forward | |||
| 2024 | Hugo Hävelid | Sweden | Axel Sandin Pellikka | Sweden | Cutter Gauthier | United States |
| 2023 | Adam Gajan | Slovakia | David Jiříček | Czech Republic | Connor Bedard | Canada |
| 2022 | Jesper Wallstedt | Sweden | Kasper Puutio | Finland | Mason McTavish | Canada |
| 2021 | Devon Levi | Canada | Topi Niemelä | Finland | Tim Stützle | Germany |
| 2020 | Joel Hofer | Canada | Rasmus Sandin | Sweden | Alexis Lafrenière | Canada |
| 2019 | Pyotr Kochetkov | Russia | Alexander Romanov | Russia | Ryan Poehling | United States |
| 2018 | Filip Gustavsson | Sweden | Rasmus Dahlin | Sweden | Casey Mittelstadt | United States |
| 2017 | Felix Sandström | Sweden | Thomas Chabot | Canada | Kirill Kaprizov | Russia |
| 2016 | Linus Söderström | Sweden | Zach Werenski | United States | Jesse Puljujärvi | Finland |
| 2015 | Denis Godla | Slovakia | Vladislav Gavrikov | Russia | Max Domi | Canada |
| 2014 | Oscar Dansk | Sweden | Rasmus Ristolainen | Finland | Filip Forsberg | Sweden |
| 2013 | John Gibson | United States | Jacob Trouba | United States | Ryan Nugent-Hopkins | Canada |
| 2012 | Petr Mrázek | Czech Republic | Brandon Gormley | Canada | Yevgeni Kuznetsov | Russia |
| 2011 | Jack Campbell | United States | Ryan Ellis | Canada | Brayden Schenn | Canada |
| 2010 | Benjamin Conz | Switzerland | Alex Pietrangelo | Canada | Jordan Eberle | Canada |
| 2009 | Jacob Markström | Sweden | Erik Karlsson | Sweden | John Tavares | Canada |
| 2008 | Steve Mason | Canada | Drew Doughty | Canada | Viktor Tikhonov | Russia |
| 2007 | Carey Price | Canada | Erik Johnson | United States | Alexei Cherepanov | Russia |
| 2006 | Tuukka Rask | Finland | Marc Staal | Canada | Evgeni Malkin | Russia |
| 2005 | Marek Schwarz | Czech Republic | Dion Phaneuf | Canada | Alexander Ovechkin | Russia |
| 2004 | Al Montoya | United States | Sami Lepistö | Finland | Zach Parise | United States |
| 2003 | Marc-André Fleury | Canada | Joni Pitkänen | Finland | Igor Grigorenko | Russia |
| 2002 | Kari Lehtonen | Finland | Igor Knyazev | Russia | Mike Cammalleri | Canada |
| 2001 | Tomáš Duba | Czech Republic | Rostislav Klesla | Czech Republic | Pavel Brendl | Czech Republic |
| 2000 | Rick DiPietro | United States | Alex Riazantsev | Russia | Milan Kraft | Czech Republic |
| 1999 | Roberto Luongo | Canada | Vitali Vishnevsky | Russia | Maxim Afinogenov | Russia |
| 1998 | David Aebischer | Switzerland | Pavel Skrbek | Czech Republic | Olli Jokinen | Finland |
| 1997 | Marc Denis | Canada | Joe Corvo | United States | Alexei Morozov | Russia |
| 1996 | José Théodore | Canada | Mattias Öhlund | Sweden | Jarome Iginla | Canada |
| 1995 | Yevgeni Tarasov | Russia | Bryan McCabe | Canada | Marty Murray | Canada |
| 1994 | Jamie Storr | Canada | Kenny Jönsson | Sweden | Niklas Sundström | Sweden |
| 1993 | Manny Legacé | Canada | Janne Grönvall | Finland | Peter Forsberg | Sweden |
| 1992 | Mike Dunham | United States | Darius Kasparaitis | CIS | Michael Nylander | Sweden |
| 1991 | Pauli Jaks | Switzerland | Jiří Šlégr | Czechoslovakia | Eric Lindros | Canada |
| 1990 | Stéphane Fiset | Canada | Alexander Godynyuk | Soviet Union | Robert Reichel | Czechoslovakia |
| 1989 | Alexei Ivashkin | Soviet Union | Ricard Persson | Sweden | Pavel Bure | Soviet Union |
| 1988 | Jimmy Waite | Canada | Teppo Numminen | Finland | Alexander Mogilny | Soviet Union |
| 1987 | Markus Ketterer | Finland | Calle Johansson | Sweden | Robert Kron | Czechoslovakia |
| 1986 | Evgeny Belosheikin | Soviet Union | Mikhail Tatarinov | Soviet Union | Jim Sandlak | Canada |
| 1985 | Craig Billington | Canada | Vesa Salo | Finland | Michal Pivonka | Czechoslovakia |
| 1984 | Alan Perry | United States | Alexei Gusarov | Soviet Union | Raimo Helminen | Finland |
| 1983 | Dominik Hašek | Czechoslovakia | Ilya Byakin | Soviet Union | Tomas Sandström | Sweden |
| 1982 | Mike Moffat | Canada | Gord Kluzak | Canada | Petri Skriko | Finland |
| 1981 | Lars Eriksson | Sweden | Miloslav Horava | Czechoslovakia | Patrik Sundström | Sweden |
| 1980 | Jari Paavola | Finland | Reijo Ruotsalainen | Finland | Vladimir Krutov | Soviet Union |
| 1979 | Pelle Lindbergh | Sweden | Alexei Kasatonov | Soviet Union | Vladimir Krutov | Soviet Union |
| 1978 | Alexander Tyznych | Soviet Union | Viacheslav Fetisov | Soviet Union | Wayne Gretzky | Canada |
| 1977 | Jan Hrabák | Czechoslovakia | Viacheslav Fetisov | Soviet Union | Dale McCourt | Canada |
Related: List of IIHF World Junior Championship Directorate Award Winners
FAQs on IIHF World Junior Championship Tournament awards
A. Jonathan Lekkerimaki of Sweden was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.
A. Peter Forsberg, Connor Bedard, and Trevor Zegras are just a few of the players who have earned the MVP title.
A.The IIHF WJC is taking place in Ottawa, Canada.
A.Canada won the most IIHF WJC titles with 20 gold medals.
![Johnny Gaudreau's wife Meredith chokes up before announcing Blue Jackets's pick at 2025 NHL draft [WATCH]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/06/c144a-17510829462073-1920.jpg?h=166)
