For the first time since 2013, Canada won gold at the IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship. With and leading the charge, the Canadians defeated and Ru sia 5-3 in the final game of the tournament. The two-week event evolved into an incredible look at the with the Bedard versus Michkov show. Bedard, the Canadian standout, tiedConnor McDavids under-16 scoring record with 14 points Jaromir Jagr Jersey (seven goals, seven a sists) while Michkov, the Ru sian sensation, came within two goals of the tournament record; he ledthe way with 16 points (12 goals, four a sists) and earnedMVP honors. Wright, eligible for the captained Canada and put his exceptional-status talent on display with 14 points (nine goals, five a sists) in just five games. Despite being held out of two games for precautionary reasons, Wrights nine goals are a Canadian record in this event. Canada vs. Ru sia results: Many other 2022-eligibles put on a show in this event as well, with Ru sias trio of , and Sergei Ivanov, Team USAs , and Belarus forward Yegor Sidorov getting fans and NHL teams excited for whats to come. While the tournament was a stage for 2022 and 2023 draft-eligible prospects, the Under-18s is annually a platform for prospects ofthe upcoming draft. In a normal season, the event is the last opportunity for kids to impre s scouts before they hear their name called. This year, however, the U18s will carry even more weight leading into With the OHL season cancelled, prospects scoured the globe for ice time. Some found it, such as CanadasBrandt Clarke,Mason McTavishandBrennan Othmann. Others didnt get any games in, like their teammatesEthan Del Mastro,Wyatt JohnstonandJack Matier. For all of these prospects, the Under-18s provided a glimpse into where they are in their development compared to their peersand is huge for scouts trying to lock in their rankings.The tournament can also raise a prospects profile; afringe first-rounder can secure their spot in the top-32 or a player that no one knew about can burst onto the scene. In this tournament, we have both cases. With the 2021 IIHF U18 World Championship now complete, lets take a look at the 10 prospects that have boosted their draft stock over the course of the tournament. (In alphabetical order) 2021 NHL Draft risers , G, Team Canada : 32 After Canada split the goaltending duties between Gaudreau and 2022-eligible Thomas Milic through the preliminary round, the North Bay, Ont., native seized the reins of the starting job and carried Canada through the medal round and to the gold medal win. For his efforts in the event, he was honored by the IIHF as the tournaments Gaudreau won all five of his starts and collected a tournament-best .919 save percentage and 2.20 goals-against average. The Sarnia Sting netminder is one of the prospects in this tournament that didnt hit the ice this season with the OHL season cancellation. With the World U18s being his only action in 2020-21, hes put on an excellent display for scouts. One of his biggest a sets shown off in the Under-18s was his rebound control. Gaudreau showed excellent tracking in his games while staying square in his net and showing impre sive patience. His glove hand waslightning quick, which resultedin some big saves for Canada. An aggre sive netminder,he could be one of three to hear his name in the first round of the 2021 draft. NHL DRAFT PROSPECT RANKINGS 2021: , D, Team Finland Spring ranking: 77 While Finland didnt medal in the event, they had a number of standout individual performances. One of those belonged toHeimosalmi, the teams No. 1 defenseman. The agile rearguard collected eight points (two goals, six a sists) through seven games, and was named the tournaments by the IIHF. He was also named a top-three player on Team Finland. The two goals that the defender scored showed off his impre sive skating, his evasivene s, and his creativity, going end-to-end for highlight Beau Bennett Jersey -reel plays. While the entire team was shut out in the bronze medal game, Heimosalmi collected two a sists in thesemifinal lo s to Ru sia as he tried everything he could to get his team into the gold medal game. Heimosalmi showed off a strong two-way ability in the tournament, too, with some flash in his game that could be very intriguing to NHL teams. His goals showed off his offensive flair and hewas solid in his own end too, showing strong positional awarene s. Hes a player that could be used on both special teams at the next level. , C, Team Belarus Spring ranking: Not ranked The surprise of the tournament and probably the biggest riser from the tourney was Klimovich,who came out of nowhere to capture attention despite scoring52 points (28 goals, 24 a sists) in 37 games in Belarus Vy shaya League.He exploded out of the gate at the U18s potting six goals in his first three games. Named a top-three player for Belarus, Klimovich showed off an absolutely wicked shot with a very quick release. He excelledat finding the soft ice, slipping behind defenders and getting open in the offensive zone. On top of this, he showcasedexcellent hands and confidence that makes hima fearle s competitor when it comes to facing defenders, especially in one-on-one situations. While all of his goals came on the power play, his shooting ability should garner attention at the2021 draft. NHL DRAFT 2021: , LW, Team Finland Spring ranking: Not ranked A prospect whos raised his stock all season, Koivunenput his game on display in Texas. In seven games, he finished second on the team with 10 points (four goals, six a sists) and was one of the key players in Finland's lineup. Koivunen had a big season in the U20 SM-sarja with Karpat U20, and was after scoring 49 points (23 goals, 26 a sists) in 38 games. An intelligent winger, he works the cyclewell Paul Coffey Jersey utilizing his playmaking and vision to create offense for his team. On top of his movement with the puck, Koivunen showedan ability to get it done by himself too, finding the lanes and cutting to the slot. Itlooks like he could be a name to watch in the first three rounds in July. , D, Team Belarus Spring ranking: Not ranked While Klimovich was a surprising treat on the Belarus roster, Kuzminwas an expected star and he did not disappoint. The crafty defender had five points (one goal, four a sists) in five games, helping his team to the quarterfinal round and being named a top-three player for Belarus. His skill was on full display in every game, immediately drawing viewers to his magic on the ice. In his second game of the tournament, he pulled off "The Michigan" (a lacro se-style goal)in the team's7-1 win over Switzerland. He followed it up with a three-a sist performance against Latvia. The blueliner is extremely mobile, utilizing his edges so well as he carves through oppositions in transitions. His ability to change both his pace and direction with the puck makes him so difficult to defend. Kuzmin should be the top Belarusian selected in the 2021 draft, potentially within the first three rounds. , LW, Team Sweden Spring ranking: 10 Sweden struggled as a whole to find their footing in the preliminary round, but not Lysell. The winger was the top player for his country all tournament, putting his teamon his back when they werent able to find offense. He collected a team-leading nine points (three goals, six a sists) and was a key figure in their bronze medal campaign. Lysells speed and creativity are key components of his game and they were on full display at the Under-18s. Ashifty forward that is so hard to defend, and someone who has the ability to create offensive opportunities out of nothing, he also pulled off some highlight-reel a sists. Lysell is a top-10 prospect in the 2021 draft, but where he falls is still very much up in the air. He could very well be a player to crawl up into the top five and,if this tournament carries any weight for NHL scouts, he might just do that. , LW, Team Sweden Spring ranking: 31 It wasnt just Lysell that stood out for the Swedes,Rosen was also a key player. He tied Lysell for the team lead in points (nine)and finished third in the tournament in goals (seven). He was named a top-three player on the team for his performance. Rosen was noticeable in every game of this tournament and improved with each contest. Much like his teammate, Rosens speed was remarkable, getting up the ice in a hurry and stunning offenses. He also showed off a hard, accurate wrist shot that he couldget off in a second. Plus, unlike many offensive players at this stage, Rosen was solid and tenacious in his own end. With the first round of the 2021 draft seemingly wide open, he's been a worthy name in the conversation all season long. Between his SHL performanceand his Under-18s showing, Rosen is a player that could rise up into Ludovic Waeber Jersey the top-20 of this cla s. , C, Team Canada Spring ranking: 20 While Bedard and Wright were the offensive leaders on Canada, the play of Stankovenstood out in a big way. He collected eight points (four goals, four a sists) in seven games as they won gold. He alsowore anAand more than lived up to the letter. The Kamloops Blazers forward never took his foot off the gas, contributing whether he hadthe puck or not andpushed the pace. While there may be reservations regardinghis 5-8 stature, he brought a much bigger game and wasfearle s andwilling to take on any player. Stankoven canbe used on the power play or on the penalty and is one of the more versatile players in this cla s. One of those players that seemed to be on the fringe of the first round, if the U18s was any indication of what he is capable of, he should secure a spot in the top-32. There is also a case for him to be in the top-20 as one of the best players in the draft out of the WHL. , C, Team Ru sia Spring ranking: 18 FCHockeys top-ranked Ru sian in the 2021 draft cla s, Svechkovlived up to the hype in Texas. Along with Michkov, he was one of the most effective players in the tournament, racking up 10 points (four goals, six a sists) and showing off an impre sive two-way ability. Good in all of the little aspects scouts look for in a player, hes always competing and battling to get the puck for his team. Svechkovcan steal pucks easily, turnand take it back up the ice. Hes not a flashy player, but he should be a consistent, steady presence for whicheverteamdrafts him. With Svechkov having a solid season in Ru sia and a standout performance at the Under-18s, theres a po sibility we see him Rod Buskas Jersey selected in the top-15. Adynamic player that can be used in every situation and excels in both ends of the rink, he looks to be one of the safer picks in this cla s. , LW, Team Finland Spring ranking: 46 The third member of Finland on this list,Tuomaalashowedhis offensive prowe s at U18s, with11 points (five goals, six a sists) in seven games. He led the Finnish team in points and finished fifth overall in the tournament resulting in him beingnamed a top-three player for his countryand to the All-Star Team. What is most impre sive about his points is how they came:coming up absolutely clutch by scoring game-tying, overtime-forcing goals, and some game-winners. Even some of his a sists came in the most important moments, as he pulled off some very impre sive plays. Yet another player that has found himself as a fringe first-rounder,the Finnish forward did have one of the most impre sive individual performances at the tournament and could have pushed himself up into the first round. His lethal shot and ability to show up when the team neededhim should be intriguing traits for an NHL team. Honourable mentions: (CAN), (RUS), (USA), (FIN), (CAN), (USA), (FIN), (SWE), (CAN) Josh Bell is a scout and the director of content for .