Nashville Predators players Roman Josi, Ryan O'Reilly, and Justus Annunen will represent their countries at the 2026 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland, starting May 15. Josi will play for Switzerland, O'Reilly for Canada, and Annunen will debut for Finland.
There will be no lack of Nashville Predators players and prospects at the 2026 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland, which kicks off on May 15.
Captain Roman Josi will join Team Switzerland, goalie Justus Annunen will make his tournament debut with Finland, and Ryan O'Reilly will play for Canada.
Predators 2026 second-rounder goalie Jack Ivankovic, who spent the past season with the University of Michigan, will reportedly join Team Canada.
This is the second time in three seasons that Josi will play for Switzerland at the World Championship, and the first time since 2009 that his home country will host the tournament.
This will be Josi's ninth time playing in the World Championship and the 18th time he'll play for Switzerland. He represented Switzerland earlier this season at the 2026 Winter Olympics, recording four points in five games in the Swiss's fifth-place finish.
Josi and the Swiss continue to push for the country's first Gold Medal in the Championship division, having won five Silver and six bronze medals since 1930. Their most recent result was Silver at the 2025 Championship, where they lost to the United States.
This season, Josi recorded 55 points (13 goals and 42 assists) in 68 games for the Predators.
Mar 29, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Nashville Predators goaltender Justus Annunen (29) looks on during a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Mar 29, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Nashville Predators goaltender Justus Annunen (29) looks on during a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Q&A
Which Nashville Predators players are participating in the 2026 IIHF World Championship?
Roman Josi, Ryan O'Reilly, and Justus Annunen are the Predators players participating in the tournament.
When does the 2026 IIHF World Championship start?
The 2026 IIHF World Championship starts on May 15, 2026.
What teams will Roman Josi and Ryan O'Reilly play for in the World Championship?
Roman Josi will play for Team Switzerland, while Ryan O'Reilly will represent Team Canada.
How many times has Roman Josi played in the IIHF World Championship?
This will be Roman Josi's ninth appearance in the IIHF World Championship.
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Annunen will be making his debut in the tournament, representing Finland for the first time since the 2020 World Junior Championship.
After a slow start to the season, Annunen's game picked up in the final month, posting a .907 save percentage and 2.64 goals-against average over 28 games. He earned the Predators' only shutout win of the season, making 43 saves in a 5-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks on April 7.
Annunen's teammate and fellow countryman, Juuse Saros, represented Finland at the Olympics earlier this year. He recorded a .940 save percentage and 1.66 goals-against average over six games as the Finns finished as Bronze medalists.
O'Reilly makes his second straight appearance at the World Championship and the sixth of his career. He's had a lot of success at this tournament, winning two Gold medals (2015 and 2016) and a Silver (2018).
The Canadian's have struggled at the World Championship as of late, failing to medal in the last two tournaments.
O'Reilly was a workhorse for the Predators this season, recording 74 points (25 goals and 49 assists) in 81 games.
Michigan goaltender Jack Ivankovic (72) makes a save against Denver during the second period of the Frozen Four semifinal at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Thursday, April 9, 2026. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Michigan goaltender Jack Ivankovic (72) makes a save against Denver during the second period of the Frozen Four semifinal at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Thursday, April 9, 2026. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
He'll have a chance to get a glimpse at the Predators' future with Ivankovic joining the team at just 18 years old and still playing college hockey.
General Manager Barry Trotz let the news slip in April that Ivankovic would be joining the team, which was later confirmed.
Drafted 58th overall by the Predators in the 2025 NHL Draft, Ivankovic made the switch from the OHL to the NCAA this season, making it all the way to the National Championship game.
In his freshman season with the Wolverines, Ivakovic posted a 25-8-1 record, with a .921 save percentage and a 2.15 goals-against average.
He also played for Canada at the World Junior Championship, recording a .918 save percentage and a 2.33 goals-against average over three games.
Predators At World Championship Schedule
Sep 21, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Team Canada center Ryan O'Reilly (90) during preliminary round play in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey against Team Europe at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
Sep 21, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Team Canada center Ryan O'Reilly (90) during preliminary round play in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey against Team Europe at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
May 15: Finland vs. Germany, Canada vs. Sweden, Switzerland vs. USA
May 16: Finland vs. Hungary, Canada vs. Italy, Switzerland vs. Latvia
May 18: Finalnd vs. USA, Canada vs. Denmark, Switzerland vs. Germany
May 20: Switzerland vs. Austria
May 21: Finland vs. Latvia, Canada vs. Norway, Switzerland vs. Great Britian
May 22: Canada vs. Slovenia, Finland vs. Great Britian,
May 23: Switzerland vs. Hungary
May 24: Finland vs. Austria, Canada vs. Slovakia
May 26: Switzerland vs. Finland, Canada vs. Czechia
