We're now just under two years away from the 2028 edition of the World Cup of Hockey, and things are starting to become clear. Most recently, it was announced that Calgary, Edmonton, and Prague would serve as host cities for the major international tournament.
That said, there's still a lot that is unclear, including the fact that we have no clue which eight teams will take part in the World Cup. Those details will be announced at a future date.
But that doesn't mean it's too early to predict who's going to make the rosters. And there's a very strong chance that a handful of Buffalo Sabres players head to Canada and Czechia for the tournament.
For the purpose of this exercise, I'm going to assume that the following eight countries play in the World Cup: Canada, the United States, Czechia, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, and Slovakia.
Let's get the locks out of the way: Tage Thompson will return to the American roster, while Rasmus Dahlin will once again star for Team Sweden
After a strong campaign at the 2026 Winter Olympics, which saw him record four points (three goals and one assist) through six games, Tage Thompson should be a lock to make the American senior team for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. He recorded a point-per-game pace during two of the three NHL seasons to separate Olympic campaigns, and he's on pace to do the same this time around. If Thompson is able to put together yet another point-per-game season in 2026-27, he should find himself back on the United States squad after it captured a gold medal at the Milano Cortina Games.
At 25 years of age, Rasmus Dahlin already has significant international experience under his belt. Not only did he participate in several editions of the World Championship prior to the 2026 Olympics, but he also featured on Sweden's roster for the 2018 Olympic hockey tournament. Even if his performance dips before February 2028 rolls around, Dahlin is one of the more experienced defensemen for his age when it comes to senior-level international play. As a result, Dahlin cannot be overlooked when it comes to projecting Sweden's roster for the 2028 World Cup.
A strong first season should make Josh Doan one of the favorites to represent the United States.
After recording just 19 points in 51 games during his 2024-25 season with Utah, Josh Doan has taken the next step on the way to becoming a household name in the NHL. Through 68 games played so far this season, Doan has recorded a total of 45 points, a total that includes 22 goals and 23 assists.
The rest of this season should see Doan continue to produce at a similar pace while a deep playoff run could only serve to reinforce the role that he plays on this Sabres roster. And if he contributes at a similar level during the 2026-27, he should undoubtedly find himself as a favorite to make the United States' World Cup roster heading into the 2027-28 campaign.
That said, it might be tough for Doan to find his way into the American lineup. Superstars like Auston Matthews and Jack Hughes are near-locks to make the United States' World Cup lineup while others like Matthew Knies and Cole Caufield will almost certainly fight their way into the roster. Though the path Doan will have to take to get in may be similar to the ones Caufield and Knies may use, the Scottsdale native could look to take the spot of a veteran like Brock Nelson or J.T. Miller, both of whom have been enjoying strong seasons but are closer to the end of their respective careers.
Despite a slow breakthrough, Owen Power will make Canada's World Cup roster
Defenseman Owen Power has been the source of praise and opposition from Sabres fans and NHL viewers alike.
On one hand, people will say that Power is only 23 years old and that the statistics do show that he is capable of playing both ends of the ice. Power recorded at least 30 points in each of his first three seasons and he's on pace to pass that mark once again this season, scoring 24 points (seven goals and 17 assists) through 67 games played. As a result, that makes him a valuable second-line defenseman behind the likes of Dahlin and Mattias Samuelsson.
On the other hand, people will point to the fact that he doesn't have any physical edge to his game and that he isn't utilizing his frame to its full advantage. I guess that is the whole point of playing defense, right? Right?
I will note that if your name is Quinn Hughes then you don't have to play defense. Simply score at a point-per-game clip and you're fine.
I lean more towards the pro-Power argument. Not only does he have the offensive statistics to back his place in the Sabres lineup, but he also has a lot of time to prove himself; his current contract doesn't expire until the end of the 2030-31 season. After all, if one has already paid well over $8 million for someone's services, they might as well try to get everything they asked for.
In terms of a push to make the World Cup roster, the fact that Team Canada general manager Doug Armstrong just stepped down does open the door for Power to potentially make his case. It remains to be seen who takes the GM role for the 2028 World Cup and beyond — names like that of Habs' GM Kent Hughes have been thrown around — however Canada does have a tendency to send point-scoring defensemen to international tournaments.
One such name? Cale Makar, who only started posting league-dominating numbers during the 2021-22 season, his third in the NHL. While Power is in his fourth full season in the NHL, he has proven that he can contribute on the offensive side of the ice, meaning that any campaign for a spot on Team Canada's roster will have to run through his ability to reinforce that side of his play.
Another two 30+ point seasons could help make Power a wild card to make the World Cup lineup, however it's likely he'll need to post close to 50 points to be considered a true contender to join Canada at the tournament.
Konsta Helenius is not only the Sabres' next star winger, but he'll also make a major impact for Finland in the coming years
I'm going to make a bold prediction here: Konsta Helenius will make Finland's World Cup roster.
Not only that, but he'll also make his case for the World Cup selection with a strong appearance (or two) at the IIHF World Championship.
The Ylöjärvi-born product set the stage for a strong start to his career by recording four points (one goal and three assists) through nine games played earlier in the season. At the AHL level, Helenius has been scoring at nearly a point-per-game pace, putting up 45 points in 48 games played this season for the Rochester Americans.
With two years left on his entry level deal, Helenius will likely feature more often in the Sabres lineup during the 2026-27 season. That should give him plenty of opportunities to make his mark in the NHL as a rookie while putting forth a case to be on Finland's World Cup roster.
And if he makes Finland's World Championship roster for either the 2026 or the 2027 tournament, he'll have an extra dose of tournament hockey under his belt should Finland opt for the experience route when it comes to World Cup roster-building.