The World Junior Championship is typically a tournament dominated by 19-year-olds. However, with the 2023 NHL Draft projected to be the best in years, ample draft-eligible talent will be on display at this winter's event.

Below, we rank the top 10 draft-eligible players competing at the world juniors.

1. Connor Bedard, Canada 🇨🇦

Position: C
Club team: Regina Pats (WHL)
Draft projection: 1st overall

Bedard is a no-brainer for the top spot, and whichever NHL team selects first overall in June's draft will likely feel the same. His production in the WHL has been off the charts.

The North Vancouver native has also shown up on the international stage, collecting 21 points in 11 games across two U18 tournaments, and eight points in seven contests in the summer world juniors.

Bedard is listed at just 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, but his speed, skill, and creativity make him a handful to defend. Look for him to take this tournament by storm, just as previous generational talents Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby did in their second time around.

2. Adam Fantilli, Canada 🇨🇦

Position: C
Club team: Michigan (NCAA)
Draft projection: Top 3

There's always a deep player pool to pick from, so the fact that Canada chose a second draft-eligible player and is expected to use him in a prominent top-six role should say a lot about Fantilli. He's a natural center but is projected to play left wing on the second line with Logan Stankoven and Dylan Guenther.

Fantilli has dominated in the NCAA this season against primarily older players, pacing the loaded Wolverines with 26 points in 16 games. Closing the gap on Bedard seems like a stretch, but he'll look to use this tournament to cement himself as the consensus second-best player in the draft.

3. Leo Carlsson, Sweden 🇸🇪

Position: C
Club team: Orebro HK (SHL)
Draft projection: Top 5

Carlsson has risen even further up draft boards with his impressive play this season, notching 14 points in 25 games against grown men in Sweden's top professional league. His combination of size (6-foot-3, 194 pounds), physicality, and smoothness make him a tantalizing talent. A strong showing could push him into the second-overall conversation.

4. Dalibor Dvorsky, Slovakia 🇸🇰

Position: C
Club team: AIK (Allsvenskan)
Draft projection: Top 10

Slovakia has only medaled once at this tournament since 2000 (bronze in 2015), but this could be its best team ever. While it would've been ideal for 2022 No. 1 pick Juraj Slafkovsky to be loaned, the Slovaks still have No. 2 pick Simon Nemec, No. 26 pick Filip Mesar, and several intriguing draft-eligible players, led by Dvorsky.

Dvorsky has registered eight points in 21 games in Sweden's second-best league. The power in his game at 6-foot-1, 201 pounds makes him a threat down low, but his shot is also good enough to score from range. A move to the wing could be in his future due to questions about his skating, but he's an exciting prospect.

5. Eduard Sale, Czechia 🇨🇿

Position: LW/RW
Club team: HC Kometa Brno (Czechia)
Draft projection: Early-to-mid 1st

Sale has struggled to produce much offense in Czechia's top professional league, recording just three goals and three assists in 26 games. However, he projects to be a well-rounded, top-six winger in the NHL. He's a strong skater with enticing offensive abilities and will gain strength when he adds weight to his 6-foot-1, 168-pound frame.

6. David Reinbacher, Austria 🇦🇹

Position: RD
Club team: EHC Kloten (NL)
Draft projection: Mid 1st

As loaded as the 2023 draft is, it's light on defense, leaving the door open for Reinbacher to solidify himself as the class' top blue-liner. He should be comfortable on this stage by now, as he represented Austria at the 2022 world juniors, collecting a pair of assists in four contests. He's also put up stellar numbers in the top Swiss league, producing 14 points in 28 games. Reinbacher is a great skater for his size (6-foot-2, 187 pounds) and will be counted on to play big minutes in all situations.

7. Samuel Honzek, Slovakia 🇸🇰

Position: C/LW
Club team: Vancouver Giants (WHL)
Draft projection: Mid 1st

Honzek chose to spend his draft year in North America, and it's looking like a smart move thus far, as he leads the Giants with 43 points in 31 contests. He's listed at 6-foot-3 and 181 pounds and moves exceptionally well for his size, making him an intriguing talent even though his offensive game still has some raw elements to it.

8. Charlie Stramel, United States 🇺🇸

Position: C/RW
Club team: Wisconsin (NCAA)
Draft projection: Mid-to-late 1st

Stramel wasn't given much of a chance to make an impact at the 2022 world juniors, appearing in just one game, but that experience alone should help him at the 2023 tournament where he's projected to center the fourth line. The Rosemount, Minnesota, native already possesses NHL size at 6-foot-3 and 216 pounds. He hasn't taken off at Wisconsin yet this year, totaling seven points in 18 games, but he could move up the United States' lineup as the tournament progresses if he starts strong.

9. Axel Sandin Pellikka, Sweden 🇸🇪

Position: RD
Club team: Skelleftea AIK (SHL)
Draft projection: Mid-late 1st

Sandin Pellikka is an offensive defenseman in the purest form. His size (5-foot-11, 181 pounds) will always be a question mark, but he's held his own in Sweden's top pro league this season, tallying five points in 14 games. Whether he can be dynamic enough offensively to make up for any defensive shortcomings remains to be seen, but the high-flying world juniors should be a great chance for him to showcase his skill set.

10. Gavin Brindley, United States 🇺🇸

Position: RW
Club team: Michigan (NCAA)
Draft projection: Late 1st

What Brindley lacks in size (5-foot-9, 157 pounds) he makes up for with passing, vision, and smarts. The 18-year-old has tallied a goal and nine assists in 20 games with Michigan this season. He doesn't project to play a huge role on a stacked American roster, but making the team as a draft-eligible player is an accomplishment on its own.

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