2025 World Junior Summer Showcase: 3 things learned on Day 3

Tuesday was the third day of the World Junior Summer Showcase to help determine the rosters for the United States, Canada, Finland and Sweden at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, to be held in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, from Dec. 26-Jan. 5.

MINNEAPOLIS -- There's moments Finland goalie Petteri Rimpinen (Los Angeles Kings) still has flashbacks of the overtime goal he allowed in a 4-3 loss to the United States in the gold medal game of the IIHF 2025 World Junior Championship.

U.S. forward Teddy Stiga (Nashville Predators) scored the winner on a breakaway, forcing Rimpinen to move left to right before sliding the puck between the pads.

"Sometimes at night, sometimes during the day ... it pops up," Rimpinen told NHL.com. "I think it's never going away. You're going to remember that. At the end of the day, you also think about the good memories.

"I'd never change that whole 24-hour buildup to the final for anything because you have that kind of excitement. You know you're playing for gold. It's way better than winning bronze ... you could be world champion."

Rimpinen, chosen by the Kings in the fifth round (No. 152) of the 2025 NHL Draft, settled for second last year but is on a mission for more as a key returnee for Finland at the 2026 WJC.

"He was so great, game after game … his focus was so good," Finland coach Lauri Mikkola said. "He's always talking in the locker room and very outgoing, fun to be around, but when the game starts it's amazing how he focuses in for the whole game and the next games."

Finland will need Rimpinen to be fantastic again if it is to have any chance. He was named the tournament's best goalie after finishing 5-2 with a 2.34 goals-against average, .933 save percentage and one shutout in seven games.

His nickname, "Showtime," is on his skate blade.

"Our equipment guy put the inscription on my skate and teammates hyped it up," he said. "I didn't know about it at first, but the guys saw it in the locker room and just thought it was a good nickname, so now it's with me."

Rimpinen capped a showstopping season with Kiekko-Espoo in Liiga, Finland's top professional men's league, by being named its rookie of the year.

"I can tell you (Kings director of European Scouting) Christian Ruuttu wanted us to draft this guy before the World Juniors," Los Angeles director of amateur scouting Mark Yannetti said. "The World Juniors did nothing but increase that excitement."

Here are three things learned Tuesday:

Messaging matters

U.S. assistant Garrett Raboin has a unique perspective when it comes to coach Bob Motzko.

The fourth-season coach at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, played for Motzko at St. Cloud State from 2006-10 before joining him at St. Cloud. He was then one of Motzko's assistants for 10 years, from St. Cloud to the University of Minnesota in 2017.

"I mean, 14 years together as a player and a coach and the thing that stands out is just his passion for the game," Raboin said. "He's a fun coach to play for. I think he allows for the creative side and the personality of the players to come out, which is always something I think the fans are drawn to."

Raboin was an assistant the previous two years at World Juniors under David Carle, who helped lead the United States to back-to-back gold medals. He works closely with assistant Steve Miller on the defense, including the penalty kill, and was asked if the messaging is any different under Motzko.

"Each coach says similar things, but maybe use different words," Raboin said. "I think that's why they were selected by USA Hockey to be the leaders of this group and that's been fun to see. I'm very close to David Carle, and obviously even closer to coach Motzko. It's great to be an assistant and help with the messaging but also learn, as a coach, as you aspire to grow your craft and the way they see the game and in the way their style of play is often formed by their players."

The Spartan

Canada right wing Porter Martone (Philadelphia Flyers) revealed this week that his decision to continue his hockey career at Michigan State came down to the need to take the next big step before reaching the NHL.

"The Flyers were going to support me whatever decision I made for me," Martone said. "I sat down with my camp, and the Flyers as well, to think about what's going to make me the best player 5-10 years down the road when Philadelphia is trying to win a Stanley Cup. I think this is going to be a big step for me but it's going to be different.

"It's a very tough decision to leave the Canadian Hockey League and Brampton, but in the end I think this is the next step in my hockey journey."

The 18-year-old right wing (6-foot-3, 204 pounds), who was on a line with left wing Gavin McKenna (2026 draft eligible) and center Berkly Catton (Seattle Kraken) in practice, was tied for seventh in the Ontario Hockey League with 98 points (37 goals, 61 assists) in 57 games in 2024-25.

"After Flyers development camp, I just kind of weighed the pros and cons of everything," he said. "I think going to Michigan State is kind of the next step and it's going to help me develop into a full player. I really like the culture they have there, the coaching staff. I think I went out on good terms with Brampton and I'm going to try to win a national championship."

USA updates

Cole Hutson (Washington Capitals), who had 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in seven games to become the first defenseman to be the outright leader in scoring at the World Juniors in 2025, is not expected to play any exhibition games for the U.S. during the showcase.

"It doesn't look like we'll see Hutson at all," Motzko said. "Hutson's (ailment) is so minor; he could play, but he doesn't need to. If we were playing for a medal, he'd be playing. We're just being smart ... no need to do it."

In addition to Hutson, returning forward Cole Eiserman (New York Islanders) also hasn't participated in any of the opening two exhibitions and is day to day.

Forward Trevor Connelly (Vegas Golden Knights) sustained a lower-body injury on a hit behind the opposing net during a 3-2 exhibition loss to Finland late in the third period Monday and was in discomfort. Motzko had no update.

The coach said forwards Cullen Potter (Calgary Flames) and L.J. Mooney (Montreal Canadiens) and defenseman Tanner Henricks (Columbus Blue Jackets) each took a big step forward.

"Some guys have to get comfortable; some guys are nervous when they first get here," Motzko said. "The more they settle in, the better the hockey starts to come."