Michigan State hockey teammates celebrate with each other after scoring a point against University of Notre Dame at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing, Mich., on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026.
Michigan State hockey coach Adam Nightingale and several Spartans spent last week in Windsor, Ontario, taking part in the 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase.
The showcase consists of workouts and scrimmages, acting as a selection process for the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship rosters, the highest international competition for players 20 and under.
Nightingale was named head coach of the 2027 U.S. National Junior Team in March and led Team USA at the showcase.
MSU was one of the most-represented NCAA teams at the event, with eight players and two commits across the four participating countries: U.S., Canada, Sweden and Finland.
MSU’s participants
Defensemen Chase Reid and Tommy Bleyl and forwards Mason West and Jack Hextall were among the freshmen named to the U.S. Summer Showcase roster. Sophomore defenseman Sean Barnhill and junior center Cullen Potter were also on the roster. The U.S. started with two groups (White and Blue), before cutting its squad down to one team halfway through the week.
Freshman center Ethan Belchetz (Canada) and sophomore center Eric Nilson (Sweden) participated for their respective countries. Nilson and Team Sweden won gold at last year’s WJC.
"It's fun," Nilson told NHL.com about Nightingale coaching against him. "We talked before the Showcase and he just told me to keep my head up and watch out for his guys."
Brooks Rogowski, a committed forward, and Nick Bogas, a committed defenseman, were also named to the U.S. Summer Showcase roster.
Reid was the only returning player listed on the U.S. Summer Showcase roster. He competed at the 2026 World Juniors, alongside sophomore forward Ryker Lee and junior forward Shane Vansaghi.
Sunday, July 26
USA White vs. Finland - Reid, Hextall and West
Reid, Hextall and West skated for USA White in the showcase’s opening game. None of the trio tallied points and the squad fell 4-1.
USA Blue vs. Sweden - Barnhill, Bleyl, Rogowski and Bogas vs. Nilson
Rogowski posted two points (1g-1a) throughout the game. Bleyl nearly added a goal of his own on a full-ice rush, but his shot was waved off for goaltender interference. The U.S. came away with a 6-1 victory.
Monday, July 27
USA Blue vs. Finland - Barnhill, Bleyl, Rogowski and Bogas
Rogowski netted the third goal of the game just 34 seconds into the final period. USA Blue won 5-1.
USA White vs. Sweden - Reid, Hextall and West vs. Nilson
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Reid tallied two points (1g-1a) with a power-play goal and an assist on the game winner; USA White won 6-4.
Hextall and West played on the second line together and both tallied points. Hextall assisted on a power-play goal in the second period, and West buried a goal off the rebound in the third period.
Nilson dished the primary assist on one of Sweden’s power-play goals in the second period.
Wednesday, July 29
Finland vs. USA - Barnhill, Reid, Rogowski, West and Hextall
Barnhill assisted on a shorthanded goal to make it a one-score game, but the U.S. lost 3-2.
Canada vs. Sweden - Belchetz vs. Nilson
Belchetz played on the top line and gave Canada a 3-2 lead in the third period with a net-front goal, which earned him Canada’s Player of the Game honors. However, Nilson’s team came out on top with a 5-3 win.
Thursday, July 30
USA vs Sweden - Hextall, West, Bleyl and Bogas vs. Nilson
Bogas, assisted by West, gave the USA a 2-1 headed into the final period. Sweden bounced back with four goals en route to a 5-2 win.
Canada vs. Finland - Belchetz
Belchetz didn’t mark the scoresheet but Canada defeated Finland 5-3.
Saturday, August 1
Sweden vs. Finland - Nilson
Nilson and Team Sweden defeated Finland 5-2 for the Swedes' final scrimmage of the showcase.
USA vs. Canada - Bleyl, Barnhill, Rogowski, West and Hextall vs. Belchetz
Belchetz tied the game at 1-1 with a quick steal-and-score goal, unassisted.
The teams traded leads throughout the second period, and USA led 5-2 entering the final frame, after two Spartan goals.
Barnhill utilized a screen from West to bury a wrist-shot past Canada’s goaltender.
Rogowski showed off his motor, scoring on a hard shot in transition. West tallied assists on Barnhill and Rogowski’s goals.
Canada was scoreless in the third period and the U.S. won 7-2.
Looking Towards the 2027 World Juniors
The 2027 WJC will be held in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta. The tournament consists of preliminary rounds of pool play before elimination games begin.
The U.S. is on its best win streak regarding World Juniors, having medaled in 8 of the past 11 events, although they came up short last year.
Nightingale is coaching the U.S. team with the same style he coaches MSU.
"I think the best thing we can do is make sure the guys know everything's earned,” he told NHL.com.
That message has been echoed by several players since Nightingale took over MSU’s program in 2022.
“Talking to Coach Nightingale, the first thing he told me when I stepped in his office is that everything's gonna be earned here,” said sophomore forward Cayden Lindstrom last fall. “That's when I knew, this is where I want to be, because he's not gonna give anything. So that pushes me and pushes everyone else to practice and play as hard as you can to earn your position.”
