Some good news for the Edmonton Oilers organization outside of the NHL, as prospect David Lewandowski has been named to the German national team for the 2026 World Junior Championships.
Lewandowski joins American Asher Barnett as one of only two possible Oilers representatives at the tournament in Minnesota.
Lewandowski’s year so far
The Dusseldorf product has been busy this past year. He initially entered this past NHL draft as a mid-round prospect, projected to go anywhere from 51st to 178th overall, and eventually fell to the Oilers with the 117th overall selection.
Since then, the Saskatoon Blades power forward has started to show real signs of progression, having a breakout campaign in the WHL, where he currently leads all Blades forwards with 28 points, and is on pace for 71 points.
If he continues this momentum, it would shatter his previous draft-year total of 39 points.
Lewandowski’s national team history
The 2026 WJC is not the first time that the WHLer has represented Germany, nor is it his first World Junior Championship. Lewandowski has appeared for Team Germany at almost every level, representing Germany at the U16, U17, U18, and U20 age brackets already.
Lewandowski has already made his WJC debut in last year’s iteration of the tournament.
This long history between Lewandowski and the national program undoubtedly provides extra familiarity for his national team coaches and teammates. Lewandowski has shown he can handle the pressure as well, for he’s used to having the Bundesadler on his chest during big moments.
Where does Lewandowski fit in on Team Germany?
Not only is he proving he can score with an NHL-ready shot, but he also shows a good combo of hard and soft skills, which means he is an asset in all three zones. This combination of scoring and physicality will make him an all-situations type player for Team Germany at the World Juniors.
Expect him to be out on both special teams units. The 6’2” Lewandowski also projects as a top-six forward for the Germans, so Oilers fans will be seeing lots of him.
Coming in as underdogs to the Canadians, Americans, and Swedes, the Germans certainly have upset ability at this year’s tournament. If an upset is going to happen, expect a player like Lewandowski to play a big role in why.
The 2026 World Junior Championships
The 2026 WJC runs December 26, 2025 to January 5, 2026 and is being hosted in St. Paul and Minneapolis Minnesota. Team Germany plays their first game of the tournament against the United States on December 26 at 5:00PM CST.
Germany also plays Slovakia on the 27th, Sweden on the 29th, and Switzerland on the 30th to wrap up the round-robin.
Are you excited to see Lewandowski in the WJC? Who do you think will bring home gold? Let us know in the comments below.
Bet like a pro here with Bet99—Ontario’s go-to for elite odds and nonstop action. And outside Ontario, Canadians bet better here with Bet99—bringing top-tier odds and action from coast to coast.
2 Comments