Central Europe Stock Watch: Jonah Neuenschwander breaks through with first pro goals

The World Juniors are approaching fast, and both players and fans across Central Europe are gearing up for one of the biggest moments of the season. Several players have managed to time their rise in form perfectly, well enough not only to secure a spot on the roster, but also to position themselves as potential difference-makers for their national teams. And for countries outside the traditional medal conversation, that kind of momentum is invaluable.

But this month hasn’t been only about gearing up for the tournament. In Czechia, a 16-year-old standout returned from injury after being on pace for a record-setting season, and then immediately stole the spotlight with a four-point debut while playing up in the U20 league.

We’ll also head to Switzerland, where drafted prospects are fighting to keep their long-term NHL hopes alive and show they still have meaningful upside to offer.

So, let’s dive into how Central Europe’s top young players trended over the past month.

Stock Rising 📈

Jonah Neuenschwander, C, EHC Biel-Bienne (2027 NHL Draft)

It was an excellent month for Jonah Neuenschwander, whose ice time climbed to nearly 14 minutes a night, but the real headline was his first goals in the NL, coming in the form of a two-goal performance. Over his next four games, he added another goal and two assists, bringing him to five of his six NL points on the season in just that recent stretch.

Watching him in NL action lately, it is hard to believe you are looking at a 16-year-old centering his own line against men. Neuenschwander delivers smart, reliable two-way play on almost every shift, breaking up opposing attacks with an active stick, showing poise in his own end, and consistently winning draws in the faceoff circle. Beyond the defensive side, he has started to assert himself offensively, demonstrating that he can drive play at this level, with hands that are both quick and soft, capable of threading passes, setting up teammates, and making high-pressure decisions look routine.

Combine that with his speed and skating, which already match if not surpass many of the older players around him, and you have a very strong indicator of his long-term upside for someone his age and size. His timing could not be more perfect. After being sidelined earlier this season, he is back in form and has earned his second selection to Switzerland's World Juniors roster. This time he could step into a far more impactful and prominent role, allowing him to showcase his full skill set on one of the biggest stages for his age group.

For a player of just 16 years, this is already a remarkably impressive resume. If he continues on this trajectory, Neuenschwander is cementing himself as a legitimate first-round candidate for the 2027 NHL Draft while also establishing himself as one of the most intriguing Swiss prospects in recent memory, capable of making waves both domestically and internationally.

Jonáš Vaníček, C, HC Energie Karlovy Vary U20 (2027 NHL Draft)

Jonáš Vaníček opened the season with a bang in the Czech U17 league, piling up 19 points in just six games. An injury sidelined him for two months, causing him to miss the U17 World Hockey Challenge, and he only returned in mid-November. He immediately stepped back into the Czech U17 lineup for two games and recorded four points. Just days later came his U20 debut, and he made it count: a four-point performance to kick off his underage campaign. He finished the month with seven points in five U20 games.

Even against older competition, he showcased a full array of his tools. Smart, dependable play on both sides of the puck; a willingness to engage physically despite a smaller frame; an aggressive forecheck and active backcheck; and strong situational reads. His vision and processing stood out both at five-on-five and on the power play, threading pucks into the slot, executing give-and-gos, or manipulating defenders before slipping passes through to teammates.

If he continues to play at this level, he could realistically spend the rest of the season full-time in the U20 league. He’ll also be looking forward to rejoining the Czech U17 national team, where he should be a key piece. And if he manages to sustain this level of performance into the spring, there’s a legitimate scenario where he plays his way into consideration for a spot at the U18 World Championship.

Adam Goljer, D, HK Dukla Trenčín (2026 NHL Draft)

When Adam Goljer returned from the international break, he probably didn’t expect the kind of run he was about to go on in the Slovak men’s league. His ice time jumped from a steady 16 minutes to well over 20 per night, and with the expanded role came a sharp rise in production. Over a seven-game stretch, he scored his first league goal and followed it up with a five-game point streak, adding another goal and four assists.

His overall game hasn’t radically changed since the start of the season, but there has been real progress. Some of the chaos in his defensive play has started to fade; he’s reading rushes more cleanly and using his stick with better timing. His breakout game remains his calling card, consistently hitting teammates in stride and choosing the right exits under pressure. His edgework looks slightly improved as well, though his skating still raises questions. For a player with his frame, that’s not unusual, and it will be interesting to track how that part of his game evolves over the season.

His strong play earned him a spot on Slovakia’s World Juniors roster, as one of only two 2008-born players to make the team. And even as one of the youngest skaters on the roster, there’s a very real chance he becomes a key piece of Slovakia’s blue line. If he carries his recent form into the tournament and continues trending upward in league play, he could very much play his way into early-round consideration for the upcoming NHL Draft.

Stock Steady ↔️

Jiří Felcman, C, SCL Tigers (Chicago Blackhawks)

Jiří Felcman is in his second full season in the NL, once again centering a bottom-six line and maintaining almost identical scoring numbers — 10 points in 31 games after finishing with nine in 34 last year. One notable change from a season ago is his increased usage on the power play, where he’s averaging 2:14 per game according to InStat Hockey.

His overall game remains largely the same. He works hard on both sides of the puck, using his size effectively around the net-front and along the boards, supporting teammates in transition, and relying on his long reach to disrupt plays defensively with timely poke checks. There are still flashes of playmaking skill and soft hands, but the lingering issues with speed and skating mechanics continue to hold him back.

If he can turn those flashes into more consistent production, and make meaningful progress in his skating, his chances of eventually carving out a full-time NHL bottom-six role would rise considerably.

Ludvig Johnson, D, HC Fribourg-Gottéron (Utah Mammoth)

Staying in the NL, Ludvig Johnson finds himself in a similar spot. He’s playing a full season against men and, production-wise, he’s right in line with last year — 10 points in 31 games then, 11 in 30 now. What has dipped in recent weeks is his ice time, which has fallen to roughly 10 minutes per game.

Johnston plays with plenty of confidence, constantly looking to involve himself in offensive sequences and attempting deceptive moves with the puck, all backed by quality skating. He protects the puck well in transition and shows poise in the offensive zone. He doesn’t shy away from board battles and brings a noticeable level of aggression defensively, sometimes too much, leading him out of position. At his size, he’ll need to find a standout element in his game to project toward an NHL future.

The Utah sixth-rounder will get a chance to showcase himself again in just a few days as he heads to his second World Juniors.

Stock Falling 📉

Aleš Čech, D, BK Mladá Boleslav (Utah Mammoth)

It hasn’t been an easy few weeks for Aleš Čech. First, an injury sidelined him. Then, upon returning, he struggled to reclaim a regular spot in the lineup. After two-and-a-quarter seasons in the Czech Extraliga, he’s lost his place as an every-night defender for Mladá Boleslav, used at times as a seventh defenceman with only a few minutes of ice, and even sent down to the second-tier men’s league for five games, where he at least logged heavier minutes. In their last two outings, he didn’t dress at all.

Čech’s value has never been tied to point production, though he did record his first Extraliga regular-season goal this year. With his size, his game is built around strength and defensive reliability. He pins opponents to the boards, reads play well in his own zone, and stays active with his stick. He’ll still attempt long outlets and occasionally join the rush, but long-standing skating issues and persistent puck-control limitations are making it difficult for him to secure a steady place in the top league right now.

The 2024 fifth-round pick of Utah will need to work his way back into the Extraliga lineup and make tangible progress with his skating if he wants to keep his North American hopes alive. Still, don’t be surprised if he eventually carves out a profile as a highly effective defensive defenceman in Europe.