The future of hockey is on display as Team Canada opens the 2021 IIHF World U18 Championship against Sweden tonight, with a roster that could produce the first-overall selection in the next three NHL Drafts.

Watch the action LIVE tonight at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on TSN1, TSN5 and TSN Direct.

One of the players leading the charge for Canada at the Texas-based tournament is forward Dylan Guenther, who posted an impressive 12 goals and 12 assists in 12 games this season for the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League.

The 18-year-old winger, who is considered a top prospect for the 2021 NHL Draft, is a threat in all aspects of the game and is supremely skilled, according to TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button.

“He can beat you with his skating, quickness and speed,” said Button. “He’s got an excellent shot, excellent play making, his brain processes at elite speeds and he’s a very difficult player to defend. Very well-rounded, he’s not just an offensive player, he plays in all situations and he kills penalties.”

Shane Wright, who will serve as Canada’s captain for the tournament, could very well hear his name called first at the 2022 NHL Draft. He has already put his credentials on display in his rookie season last year with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League.

The 17-year-old centre appeared in 58 games during the 2019-20 season and fired home 39 goals with 27 assists and the fact that he’s been given the captaincy as one of the youngest players on the team speaks to his leadership, according to Button

“His on-ice presence is exceptional, he’s so smart, Patrice Bergeron-esque with or without the puck,” said Button. “Makes everyone around him better, makes it look easy, because he’s two and three steps ahead of everybody.  A real terrific competitor and certainly when you look ahead to the 2022 draft, he sits right at the top of the list as the guy that could go first overall.”

The youngest player who will pull on the Team Canada jersey at the U18 tournament is forward Connor Bedard of the Regina Pats, a potential top pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

The 15-year-old North Vancouver native scored 12 goals and added 16 assists this season in 15 games in the Western Hockey League.

“He’s a predator on the ice. He sees opportunity and he’s ready to pounce,” said Button.  “He does it with his skating, he does it with his hands, he’s equally adept at shooting and playmaking.”

Sweden enters the tournament as the defending champions, having won the tournament for the first time in 2019. The team has its own promising young talent, including 6'4 defenceman Simon Edvinsson - a Top 3 prospect for the draft in June - and NHL Draft-eligible forwards William Stromgren, Simon Robertsson and Fabian Lysell.

Canada has not won the U18 championship since 2013 when Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid helped lead them to the crown in Sochi, Russia.

After Sweden, Canada will face Latvia on Wednesday (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on TSN1/5), Switzerland on Friday (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on TSN5) and Belarus on Saturday (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on TSN4) in the round-robin portion of the competition.