WMU Defenseman Joona Väisänen Named to 2026 Spengler Cup Roster

Western Michigan University junior defenseman Joona Väisänen has been named to the 2026 U.S. Collegiate Selects roster for the upcoming Spengler Cup, Western Michigan University Athletics reported Thursday.

Väisänen becomes the first Bronco named to the U.S., a milestone for the Western Michigan program. Collegiate Selects. He is also the first active player for the university to earn a roster spot for the tournament since forward Colt Conrad joined the Canadian Men’s National Team in 2018.

Väisänen, a native of Kirkkonummi, Finland, joins a roster featuring several other NCAA Division I standouts. The U.S. Collegiate Selects include New Hampshire senior forward Martins Lavinš, Quinnipiac junior forward Chris Pelosi, and Minnesota Duluth junior forward Jayson Shaugabay.

The 6-foot-1 defenseman has emerged as a high-impact player during the current campaign. A sixth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Väisänen has recorded 13 points, consisting of five goals and eight assists, through nine games this season. This production currently ties him for second among all NCAA defensemen.

His offensive capabilities reached a peak on Oct. 29 during a matchup against LIU, when he recorded his first career hat trick. In that game, Väisänen and senior forward William Whitelaw became the first teammates in NCHC history to record hat tricks in the same contest, according to Western Michigan University Athletics.

Over his 58 career games in the Brown and Gold, Väisänen has accumulated 45 total points, including nine goals and 36 assists. His collegiate resume includes several high-level honors:

NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament Team (2025)
All-NCHC Third Team (2025)
NCHC All-Rookie Team (2025)
NCHC Frozen Faceoff All-Tournament Team (2025)
NCHC Academic All-Conference Team
NCHC Rookie of the Month for February 2025

The Spengler Cup serves as the world’s oldest invitational hockey tournament, with a history dating back to 1923. Held annually in Davos, Switzerland, the competition features six teams competing from Dec. 26 through Dec. 31.

The U.S. Collegiate Selects, an all-star squad composed of 25 NCAA Division I players from all six conferences, have proven to be immediate contenders. In their debut appearance last year, the Selects reached the championship game.

New Hampshire’s Mike Souza will lead the 2026 Selects as head coach, supported by assistant coaches Casey Jones from Cornell and Scott Sandelin from Minnesota Duluth. The team is scheduled to open play on Saturday, Dec. 26, against Sweden’s Frölunda HC. Following that opening match, the Selects will face host team HC Davos on either Dec. 27 or Dec. 28.

Väisänen’s inclusion highlights the growing visibility of NCHC talent on the international stage, as the Selects currently feature five skaters from two NCHC programs, Minnesota Duluth and Western Michigan.