Hensler excited to help U.S. go for World Junior Championship 3-peat near Minnesota

Last season, as a freshman at Wisconsin, he had 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in 32 games, and the Senators chose him in the first round (No. 23) of the 2025 NHL Draft.

This season, the 19-year-old already has eight points (three goals, five assists) in 15 games.

Wisconsin coach Mike Hastings believes that Hensler’s comfort level has been noticeable from the start of the season, and that his success has as much to do with his off-ice work as the on-ice growth.

“It’s interesting when you see a young player start to realize that the work he’s putting in is paying off,” Hastings said. “The dieting, the training, and all of a sudden that body becomes a man’s body. He’s utilizing it more, and that’s probably one of the bigger steps that he’s taken is becoming more physical and then better defensively, and at getting to the good spots on the ice while utilizing that strength to stay on the inside.

“And I’m finding the more he plays, the better he plays. Again, it’s that confidence piece. He’s become a multidimensional player that can create offense and be put in all situations.”

Hensler’s biggest attribute is his capacity to take away time and space from his opponents, and it makes him even more difficult to play against when his high-end mobility is added to his size and reach.

“The way he can close the gaps makes him really hard to play against, and the way he can be that transitional-type defenseman and play both ends of the rink, where he can break you down at the blue line and break you down on the rush, it’s an asset to whatever he team he’s playing with,” Hastings said.

That team now will be the U.S., starting with a game against Germany on Friday (6 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN), the opening day of the tournament. The hope is he can be the sizable piece needed as the U.S. looks to become the first country to win three straight WJC gold medals since Canada’s run of five straight from 2005-09.

The U.S. also is looking to win the tournament in the United States for the first time.

“We know the challenge,” Hensler said. “Competition is very high, the skill level is very high. But I think we do have the group to do it. We have a lot of skill here, a lot of bite to us, so I’m really excited to see where it goes.”