photo: © International Ice Hockey Federation / Matt Zambonin
When Trey Augustine came on in relief of Alex Lyon the other night against Germany, the move had greater importance that what one might have thought at first. Augustine is only 19 years old as of this past February. But while there have been dozens and dozens of teens play at the IIHF World Championship since 1930, the number of teen goaltenders is much, much smaller. In fact, only 19 teens have played at the WM. Here is a brief synopsis of their special debuts.
Herberts Kuskis (LAT) was the first teen goalie in WM history, making his debut on February 18, 1933, just 15 days before his 20th birthday. Alas, it was a 5-1 loss to Switzerland.
Esko Niemi (FIN) started his WM career in 1954 at 19, playing one game, a 12-1 loss to Czechoslovakia on March 1.
Juhani Lahtinen (FIN) was 19 when he represented Finland at the 1958 World Championship in Oslo. This was during Finland’s early struggles with the top competition. Lahtinen went 0-0-3 and allowed a whopping 38 goals, including the whole lot in a 10-0 loss to the Soviets on March 2, his first career WM game.
Like Lahtinen, Vladimir Nadrchal (TCH) started in 1958, in his case a 7-1 win against Poland on March 3. The next day, he turned 20, making him the “oldest teen” to play in a WM game!
Urpo Ylonen (FIN) appeared at the 1963 Worlds as a 19-year-old, playing only 29 minutes in one game, allowing four goals, and taking the loss. Two and a half months later, he turned 20.
Thure Nielsen (NOR) played only one game in his WM career, understandable perhaps because that one appearance came on March 5, 1965, a 14-2 loss to the Soviets. He turned 20 three months later.
Vladislav Tretiak (URS) was the only 17-year-old in WM history, playing parts of six games at the 1970 Worlds in Stockholm.
The late Pelle Lindbergh (SWE) started his WM career in 1979, making his debut in April about halfway after his 19th birthday.
Dominik Hasek (TCH) made his debut with Czechoslovakia back in 1983 shortly after his 18th birthday, the same year he also played in his first of three World Junior Championships. He played in two games, the first a 5-1 loss to the Soviets on April 23. His second game, three days later, was a shutout performance against Italy in an 11-0 win.
Mike Richter (USA) played parts of two games in 1986, starting with a relief appearance on April 18 for Tom Barrasso. In all. Richter allowed five goals and earned no decision in both games. He didn’t turn 20 until later that year.
Yevgeni Belosheikin (URS) made his senior WM debut on April 12, 1986, just five days before his 20th birthday. It was a 4-2 win over Sweden en route to gold. Belosheikin went 7-0-0 in the tournament.
Mike Dunham (USA) first appeared for the U.S. at the 1992 Men’s Worlds, appearing in parts of three games with an 0-0-1 record and 3.92 GAA.
Rick DiPietro (USA) made his debut in 2001, playing three games and sporting an 0-1-2 record about midway through his 19th year.
Thomas Tragust (ITA) just made the cut. Born on May 28, 1986, he played parts of two games at the 2006 World Championship in Riga.
Andre Lysenstoen (NOR) first played for Norway at the 2008 WM, appearing on May 3, 2008, in Halifax during the IIHF’s 100th anniversary championship in Canada. It was a 5-1 loss to Slovakia, Lysenstoen’s only appearance that tournament.
Lars Volden (NOR) played one game at the 2012 WM, a 4-2 loss to Russia on May 6 when he was three months shy of his 20th birthday.
Andrei Vasilevsky (RUS) played twice in 2014 at age 19, the first on May 12, a 6-1 win over the United States.
Alexei Kolosov (BLR) played four games at the 2021 WM some four months after turning 19. He posted an 0-0-2 record and 4.17 GAA.
Which brings us to Trey Augustine (USA), who came on in relief of Alex Lyon early in the second period against Germany on May 11, 2024, less than three months after his 19th birthday. He allowed one goal on 12 shots. He didn’t get the win but did get his name in this select group as a World Championship teen ‘tender.
Herberts Kuskis (LAT) was the first teen goalie in WM history, making his debut on February 18, 1933, just 15 days before his 20th birthday. Alas, it was a 5-1 loss to Switzerland.
Esko Niemi (FIN) started his WM career in 1954 at 19, playing one game, a 12-1 loss to Czechoslovakia on March 1.
Juhani Lahtinen (FIN) was 19 when he represented Finland at the 1958 World Championship in Oslo. This was during Finland’s early struggles with the top competition. Lahtinen went 0-0-3 and allowed a whopping 38 goals, including the whole lot in a 10-0 loss to the Soviets on March 2, his first career WM game.
Like Lahtinen, Vladimir Nadrchal (TCH) started in 1958, in his case a 7-1 win against Poland on March 3. The next day, he turned 20, making him the “oldest teen” to play in a WM game!
Urpo Ylonen (FIN) appeared at the 1963 Worlds as a 19-year-old, playing only 29 minutes in one game, allowing four goals, and taking the loss. Two and a half months later, he turned 20.
Thure Nielsen (NOR) played only one game in his WM career, understandable perhaps because that one appearance came on March 5, 1965, a 14-2 loss to the Soviets. He turned 20 three months later.
Vladislav Tretiak (URS) was the only 17-year-old in WM history, playing parts of six games at the 1970 Worlds in Stockholm.
The late Pelle Lindbergh (SWE) started his WM career in 1979, making his debut in April about halfway after his 19th birthday.
Dominik Hasek (TCH) made his debut with Czechoslovakia back in 1983 shortly after his 18th birthday, the same year he also played in his first of three World Junior Championships. He played in two games, the first a 5-1 loss to the Soviets on April 23. His second game, three days later, was a shutout performance against Italy in an 11-0 win.
Mike Richter (USA) played parts of two games in 1986, starting with a relief appearance on April 18 for Tom Barrasso. In all. Richter allowed five goals and earned no decision in both games. He didn’t turn 20 until later that year.
Yevgeni Belosheikin (URS) made his senior WM debut on April 12, 1986, just five days before his 20th birthday. It was a 4-2 win over Sweden en route to gold. Belosheikin went 7-0-0 in the tournament.
Mike Dunham (USA) first appeared for the U.S. at the 1992 Men’s Worlds, appearing in parts of three games with an 0-0-1 record and 3.92 GAA.
Rick DiPietro (USA) made his debut in 2001, playing three games and sporting an 0-1-2 record about midway through his 19th year.
Thomas Tragust (ITA) just made the cut. Born on May 28, 1986, he played parts of two games at the 2006 World Championship in Riga.
Andre Lysenstoen (NOR) first played for Norway at the 2008 WM, appearing on May 3, 2008, in Halifax during the IIHF’s 100th anniversary championship in Canada. It was a 5-1 loss to Slovakia, Lysenstoen’s only appearance that tournament.
Lars Volden (NOR) played one game at the 2012 WM, a 4-2 loss to Russia on May 6 when he was three months shy of his 20th birthday.
Andrei Vasilevsky (RUS) played twice in 2014 at age 19, the first on May 12, a 6-1 win over the United States.
Alexei Kolosov (BLR) played four games at the 2021 WM some four months after turning 19. He posted an 0-0-2 record and 4.17 GAA.
Which brings us to Trey Augustine (USA), who came on in relief of Alex Lyon early in the second period against Germany on May 11, 2024, less than three months after his 19th birthday. He allowed one goal on 12 shots. He didn’t get the win but did get his name in this select group as a World Championship teen ‘tender.