Where are Matvei Michkov, Isaac Howard, Jimmy Snuggerud and the stars of Lausanne 2020 now?

The men's ice hockey tournament was one of the highlights of the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games with Russia beating the United States 4-0 in the gold medal game.

Isaac Howard, who scored hat-tricks in his opening two games before netting the game-winner against Canada in the semi-finals, had little opportunity to shine as Matvei Michkov notched up two goals and an assists to take his tally to 14 points for the competition.

They were among two of the future stars to grace the ice at the Vaudoise Arena.

One year on, we look at how they and others have progressed as they bid to make their name in the sport.

Matvei Michkov

Michkov was the undisputed star of Lausanne 2020 with nine goals and five assists.

Either side of leading Russia to Youth Olympic gold, the forward had an incredible season for Yaroslavl Lokomotiv's under-16 team.

He scored 109 points (70 goals and 39 assists) in 26 games, breaking the previous age record held by a certain Alex Ovechkin.

In the close season, Michkov joined SKA-St. Petersburg and has split his time between the KHL side's two junior teams, 1946 and Varyagi.

More exceptional performances saw SKA sign him up to a lucrative five-year contract in December, just days after his 16th birthday.

Michkov has kept up that form and is currently one of the top goalscorers in the MHL with 23 goals and 12 assists in the first 36 games.

What makes his achievements all the more creditable is that he regularly faces players three years his senior.

In October he told SI.com, through a translator, "It's nothing new for me to compete with players older than me, so I feel comfortable. Of course, the pace is higher here, the guys are physically stronger, but I always give myself the maximum targets.

"I don't think age is that important. The main thing is how useful you are to the team."

One of his team-mates, Marat Khusnutdinov, was selected in the second round of October's 2020 NHL Draft by the Minnesota Wild.

Khusnutdinov made his KHL debut for SKA-St Petersburg this season and was part of Russia's squad which made the semi-finals at the recent World Junior Championships in Edmonton, Canada.

Now wearing 39 on his back instead of the number 19 he had at Lausanne, it's a question of when Michkov follows looks set to follow Khusnutdinov into the full team as he bolsters his reputation as Russia's next hockey superstar.

Isaac Howard

With seven goals in his first three games in Lausanne, Howard showed he most definitely had an eye for goal.

Howard was out of luck in the final as a strong Russian team shut out the United States.

But the forward attracted plenty of admirers before then, and his performances earned him a call-up to USA Hockey's National Team Development Program.

The 16-year-old is the top points scorer for the USA U-17 team this season by a considerable margin with 19 goals and 17 assists in 21 games.

Howard has committed to playing college hockey with the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs and is eligible for the 2022 NHL Draft.

If he continues to perform as he has done in the American jersey, the Minnesota Wild fan has a big future ahead of him.

Adam Fantilli

Fantilli was billed as Canada's leading light ahead of the Youth Olympic Games and weighed in with two goals and an assist in four games.

He was just 15 in Lausanne, and came home with a bronze medal after a heart-breaking 2-1 loss to the United States in the semi-finals.

Despite being one of Canada's hottest properties, Fantilli opted to follow elder brother Luca south of the border to Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire.

And instead of being top pick for the Ontario Hockey League this season, the Boston Bruins fan decided to again hook up with Luca with Chicago Steel in the United States Hockey League.

Having only turned 16 in October, Fantilli will be eligible for the 2023 NHL Draft.

He is already a physically imposing figure at 1.87m (6'2") and told TSN.ca that, more than two years out, he knows what he wants.

"Ever since I figured out what the NHL draft was I wanted to be the No. 1 pick. I have a competitive drive where I don't want anyone to be better than me."

Fantilli is quickly getting to grips with life in the USHL, notching up a goal and three assists in the 11-2 win over the USA U-17 team for whom Isaac Howard was on the scoresheet.

The 'Lion King' is on his way to stardom.

Jimmy Snuggerud

Snuggerud captained the United States in Lausanne and told Olympic Channel he was determined to follow his father Dave into the NHL.

Like Howard, he was selected for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program on the back of his Youth Olympic exploits.

And while he is again being somewhat overshadowed by his prolific colleague, Snuggerud is showing he is a player of serious potential having been coached by his father at the Chaska Hawks in Minnesota.

With 10 goals and 10 assists from 20 games for the USA U-17 team, he and Howard are in the running for the 2021 Ice Hockey World Junior Championships in Edmonton at the turn of the year where the United States will defend their title.