While the Hlinka Gretzky Cup isn’t the most important or prestigious event in the yearly scouting calendar, occurring during the doldrums of summer and featuring prospects who are still at least ten months away from being drafted, it nevertheless presents a great early look at many of the top prospects in any given class.
It can also provide some wildly entertaining hockey games, which was certainly the case last week up in Edmonton. Whether watching live in person or following along from home, spectators were presented with legitimate spectacle. The games were fast, skilled and offense-oriented, and the biggest names lived up to their reputations by putting on a show.
Canada won their 26th championship in the history of the tournament (going back across its various previous names), and its fourth in five years, by dismantling the United States 8-1 on Saturday. It was a high-octane performance that gave the home crowd plenty to cheer for. Earlier in that same day Finland mounted a late comeback to steal the bronze medals away from Slovakia.
There are a lot of different stories that can be told from this year’s iteration of the event, but as it’s usually seen as the unofficial kickoff to the annual scouting season, let’s focus our attention here on the top 10 performances from prospects who will be eligible for the 2027 NHL Entry Draft (thereby excluding players like Maddox Schultz and Liam Pue, who were both sensational for Canada but won’t be eligible until the 2028 draft).
Gavin Burcar — Center — United States
The very first game of the entire tournament saw Burcar score a hat trick in a 6-4 win over Czechia, and each of those shots was an absolute missile. That turned out to be a sign of things to come, as he was America’s best player during the week and ended up comfortably leading his team in scoring, with nine points in five games. He wasn’t a one-trick pony, either, as he did a lot of good work defensively and played with plenty of jam. He might have done more to boost his early-season draft stock than anyone else at the Hlinka.
Brock Cripps — Defense — Canada
Cripps was an important part of the Prince Albert Raiders team that went on a deep playoff run in the WHL this past spring, and the benefits of that experience for him were evident at the Hlinka. He was one of Canada's most polished and consistent players all tournament, driving possession whenever he was on the ice and using his slick hands and elusive feet to create high-danger scoring chances. It shouldn't go unnoticed that he finished with six points in five games despite not getting to play on the Canadian top powerplay unit.
Landon DuPont — Defense — Canada
DuPont came into this tournament as the projected 1st-overall pick in the 2027 NHL Entry Draft, and his play in Edmonton all but cemented that status and consensus (at least for the time being). Canada's captain led his team off the ice and on it, bringing a noticeable presence and making a positive difference in all three zones, and he had a hand in most of his team's goals that came at important times. He saved his very best game of the Hlinka for last, putting up four points in the 8-1 drubbing of the United States to clinch the gold. He lived up to the hype, and that probably won't be the last time that hockey fans will see DuPont perform to that level against international competition.
Brock England — Left Wing — Canada
There might not be a single player at this tournament who had more fun than England did. It was a homecoming of sorts for an Alberta kid who now plays in Seattle, and he radiated excitement and enthusiasm right from his first shift. It must have been a nightmare trying to defend against him, because he always played at a breakneck pace and kept using his explosive acceleration to break open for scoring chances on the rush, which he converted on multiple times. When he opened the scoring in the gold-medal match after just a minute and a half and began his exuberant celebration it felt like the fate of the game had already been decided.
Jakub Husar — Goaltender — Slovakia
Husar was a very busy player this tournament. He faced more shots than any other goalie, and many of them were high-quality chances because Slovakia’s defending left a lot to be desired. Luckily for his teammates, though, he was certainly up for the challenge, and almost single-handedly kept the score close in multiple matches. He’s fast, athletic and focused, and he handles the puck with significantly more aggression and precision than most goalies his age — he even took a shot at an empty net in his win over Switzerland, not missing by much. Expect to see him a lot more internationally this season.
Malik L’Italien — Defense — Canada
L'Italien was arguably the tournament's most improved player from beginning to end. The summer rust was evident in Canada's opening game, as he was fighting the puck and having some trouble reading the play around him. Once he got up to speed, however, he began to truly command the ice during his shifts. He used his long reach and proficient skating ability to efficiently take away space from opposing attackers, and as he gained confidence he began jumping into the play offensively as well. He was DuPont's main running mate on Canada's top defense pair for the entire week, and it became abundantly obvious why that decision was made.
Maximilian Mares — Center — Czechia
Starting almost immediately into Czechia’s first game, every time Mares stepped onto the ice all the scouts watching him perked up a little and edged forward in their seats. To put it simply, there was nobody else at the Hlinka who looked or played quite like him. The 6-foot-6 center had a monstrous showing, playing most of the tournament on his team’s top line and top powerplay unit, while also killing a lot of penalties. He was involved offensively, he stayed committed defensively, and barely anyone could match up against him physically. He really put his name on the map and made himself a high-priority prospect for NHL teams to watch and get to know.
Jonah Neuenschwander — Center — Switzerland
A Swiss hockey prodigy, Neuenschwander had already represented his home nation once at the Hlinka, twice at the IIHF U18s and twice at the World Juniors, so there were heavy expectations for him coming in. He didn’t disappoint. Playing as their top-line center he picked up points in every game, and he was instrumental in his team’s upset victory over Sweden in the round robin and then again in a win over Czechia to claim 5th place in the tournament. He’s a driven prospect with an overflowing toolbox, so NHL scouts will be watching him closely this upcoming season.
Milan Sundström — Center — Sweden
Even though Sweden had a disastrous and uncharacteristic showing that saw them finish in 7th place out of eight teams, you can't lay the blame for that on Sundström. He had one of the best individual performances of the tournament in their opening match against Slovakia, which included the game-winning goal in overtime, and he generated a lot of offense otherwise through his sublime playmaking. If there is one critique to be made, it would be that his pace and precision fluctuated a lot, leading to some rougher moments.
Kayden Stroeder — Center — Canada
Canada brings a deep roster to every international event they play in, and that always results in some talented players having to fit into different roles than what they're usually accustomed to. That was Stroeder at the Hlinka, and his adaptability was an important ingredient in his team's championship-winning success. As the center on what was dubbed Canada's "identity line" — playing between Benjamin Veitch and Jaakko Wycisk — he did a little bit of everything, from generating offense to killing penalties to being a pest who got under the skin of his opponents.