United States
For the first time in the history of this event, we can write about the United States as the defending champions after capturing gold last summer. The U.S. won gold in 2003, but the event was not known as the Hlinka/Gretzky (or Hlinka Memorial) at that time.
So that begs the question, can the United States repeat as champion? Absolutely they can and the changing junior landscape should make the U.S. consistently competitive at this event moving forward. The NTDP is losing talent left, right, and center as more players don’t want to be locked in for two seasons, and for those unfamiliar with the selection of this team, the U.S. chooses players from outside of the program for the Hlinka/Gretzky.
This should be a well-balanced team with a deep forward group, strong goaltending, and talented back end. The team’s powerplay led by Jake Prunty and a host of skilled forwards should be lethal and is probably the key to the team’s success. Additionally, the U.S. has a very strong group of bigger, competitive centers who will help them be difficult to play against.
Key Players
Jake Prunty
One of the top rookies in the USHL last year, Prunty also captured a USHL championship with Sioux Falls. The dynamic and intelligent offensive defender has actually signed on to join the NTDP U18 team for this season, helping to fill the void left by some defections. He’s undersized, but extremely talented.
Gunnar Conboy
A throwback power center cut from the same cloth as guys like Keith Primeau or Eric Lindros. He’s a relentless physical player but also talented offensively. If he has a good year in the USHL with Green Bay, he could move very quickly up draft boards.
Ty Bergeron
After playing last year with Muskegon of the USHL, Bergeron signed on with Windsor (OHL) this year. He’s a combative, two-way center cut who plays a similar game to last year’s Red Tilson winner, Sam O’Reilly. A one/two punch of Conboy and Bergeron down the middle gives the U.S. two ultra-competitive centers who are hard to play against.
Michael Tang
Tang is a skilled and intelligent forward with an attacking mindset. He figures to be a top six fixture on this U.S. team and is a candidate for the first two rounds of the 2027 NHL Draft. Tang has signed on to play with the Niagara IceDogs (OHL) this year.
Ryland Rooney
Yet another intelligent, two-way center with size on this team. Will they play all three in their natural positions and balance lines? Rooney just needs to keep improving his skating and he could easily push his way into the first round of this year’s NHL Draft.
Joey Cullen
Cullen is making waves as the first underager to appear for the United States as the Hlinka/Gretzky. He has signed on to play with the NTDP’s U17 team this year, but they are also bringing him to this tournament. Cullen, the younger brother of recent first rounder Wyatt, and the son of former NHL’er Matt, is considered to be one of the top 2010’s on the planet and a serious candidate to be the first overall pick in 2028.
Mason Courville
At this point, one would think that Courville has the inside track at the starter’s job for the U.S. at this tournament. He didn’t even play at the select 17’s tournament and still made the final invite list. He has the most experience of the three netminders at a higher level after playing the past year in Flint. Courville is the full package of athleticism, competitiveness, and confidence. A late born 2009, he could end up being one of the top goalies for the 2028 Draft.
Czechia
After two straight loses in the gold medal game to Canada, Czechia failed to make the semifinals at home last year, defeating Slovakia in the fifth-place game; a battle of the host nations. It was definitely a letdown for a nation who was trying to capture their first gold at the event since 2016.
One of the main strengths of this year’s team is on the blueline. However, recent injury news has definitely hit the team hard. They were set to have three defenders with extensive experience playing at the U18 level (or higher) already. Dominick Radim Byrtus and Lukas Kachlir were on last year’s Hlinka/Gretzky Cup team as underagers, whereas Matyas Michalek, a 2010 born and underager this year, played in the year ending IIHF U18’s. Michalek is a legitimate future star and a candidate to be a top five selection in 2010. However, we’ve now learned that Michalek will miss the tournament with an injury; this is a huge blow.
The real question is will this team be able to score enough to defeat Finland and the US? This was this group’s problem at the U17’s last year, where they finished first in goals against, but dead last in goals for and that kept them out of the medals.
Key Players
Adam Nemec
Another Adam Nemec. Hilariously, both will be seeing a lot of each other this year as this Nemec has signed on with Brantford of the OHL, where he will play the recently drafted other Adam Nemec in Sudbury. In a lot of ways, he’s similar to the recent Senators draft pick, with a game centered around high end hockey sense, work ethic, and three zone capability.
Lukas Kachlir
The type of puck moving defender that simultaneously gets everyone excited, but who eventually divides scouting staffs. On one hand, he’s a dynamic offensive defender who can quarterback the powerplay and consistently make things happen; he was fantastic already at last year’s Hlinka/Gretzky. On the other hand, he’s massively undersized by today’s standards and will need a huge year to be on the NHL draft radar.
Michal Hartl
At this point, Hartl might be considered the top 2009 born Czech prospect for the draft. He’s a hard working forward with a real nose for the net. Has goal scoring upside. Like several of the defenders, he has a ton of U18 international experience already.
Dominick Radim Byrtus
The third overall pick in the CHL’s Import Draft to Lethbridge, it remains to be seen whether Byrtus will be joining the Hurricanes. He’ll be one of Czechia’s workhorses at this tournament with his vast international experience. In a lot of ways he’s similar to Kachlir in that he’s undersized, but a quality puck mover.
Maxmilian Mares
Massive forward (standing at 6-foot-6 currently) who is bound to catch the eye of NHL scouts this year if he is able to produce offensively. The physical tools are extremely alluring. He’ll spend this year in the QMJHL with Rimouski.
Simon Sejc
Sejc, a forward playing out of the Växjö Lakers program in Sweden, has consistently been among the top scorers of this age group internationally for Czechia. He just might be the team’s most dynamic offensive forward and he should play a prominent role at this tournament.
Finland
Despite success at other levels of international hockey, this tournament has been a tough one for Finland over the last decade. During that time period, they have a single bronze medal and have yet to make a final. Last year, they lost the bronze medal match to Canada. Is this the year that Finland can break through at the Hlinka/Gretzky?
This year’s team will undoubtedly be led by Luca Santala and Paavo Fugleberg, two players with a ton of international experience already. It’s fair to say that this Finnish team will only go as far as they can take them. Both players were terrific at this past April’s U18’s as underagers and will be looking to carry over that momentum against their own age group.
Even though the team has some talented defensive prospects for this year’s draft, the 2009 born age group has had a difficult time keeping the puck out of their net internationally. They gave up a whopping 19 goals over four games at last year’s World Under 17 Hockey Challenge, for example. So, needless to say, tightening things up defensively and getting better goaltending will be key for this team.
Key Players
Luca Santala
A potential top ten pick in the 2027 NHL Draft, Santala is a dynamic, do it all center who is cut from the same cloth as the Alex Barkov, Sebastian Aho types out of Finland. He has signed on to play with London of the OHL this year and he should be one of the best forwards at this year’s tournament.
Paavo Fugleberg
Not eligible until the 2028 NHL Draft due to a late birthday, Fugleberg is a dynamic, attacking winger with outstanding offensive upside for the higher levels. He’s a candidate to be a very high selection in 2028 and he should be, much like Santala, one of the event’s top players.
Roni Kuukasjärvi
The rock of the Finnish blueline for this age group. He’s already played in Liiga and he was good at the U18’s in April as an underager. Kuukasjärvi is a mobile two-way defender who thinks the game at a high level. Expect him to see all the minutes he can handle at this tournament.
Lenni Kokkonen
A star at last year’s U17 World Hockey Challenge in Truro, Nova Scotia, Kokkonen is the Finnish powerplay quarterback for this age group and a dynamic offensive defender. Like Kuukasjärvi, he’ll be seeing a ton of ice time, perhaps even in a potentially dominant top pairing with Roni.
Miska Liljeberg
At different times internationally, Liljeberg has joined with Santala and Fugleberg to form the team’s top line as its pivot (pushing Santala to the wing). To help spread out offense, you can probably expect Liljeberg to center the team’s second line and be a key contributor on the power play.
Frans Karjalahti
A much-hyped prospect coming through the minor hockey system in Finland as he was lighting things up from a production standpoint. A late born 2009, he’s not eligible for the NHL Draft until 2028, which gives him a ton of time to mature physically. The hype has died down a bit, but he’ll be someone worth monitoring at the event.
Germany
It’s all about survival for the Germans at this event as they have to play the U.S., Finland, and Czechia in Group B. It’s been up and down at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in the last few years. They were outscored 24 to 3 last year in a last place finish. However, the year prior saw them defeat Finland and finish sixth. What does this year’s team have in store? At the very least, they should be better than last year with a bevy of players with good international experience. For example, at this past year’s IIHF U18’s, four of their top six scorers were underagers (2009’s) and all will be competing at this event. However, it should also be noted that said IIHF U18 team did end up getting relegated and will be competing in Division 1 next April.
Key Players
Max Calce
A massively hyped German player who has been competing at the U18 level internationally for a few years already. He has two IIHF U18’s under his belt already and played at last year’s Hlinka/Gretzky. Calce is a competitive two-way pivot and a potential first round selection in the 2027 NHL Draft. Expect him to be on the ice in all situations at this tournament.
Jonas Schwarz
While Calce has received a ton of hype, it was Schwarz who has stood out extremely positively the last few international events. He was the team’s best player at last April’s U18’s as an underager. Playing out of the Lukko program in Finland, Schwarz was also a CHL Import pick of Spokane. His speed and creativity with the puck consistently stand out.
Nikita Bloch
Along with Calce, Bloch is the other German top six center for this age group, with Bloch actually seeing more minutes and ice time at the most recent U18’s, again as an underager. He has shown great chemistry with Schwarz at international events, and one has to wonder if they’ll be kept together. Bloch is also a high CHL Import draft selection, by Newfoundland of the QMJHL.
Liron Pellizzari
The defensive anchor of this team, Liron Pellizzari saw action at the most recent U18’s too. He’s got good size on the blueline and is definitely an NHL Draft candidate for 2027. Of note, he’s already seen a good chunk of action in the DEL and should spend the majority of this season there with Augsburger.\
Tim Hartmann
The center depth of this German team is excellent as Hartmann is another natural pivot who has shown promise. He too was great at the April U18’s as an underager. He’s a high energy forward who will be looked upon as a secondary scorer.