Dustin Willhöft – McKeen's Hockey

2025 IIHF U18 World Championships – Division B – Team Preview – Players to Watch

Chapin Landvogt — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 13:52:40 +0000

It’s been a few years since we saw the U18 Worlds hosted by USA hockey in Frisco and Allen, Texas, back in the spring of 2021. At the time, the pandemic still played a considerable role in shaping schedules throughout the hockey world, but the tournament proved very special in that the names Bedard and Michkov were already all the rage. Double underagers, they each made heavy offensive contributions (usually of a highlight variety) and then faced off in the tournament final, one decided by a Team Canada that would eventually see 22 players drafted in the following years.

Sure, the tournament was filled with many other talented and highly sought players, but it wasn’t one to remember for Team USA, which bowed out in the quarterfinals. This year’s edition feels somewhat similar to the host back in 2021 in that it lacks the all-out star power of recent years and will include a handful of outside additions from Canadian junior ranks and the NCAA. We nonetheless are terribly excited about seeing this year’s US squad duke it out in Group B action against annual contender Sweden, a loaded Czech program, the most impressive German ensemble in quite some time, and eternal quarterfinal participants Switzerland. Viewing things from the outset, this group could potentially present three of the four teams that will end up playing for a medal. Each of the Czech Republic, Sweden, and the USA feature numerous players of NHL interest for the next two drafts. At the same time, it’s anybody's call as to which of Germany or Switzerland is most likely to be heading to the relegation round and either could be good for a surprise along the way.

Here’s what to expect from each of the Group B contestants from April 23rd through May 3rd.

Czechia

Adam Benak

We keep getting excited about the progress the Czech program has made over the past 5-8 years but there’s no denying that they’ve simply reached a point where contention for a medal should be expected at both the U18 and U20 levels year after year. The nation keeps generating talents that are desired in junior leagues across North America and northern Europe while others manage to play pro at home already at this young age. Once all of this year’s nominees have arrived in Texas, Coach David Cermak will be able to dish out a ton of ice time to a handful of specific players who have everything required to make this team a gold medalist.

Alas, therein lies the problem as a number of the top nominees are still busy in primarily North American league playoffs. In some cases, they might not make it whatsoever. This could lead to the scouting world getting to see some special aspects like 15-year old defensive phenom Lukas Kachlir and Liberec product David Roszival, who had a sneaky good year at the perhaps underscouted Czech U20 level, not to mention hulking underage forward Simon Katolicky. But we’re going to assume that most of the big guns will be there at some point and then this Czech outfit will be one we expect to see battling for a medal on May 3rd.

Players to watch

Adam Benak - F

It feels like we've been gushing about Benak forever thanks to many dazzling performances at no less than the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. However, he finally brought his show to the USHL this season and it was magical. As he continues to get quicker on his feet and with the puck, we watched him create magic all season long for the Youngstown Phantoms, where his silky hands led to what seemed like unending offensive creation. Worries about size are still legitimate, but his 59 points in 56 games indicate he has no plans on letting it hold him back. He’s still involved in the USHL playoffs, so the Czechs will have to wait for his services, but when he arrives, he’ll likely become the tournament’s top powerplay producer.

Vojtech Cihar - F

A well-built winger with good speed and the knack of regularly making his way to the goal, Cihar already took a regular shift at the WJC and is coming off an entire season at the pro level (4 goals, 9 points) in the Czech Republic’s top league. He should be a key player in the top six for this team while adding a physical dimension to the attack.

Simon Katolicky - F

Only 16, Katolicky is already 6-foot-4 and inching towards 190 pounds. He’s been playing his junior hockey in Finland and has suited up for Czechia internationally 46 times over the past two seasons, for whom he regularly occupies the Ovechkin spot on the powerplay, albeit from the right side faceoff circle. Long story short, he brings size, skating, and a heck of a shot. He’ll be a hot topic for the 2026 draft and truth be told, if his playing style is any indication, Jaromir Jagr is definitely his idol.

Radim Mrtka - D

If a 6-foot-6, 200-pound righty shot defenseman who skates well, checks like a bull, and can lead your attack with a solid first pass is your idea of a unicorn, then Mrtka is your unicorn du jour for this year’s tournament. He possesses everything necessary to take over a game. He’ll without a doubt be the go-to man for coach Cermak on the blueline and is one of the key reasons the Czechs are expected to be a medal contender.

Matej Pekar - F

One of the youngest players in this summer’s draft, Pekar’s rookie season in the WHL was decent but nothing to get all too excited about. Having gone the Swiss juniors route in recent years, Pekar is your classic puck-rusher who’ll shake ‘n bake his way into scoring positions if you give him the time and space. This should allow him to eat some teams apart if they’re busy giving other forwards on this Czech side most of their attention. Both passer and shooter, he won’t hesitate to rip off wristers when he sees the net.

Tomas Poletin - F

A returnee from last year’s squad, the 6-foot-1, 196 pound power forward has spent several years in Finland’s U20 junior circuit and even got into 20 Liiga games this season, including playoffs. As for friendly matches and various test games with the nation’s U17 and U18 teams in recent years, he’s always been at the top of the scoring lists. He’s hard on the forecheck and makes his way to the net regularly.

Max Psenicka - D

Vladimir Dravecky may have to step up to the plate a bit until Psenicka arrives, but once (or if) the steady 6-foot-4, 190-pound defenseman arrives from the WHL playoffs, he’ll be a go-to player on the blueline and will give the Czechs the kind of size and righty-shot combo that few teams possess. A player not too different from Mrtka, Psenicka joined the Portland Winterhawks later in the season but immediately became a defensive mainstay with a solid eye for his teammates. Could be literally and figuratively a huge boost to this team’s blueline.

Ondrej Stebetak - G

As we write this, Stebetak is still battling it out for his Portland Winterhawks in a grueling seven-game series against the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL. Should his side lose the next game, he’ll be on his way to Texas. And truth is, the Czechs have a vested interest here because Stebetak is talented enough to be the end all, say all, difference at the U18 Worlds. Still, he’s played 13 playoff games over the past 22 days, so we don’t know what’ll be in the tank if he makes it down!

Germany

David Lewandowski of Germany lduring the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship game between Germany and Latvia on December 30, 2024 in Ottawa.
Photo: Mathias Bergeld / BILDBYRÅN

Coach Patrick Reimer is entering this tournament knowing that he’s going to be coaching at the pro level next season. Thus, this is his last hoorah at the U18 level for now and what he’s got is essentially the most anticipated German side in recent years. Having only just regained a spot at the top level again with a flawless D1A U18 Worlds in Denmark last spring, Reimer will be making use of a handful of players who were keys to that promotion, several of whom were already key contributors to Germany’s WJC efforts this past winter.

Particularly the forward group is chock full of players who have taken excellent strides (many at the pro level) in recent years and bring a much higher rate of offensive acumen than just about any German outfit in recent memory. Nonetheless, it’s uncertain how solid this goaltending group can be and if we’re honest, the blueline is currently looking like it’s only one very solid pairing deep. There’s potential within the remaining six defenders, but it’s definitely going to require at least three of them to step up to the plate and show there’s more in them than they’ve indicated internationally to date, even if we were very excited about Max Bleicher this time last year.

With all that in mind, the team is here to stave off relegation. This realistic goal will be plenty hard to achieve and even if the squad believes it can duke it out with anyone it faces, the fact is that the preliminary bout against archrival Switzerland on April 27th will likely be all-decisive in determining if the team heads to the quarterfinals or once again has to decide its fate in a relegation round. On paper, their chances against Switzerland are clearly better than they otherwise have been in recent years.

Players to watch

David Lewandowski - F

As we enter this tournament, Lewandowski is far and away Germany’s top prospect for the 2025 NHL draft. Already talked about heavily throughout Germany’s hockey scene in recent years, it took him all of seven DEL games this season to decide that he’s best suited strutting his stuff in North America. A jump to the Saskatoon Blades, and the ensuing 41 points in 56 total games, gave the hockey world a clear sample of his possibilities and even if his scoring abilities were anything but dominant, his quick and successful adaption to the rough-n-tumble ways of the WHL answered some of the key questions we’ve had in recent years. More importantly, he’s gotten a taste of the North American scene, and you can be certain that he knows all too well what this tournament can mean for his draft chances this summer. Key first line and powerplay roles await him.

Carlos Händel - D

It’s been a long time since a German defenseman was able to head to a Canadian junior league and make an impact, much less at age 17, but righty shot Händel did just that this season for the Halifax Mooseheads. Having just turned 18, Händel is an extremely confident player who wants the puck on his stick and won’t let a few bad bounces get him off his game. Expect him to be on the ice for every important situation Team Germany faces seeing as how he already averaged over 22 minutes of TOI at last winter’s WJC.

Maxim Penkin - F

The 15-year-old gained “exceptional status” to play in Germany’s top U20 league (DNL) this past winter and proceeded to score at more than a PPG pace while then becoming the league’s playoff MVP for the champion Adler Mannheim. Not a shabby start! Likely possessing the strongest offensive skillset since Tim Stützle, Penkin will already be a top nine player at the upcoming tournament and scored in the test game against Canada. He may not make a lot of music in Texas, but just getting to see him at this early stage should be a real treat for the whole hockey world.

Maxim Schäfer - W

A behemoth of a 17-year-old, Schäfer is already 6-foot-4 and moves around the ice with the coordination and purpose of an older player. He’s also coming off what was almost an entire season of top league DEL play, but his 44 points in 18 U20 league games showed that he can dominate teenagers his age and older. three points in five WJC games - played in Canada no less - indicate that he’s ready to make an impact in Texas. However, he’s currently still playing for Berlin in the DEL finals with his team two wins away from the title. Would be a boon if he’s in Texas by April 27th!

Dustin Willhöft - W

A spit in the bucket weightwise, the 5-foot-8 mini might is coming off a dominant year in Germany’s top junior circuit (104 points in 43 games) and was already Germany’s top performer at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where hardly any offensive opportunities were created without him being right in the middle of them. He has a motor and a heck of a shot, but it’s his vision and set-up abilities that will have you (and his teammates) smiling.

Sweden

Djurgårdens Anton Frondell.
Photo: Kenta Jönsson / BILDBYRÅN

Coach Tommy Paananen has nominated a team that has every scout’s mouth watering. Especially when it comes to the forward group, the team is more than “locked and loaded” for a medal in Texas, if not gold itself. An 8-3 romping of Team Canada in a pre-tournament test game verified that. About the only player missing from this dream team attack is Victor Eklund, but that’s because he’s aged out. The group is three scoring lines deep and that’s even considering that the main man up front, Anton Frondell, is still busy vying for promotion for his Djurgarden club, so he’s bound to miss two, if not three of the preliminary round games.

The team will nonetheless have to see one of the goaltenders stand tall at times, with Love Härenstam being the expected frontrunner despite being statistically behind his two netminding colleagues, and the defensive group will need to prove itself capable in the transition and puck-moving game because the bulk of them are of the defense-oriented variety. How Paananen makes it all work will be interesting to see but it’s clear that he has many pieces to work with once everyone is on board. Anything less than a medal would be a terrible disappointment, with all eyes clearly focused on gold.

Players to watch

Viggo Björck - F

An absolutely dynamic offensive dynamo who excels in puck possession (and protection), Björck is entering this tournament as one of the top three prospects for the 2026 draft. A wonderkid in many respects, his strong strides and tricky righty shot release have led to a gawd awful number of points in Sweden’s junior ranks in recent years. He got into one game of pro play this winter and sure enough, he scored his first pro goal. Having led Sweden’s U20 circuit in regular season scoring (then finishing second in the playoffs), we’ve got every reason to believe that Björck could already be Sweden’s go-to offensive force over the next two weeks. He’s that good.

Sascha Boumedienne - D

If there’s one player on this team that the scouting community hasn’t seen too little of, it’s Boumedienne. The son of a former part-time NHL defenseman, Boumedienne headed to the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL last season and excelled as a two-way defenseman with a strong understanding of the defensive side of the game. He’s now completed his first season of college hockey with the BU Terriers and just missed out on a national championship, having logged no less than 22 minutes of TOI over the final six games. He understands tournament play very well, knows what it’s like to live under a microscope, and in Texas, he’ll have one last shot at rounding out his profile as that of a late first rounder. Expect this staff to give him plenty of ice time along the way.

Anton Frondell - F

The ride continues for one of the most exciting offensive juggernauts in the 2025 draft. Frondell brings a variety of weapons to the table but impresses most through his incredible maturity and solid decision making for a player his age. And, well, he just loves to generate offense. Having spent the bulk of the season putting up 25 points in 29 HockeyAllsvenskan games, he’s shown he’s able to play with some of the best players Sweden has to offer. Alas, he and his team have been so good that they’re now in the midst of the championship series and he’s sure to miss the tournament’s beginning, as he continues to hold a top nine role for his team. He’ll be a key once he arrives, and we just hope he won’t be too worn out when the time comes.

Milton Gästrin - F

A bit of a power forward with solid size and both playmaking and finishing abilities, Gästrin got into eight SHL games this season and has been absolutely incredible for Sweden in international friendlies the past two years. The captain of the U17 national team last winter and the assistant captain of his MoDo U20 squad, we’re not doubting that his word weighs heavy in this locker room. The tournament will also be an opportunity for him to entrench himself as a first-round option for a team this summer.

Eddie Genborg - F

Like Gästrin, Genborg is another big, solidly built power forward winger with a strong drive to the net. His production for his club’s U20 team as a 17-year-old was fantastic and his development was at a point where he got into 28 SHL games this season, albeit with little tangible results (2 goals, -1 rating). Nonetheless, some view him as worthy of a 1st round pick this summer, so this tournament will be his final opportunity to convince the scouting community that that’s where he belongs.

Theodor Hallquisth - D

Tall and gangly, Hallquisth is a righty shot defenseman who has a knack for blocking shots while he defends with a long stick that he aptly uses to master the pokecheck. A player who forwards smashed their teeth against trying to get by this winter, Hallquisth has also gotten into 12 SHL games and loves to push up the middle to the slot, adept at carrying the puck himself. We can expect him in a top four role in Texas, but we are curious to see how he’ll match up with some of the smaller skill forwards that teams like the USA and Czech Republic will be throwing out on the ice.

Jakob Ihs-Wozniak - F

A tournament returnee, Ihs-Wozniak is one of this year’s draft prospects who has seen his stock drop a bit, having not been selected to the WJC squad, yet who brings many key attributes to the table, not the least of which being a 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame that doesn’t prevent him from getting around the ice somewhat smoothly. A righty shot, Ihs-Wozniak dressed for 13 games for Lulea, which is currently battling for the SHL championship. Internationally, all he’s done is regularly produce for Sweden’s junior teams, so he’s got an offensive role in the bag at this tournament.

Ivar Stenberg - F

What a winter it’s been for Otto Stenberg’s little brother Ivar, who - as a 17-year-old - got into 25 regular season (3 points) and 12 postseason (6 points) contests for Frölunda. His trajectory has been up and up all season, as his combination of speed, hockey sense, and quick hands already allowed him to dominate the U20 circuit offensively (53 points in 27 games). He’s not eligible to be drafted until 2026, but we fully expect him to use this tournament to continue building on his profile and are hearing that he’s planning on spending the next two springs gunning for his older brother’s statistical U18 Worlds records.

Switzerland

We’re going to be generous by stating that coach Schumacher and his staff will have their work cut out for them in Texas. Despite being able to almost always stave off an appearance in the relegation round, Switzerland hasn’t had a lot of success in recent years and this tournament may not be any different. With the first game against Sweden not even 48 hours away, the world is still waiting for the Swiss to announce the final roster.

Still, there really won’t be any surprises as the team will consist almost entirely of players who spent this past season playing in the nation’s top U20 league, some of whom not getting beyond a middle six role. Sure, the team will be interesting in some respects, like with Lian Bichsel’s little brother Finn expected to make the cut while underagers Clemens Troxler and Jonah Neuenschwander will probably slot into top nine roles.

One way or another, there’s simply no star power for this year’s class and international events have given us little reason to believe this rather nameless group is going to be able to do much more than keep the results close. Critical will be the game against archrival Germany on April 27th. That’ll be the most important game of the tournament for both teams and the Swiss are well aware that Germany is bringing one of the most anticipated waves of players it’s been able to throw onto the ice in recent years. Expect that game to decide if this team will once again have the honor of facing the uphill battle posed by quarterfinals or instead have to duke it out for class retention.

Players to watch

Guus Van der Kaaij - D

The likely captain for this year’s outfit, Van der Kaaij is dual Swiss Dutch citizen and is a solidly built athlete who has seen his star rise this past season more than any other Swiss prospect. Although his U20 stats were just average (better in the playoffs), it’s his all-round game and defensive wherewithal that has raised eyebrows while he’s been lauded for his leadership capabilities. Moreover, his 11 SL games in which he collected two assists, and a +6 rating showed a high level of maturity and a knack for picking up the pace with the higher level. He then got into seven NL games, six of which were in the playoffs. Rest assured that he’ll be made heavy use of in Texas.

Jeremiah Mundy - F

Entering the season, the 6-foot-3, 196-pound forward who is half Canadian was seen as perhaps Switzerland’s top prospect for the upcoming draft. Having flipped over to the Davos program before the season, he proceeded to see that status go lost while always being a top six forward to the tune of 16 goals and 30 total points in 54 games. In addition, he was never called up or loaned out to a pro team, so his good but average stats are only applicable for a league that isn’t an international measuring stick. Is he as good as he was advertised before this season? His performance as a top six forward in Texas will be his last chance to show he is in time for this summer’s draft.

Jonah Neuenschwander - F

First eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft, Neuenschwander just turned 16 not even a month ago and already measures in at 6-foot-3, 185 pounds. In addition, Swiss Hockey even brought him along to the WJC this past winter as a 15-year-old and gave him three games of experience, so he should be a top nine forward during this event. All that pales in comparison to the fact that the burly forward got into 15 games of top league NL action this past season while putting up 45 points in 48 total games for his U20 squad, something that saw him finish fourth overall in playoff scoring. He’s a star on the rise in a time where the Swiss program is in desperate need of one.

USA

Cole McKinney

If you’ve been following us all winter long, you’ll know that this hasn’t been the best season for the famed USNTD program, one that experienced a whole lot of losing against USHL clubs and less than inspiring results in some of the international bouts throughout. That the team recently dropped a 4-3 OT decision against Norway in a test game surely had some in the hockey community rolling their eyes but we’re viewing this team with the belief that it can get things together in time for the quarterfinals and then push for a medal when all is said and done.

The reason for this is that by adding WHL defenseman Blake Fiddler, OHL defenseman (and underager) Chase Reid, NCAAers Cullen Potter and William Horcoff, and USHLers Casey Mutryn and Benjamin Kevan, the team will be getting some considerable reinforcements from the outside, all of whom have past ties to USA Hockey in some capacity. From a scouting perspective, we won’t be disappointed if we get to see any of underagers Mikey Berchild, Sammy Nelson, or Teddy Mutryn either, but that’ll likely mean that someone else isn’t carrying his weight.

There are enough tournament-built requisites throughout the line-up for coach Moore to play any type of game that comes but it’d be a big advantage if this US team doesn’t find itself having to chase the scoreboard much. Goaltending and the blueline have proven to be shaky to date, but both Germany and Switzerland should be gimmes in the preliminary round and as long as the outside additions can gel with the core by the time the games start to really count, this team should be in medal contention. Of course, we all thought that back in 20-21, when the team couldn’t get over the oh so deadly hill that is the quarterfinals, where four teams always see their tournaments end.

If that should be the USA’s fate, the program may want to find a different venue the next time it’ll be hosting this vaunted event. The dominant U18 program the past decade plus, the story this team will write over the next 10 days is one of the most anticipated of the tournament.

Players to watch

Blake Fiddler - D

A huge 6-foot-4, 210-pound righty shot defenseman with NHL pedigree, the Nashville-born Blake Fiddler was a do-it-all mechanic for the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL this season and already starred for Team USA at last summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Widely considered a first-round talent, Fiddler may be the best US defenseman in this class and the team will need him to bring his A-game all tournament long. If he solidifies things, this should have an impact on the other talented, but inconsistent blueliners dotting the line-up.

Cole McKinney - F

Probably the biggest riser within the program this past winter, McKinney has a prime opportunity to use this tournament to make a major jump up draft lists. The University of Michigan commit has been one of the program’s more productive players in recent months and is a weapon of all trades. He’s got moves, he’s got deadly wristers and snapshots, he possesses a playmaker’s vision, and he’s proving himself opportunistic on the ice, showing a strong read of where the puck is going to be. He’s a given as an offensive catalyst for a team who’ll need him to step up to the plate in order to play for a medal.

L.J. Mooney - F

Incredibly small, Mooney moves around on the ice like few on this team can. Flashing electric edgework and slick directional changes, Mooney’s hands keep up with his feet and also deliver the best playmaking on the team. Naturally limited in the physical department, he’s an energetic waterbug who’ll look to create space by beating one opponent before finding the next open teammate. Enthusiastic and hungry to create opportunities, his 5-foot-7 height won’t play much of a role at this tournament, so we expect him to be making a serious impact off the rush.

Will Moore - F

A tall forward with a back-n-forth game, Moore has spent the past two seasons clipping at just under a PPG average but could at any time take the bull by the horns and be this team’s offensive catalyst. Is that time now? The Boston College commit has added a bit of playmaking side to his previous profile as an adept sniper and as things stand, he could very well line up with center Potter and left wing Horcoff for a new trio entering tournament play. We’d like to see him use this platform to suggest himself as a surefire 1st round draft pick this summer. His prospect standing is still in flux.

Jack Murtagh - F

Solidly built and consistently a producer, Murtagh looked like a bonafide 1st rounder heading into this season, having shone at the World Hockey Challenge last year. There were ups and downs this winter and as much as the Boston University commit looks like a solid pro in the making, there’s no telling whether we'll see him be all he can be in Texas. If he is, then this team will be getting a player who looks for his teammates but adores picking corners as much as anything else. Look for him to make his presence known.

Cullen Potter - F

Originally a member of the USNTDP, Potter decided to head to college early and pretty much thrived while being one of the youngest players in the NCAA. Having just turned 18 in January, his quick and deceptive game built off of great acceleration and the readiness to shoot with aplomb had Potter’s inclusion on this team being a no-brainer. And it may perhaps prove to be just the jumpstart the US needs, seeing as his natural talent combined with his experience against much older and stronger competition should have him ahead of the game in Texas. To be noted is that Potter is just 5-foot-9 and not even 170 pounds, thus fast but can be pushed around.

Charlie Trethewey - D

Off to Boston University next fall, Trethewey feels like one of the players on this team who most needs to clarify his identity in this event. In general, he has most of the prerequisites of a defensive defenseman with just enough offensive acumen to get rushes started or contain pucks in the offensive zone in a positive manner, but for all the big hits we’ve seen him throw, there have been misses and positioning problems. For the long term, there’s much to build on here, but for the U18 Worlds, he needs to bring an A-game, if he’s got it in him at this juncture.

GERMANY: 2024-25 Hockey season kicks off!

Chapin Landvogt — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 12:30:36 +0000

Veit Oswald of Germany during the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Photo: Michael Erichsen / BILDBYRÅN / COP 89 / MI0591

The 24-25 season has been starting up across pro and junior leagues throughout Germany this past week. And we’re as excited as can be about some of the stories that should be unfolding on the prospect scene throughout the season.

One of key stories we’ll be following this season revolves around the DEL’s most successful clubs the past decade, the Munich Red Bulls. Aside from opening up a new arena, which will be the most modern in all of Europe, the team was one of the least active on the international market despite acquiring recent AHLer Adam Brooks and former NHLer - and cog in the German ice hockey scene - Tobias Rieder, who’ll be making his DEL debut. The underlying story is that the team appears to ready to double down on its intentions of bringing along internally developed U23 players such as goaltender Simon Wolf (20), defensemen Sten Fischer (21) and Jakob Weber (20), and forwards Filip Varejcka (23), Quirin Bader, Nikolaus Heigl (both 21), and Veit Oswald (20), who was the DEL’s shooting star last winter.

Oswald also proved to be a bit of a surprise seeing as how season’s such as the one he had have often led to getting drafted. It didn’t, but it did ultimately lead to him being invited to Toronto’s summer development camp. With a set role in a team filled with renewed championship ambitions, it still needs to be denoted that Oswald won’t turn 21 until August of 2025, so his draft eligibility is not yet a thing of the past.

And when one considers how similar his season was last year to the final season JJ Peterka had for the same club before jumping to the AHL, there’s probably no-one in the organization who’ll be more excited about the new arena’s opening night festivities, which will feature a match-up against Peterka’s Buffalo Sabres.

This all said, we’ve viewed goaltender Wolf as one of the most hidden goaltending talents in Europe in recent years and as things are now, he has a very good shot of sliding in as the team’s back-up goaltender, a move his pro play in the AlpsHL to date has supported. Could he become the next Arno Tiefensee?

Draftees

Speaking of which, naturally piquing our interest is what the season has in store for draft picks Kevin Bicker (DET), Hakan Hänelt (WAS), Nikita Quapp (CAR), and yes, Tiefensee (DAL). Of the three, Tiefensee is by far the most established and backed his surprisingly effective overage draft season with a 19-13 record and 2.43 GAA as the verified number 1 in goal for Mannheim last season, kicking that latter stat up a bit 2.32 in 7 playoff games. His upward trend is thoroughly expected to continue this season and on the whole, he’s in an ideal developmental spot for a player taken with a later round selection.

As for Bicker, Hänelt, and Quapp, all three are in more unique situations. For Bicker, this is Year 2 of his (probably rushed) DEL career, which saw him gather all of 3 points in 41 games last season before a leg injury ended his season prematurely. Bicker’s game is built on speed and after showing off his wares adequately at the WJC, he’s entering this year not only with a more prominent role in store for Frankfurt, but also the responsibility of being a go-to driver for this winter’s WJC. Hänelt’s great success last season was in actually getting through the season without any major physical setbacks. Otherwise, his 3 points in 40 games were nothing to write home about and he would need to make a big splash this season to re-garner a slot on the radar of prospect viability, as he’s quickly become an afterthought.

The 6’4” Quapp, on the other hand, is entering his first true DEL season after going 11-14 with a 2.63 GAA and .920 SV% in the DEL2 last season, decent numbers for a team that is among the most financially restricted in that respective league. He’ll now back up Norwegian international Henrik Haukeland, where he’ll have little competition entering the season. Furthermore, his Düsseldorf squad is itself among the most financially strapped in the DEL, meaning they’ll be counting on him as no less than a solid number 2 in net, with fire hydrant style responsibility if things sour. That’s how the season may have to kick off after Haukeland was injured in the most recent test game and is doubtful to be back in time for the opener.

U20 players

Unlike its European counterparts in Sweden, Finland, and even the Czech Republic, the number of players aged 17-19 who see ice time in the DEL can usually be counted on one hand during any given season. This leaves us wondering about the fates of a handful of youngsters who have been signed by DEL teams, unknowing what’s on dock for them. About the most fascinating thing that could happen on this front is seeing Dustin Willhöft (MAN), David Lewandowski (DUS), and Mateu Späth (CLG) wiggle their way into DEL action this season, hopefully even a (semi-)regular shift. That’s the kind of thing talents such as these tend to do in the aforementioned countries, even at the age of 17.

But there are a few more we’ll be watching closely. Edwin Tropmann (COL) was a top prospect heading into last season, as was Paul Mayer (MAN). And while Mayer saw DEL action and then finished the season with a fairly regular shift in the DEL2 - showing little statwise at either station - Tropmann’s early-season injury threw him out of the loop almost completely. We recently saw him playing this summer for the nation’s U20 team and he looked like he was getting back to form as the team’s top defenseman. These two defensemen are on the outside looking in with their DEL clubs, but both are strong likelihoods at one of the other two levels of pro hockey and should each be locks for the WJC team.

So, what will come of 6’7”, 207-pound defenseman Rio Kaiser in his draft year? He already got into 20 pro games (3 at the DEL level) this past season while being “Okay” at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup this summer. He’s already played both of Berlin’s Champions Hockey League games, so he’s getting a look. And that size just does not grow on trees. A very similar scenario has set in for 5’7” Alexander Vladelchtchikov with Bremerhaven, a defenseman who looked like he might be all the rage back when he was 14. A strong DNL season last year finally earned the 19-year-old a DEL contract with Bremerhaven, a team that has traditionally had problems bringing in younger German talent. But even among draft-eligible defenseman, he has overager Rayan Bettahar ahead of him, a player who lost a good portion of last season to a broken jaw when he was cheap-shotted after making a thundering open-ice check. He has been getting long looks in the preseason. Chances are that Vladelchtchikov will see time in the DEL2 instead, where he recently got his first pro league assist.

Two more players we had on our draft radar not too long ago were defender Lua Niehus of Frankfurt and forward Linus Brandl of Straubing, both now 19. Heading into last season, much was expected of each but Niehus got into injury trouble while Brandl found himself basically being a 13th forward for Landshut in the DEL2. Both were part of Germany’s WJC entry, but Brandl’s role was that of an extra forward while Niehus’ tournament was already over after one game. The skill levels each possess were never really in question until last season, when the expectations proved to clearly be overwhelming, with Brandl’s skating weaknesses proving to be damning while Niehus’ 5’9”, 160-pound body just wasn’t up to the physical task. Will both or either take the next step already this season? Barring injury, you’ll see both at the WJC.

Getting long in the prospect tooth is former Rögle prospect, forward Roman Kechter (20), who was wonderful for Nuremberg last season, collecting 17 points and +1 rating over 42 games. He also captained the U20 team after having captained the U18 team in 2022. We mention him here because he’s finding himself in a situation with a low-budget team where he’ll be fully expected to carry the load of a top 9 forward and see situational ice time in what could be a lot of hard scenarios. In fact, there’s likely not a 20-year-old in the league who’ll have a more concrete regular shift and responsibility than Kechter. And it’ll bear watching.

What we can also say is that particularly Düsseldorf, Iserlohn, and Nuremberg look bound to make use of plenty of U23 players, with a good handful being under 20. Particularly forwards Lenny Boos (17) in Düsseldorf, Max Brunner (18) in Iserlohn, and defenseman Max Merkl (18) are players who bring above-average skill sets to the table (by German standards) and each was a cog in seeing the U18 team gain promotion this past spring. With Boos being the son of a long-time DEL pro, Brunner having spent the past two seasons in Sweden, and Merkl already the author of 15 DEL appearances in his young career, it’s not unreasonable to think each will see some DEL action this season. A breakthrough by any could earn draft consideration.

UFAs to be?

The league will also feature a number of young players we feel continue to be of interest to NHL teams under the right circumstances. Defenseman Colin Ugbekile (22) and Leon Hüttl (23) top that list on the defensive front. Each has established himself as an up-n-comer in the national team and each is an absolute cog on his team’s blueline, contributing value in all three zones. Ugbekile even became a power play specialist last season, putting up 12 goals and 33 points. Cologne’s goaltender, Tobias Ancicka (23), finally established himself as a DEL starter last season, going 23-15 with a 2.51 GAA. After spending part of his junior years in Finland, this son of a former German national team member (of Czech descent) is finally turning promise into results and will play for a Sharks team that has as much pressure as anyone to perform this season, seeing as how it has the best attendance in Europe and few championships to show for it.

His teammate Justin Schütz (24), a former draft pick of the Florida Panthers, put up a league-leading 30 goals in 55 games last season. Snubbed from the national team before the Men’s WC, it’s safe to say that he’ll be looking to verify last season’s results with a renewed push towards an NHL contract. At the same time, there’s probably not a German player in the league who has the wheels, hockey IQ, and hands of Wojciech Stachowiak, a 25-year-old forward who saw his stats drop a wee bit in DEL play last season, but then went 2-7-9 in 8 WC games in the Czech Republic. It’s difficult imagining a player with his drive and overall package not getting a look in North America at some point. There’s simply too much hustle there.

It wasn’t too long ago that we spilled some words in favor of now 22-year-old forwards Alexander Blank, Danjo Leonhardt, and former OHLer Josh Samanski. All three will be taking on even bigger roles for their teams, with Blank fighting relegation from the get-go while the latter two will be aiming for a top 4 spot in the league with their Straubing Tigers. And while Blank continues to see his game grow into that of a playmaker, there were times last year where we found ourselves thinking that it won’t be long until Leonhardt’s 13 goals turn into 25. He’s certainly got the surrounding cast for it this year. Neither is as entrenched in their team’s plans as Samanski is, who is on the fast track to a more stable spot in the national team. The 6’6” forwards skates like he’s 5 inches shorter and broke through last season with 12 goals and 33 points. It’s going to be hard for the NHL not to take notice if 40+ points and WC appearance ends up being in the cards for him this season.

Sticking with the Tigers, goaltender Florian Bugl (6’1”, 187 pounds) has really been nothing short of spectacular the past few seasons. He’s now 22 and although long thought to be ahead of Dallas’ Arno Tiefensee, hasn’t been drafted. But he’s put up 17-8 and then 15-8 records the past two seasons and even got into 3 of his team’s 6 playoff games last season. He once again has a veteran North American goaltender to share duties with, but with his Straubing Tigers now in the Champions Hockey League and fully expected to be a top 4 club in the DEL again, there’s no reason to believe he’ll see fewer starts than he has to date as “spreading the wealth” will be part of the goaltending ice time plan.

DEL2

As wonderful as it is to theorize about possible draftees getting their feet wet in the DEL, it’s the second tier DEL2 that plays a much more significant role for the development of draftable youngsters. There’s usually more ice time to go around and teams are regularly looking for cheaper options for lower line roles. In addition, there’s a U23 role in place that downright requires the team to suit up a certain number of players 22 or younger for every game. We even expect many of the names listed above to more likely find themselves taking shifts here rather than the DEL as just about every DEL team has an affiliate in the lower ranks to whom they send their most promising youngsters.

The most prominent parking stations are Munich’s affiliate Kaufbeuren and Berlin’s affiliate Lausitz. These teams usually have some of the smaller league budgets, but see their rosters pepped up with youngsters the DEL teams acquire or bring up through their own junior programs. This year, we’ll be keeping a close eye on Kaufbeuren samples Jakob Peukert (D/18), Fabian Nifosi (D/20), Leon Sivic (F/20), and Jonas Fischer (F/19). The same is true for Lausitz with respect to the aforementioned Kaiser (D/17), Marlon Braun (D/20), Nils Elten (D/21), and Filip Ziesche (F/19). If we’re lucky, Linus Vieillard (G/18) will already be up to the task, as we’d like nothing more than to see him force his way into WJC consideration. He’s been slyly good wherever he’s played to date.

While at it, Nico Pertuch (19) is looking like the frontrunner for the spot as Germany’s #1 at the WJC and he spent all of last season as the back-up in Ravensburg. That role - including more ice time - is all but certain this season, so he’ll be a name to follow closely. We’ve liked him since he was 17, but the 6’2”, 212-pounder really took some major steps last season and shows some impressive mental fortitude.

As far as players are concerned who were already in scout’s notebooks this past summer and who could certainly gain overage drafting consideration with a strong winter are Kassel’s Clemens Sager and Weiden’s Elias Pul, both forwards. A north/south player with some moxy, Sager has a penchant for being very involved in board work while smart enough to compliment skill players of any sort. His team is a heavy favorite for the DEL2 championship and with that, promotion to the DEL. Will he get the ice time we’d hope for on such a loaded squad? That’s something we won’t really need to be asking with respect to league newbie Weiden, which has plucked the solid two-way Pul from the Red Bull Juniors program and looks ready to force-feed him with DEL2 minutes. He’ll need to adjust to bigger and better opponents, but if the talent and overall wherewithal we’ve come to know from him truly speak of his package, then he could be turning a lot of heads by season’s end.

DNL

At the nation’s top junior level, Landshut was the surprise victor last spring, coming back from being down 2-0 in the series against powerhouse Berlin to come out on top with a 3-2 Best-of-Five victory, much of that success on the backs of forwards Tobias Schwarz and Simon Seidl. The two not only lead the way offensively throughout the playoffs, but also got into several dozen DEL2 games as well as a starring role in the D1A U18 Worlds, where Germany went 5-0 in gaining promotion back into the elite group. With DEL contracts in their pockets (Straubing), the sky's the limit for the duo, which is expected to spend most the season back in the DEL2, but should be about a lock for Germany at the WJC.

This DNL season will nonetheless be one that is all about redemption for traditional powerhouse Mannheim, a program that will host one of the biggest storylines coming out of Germany, a young man we’ve been talking about for a bit now named Max Penkin. We’re not going to hold back in saying that he’s the most dynamic forward prospect coming out of Germany since Tim Stützle. That’s the trajectory at this point. Now, Mannheim started slowly out of the gates last season and found itself on the outside looking in once the initial qualification round concluded after just 14 games, placing the team in a B group that would battle to retain the class and thus, out of championship contention.

This hiccup surely will be a thing of the past and many of the reasons could be seen at the Eli Palfreyman Memorial Invitational in Canada at the conclusion of August. There, fans were able to see Penkin’s exploits. To clarify, Penkin is a 15-year-old who is first eligible for the 2027 draft. He dominated the U17 league last season and is set to be a go-to figure already this year, maybe even getting a look at the pro level. He is that intriguing and he’s actually so young that he had to gain “Exceptional Status” to be permitted to play at the DNL level already this season.

But fans at the tournament above were also able to see several other players who’ll look to be draft topics next summer, namely crafty tiny tot Dustin Willhöft, defenseman Nick Mahler, and dynamic twins Gustavs and Rihards Griva, originally from Latvia. We’re also excited to see what 18-year old overager Nikita Zhvanov (Tschwanow) will be able to do after a shortened 23-24 season saw him put up 28 points in 33 games and another 9 (and +9) in 18 games for 3rd league pro team Heilbronn.

Along with Mannheim, the usual suspects are expected to throw their hats into the championship picture, namely Berlin and Cologne. And with Germany back with the big boys at the U18 level, the DNL will continue to hold great importance as the provider of what will likely be over 50% of the team come next April. The Hlinka Gretzky Cup this past summer once again saw Germany overwhelmed at times, but a 2-1 victory over Finland was huge for the program and a placement game loss to Switzerland saw a wonderful effort by Germany tossed down the tubes with a late breakdown.

With that in mind, some of the most exciting DNL names to follow this year are those of Maxim Schäfer, Elias Schneider, Tom Fitschen, Moritz Kretschmar (all Berlin), Tobin Brandt, Noah and Marco Münzenberger (both roughly 6’4” and no confirmed relation to Edmonton prospect Luca), Matthias Pape, Max Ziergiebel (all Cologne), Niclas Focks, Konstantin Redinger, Tim Schütz (all Krefeld), Peukert (Kaufbeuren), and Fabio & Timo Kose (Regensburg).

Following the DNL this year will be about focussing on what talent forces its way onto the U18 roster. If any come into WJC consideration, then we’re talking about an exception of sorts as Coach Abstreiter rarely strays from his eldest options, most of whom have pro or CHL experience under their belts.

But to be clear, we’re here to see just how far Penkin can take his prospect star at this early stage in his career. He’s got 3 points in the loaded team’s first 5 games.

2024 HLINKA GRETZKY CUP: Three standout performances by country

Adam Tate — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 20:14:30 +0000

The unofficial start of the scouting season, the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup is a summer tournament that gives scouts and teams their first looks at the players to see how they’ve improved with a summer of training. This year’s tournament took place from August 5th to 10th in Edmonton, Alberta, and McKeen’s Hockey was there to take in the action and get some early impressions of the players.

The Hlinka Gretzky Cup is an international tournament for U-18 players looking to jump start their seasons, represent their countries, and show off their current level of play. Though not sanctioned by the IIHF, it’s still a prominent event for NHL clubs, and is well attended by scouts and team management. The participating players are generally in their draft eligible seasons. Some teams may bring 16-year-olds to the tournament if there is room on the roster and their play warrants inclusion.

This year’s tournament was won by Canada, with Czechia taking the silver medal. They were the two best teams of the tournament, with both squads going undefeated in the group stage. Sweden won the bronze medal game over the USA. Slovakia had a good tournament only losing to Canada and Sweden (in overtime). Finland posted a disappointing result, only winning their last game of the tournament. Germany only won one game as well, but it was against Finland, and the Germans seemed like they were on the cusp of better things. Finally, Switzerland struggled at the tournament and didn’t have the talent level to match the other teams, only scoring five goals in four games.

Here are our three Standouts from each team. Included with each is a video highlight from their play at the tournament.

Canada

This year’s squad from Canada was loaded with talent, as is usually the case. Led by Captain Matthew Schaefer, the team rarely struggled and deserved the Gold Medal. The team was loaded with upwards of six possible first round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft (not to mention Gavin McKenna, who’s only eligible to be drafted in 2026), was well balanced, and most players saw their fair share of ice in front of the scouts. It’s almost unfair to only pick three standouts.

Matthew Schaefer - Defense

Schaefer turned this tournament into his coming out party to the world. The smooth skating, two-way defender was everything for Canada. He played in all situations, frequently double shifted, and was one point off the team scoring lead. He was dynamic on the ice, using his skating to play in all parts of the offensive zone. He was a force defensively, showing some physicality to go along with excellent positioning and stick disruption. He may have played his way into a top three pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

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This clip shows a little of everything that makes Schaefer (#5 in red) so great. From helping win the faceoff in his own zone, to taking advantage of a mistake by his opponent to create a zone exit and leading the rush for Canada, to the nice drop pass in the offensive zone, to getting back into position to have an effective pinch to keep the puck in the offensive zone for longer. All while killing 20 seconds of a Czechia power play.

Gavin McKenna - Forward

By the already lofty standards that he’s set, McKenna had a good, but not great, tournament. He was tied for Canada’s goal scoring lead, and shared second place in the team’s points race with Schaefer. He was dynamic with the puck, often playing a game of keep away with his opponents. He used his skating and puck handling skills to circle the offensive zone, looking for weaknesses. His shot was hard and accurate, often picking top corners of the net. He flashed his next level talent, but didn’t dominate as perhaps expected, even as a 16-year-old.

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This is an otherworldly shot from McKenna on the power play for Canada. Picking the top short side top corner on a shot from that distance is not a skill that every player possesses.

Caleb Desnoyers - Forward

While not the most offensively talented forward on Team Canada, Desnoyers was relied upon in all situations, and was often used as its top Center. He was a jack of all trades for Canada, and it suited his skill set. That being said, he was still dangerous on the ice and produced at a point per game pace, with a goal and four assists. He was strong on the puck and hard to play against in all three zones. Desnoyers should hear his name called in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft and will likely be the first player from the QMJHL taken.

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This clip shows Desnoyers operating on the power play, taking the puck down below the goal line and then taking advantage of the defender’s opened up triangle.

Czechia

Team Czechia’s goal this year was to win the tournament, after coming in second place to Canada last summer. The players made it a point to let people know that they wanted “revenge” on Canada for last year’s loss. They brought a top-heavy roster loaded with offensive talent with the likes of Adam Benak, Vit Zahejsky, Adam Novotny (2026 draft eligible), and Tomas Poletin. Unfortunately, they were unable to win the big prize and settled for Silver for the second year in a row.

Adam Benak - Forward

Easily one of the most gifted offensive players in this year’s tournament, Benak led the Czechs in scoring and was second in overall tournament scoring. Benak’s footspeed and shot were outstanding in this tournament, and he was difficult to contain at all times. You could see the determination in his play every game, and he led the Czechs by example. Despite being a smaller player, it wouldn't surprise to see him selected in the first round of the 2025 Draft due to his offensive talent. He’s going to play in the USHL with Youngstown this year, and a good season will help his draft stock.

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Another player with a next level shot, this top corner short side goal by Benak is almost impossible to stop.

Radim Mrtka - Defense

The large (6’6” / 198 lbs) right-handed defenseman got better with every game and was a solid two-way defender. While he didn’t score much, his zone transition work with his skating and passing was really good. He was strong in his own end, using his positioning, size, and length to disrupt passing lanes. In the offensive zone, he activated from the blue line often and created chaos for opposing defenses. Already in consideration for a mid-round pick in the 2025 Draft, Mrtka may move into the first round if he continues to play this well in the regular season. Mrkta may also jump over to the WHL and join the Seattle Thunderbirds this season if he’s not playing in the men’s league in Czechia.

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This clip is from the first minute of the Gold Medal game against Canada. Mrtka (#5 in white) helps lead the rush, something he got more and more comfortable doing as the tournament went along, and then sets the tone by absolutely crushing a Canadian player in their own zone.

Vit Zahejsky - Forward

Another Czech player that improved during the tournament, Zahejsky was promoted to the top line after the group stage and posted 7 points (3g - 4a) in 5 games. A slick offensive player that was used on the power play and 4 on 4 situations, Zahejsky showed good offensive awareness with both his passing and his shooting. Another potential mid-round pick who could move up if this level of play continues, Zahejsky will play for Kamloops in the WHL this season. He should see plenty of ice time and opportunity there.

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Czechia’s power play was lethal in this tournament, and it’s goals like this one from Zahejsky that made it so.

Sweden

While it would be hard to call Sweden’s Bronze medal a disappointment, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if the team felt that way. It’s still a step in the right direction for a program that didn’t medal in last year’s tournament, but with talent up front and in goal, more could’ve been possible. Anton Frondell, Sweden’s best prospect for the 2025 NHL Draft, was unable to take part due to injury, and top prospects Sascha Boumedienne and Jakob Ihs-Wozniak had disappointing tournaments compared to what was expected of them. Despite all of that, Sweden only lost to Canada in the group stage and Czechia in the semi-final.

Viktor Klingsell - Forward

With Frondell unable to play, Klingsell took it upon himself to help lead the team, and was the top scoring forward in the tournament. His 12 points (4g - 8a) were one point better than Czechia’s Adam Benak. Klingsell was a constant at both even strength and on the power play, and had points in all but one of Sweden’s games. His game shined in the offensive zone where he was able to use his hockey sense to create for his teammates.

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Klingsell’s (#25 in yellow) vision and offensive awareness are the highlights in this clip as he makes a nice pass over to Ivar Stenberg for an easy goal.

Ivar Stenberg - Forward

Another consistently good offensive player for Sweden, Stenberg was tied for third in scoring for the tournament with Milton Gastrin. A late 2007 birthday, Stenberg isn’t eligible for the NHL Draft until 2026, but his age didn’t stop him from standing out on a line with Klingsell and Gastrin. Stenberg will likely start his regular season in Sweden’s J20 league and is expected to be a high level prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft.

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This is a really nice goal from Stenberg (#15 in yellow). He identifies time and space for himself in the offensive zone, and then loads up a hard and accurate wrist shot that goes into the top corner.

Milton Gastrin - Forward

The center of the line with Klingsell and Stenberg, Gastrin was still a factor despite being a bit less heralded than his linemates. He, perhaps more so than his linemates, took advantage of their big game versus Switzerland to add to his point total. That being said, he was still one of the team’s better playmakers in this tournament.

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This is a great pass from Gastrin (#22 in yellow) to a streaking Klingsell for a goal.

USA

Ending the tournament just outside of the medals, it’s hard to consider the result a failure by Team USA as they generally don’t bring their best prospects to this event. The USNTDP players don’t play here, so it can be hard for them to compete against nations that bring their best of the best, like Canada and Czechia. Despite that, they were still in a tier above nations like Slovakia and Finland.

Matthew Lansing - Forward

Lansing was USA’s top center and one of, if not their best, forwards. He was used in all situations by the coaching staff and was usually one of the first players over the boards for power plays and penalty kills. As good a playmaker as a goal scorer, he used his skating to slash into the offensive zone with the puck and get defenses to commit to him to open up passing lanes. He was equally as creative taking the puck to the net for his own scoring chances where he had a bit more success. Not considered a top draft prospect currently, this tournament along with a strong season in the USHL might make teams take more notice.

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Lansing’s (#22 in blue) display of deft pucking handling along with some good skating allow him to keep this puck all the way to Sweden’s goal where he takes advantage of their goaltender committing first.

Blake Fiddler - Defense

The Captain of this US team, Fiddler was asked to play a defensive defenseman role by the coaching staff, and he played the role very well. The right handed defender snuffed out plays with good gap control, stick work, and physicality throughout the tournament. He showed he’s capable of defending at a higher level than seen in his first season in the WHL, and it bodes well for his draft stock. He even found opportunities to rush the puck from his own end and scored a nice goal. There were rumblings from the media that this tournament may have raised his stock to the first round of the NHL Draft.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/blake_fiddler_-_1st_period_2_55_-_3_8.mp4

The aforementioned nice goal. Fiddler (#3 in white) creates a zone exit and a zone entry with the puck on his stick, dangles a German defender, and then makes a power forward type move to the net to score.

Ben Kevan - Forward

This spot could’ve easily belonged to Sam Spehar or Alexander Donovan, but Ben Kevan’s consistently high compete level makes the selection easier. Kevan was used in all situations by the US coaching staff, and was noticeable every game they played. He played with pace and was always looking to be on the right side of the puck. His skating ability was one of his better traits. He had a couple of multi point games as well. Kevan is expected to be a mid-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, but a season where he plays like he did in this tournament might see his stock rise.

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This clip is a little longer but is a good example of Kevan’s (#7 in white) overall game. He was always looking to disrupt opposition puck carriers while getting himself into advantageous positions in the offensive zone.

Slovakia

Winners of the fifth place game in this year’s tournament, Slovakia didn’t have as many players with 2025 NHL Draft pedigree as the nations that finished ahead of it. That being said, they do have some standout players such as Jan Chovan, as well as some that could rise in the draft rankings over the course of the season such as Andreas Straka and Tobias Tomik. They have some dark horse players eligible for the draft as well that stood out in this tournament.

Jan Chovan - Forward

Easily Slovakia’s best forward in the tournament, and likely its best player, Chovan was their top line center and played in all situations. He had points in all of Slovakia’s games and used good footspeed to get up and down the ice. He possesses good size and skating ability. He showed good playmaking skills in the offensive zone, and some defensive play in the neutral and defensive zones where he got himself into passing lanes regularly. He plays in Finland during the regular season, and will either start his season with Tappara’s U20 team or join the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL. If he has a good season, it’s possible to see him picked in the second or third round of the 2025 Draft.

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This is a really nice pass from Chovan (#26 in blue) on Slovakia’s power play. It displays really nice vision and awareness on Chovan’s part. The goal scorer may never score an easier goal in his life.

Michal Svrcek - Forward

Playing on Jan Chovan’s wing, Svrcek was the recipient of much of Chovan’s playmaking, and scored goals in three of Slovakia’s four games. He scored the overtime game winner in the fifth place game. He has really nice puck skills and can get creative in the offensive zone. He’s played his regular season games in Sweden the last two years, moving up Brynas’s system, and he’ll likely start with their J20 team this year.

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This clip is a good example of Svrcek’s (#10 in blue) ability to score goals. Leading the rush and starting the give and go on a two on one is a good way to get the lone defender moving and the goaltender scrambling.

Michal Pradel - Goaltender

It might seem a bit unusual to list a fifth place team goaltender as a standout, but Pradel was really good for a Slovakian squad that was underwhelming defensively. He was very good in two of the three games he played in, but was pulled in the game against Canada. He battles hard, covers the bottom of the net well, and has good lateral movement. He has great size for a goaltender at 6’4” / 194 lbs. It will be interesting to see how he develops over the year in Europe and see if he can play his way into a mid to late round 2025 NHL Draft selection.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/michal_pradel_-_1st_period_12_30_-_12_52.mp4

This video of Pradel making some saves using good positioning only tells half the story here. With Sweden already up by a goal mid-way through the first period, Pradel needs to shut the door to keep Slovakia from falling too far behind in the game, and in this series of chances, he’s able to do that.

Germany

Starting the tournament with an overtime win over Finland, Germany must’ve been thrilled with the win knowing that they had to face Czechia and the USA in the group stage. The win got them into the fifth place game where they were downed by Slovakia, but it proved to be a worthwhile tournament for the Germans overall. Some of their more hyped prospects like David Lewandowski and Max Bleicher had decent tournaments, but the best Germans were some of their lesser regarded players. If they can continue to improve, this year’s class of German players could see a few more players picked in the NHL Draft.

Carlos Handel - Defense

Handel was Germany’s best two-way defender and his transition play from zone to zone either by carrying or passing the puck was a highlight for this year’s team. A good skater with and without the puck, he was able to activate offensively by using his speed. His puck skills are a plus as well. His defensive play will need to be an area of focus moving forward. Handel was drafted by Moncton of the QMJHL in this summer’s Import Draft, and it’s expected he will play there. A good season in the Q will help his draft stock.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/carlos_handel_-_3rd_period_21_51_-_22_4.mp4

Perhaps the best play of Handel’s (#7 in black) tournament, his ability to transition the puck while leading the rush, is something scouts saw often from him. The goal at the end is really nice as well as he loads up a wrist shot to pick a top corner.

Dustin Willhoft - Forward

Willhoft was one of the smaller players at the tournament this year, but what he lacks in size, he makes up for in skill and desire. He skates very well and uses his foot speed and pace to slash into the offensive zone with the puck where he looks to make plays or take the puck to the net. He’s not a perimeter player and will go to the slot with and without the puck. His play in his own zone isn’t as polished as his offensive play and he struggles a bit with a lack of length due to his height. He’s a notable prospect for the Germans, but it would likely take a massive breakout season to put him on the NHL’s radar for the Draft.

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This is one of Willhoft’s nicer goals and he’s able to elevate the puck even with the Czech defender harassing him.

Gustavs & Rihards Griva - Forwards

Is it a cheat to include the twins together as one standout player? Yes, probably, but these two were attached at the hip and were tied for the scoring lead for Germany in the tournament. They finished with four points each (both had 2g - 2a) and they bookended Germany’s goal scoring with the first and last goals of the tournament. They also combined for the game winning goal against Finland, and in this case, that’s enough to be a combined standout for this squad. They will likely continue to play together in Germany this upcoming season as they try to raise their draft profiles.

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This play has Gustavs (#28 in white) using his hockey sense to steal the pass from the goaltender and get the puck to Rihards (#27) in the slot. Rihard’s shot is good and finds the top corner of the net. Any goal a twin scored, the other had an assist.

Finland

A bit of a disappointing tournament for Finland this year, only managing a seventh place finish. There was a lack of high end offense and star power on this year’s team and they averaged only a goal per game in the group stage of the tournament. They broke the seventh place game open, scoring five goals against Switzerland, but by then the tournament had gotten away from them. Jesper Kotajarvi, their best prospect heading into the tournament, struggled and wasn’t the effective mobile, puck moving defenseman that was expected for the most part.

Patrik Kerkola - Goaltender

Just on statistics alone, Kerkola was one of the better goaltenders of the tournament, despite his team’s record and overall play. He had the third best save % (.913) and third best goals against (2.31) of the goaltenders who started most of their team’s games. More so, behind a less than stellar Finnish defense, Kerkola’s steady play stood out and he gave his team a chance to win all of the games he started. The netminder has strong fundamentals and could start his season with Barrie in the OHL, who took him 75th in this summer’s CHL Import Draft.

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This is a good breakaway save by Kerkola, especially given that the puck was turned over in his zone, not giving him much time to prepare.

Max Westergard - Forward

One of the best Finnish skaters at this year’s tournament, Westergard led the team in goal scoring with three, scoring in all of their games but one. A strong skater with good pace, Westergard is able to get up and down the ice quickly with or without the puck. He’s skilled with the puck and can flash in the offensive zone when he has some room to make a play. He played in Sweden last year and was very good in their J18 league. With a birthday close to the cutoff for the 2025 NHL Draft, it’ll be interesting to see how he fairs if he continues to play with Frolunda’s J20 team.

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This is the easiest, but also nicest, goal Westergard scored in the tournament this year.

Lasse Boelius - Defense

The best overall defender for Finland in the tournament, Boelius was able to use his skating to be an effective transitional defenseman. He was noticeable for all the right reasons when bringing the puck out of his own end, either with his skating or passing. He was used on the power play and showed good passing touch. His play in his own zone needs improvement as he struggled with puck battles along the boards and wasn’t very physical anywhere in the zone.

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This is a good zone exit clip from Boelius (#9 in white). His patience, vision, and skating allow him to find space to skate the puck out of the defensive zone with ease.

Switzerland

The last place team in the tournament, Switzerland lacked the overall talent that the other teams had, and it showed. They gave Slovakia a scare before losing in overtime, this after losing to Canada and Sweden by 10+ goals in their games. Switzerland was another team that lacked 2025 NHL Draft pedigree, but a few of their players may have made an early impression on NHL scouts.

Mike Aeschlimann - Forward

Their leading scorer and goal scorer, Aeschlimann scored two of Switzerland’s five goals in the tournament. He scored both of his goals in the seventh place game against Finland and one was a very nice backhand shot that found the back of the net. A decent skater who flashed some offensive skill, Aeschlimann will return to Langnau’s U20 team this upcoming season.

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This is a great goal from Aeschlimann (#11 in white), from the steal at the defensive blue line to create his own breakaway to the backhand shot that finds the top of the net, it’s a high quality play at each step.

Florian Schenk - Forward

Their top center, Schenk was used in all situations by the Swiss coaching staff. He added a goal and an assist to Switzerland’s scoring totals in the tournament, but his real value was in being as good defensively as he was offensively. He had a good hit on Gavin McKenna early in the game against Canada, and he was committed to good two way play. Schenk will have an opportunity to improve this season as he has committed to the St. John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL, who selected him seventh overall in this summer’s CHL Import Draft.

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For a team that didn’t score very many goals, this is a pretty good one from Schenk (#21 in white). Good positioning in the middle of the neutral zone helps to force the Slovakian puck carrier to make a poor passing decision. From there Schenk goes to the net and scores off the rebound. Solid play in both zones from Schenk.

Lars Steiner - Forward

Steiner played with Schenk on Switzerland’s top line and contributed with a goal and an assist during the tournament, with both of his points coming in the game against Slovakia. His goal was a nice shot from the right wing that found the top corner of the net. Another Swiss player drafted to the QMJHL in the CHL Import Draft, Steiner will play for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies this upcoming season. A late 2007 birthday, Steiner is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft.

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The aforementioned goal from Steiner (#15 in white). He starts the play by looking for an outlet to pass to but he decides to keep the puck and place a hard wrist shot into the back of the net.

2025 NHL DRAFT: Summer of 25′ – Players to watch in Central Europe

Chapin Landvogt — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 15:32:30 +0000

The summer is flying by, and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup is the hockey topic that’ll be kicking off August. Although there is an increasing bed of overage prospects of interest to be watching throughout Germany and Switzerland, here’s a little look at five of the most interesting first year eligible players of note in this region.

Carlos Händel - Defense - Last season: Malmö Redhawks (U17)

Utterly confident with or without the puck everywhere on the ice, Händel carries himself like a player who believes he can do what he wants and is good enough to find a solution for every situation he gets himself into. This isn’t always the case, of course, but he achieves it more often than not and with that, his approach finds him right smack dab in the middle of numerous offensive opportunities and traffic all over the ice throughout just about any game he plays. With a righty shot and an effectively nonchalant manner of gaining speed through repetitive crossovers with the puck on his blade, Händel has been playing with an effectiveness and involvement the past few years that the German prospect scene hasn’t, well, seen since Mo Seider was this age.

Now, we’re not going to go that far as to start comparing the two, especially since Händel doesn’t bring the physical dimension we saw from Seider even as early as when he was 14 and playing against older competitors, but the stickwork is often impressive and Händel pushes the envelope with regularity. He’ll dance at the blueline, often under pressure, and he’ll do his tricks and take his steps in his own zone despite heavy opposition forechecking. There’s some sly dipsy doodling here and there, and the 170-pounder has no qualms about carrying the puck long distances to bring the danger from his zone to the opposition net. Notable is also the vision he possesses, which is of importance in light of how capable he is of creating time and space, so teammates are often open and he’s adept at finding them.

A cherry on top is that he loves firing away with the puck. He does so in a methodical manner with his head on a telescope, and the good old fashioned wrister is his weapon of choice. But it’s usually the right one. This is not to say he won’t unleash one-timers or really lean into a bullet when the chance presents itself, but he’s smart enough to have realized that the placement control he has with the wrister, often looking for tips and traffic, is often his best option.

Having just turned 17 in March, he’s been a mainstay for German selects over the past few seasons and his PPG pace at the D1A U18 Worlds was a key in seeing Germany gain promotion. A recent invitation to the U20 team’s summer camp is a good sign looking forward and it would seem all but official that he’ll be making the jump from Sweden to the QMJHL next season. There are still hiccups and kinks in his game and he’s still a bit of a lightweight, so steps need to be taken to get to the next level, but his riverboat gambler style and the opportunities it generates are worth the price of admission and have us very excited about what his draft year is going to look like. We’re tipping on it including an appearance at the WJC this winter.

CLIP #1

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Händel, who seems to get to wear his beloved number 7 everywhere he plays, dekes an opponent near the blueline, walks on down the slot and deposits the puck in the far corner. And this is not a one-and-done type of play from him as he relishes the opportunity to make just these kinds of moves, at any level and against any competition he’s playing.

CLIP #2

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The camera work is rough here, but this is a very stereotypical type of end-to-end rush we’ve come to see from Händel dozens of times. He really has no qualms in grabbing that puck in his zone and going for a stroll.

CLIP #3

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The move here isn’t bad. We like to see it. He’s got his confidence and is self-assured with the puck. But by the time Händel cuts to the slot, there’s nothing but opposition jerseys there and he pays the price. The opponent then gets to rush in the other direction while he’s still got his back to the ice. These decision-related kinks will have to get ironed out along the way.

David Lewandowski - Center - Last season: Düsseldorf (DNL U20)

David Lewandowski has been a name we’ve been talking about and thus, heavily anticipating, for several years now. Although his performances, especially at the international level, has been inconsistent, his tool set has been undeniable to this point, having hit six feet in height at a relatively early stage and playing a big player’s game with a big player’s reach. His mitts are already of the silky variety and when he places his wares on display, things often get flashy. Strong first steps and, at times, exceptional vision allows him to find or create holes in the defense that many of his peers cannot while his propensity to shake and bake likely has him wanting to stake a claim to the title “Deutschland Dangler” once Leon Draisaitl hangs up his skates one day. For the time being, he’s the best combination of size and skill we’ve seen out of Germany for a few years now and when he’s on his game, it’s a beauty to watch.

Son of a Russian-born former pro of German descent, his father Eduard coached him this past season after having played pro hockey right on through the 22-23 season, where he skated for Krefeld of the DEL2 after having put up 12 points for the same in their DEL season the year before - as a 40-year-old. A long-time impact player in the DEL and member of the national team, the elder Lewandowski also spent seven seasons in the KHL before returning to lace his skates for Düsseldorf, where son David has been gaining his ice hockey education ever since. The combination of dad’s genes and coaching led to a fantastic 23-24 season as the youngster put up 16 goals and 53 points in 42 DNL games as an underager while also getting into 16 games for 3rd league Essen, for whom he put up 10 points and +6 rating. All around, very impressive stats at both levels and a strong showing against men for one of the 3rd league’s top clubs.

As promising and even daunting as that may all sound for a player who appears to have the kind of playmaking skills and requisite shot we’ve only really seen from other German players who are now donning NHL jerseys, Lewandowski’s game has shown plenty of warts to date. There are many times where he’ll be caught overhandling the puck, if not being downright inconsequential with it. His effort level has at times, allowed the word “lazy” to slip in as the preferred adjective and along the way, he’s shown fitness deficits. As an underager at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last summer, he was completely overwhelmed. By the time the D1A U18 Worlds rolled around, he shot out of the gates with seven points and +4 in the first three games only to go scoreless and -2 in the final two games, in which Germany scored a total of 12 goals. There’s been a certain amount of inconsistency every step of the way and if we didn’t know better, it sometimes looks like he hasn’t gotten the memo that you can only go so far on talent alone.

All this means that this upcoming season will be pivotal in showing the hockey world that he’s more about all the real slick, pretty things he can do, and a lot less about the often maddening shifts in effort and results. He is signed to a DEL contract with a Düsseldorf team that has its own DNL club and affiliates in both the 2nd and 3rd leagues, so there’s no telling where exactly he’ll take the bulk of his shifts this year.

CLIP #1

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Although not the top goal we’ve seen from Lewandowski (#15) in international play, one that lets you see how he can quickly make use of an imperfect pass and let it rip without overthinking things.

CLIP #2

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In this clip, Lewandowski (#11) gains an assist on just the kind of bread-and-butter pass that comes so easily for him, showing that he has a good understanding of plays as they unfold.

CLIP #3

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On the right circle during the power play, Lewandowski makes the cross-ice feed to his fave set-up man and then pounces on the return pass for a one-timer goal. If you think the cross-ice feed from Willhöft (#7) is every bit as nice, then make sure to keep reading this article.

CLIP #4

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Things can get like this for the youngster. Lewandowski grabs the puck in his own zone and charges up the ice only to lose it somewhat haphazardly at the opposition blueline. It’s just the kind of thing we’ve come to see from him mixed in with his good stuff.

Florian Schenk - Center - Bern (U20 Elit and U17)

It’s been a long time coming, but just over the past few days it’s become official that forward Florian Schenk will be joining the Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL, who drafted him a good month ago in the CHL Import Draft. Having been seen as Switzerland’s top prospect for next summer’s entry draft, his jump will be a loss for Bern and its program. Not only was it thoroughly possible that Schenk would have seen some time in the NL, but the organization was surely hoping he’d not go the way of former native son Nico Hischier, who left the program to spend his draft year playing for the Halifax Mooseheads. This said, you can rest assured that the similarities between these two Bern-bred players pretty much begin and end right there.

For his part, Florian Schenk is a tall and somewhat heavy-footed forward who is still growing into his body. He does combine soft hands and a will to get things done in a fancy manner with a frame that, especially in Switzerland’s junior level, has allowed him to charge the net with reckless abandon. There, he spent last season putting up 25 points in 42 U20 league games, his 28 penalty minutes showing that he can get chippy in the process. Mind you, this made him the top U17 player in the league in just about every category except for goal-scoring, where he tied for 3rd with eight. His 26 points in 17 U17 league games as well as 17 points in 22 international contests for his nation at the U17 level tell a more in-depth story about where he’s been at as a go-to weapon up front. Yet at each step of the way, he’s been more of a playmaker than goal-scorer, an attest to his eye for finding teammates, usually in and around the goalmouth area. There’s ample skill as a point-producer here despite him not (yet) possessing a notable shot.

On the downside, his international viewings showed him to be an underdeveloped player with a number of holes in his three-zone play and, in general, lacking the speed and hop to press through or have much of an impact against some of the headier competition along the way. He’d just be a bit tentative here or there, or a step behind in certain situations. He looked reserved on the forecheck and had some problems in transition. There were times where the extra step just wasn’t there and he left him behind the competition, or at least not looking much different from the wider mass of his own team. This is not entirely unexpected from players playing junior hockey in countries like Switzerland and Germany, but indicative of some challenges he has ahead of him in the coming season. OHL action will surely demand of him that he show an upward trend in these areas.

CLIP #1

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After forechecking, Schenk slyly picks up the opponent’s stick and gets an opportunity, only spoiled by an aggressive goaltender.

CLIP #2

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Here’s the type of power move we saw coming from him throughout his junior play in Switzerland.

CLIP #3

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This left-board, puck-carrying hiccup was one of many of this sort to be seen during his international play.

Dustin Willhöft - Winger - Last season: Mannheim (U20 DNL)

If you fancy little tykes who can deke and dish with the best of them, then you’re going to love Dustin Willhöft. Born in Estonia and having spent much of his life in Denmark, half German Willhöft used to drive over four hours back and forth from practice and games between his home in Denmark and Hamburg, Germany. A rambler in many ways, Willhöft also spent parts of three seasons playing for the Rögle’s U16 and U18 teams in Sweden before transferring to the Adler Mannheim program last season, where he proceeded to put up 37 points in 21 U20 DNL games as a 17-year-old. At this point in time, there’s no telling where he’ll be playing the upcoming season even if it would stand to reason that Mannheim brought him on board for a longer-term reason last winter.

One way or another, Willhöft is a quick player who appears to have the necessary skating skills to survive despite his size. At least it’s never really posed a problem thus far in his junior career. It’ll be an obstacle once he starts playing against men, but it has to be noted that he’s very adept at swerving his upper body while maintaining balance and even his speed in many situations on the ice. He’s also athletic and wary enough to hop around and move past defenders with the kind of hockey sense that baits the opposition into making the first move while defending him. He possesses notable agility and an extra gear, even if he isn’t pulling it out with every opportunity. Where it gets really interesting is in seeing how well his hands and mind keep up with his skating. Not only does he have great vision and accuracy as a passer, but he understands very well how to create time and space, both 5-on-5 and on the power play. There’s an innate ability to put pucks where he wants them and build in the kind of head and shoulder fakes that buy him the odd second here or there.

All this culminates in saying that he’s one of the undersized prospects out there we’re not really worried about. He’s here to produce offense and he is fully aware that his ability to do so and survive is pendent upon the athleticism, vision, and survival skills he has been showing for years now. When he does get into trouble it is not for a lack of effort. There’s only so much ice out there and his skating prowess and understanding of the game will also have him trying to overcompensate for other teammates, thus abandoning his position at times. And whereas we wouldn’t say he’s afraid to go into traffic, usually in the opposition zone, he’s not out there to commit suicide. He’ll assess the situation and avoid hot spots if the calculator in his head is telling him to do so. It’s worth pointing out that his ability to get pucks through traffic, indeed making passes of the cross-ice variety, also allows him to appear as though he’s avoiding high danger zones.

Interestingly, he’s the type of player where we’d have no doubts about his chances moving forward if he were three or four inches taller and 20 pounds heavier. The skills can be breathtaking. His mind is that of an on-ice chess master. He even keeps himself out of physical trouble. It’s all there except for the requisite size. He’s got a whole season to hopefully grow physically, but also erase any doubts scouts may have.

CLIP #1

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-dustin_Willhoft_-_2nd_period_1_6_-_1_16_Stops-and-assists.mp4

This little skill play by Willhöft (#7) is indicative of what you’ll see from him game for game. This doesn’t happen every now and then, but rather on a daily basis. This is how he rolls. The move here is the key to buying the time necessary to gain this assist, as the defenseman was clearly thrown off by the play.

CLIP #2

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And here we see the kind of assist that has been pushing off the size-related doubts, as Willhöft not only makes his way along the board against two defenders, but then stretches his body as needed to find a man in front who the opposition didn’t count on him finding.

CLIP #3

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-dustin_willhoft_-_3rd_period_3_49_-_3_59_Incredible-wrister.mp4

With Rögle in this scene, Willhöft (#17) puts in an incredibly strong individual effort here. He not only pokes the puck past an opponent in a position that should see him get bulldozed, but then manages to quickly regain his balance, put on the jets, and then snipe a shot from what looked like a hopeless angle. Just don’t tell him that.

CLIP #4

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To begin, Willhöft finds himself in the lower corner of his own zone, which may have resulted from him having taken over the center position duties on this particular play (i.e., wanting to give him the benefit of the doubt), but then he gets into trouble real quick. After coughing up the puck, he gets it back and then tries a little chip pass to solve the situation in his own zone, which backfires. A not too untypical play for a skill player who isn’t used to going the safe route.

Jeremiah Mundy - Left wing - Last season: Rapperswil-Jona (U20 Elite and U17)

Half Canadian, the Swiss winger from St. Gallen will be 17-years old right on up through February, but already checks in at 6’ 2” and 196 pounds. He’s a player who loves to drive to the net, with and without the puck, and shows no fear in dragging pucks out of corners and seeing just how far he can go until he’s slamming the biscuit into the opposition goal. Featuring straight line speed, his leg strength is still clearly a work in progress and there have been plenty of times the past few years where he’s made a gangly, uncoordinated impression. Alas, he’s been able to solve more and more situations with strong skating techniques and his stickhandling has improved in leaps and bounds over the past two seasons to the point where it’s a clear strength in his tool kit.

Internationally, Mundy has been suiting up for Swiss U16 and U17 sides and should be a top nine winger at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup this summer. This said, he went scoreless in six U20 Elite league contests last winter while putting up 29 goals and 51 points in 42 U17 league games for Rapperswil-Jona, meaning he was tied for first in goal-scoring league wide. Like many players his age, there are phases where he lacks concentration or appears to be so busy preparing for the next course of action that he fails to receive a simple pass. There are holes in his game, and he can have some shifts that beg for more effort. But we’re hard-pressed to find any games where he’s just a no-show. He’ll be charging to the net all the time and is fantastic at getting his stick on pucks in the slot. We’ve seen him on the face-off circle and as the goal-front presence on the power play, so he can take on varying roles.

In order for Mundy to remain a draft topic right on through to next summer, we’re going to need to see more consistency and the ability to push his way through older competition. He’s got the size, and his hands are really above average in comparison to the competition in Switzerland. Again, his skating can be highly impressive even if shifts tend to get short if he finds himself having to kick them off with high levels of effort. Hopefully, the HG Cup in Edmonton will serve as a spot where he puts himself decisively on the draft prospect map heading into the season. Having returned to HC Davos for this season, it’ll be fascinating to see if he gets any time in the NL at any juncture.

CLIP #1

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This clip is a prime example of Mundy’s (#34) explosive speed as he brings the puck out of the zone and up the ice, then dishes it off and charges to the net. A nice save by the goaltender is the one thing hindering what could have been a fantastic all-round play.

CLIP #2

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-jeremiah_mundy_-_shooting_from_the_slot_-_3rd_period_8_30_-_8_37_Good-steal-and-goal.mp4

A solid bit of hounding the puck-carrier leads to creating a turnover, which he quickly pounces on. A slick move is followed by a snipe to the upper corner of the net. There’s some killer instinct to be seen here.

CLIP #3

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-jeremiah_mundy_-_shooting_from_the_slot_-_2nd_period_32_31_-_32_38_Good-PP-one-timer.mp4

Mundy didn’t have to do a lot of work in the seconds leading up to this power play tally, but he was in the right place and got found at the right time. One of the easier goals he’s been able to put in his outings for Switzerland.

BONUS:

Max Bleicher - Defenseman - Last season: EV Füssen (German Oberliga - 3rd pro circuit)

Just 17-years old until February of 2025, defenseman Max Bleicher is heading to North America to spend the upcoming season with the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL. Sturdily built at 6-foot, 180 pounds, the Attack will be receiving a player who spent the majority of last season playing against men in the Oberliga Süd, chalking up top four minutes in phases while ultimately finishing third among defensemen on his team with six goals and 14 points. Considering 16 players on the team had a -10 or worse, with three in -30 territory, his -8 didn’t look half bad for a player in his situation. Most importantly, the book on Bleicher is that he’s a gamer. He just works and chugs away, combining a strong understanding of defensive positioning with heady play moving forward.

What stands out most about Bleicher’s play is his headiness and attention to detail. He’s attentive and he’s always looking to make smart plays, be they successful or not. He goes where it hurts to defend and collect pucks, but he doesn’t hesitate to make a few dekes to create space and then find an open station to pass to, with calculated saucer passes being his weapon of choice. Bleicher also finds ways to solve things by making plays rather than just seeking dump-out options, although when he chooses the latter, it’s usually the absolute correct choice in light of the kind of pressure he’s alleviating for his team. Excursions into the offensive zone take place when he gets the (sound) chance, but Bleicher is very comfortable doing as much as he can to quarterback plays from the point, from where he does get off valuable shots. Speaking of which, he can hammer the puck. He needs to do it more often. But when the time is there to wind up, he’s got a cannon.

There are some detractors though and some might point to how he does experience leaky breakdowns in his own zone or that he can be manhandled off the puck here and there. It does happen and although some of his reads are great, others are not. There’s fluctuation. It was a big part of the learning process jumping to pro play last season. One also has to ask if some of that is due in part to a lack of the kind of four-way mobility you usually want to see from your defensemen as well as a skating style that doesn’t see him go all too deep in the knee while chugging along. Only time and continual off-ice work (i.e., improving leg strength) will go to show if the skating stride will become lighter on the eyes and more effective while the defensive breakdowns become fewer. He’s definitely got a hockey mind and hasn’t come so far so quickly without dedication to improvement, resulting in his steep learning curve. It’s actually been quite considerable in such a short period of time, so the move to North America may just be the thing to more quickly turn him into the player his development has been indicating he’ll become.

CLIP #1

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-max_bleicher_-_2nd_period_12_38_-_12_48_Goal-against-USA.mp4

Here’s a look at Bleicher jumping out of his zone, making a nifty move after quickly being attacked right on the heels of accepting a pass from teammate Lewandowski, only to skate down uncontested and blow a shot by the US goaltender.

CLIP #2

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-max_bleicher_-_1st_period_1_38_-_2_20_Whole-shift-sound.mp4

In this shift against Slovakia, Bleicher (#4) keeps things simple and aware with some good stickwork and then sound positioning. He ultimately uses his skill to smoothly put Germany into breakout mode although it doesn’t look like there should be an out for him here.

CLIP #3

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/4-max_bleicher_-_1st_period_28_50_-_29_12_Weaker-shift.mp4

In a rougher shift, Bleicher (#11) sees his initial dump get deflected. He then leaves an opponent wide open while drifting in towards puck play upon instinct. Although he does get back safely, the way he picks up the puck ultimately invites his opponent to move in on him and he’s overwhelmed physically, giving up possession in his own zone, far too casually no less.

2024 HLINKA GRETZKY CUP PREVIEW: Team overview and players to watch

Brock Otten — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 18:49:54 +0000

The Hlinka/Gretzky Cup returns to Edmonton next week, after the 2023 version was played in Czechia and Slovakia. Canada will aim to secure its third straight gold medal at the event. For those unfamiliar, the Hlinka/Gretzky is an annual summer U18 event that serves as the unofficial kickoff to the scouting season for the year’s NHL draft, in this case 2025.

Let’s preview each team and give you some of the players to watch!

Group A

Canada

As mentioned, Canada will be attempting to complete the three-peat after winning last year and in 2022. They enter the tournament as the odds-on favourite, even without the services of two of their top players in Michael Misa and Ryan Roobroeck. Misa was a key piece of last year’s gold medal winning team and is taking the time to heal and train following last year’s deep Memorial Cup run with Saginaw. Roobroeck is missing the event due to an injury. Regardless, Canada will have the tournament’s top player in top 2026 draft eligible Gavin McKenna, who is coming off a dominant performance at the recent U18’s as an underager. Safe to say, Canada will go as far as McKenna can carry them.

Five Players to Watch:

Gavin McKenna

The odds-on favourite to be the top pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, McKenna is also the top player at this tournament. He’s dynamic in every sense of the word and if his performance at the recent U18’s (as an underager) is any indication, he’s going to be dominant in this event.

Cameron Schmidt

Schmidt really opened some eyes at last year’s U17’s, helping Canada White capture gold. He may be small, but the speedy winger is effective because he plays such an aggressive, up-tempo game.

Caleb Desnoyers

Due to Canada’s lack of center depth at the recent U18’s, Desnoyers was thrust into a fairly large role as an underager and he handled it pretty well. The competitive two-way center is going to be a go-to offensive player for Canada and this could serve as a coming out party for him.

Matthew Schaefer

Not only does Schaefer enter this tournament as Canada’s top defender, but he should be one of the best defensemen at the event. He will unquestionably be a big part of Canada’s leadership group and his heady two-way play will be integral.

Jack Ivankovic

Ivankovic is such a calm, cool, and collected young netminder. His play tracking and technical abilities are so advanced for his age. While NHL scouts are bound to criticize his lack of size (under 6’), there’s no doubting his talent level.

Sweden

The 2023 Hlinka/Gretzky Cup was a bit of a nightmare for the Swedes as they failed to make the semifinals for the first time in eight years. They’ll be looking to bounce back in a big way, hoping to capture their first gold since 2007. The only issue is that the team will be missing its best player in potential 2025 top five pick Anton Frondell, as he recovers from an injury that occurred late last season. Additionally, Karl Annborn is mysteriously absent from the final roster, after it was believed that he would be a top defender for the team thanks to his experience internationally. One of the keys for Sweden will be the play of goaltender Love Harenstam, who has a ton of experience for Sweden already, as the team’s starter as an underager at the recent U18’s.

Five Players to Watch:

Jakob Ihs-Wozniak

With Frondell out, eyes will be on Ihs-Wozniak to really step up and drive play. He already has experience at the U18 level and the big winger is considered a potential lottery selection in 2025.

Sascha Boumedienne

Yes, that is former NHL defender Josef Boumedienne’s son. The Boston University commit already plays in North America with Youngstown of the USHL; he was a member of the USHL All-Rookie team last year. He’s a heady, two-way puck mover who should be one of the tournament’s top defenders.

Filip Ekberg

One of the key performers for Sweden at last year’s U17’s, Ekberg is a creative and skilled playmaker. He’s not the biggest or the quickest, but he’s highly effective because of his cerebral advantage. There are heavy rumours that he will be playing for the Ottawa 67’s of the OHL this coming season.

Viggo Bjorck

Thought to be one of the top 2008 born players on the planet, it will be interesting to see how Bjorck performs in his first U18 test internationally. The dynamic forward has a chance to be a special player.

Love Harenstam

As mentioned, Harenstam may just be the key for Sweden should they want to medal at the Hlinka/Gretzky. He should be one of the top netminders at the event after already performing well at the recent U18’s, backstopping Sweden to bronze.

Slovakia

The Slovaks will look to get back to the semifinals for the first time since 2021, when Dalibor Dvorsky and Juraj Slafkovsky led them to a silver medal. Unfortunately, the team’s chances took a big hit when it was announced that two of their top defenders would be skipping the event for different reasons. Potential lottery pick Luka Radivojevic is choosing to prepare for his upcoming SHL season instead, after playing in last year’s Hlinka/Gretzky (much like Canada’s Michael Misa). Whereas Vladimir Dravecky has decided to switch allegiances and play for Czechia. The Slovaks should still be able to score; they have some solid talent up front. But preventing goals could be an issue. Either way, they shouldn’t finish last again like they did last year.

Five Players to Watch:

Tomas Chrenko

Not eligible for the NHL Draft until 2026 due to a later birthday, Chrenko was already one of Slovakia’s top performers at the recent U18’s as an underager. He’s lightning quick and is a highly creative playmaker.

Adam Nemec

The younger brother of New Jersey Devils defender Simon Nemec, Adam is a winger, and is another of the late birthdays not eligible until 2026. He’s a skilled goal scorer who should be a large part of Slovakia’s powerplay at the event.

Tobias Tomik

You guessed it, another high end late 2007 born player who is not eligible until 2026. Like Chrenko, Tomik was already one of Slovakia’s best players at the recent U18’s despite his age. He scored a couple of goals at last year’s Hlinka/Gretzky as an underager too.

Jan Chovan

What? A high-end Slovak forward without a later birthday? Chovan is eligible for this year’s NHL draft and should be one of the team’s top centers. He’s a versatile player because of his power game and two-way ability.

Andreas Straka

Another forward with significant experience at the U18 level internationally already. Straka, like the other four mentioned above, will be a critical component of the team’s top two scoring lines. The competitive two-way forward is slated to play with Quebec of the QMJHL this season.

Switzerland

The Swiss have never medaled at this event and haven’t made the semifinals in over two decades. Are they overdue? You could probably make that argument, but realistically Switzerland doesn’t have the depth to compete with the other teams in their division. They do have some talented and interesting prospects eligible for this year’s NHL draft, but they might be more likely to finish last than medal. Somewhat surprisingly, the team did not opt to take any of their talented 2008’s to play as underagers, just like how few of these players have U18 experience either. It’s a recent shift in philosophy for the Swiss, who used to bring many underagers to help with elevating the depth of their rosters.

Three Players to Watch:

Florian Schenk

At this point, Schenk should be considered Switzerland’s top prospect for the 2025 NHL draft. The big forward may not be the fleetest of foot, but he’s strong and skilled, capable of playing the heavier game needed to outperform the other top nations in this division.

Jeremiah Mundy

Another big forward, Mundy is a power winger who played well for Switzerland at the U17 level internationally last season. He has a strong scorer’s touch in tight and probably enters this event as Switzerland’s second best draft prospect this year.

Lars Steiner

Not eligible for the NHL draft until 2026 due to a late birthday, Steiner may just be the most talented player on this Swiss roster. He has already played a game for HC Davos of the NL and should be the team’s top play driver.

Group B

Finland

Despite some decent recent success at the event, the Finns haven’t won a semifinal matchup at the Hlinka/Gretzky in over a decade. They’ve also never won a gold medal, a somewhat shocking revelation considering their success at the year-end IIHF U18’s. Maybe this is the year that they break through and get through to play for a gold medal. That said, this group is coming off of a last place finish at last year’s World Under 17 Hockey Challenge and it’s largely considered a down birth year for Finland. With a strong Czech team, an underrated German team, and a US team that’s always a wild card in this division, could Finland be headed for another poor performance?

Five Players to Watch:

Jasu Mensonen

One of the top centers on this Finnish team, Mensonen is a high end, cerebral playmaker who makes those around him better. He missed last year’s World Under 17 Hockey Challenge and will look to be a difference maker now.

Jesper Kotajarvi

Possibly the top Finnish player eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft, Kotajarvi is a mobile, two-way defender who was one of the few standouts for Finland at last year’s U17’s. Look for him to anchor the top powerplay unit and to log a ton of minutes.

Eetu Orpana

Along with Mensonen, Orpana should be the Finns other top six center, giving them a solid one/two punch down the middle. Orpana is sort of the classic center mold out of Finland, in that he’s got good size, competes at both ends, and makes smart plays with the puck.

Max Westergard

He’s got a Swedish name, and he plays out of Sweden (in the Frolunda program), but Westergard is very Finnish. He’s a solid complementary winger who can put the puck in the net and play a heavy game.

Patrik Kerkola

The likely starting netminder for this Finnish team, Kerkola is one of the early favourites to be one of the top goaltenders chosen in the 2025 NHL Draft. Look for him to join the Barrie Colts of the OHL for the upcoming season.

Czechia

At this point, the Czechs would probably be considered the favourites to win this group. They suffered a devastating OT loss in the gold medal game at last year’s Hlinka/Gretzky and will be hungry to avenge that. Additionally, this talented group of 2007’s lost a heartbreaking semi-final in OT to the United States at last year’s World Under 17 Hockey Challenge. Make no mistake, this group of Czechs could yield double digit NHL draft picks and will be a formidable opponent. Their group of forwards is very deep, and they’ll be a difficult team to outscore, led by the ultra-talented Adam Benak.

Five Players to Watch:

Adam Benak

The diminutive playmaking center was a star at last summer’s Hlinka/Gretzky Cup as an underager and he returns this year in hopes of avenging that tough OT loss. He’s so slippery in the offensive zone and despite his lack of size, has a chance to be a high pick in 2025. He’ll play this season with Youngstown of the USHL.

Matej Pekar

Not to be confused with the former Buffalo Sabres prospect of the same name, Pekar actually led this Czech group in scoring at last year’s U17’s, not Benak. He plays in Switzerland and is a very talented offensive player. He could be a potential breakout star at this event.

Tomas Poletin

Another Czech player who has left Czechia to play, Poletin is a skilled, scoring winger who made the move to Finland. He played at the most recent U18’s, and already has significant experience playing internationally at the U18 level. He will be a go to player.

Adam Novotny

Not NHL eligible until 2026 due to a late birthday, Novotny is another talented forward on this team. He made waves recently as the youngest player to score in the Czech men’s league. He is a dynamic skater and attacker.

Vladimir Dravecky

As mentioned earlier, Dravecky, a mobile puck moving defender, switched allegiances from Slovakia to Czechia for this event. A late birthday, he’s considered one of the better defenders available for the 2026 NHL draft and he should be a minute eater for the Czechs.

United States

You truly never know what you’re going to get from a U.S. team at this event because it’s largely a collection of less hyped prospects outside of the NTDP. Last year they earned their first medal since 2016, a bronze, on the back of strong play from Trevor Connelly. But in 2022 and 2021, they failed to make the medal round. On paper, this year’s roster should be able to score thanks to some talented offensive players, but do they have the depth to compete for a medal for the second straight year?

Five Players to Watch:

Ben Kevan

Coming off a fantastic rookie season in the USHL where Kevan was a near point per game player for Des Moines, all eyes will be on him to be an offensive leader for the U.S. squad. He’s the complete package offensively and this event could be an opportunity for him to prove that he’s a potential first round selection in 2025.

Cooper Simpson

Along with Kevan, Simpson should be the straw that stirs the drink for the U.S.’ offensive attack. He’s a dynamic offensive player who oozes creativity and confidence with the puck. The North Dakota commit will look to have the same kind of impact Trevor Connelly did at last year’s tournament.

Travis Hayes

The only OHL player on this roster, Hayes is the younger brother of Chicago Blackhawks prospect Gavin Hayes. He’s a tenacious winger who was a member of the OHL’s all-rookie team last year after a strong season with the Soo Greyhounds.

Blake Fiddler

One of a few players on the roster with former NHL bloodlines, Blake is the son of Vern Fiddler. Like Hayes, he plays in the CHL, but in the WHL with Edmonton. The big defender is a solid two-way player, and he should be a minute eater at the event. Interestingly enough, he played for Canada at the World Under 17’s last year but has switched to the U.S. for this event.

Jacob Rombach

Another top defender for the United States, Rombach is a massive, but athletic rearguard. He plays for Lincoln of the USHL and is a University of Minnesota commit. His combination of mobility, reach, and physicality is going to intrigue NHL scouts the same way that Adam Kleber did on last year’s team.

Germany

The Germans have never made the semi finals at this event since the commencement of their participation, but that has the potential to change. It’s not a stretch to say that this could be the best team that Germany has ever sent to the Hlinka/Gretzky, with as many as a half dozen potential 2025 NHL Draft selections. They’ve had some strong individual performances, but not the kind of depth that this roster has. I know longtime McKeen’s scout Chapin Landvogt is extremely excited about covering his region this season! Many of these players, as underagers, helped Germany qualify for the main group in the U18’s in 2025, by capturing gold at the Division A tournament this past year. That kind of experience can only help.

Five Players to Watch:

Carlos Handel

While Handel may not be the same quality of defensive prospect as Moritz Seider, he’s still a highly touted player after a few solid seasons in Sweden and some strong International performances. He’s strong at both ends and is going to play a ton for Germany. Interestingly enough, it sounds like Handel will be coming over to play with Halifax in the QMJHL this year.

Max Bleicher

The other minute eater on the German blueline, Bleicher is equally strong at both ends and plays a bit of a meaner game than Handel. He’s also not the same quality of skater, something he’ll need to work on. He’s definitely on the NHL draft radar.

David Lewandowski

Along with Handel, Lewandowski is Germany’s best chance at having a first rounder in 2025. His game improved dramatically last year and he’s the kind of power center that NHL teams are drawn to. Look for him to be a difference maker at the tournament.

Dustin Willhoft

A much different player than Lewandowski, but one that is equally important to the offense of this team. Willhoft is definitely on the small side, but he’s extremely skilled and creative. He’s consistently been the leading scorer of this age group internationally.

Mateu Spath

Spath has been receiving hype from Germany ever since he broke the U17 league scoring record as an underager a few years ago. The talented offensive winger brings speed and finishing ability to the German lineup and could be part of the top powerplay unit along with Lewandowski and Willhoft.

2024 U18 Division 1A World Championship – Team Previews + 2024 and 2025 Draft eligibles scouts are watching

Chapin Landvogt — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 22:34:30 +0000

The U18 Worlds will soon be upon us!
But before the main event takes place later on in April, the world will witness what nation will participate in next spring’s event. With relegation out of the world’s top group once again a part of the equation, the D1A U18 Worlds has seen its significance grow once again, already starting with last spring. Hosted by France, Team Kazakhstan emphatically made its way into the top echelon after many years of absence, going 4-1 to gain first place at a tournament in which host France was relegated despite two losses first coming in overtime. The favorite at the time may have been Denmark but despite actually crushing Kazakhstan 8-3 in the tourney’s 3rd game, a 5-3 loss was coupled with a 3-2 OT victory over France to see Denmark finish one point behind the Kazakhs.

And that begs to question whether Denmark, which will be hosting this year’s edition in the port city of Frederikshavn, can view itself as entering this year’s event as the favorite once again? With geographical neighbor Germany having been relegated last spring, the current answer to that question is likely a negative. Not only that, but Japan enters tourney play having not only defeated the Danes last spring but finding itself on a bit of a streak in international friendly play, having defeated i.e. Germany not too long ago in a tournament in Slovakia.

But this event is perhaps more pertinent for the scouting community as it will be giving both the NHL, various junior ranks, and independent services a prime opportunity to view a large handful of prospects who are either dotting the junior ranks of Sweden, playing in various locations in North America, or are part of the famed Red Bull Academy in Salzburg. Even more interesting is that despite the odd draft candidate of interest for the 2024 draft, there are even greater insights to be won here for those looking towards the 2025 draft, as several late dates of birth in 2006 are coupled with a rather large portion of 2007-born youngsters who are already expected to be key performers for their various nations.

So, without further ado, we’d like to take an inside look at what scouts will be looking at for each team.

The favorites

Denmark

A host nation for this event is often either the team that was just relegated out of the top group or the one most expected to gain promotion. Surely there are other criteria, but Denmark is going to be a team to beat, and this is for good reason, as the club will not only feature a good handful of players who had an impact last spring, but many who are playing their junior hockey in the hockey big brother nation of Sweden. Granted, the team will no longer have an Oscar Molgaard, Anton Olsson, or Albert Schioldan to lean on, but there’s more than enough collective talent here to skate circles around several opponents at this tournament. And they will have returnee Anton Linde, a U20 league player for the Växjö program and author of 6 points last spring in a top six role. He’s expected to be the captain for head coach Flemming Green’s team.

Other catalysts on the team will be Swedish blueline legionaries Markus Jakobsen, Oliver Kristensen, Oliver Nielsen, and Frederik Rundh, all of whom spent this season getting plenty of ice time for their respective U18 clubs. In fact, Jakobsen even suited up primarily for Malmö’s U20 team, getting into over 30 games of action. The same can be said of forwards Oliver Dejbjaerg Larsen, Tristan Petersen, and moreover Mads Kongsbak Klyvo, with the latter two being of special interest. Petersen is 6’4”, 208 pounds and played the majority of the season with Jakobsen in Malmö’s U20 team, putting up a humble 8 points. That’s certainly notable but measuring in at 6’2” and 181 pounds, Klyvo went 26-22-48 and +28 in 40 total U18 league games for the famed Frölunda program. As impressive as that is for anyone, he’s only 16. It goes without saying that he’ll be one of the key tournament attractions all week long.

But Denmark will also be able to build on the experience of a number of domestic players who spent the winter playing pro hockey in Denmark’s second division. Among the more notable players are defensemen Frederik Amondsen, Jeppe Bertram, Viggo Damgaard, and Jesper Oelsen as well as forwards Mikey Bergmann, Andrew Bjergstad, William Bundgaard, Oliver Green, Philip Neergard-Henrichsen, Linus Rorth, Sebastian Stromstad, Peter Truelsen, Tobias Villadsen, and William Uhre. Damgaard’s father was a long time captain of the men’s national team and Truelsen has put up nice numbers while weighing in at 6’2”, 198 pounds. The 6’1” Bundegaard took things even further, suiting up for 46 top league games (10 points) after collecting 15 points in 10 second league games. But of all these players, each of whom has been able to establish himself at this level, it's the 16-year olds Green and Rorth who everyone is waiting to see at this tournament, just like the aforementioned Klyvo. Green impressively put up 28 points in 25 games while also getting into 40 top league games (5 points), making him the youngest player in the circuit. Rorth’s 7 top league games paled in comparison, but his 35 points in 33 second league contests had the nation talking.

Outlook:

There are no goalies returning from last year’s group, but Tobias Christensen and Patrick Tiedjen tended goal at both the U18 and 2nd pro league levels. Nondescript at the moment, they look like the one possible weakness. The rest of the team is bursting at the seams with players who, in comparison to the bulk of the competition at this tournament, have been seeing prime competition and topflight development. There’s experience, size, speed, and plenty of players who spent this winter putting pucks in the net. Although Linde would have to be seen as the star of the team in light of last spring’s performance, the youngster Kyvo will be playing in his hometown in front of plenty of friends and family. Seems like he’ll be gunning to create a fairy tale and he’ll have more than enough support in this endeavor.

Germany

It’s been almost 10 years since Germany revamped its modi operandi with the introduction of the PowerPlay26 program, one that has seen the development of the sport grow in leaps and bounds with respect to competitiveness. In light of the recent success of the men’s team at the Olympics and World Championships as well as the U20 outfit’s continual ability to find a way to remain in the world’s top group, it can be stated how much of a setback the relegation was last spring, getting handedly defeated by group newbie Norway. On paper, the loss was very disappointing as it wasn’t necessarily the least talented group Germany had thrown on the ice in recent years, but it became one of the least successful. Now, an even more talented group is going to be hitting the ice to get the program back where it feels it should be, among the world’s best. And the most endearing part is that this group is chock full of players currently of possible interest for the 2025 NHL draft.

In net, the Germans will turn to Linus Vieillard who we saw in goal last summer at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and shortly thereafter at a U17 tourney in the Czech Republic. He followed that international experience with a masterful U20 league season for Berlin, with whom he was one win shy of taking the DNL championship. Lennart Neisse (Brantford Bandits) and Erik Eder both saw plenty of action this winter, even if both were in platoons of sorts with their respective teams.

The blueline will be one the scouting community will be keeping a real close eye on, seeing as how 17-year-old Max Merkl already debuted in the DEL last season and then spent the bulk of this season getting pro minutes in the top three leagues in Germany, including 7 more DEL outings. His 10 points in 5 DNL games clearly showed he had little to gain from remaining in the junior ranks. More importantly, Carlos Händel (Malmö Redhawks) and Max Bleicher (EV Füssen) are 2007-born defenders who are probably the best all-round defensemen on the team, especially in the areas of skating and offensive generation. Each is currently looking like a very likely draft candidate in 2025 and as impressive as the righty shot Händel’s 23 points in 28 U18 league games is, Bleicher’s 14 points in 35 3rd league games raised plenty of eyebrows. 21 points in 11 U20 and U17 games, all as a 16-year-old, show how ready he is for greater tasks. The remaining 4 defensemen have all been part of the program for two seasons now, but we’re hoping one of them is going to step up as a true top 4 option.

The one returnee from last spring’s squad is Elias Pul, a player who has had a decent, but quiet season for the RB Juniors program in Salzburg. The two-way center will surely play an important role here, likely teaming up with Nick Maul, another RB product who was Germany’s most notable player at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last summer. Heavy two-way play and plenty of strong corner work will be expected of the multifaceted Clemens Sager, who got into 4 DEL games this year, and he may be complemented by Tobias Schwarz and Simon Seidl, each with a healthy portion of DEL2 experience this season and fresh winners of the DNL championship, having beaten Sager’s Polar Bears from Berlin in the process. The two have plenty of offensive acumen, but can they now bring it at the international level?

Some unknown excitement will be contributed by Tim Schütz (Okanagan Hockey Academy) and Max Brunner (Lidigö, SWE), two players whose true progress abroad has been hard to assess. But the real excitement in this squad will be provided by 2025 draft-eligibles David Lewandowski, Mateu Späth, Dustin Willhöft (who actually grew up in Frederikshavn), and perhaps 6’2” Timo Kose. All four were dominant DNL players this season despite being up to 3 years younger than many opponents. Lewandowski and Späth even gathered some valuable experience in Germany’s 3rd league, both serving as instant scorers for their teams and Lewandowski being named the junior player of the year. The latter will be able to continue playing with junior linemate Lenny Boos who has come on strong this season and has impressed when pitted against international competition. Perhaps most exciting up front has been the emergence of Elias Schneider, a 16-year-old who doesn’t turn 17 until July 8th. Despite his tender age, he finished 4th overall in DNL scoring (52 points in 38 games) and then tacked on 19 points in 13 playoff games. He wasn’t necessarily expected to take on a big role in the U20 team, but after 20 points in 4(!) U17 games, they couldn’t hold him back. He may be the most purely skilled forward on the team.

Outlook:

This outfit has the most interesting group of forwards, several wildly exciting defensive prospects, and a goalie who could easily be tops in the tournament. It’s also entering the fray with a chip on its shoulder, knowing it failed miserably by being relegated last spring. It enters play with two recent lopsided test game victories over Hungary but having suffered a 5-3 loss to archrival Austria in its final test game. What will that mean considering they open up tourney play with a contest against those very same Austrians? In essence, that first game and the final bout against Denmark will be decisive in Frederikshavn. Japan remains a team that Germany will have to tread water carefully with, but victories over Hungary and Ukraine are expected. It’ll be a very sad state of affairs for the hockey world if this group of 2025 draft-eligible players is spending next spring at a D1A U18 Worlds, so the push for promotion this year should be considerate.

The contenders

Austria

It’s strange thinking that a nation that recently spent several years in the top division of the U20 Worlds had to gain promotion out of the D1B group to even get to this event this year. And after the Austrians lost to Poland to kick things off last spring, it took a perfect record the rest of the way including close bouts against geographic neighbors Italy and Slovenia to get to this year’s event. With a collective sigh of relief, the Austrians have no reason to hide here due to the number of players involved who are either playing abroad or are part of the nation’s Salzburg-based Red Bull program.

Perhaps the most pressing argument for Austria’s competitiveness can be found in goal. Both Patrick Grascher (17-4) and Luca Haitzmann (13-1) had wonderful records at the U18 level in Austria, but last spring’s 3rd stringer Mika Haim looks to have the inside edge on the starting job after going 9-5 in platoon duties for Red Bull’s U20 squad. If there’s any platooning done in Frederikshavn, program fave Haitzmann should be the guy teaming up with Haim. The blueline is anchored by a concrete top 4 group featuring returnees Fabian Baumann, Gregor Biber, Johannes Gruber, and Paul Reiner. Not only do they bring the solid tourney experience of yesteryear, but Baumann (AlpsHL) and Reiner (ICEHL) spent the bulk of the season playing pro hockey while 6’3” Gruber plied his trade in North America and 6’3” Biber spent the year in a top 6 role for Rögle’s U20 team. It may be the most established quartet of any in the tournament. It’ll then be exciting to see if and how the three 16-year-olds Max Bärnthaler, Mario Hofegger, and particularly Niko Uschan are made use of. Whereas the 6’2” Hofegger spent considerable time in Austria’s U20 league, the lightweight Uschan (just 110 pounds!) put up 6 points and a +15 in 20 U20 level games while also chipping in 9 points in 9 games in Austria’s 4th pro circuit. All three will use any ice time here as an audition for greater tasks next season.

Up front, some new heroes will have to step up to the plate, as not one of the returnees from last spring’s tournament had more than 1 point. A 5-3 victory over Germany in the final test game several days ago says that this may not be a problem. Still, the overall class of the group is severely lacking, with only a few players of note leading the charge. First and foremost is 6’3”, 187-pound Felix Haiböck who already got into 11 AlpsHL games with the Red Bull Juniors, collecting 3 assists. For the program’s U20 squad with 41 points and a +28 in 35 games. Johannes Neumann didn’t produce a whole lot in 22 U20 league games for Rögle, but the undersized 17-year-old was a steady producer for the U18 squad. Both return from last year’s event. Leon Buzek (AAA in the US) and Benedikt Krainer (U18 in Finland) have gained strong experience abroad, while winger Leon Kolarik and returnee Luca Kogler are both part of the top 9, if not top 6 equation. Still, its two underagers up front who’ll be worth watching. 16-year-old David Watschnig returns from last spring’s tournament and led the entire nation in scoring at the U18 level with 82 points and a +36 in 38 games. 15-year-old Paul Sintschnig has raised eyebrows with his scoring acumen and may even be a second line winger in Denmark. Both are extremely promising and Watschnig appears to be a lock to head abroad next season. There’s reason to believe we may have another Marco Kasper on our hands here and it’s not just because both are from Klagenfurt.

Outlook:

If the go-to players are able to set the pace and successfully eat up the important minutes, this team can play for promotion. The depth is questionable, as is the international quality throughout the line-up. What the team can’t afford is to take a day or two off. They’ll head into the first match-up of the tournament against Germany feeling confident, but Denmark is going to be a hard nut to crack for this group and neighboring Hungary will play them harder than anyone else. There’s more than enough talent here to steer clear of relegation despite being the group’s newbie from below.

Japan

A side that just keeps getting better and better, the Japanese entry was hit or miss last spring, gaining two regulation wins, suffering two regulation losses, and winning one in OT. The club has also put up some nice results against the likes of Germany, Ukraine, and Slovakia in various test tournament events throughout the winter but remains an almost mystical club as so many of its team members play their hockey in Japan, which is somewhat undocumented at this level. Returning from last spring’s club should be goaltender Yuichiro Takase, who got into one game without allowing a goal against or changing the outcome, and forward Miura Hyuga, who himself played sparingly in the five games he suited up for.

As for the rest of the team, we’ll just have to see which line-up they throw out on the ice in Frederikshavn as no roster was provided at the time this article was established. We certainly hope to see 15-year old Darius Odermatt, a dual citizen who was born in Switzerland, even if a player that age rarely makes it into the U18 national team. It’s also hard to imagine Japan entering the tournament without Sazuku Kudo in goal seeing as how he already played at the D1A U20 Worlds. The same could be said about U20 veteran defensemen Ryunosuke Shirozu and Akira Suzuki.

To be noted is that Kenta Isogai never played for his national team at an IIHF event, so we’re not expecting Japanese-born players who have spent years away from the homeland.

Outlook:

The Japanese squad has become very unpredictable in recent years, almost always good for an upset here and there. That was not different last spring. The teams brought in have generally been fast and hard-working, yet undersized throughout the line-up. What viewers should expect is a team ready to pounce on mistakes and teach underprepared teams a lesson. We wouldn’t mind seeing a couple of young men stand out and turn into options for clubs in Europe and North America, but it should be denoted that the entire forward corps will be new aside from the aforementioned Hyuga.

The ones with nothing to lose

Hungary

After a 2-0 win over France, 3-2 OT loss to Ukraine, and 4-2 win over Japan last spring, Hungary entered the final day of 2023 tourney play with an outside shot at promotion. A 7-0 shellacking at the hands of Denmark changed all that. Now the Hungarians bring in a widely inexperienced team that will feature just 2 returnees on the blueline and 4 returnees in the forward ranks. Topping that off, there’s no telling if those veterans will even be the team’s most dependable players as all have been playing in spots around the hockey world that feature rather inferior competition in the grand scheme of things. Still, one of those returnees is the 6’2”, 186-pound defender Ven Bendeguz who just turned 17 roughly a month ago. Already in his second appearance, the swift-skating blueliner has been playing in Sweden for a number of years now and was a regular contributor for Södertälje’s U18 squad this winter. A year away from draft eligibility, he’ll be one to watch throughout this tournament. Döme Szongoth is one of the tourney’s oldest players and is coming off a strong year with Ingolstadt’s DNL club, so he’ll have to be a guiding light while 16-year old Dominik Nagy, who just wrapped up a solid U18 season in Sweden, gains valuable experience as one of the most promising players in the program. Looking like the team’s overall leader is Krysztian Franyo, a 6’2” returnee who took a regular shift at the D1A U20 Worlds last December.

Goalies Dominik Kiraly (Canada) and Viktor Pasztor (Finland) each put up winning records this winter while gaining reps abroad but are coming off test games in which opponents were not exactly held off the scoreboard. Theoretically, both should be strong suits of this outfit. A bigger question is who is going to score. Returnee Oliver Barna (Canada) and Kolos Feher (Finland) both scored a good number of goals for U18 programs abroad while a handful of other forwards were sprinkled around mostly Finland’s junior ranks, but the majority of players are coming from junior programs in Hungary and only returnee Balint Lobenwein spent much time playing primarily for a U20 outfit, where he put up 35 points in 32 games. Scouts will be most in tune at watching a trio of 2+ underagers. Marcell Mayer (16) spent the season in Hungary but is thought to be heading abroad next season. Agoston Schmidt (16) just wrapped up his second season in Finland playing for TPS’ U16 club, for whom he put up 43 points in 38 games. Impressive, but only good enough for 50th overall in league scoring. This brings us to the most enticing player the Hungarians could put on the ice, namely 15-year old Doman Szongoth. Already 6’1” and 185 pounds, Szongoth led Finland’s U16 circuit with 76 points in 33 games on the strength of 49 goals. The KooKoo program had no qualms in having him conclude the season with the U18 team, where he added another 17 points in 18 games. The chances are that Szongoth will be a top six forward already next week.

Outlook:

Unless a goaltender steps to the plate and wins a couple of games on his own, the team is very realistically playing against relegation. The game against Ukraine on the 18th is already being viewed as the must-win contest. The 8-0 and 7-3 losses to Germany didn’t bode well but the team has hopefully learned from them. Otherwise, the scouts will be looking at individual players and a few of these young men will likely find themselves in programs abroad next season if they put on a good display here. In essence though, all eyes will be on the younger Szongoth who is on pace to be a hot topic for the 2026 draft.

Ukraine

That Ukraine is even here under the current circumstances in world affairs is an achievement unto itself. As any astute fan can imagine, the team will consist of players who are currently playing their hockey and taking their next steps in development basically across the globe. Not only can this lead to an above-average level of unfamiliarity with each other, but also to different levels of play that are hard to measure in a short period of time. What the team will not lack is any pride in wearing the colors of their nation. For many, this is a pinnacle showing of self-identification.

Still, the roster will feature precious few returnees from last year’s event. Only 2 defensemen and 3 forwards will be returning, and the goalie contingent will be completely new to the event. Fortunately for Ukraine, they’ll have a trio of players coming in that is fully intact from U18 league play in Norway, where the three have played dominating roles, most particularly Mykhailo Haponenko, whose 69 points in 30 games led the way and was topped off by another 5 in 4 U20 league games. His radar partner is Daniil Kurayev, who himself put up 51 points in 28 games, will accompany him here on what should be the top line.

Most interesting however is 16-year old defenseman Mykola Kosarev who put up 14 goals and 35 points from the blueline - in only 22 games. This tames the achievements of his older peers in the same league, especially considering he also got into 8 U20 games for Norwegian powerhouse club Stavanger and added another goal and 7 points. Whereas it’s already felt he’ll be playing in a more notable league next year, the underager will have a wonderful opportunity to present himself to eyes that had not yet seen him here at this event as his star the largest of the group, as interest should be there from CHL and USHL clubs. His defensive partner could be returnee Aleksii Yektiekhov, a vet of the D1B U20 WJC, who put up 28 points in 55 Czech U20 games for Pardubice. Even if not, Yektiekhov should be general of the blueliners and out there in all important situations.

In addition to featuring a line-up with a majority of the players spread out all across Europe (only one player active in Ukraine), there are 9 participants who are busy in lower level leagues across North America. Artem Chepil and Danyil Denisenko are the most notable of the group, both having excelled as offensive weapons for the respective programs, the Boston Hockey Academy and HCAA U18 respectively. Everyone else appears to be an open book. Who will take this opportunity to shine?

Outlook:

Of the three goaltenders, only Illia Semekha has spent any significant time in goal this season. Last spring’s 6’2” starter Alex Levshin has only played in one game this season. The incongruity in net, with the lack of a clear-cut starter, should be a weakness right out of the gate. The team is coming from all over the place and will have precious little time to come together. On top of it all, not a player on this team is playing regularly in any major junior or pro league of note. Lastly, there’s no France to serve as a buffer zone this year, instead being replaced with a heavy German team with considerable aspirations. Ukraine is the clear underdog, even if the team will likely have more crowd support in Denmark than anyone outside of the event’s host.