Filip Ekberg – McKeen's Hockey

2025 NHL DRAFT: Best value picks by round

Derek Neumeier — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 18:16:33 +0000

Round 1

Victor Eklund, RW — New York Islanders, 16th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 8th Overall

You'd be hard-pressed to find a single NHL scout who isn't a big fan of Eklund and what he brings, so it's through no fault of his own that he wasn't picked until 16th overall, as teams went in other directions beforehand to fill certain needs or select prospects who play more desirable positions. The Islanders surely aren't complaining, though, as they got to leave Los Angeles with the consensus top prize of the draft (Matthew Schaefer), a blue-chip young forward in Eklund, and a big bag of other goodies. From the moment they won the 2025 draft lottery a couple of months ago until now, they have completely rebuilt the foundation of the organization's future. That's tidy business.

Cullen Potter, C — Calgary Flames, 32nd Overall

Mckeen's Final Ranking: 14th Overall

Not only did the Flames get to select a player at 32nd overall who was much higher on our final board, they also landed someone who is a hand-to-glove fit for what they needed in their prospect pipeline coming into the weekend. Potter is a center with electrifying speed and has enough skill to single-handedly open things up offensively, so those are three big boxes that Calgary can check off at once. Mix in 18th overall pick Cole Reschny, who is a different flavor of talented center, and Craig Conroy must be thrilled with how the first round worked out for him and his club.

Honorable Mention: Lynden Lakovic — Washington Capitals, 27th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 13th Overall

Round 2

Blake Fiddler, D — Seattle Kraken, 36th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 22nd Overall

Seattle's drafting has been forward-heavy ever since the franchise came into existence, and that trend continued into the opening round this year when they chose center Jake O'Brien at 8th overall. Their need to add a high-end defenseman remained glaring, so it made all kinds of sense that they picked Fiddler at 36th, since he was arguably the best one still available at the time. Even better for the Kraken, he's a well-rounded blueliner who can play a big role and handle different kinds of responsibilities, so that's helpful for the team considering their overall shortage of options.

Jakob Ihs-Wozniak, RW— Vegas Golden Knights, 55th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 24th Overall

Nobody doubts the talents that Ihs-Wozniak possesses or the desirability of what's in his toolbox, and his production over the past two seasons is undeniably pretty impressive. So then why did he almost slide entirely out of the draft's first two rounds? It's because his actual usage of those talents and tools wavers quite a bit, with questions that arose about his intensity, work rate and hockey sense. The reason why I really like this pick by Vegas, however, is because the Golden Knights have such a strong and established team culture, led by players like Jack Eichel and Mark Stone (Alex Pietrangelo did a great job with this as well, but his NHL future currently looks uncertain). In other words, I believe that they're the kind of organization that is capable of getting the most out of Ihs-Wozniak and maximizing his potential. Of course, only time will tell if they actually succeed.

Honorable Mention: Will Moore — Boston Bruins, 51st Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 35th Overall

Round 3

Kurban Limatov, D — Carolina Hurricanes, 67th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 31st Overall

No other team in the NHL has drafted Russian prospects as much as Carolina has in recent years. In fact, the numbers aren't even remotely close between them and the next-closest franchise. Do the Hurricanes consider this to be some kind of market inefficiency, where prospects from that nation are undervalued or under-scouted because of various challenges stemming from the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War? The effectiveness of this strategy won't be fully known for a while, but there are some early signs that are encouraging, like their selection of Limatov this year. In terms of raw talent and upside, Limatov probably should have gone a lot higher, as a defender with an impressive package of size, skating ability, athleticism and puck skills. It's not hard to imagine him getting picked a full round earlier if he had spent his entire season somewhere in the CHL or USHL, which is a thought that Carolina likely had as well.

Cameron Schmidt, RW — Dallas Stars, 94th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 38th Overall

It's safe to say at this point that the Florida Panthers have rewritten, or at least revised, the book on how to construct a successful NHL roster after just winning back-to-back championships. That was evident at this year's draft, as teams prioritized size even more than they normally do. However, Florida's success this spring was also due in large part to a revitalized Brad Marchand, who has been one of the shortest players in the NHL throughout his entire career. He is evidence that smaller guys can still thrive when they're skilled and tenacious enough. For Schmidt, there are elements of his game that he shares with Marchand, even though that's not an apples-to-apples comparison between them. And while it's understandable how he slipped out of the first two rounds, the Stars look like they made quite a value pick by landing him at 94th. After all, they took a similar kind of risk a few years ago on a different short forward by the name of Logan Stankoven, and that turned out to be a homerun for the organization.

Honorable Mention: Hayden Paupanekis — Montreal Canadiens, 69th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 56th Overall

Round 4

Adam Benak, C — Minnesota Wild, 102nd Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 52nd Overall

Like Schmidt above, Benak is a prospect who possesses traits that are definitely appealing, yet they're tied up in a small frame that raises questions and concerns. But the early 100s is an ideal spot to take a chance on a prospect like this, and the Wild were the right kind of team to do it, considering they were only able to make one selection (late in the second, defenseman Theodor Hallquisth) throughout the first three rounds. If they wanted to come out of this draft with a prospect who could turn into a top six forward for them one day after a successful development process, they probably couldn't have done better at 102nd overall than Benak.

Gustav Hillstrom, C — New Jersey Devils, 114th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 58th Overall

Hillström checks off some boxes that teams are frequently looking for in players these days: size, mobility, versatility, two-way effectiveness. There were even times this season where he looked like one of the best options for that type of player in the entire draft, though they were fleeting. Still, this is a quietly clever pickup for New Jersey in this spot. Their NHL roster already sports a couple of fantastic pivots in Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, and it's not difficult to imagine Hillström potentially slotting in behind them in the not-too-distant future to give them a different kind of element down the middle of the ice.

Honorable Mention: Jimmy Lombardi — Los Angeles Kings, 125th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 59th Overall

Round 5

Atte Joki, C — Dallas Stars, 146th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 116th Overall

In today's salary cap NHL, every single dollar matters for the league's top contenders. Those teams need players who can take on depth jobs on their rosters and provide as much positive value as possible. This kind of logic is why I love this pick so much for the Stars. Joki is a good prospect, and at times was even Finland’s best forward at international tournaments throughout the season. He’ll become a professional level in player in Finland soon, and if everything goes according to plan he’ll sign his entry-level contract in a few years next, then make the jump to North America, and shortly after that slide affordably into a Bottom 6 support role in Dallas, where he’ll get to play to his strengths behind the team’s big-ticket forwards. An incredible opportunity lies in front of him, he’ll just need to seize it

Everett Baldwin, D — Tampa Bay Lightning, 151st Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 63rd Overall

Trying to separate the wheat from the chaff with American prep school and high school prospects is no easy task, given the massive geography involved, the variety of different leagues and circuits, and the wildly inconsistent distribution of talent. Some of the players drafted under these circumstances go on to become superstars, while others simply flop as disappointing busts. That being said, Baldwin is someone that we found and liked at McKeen’s Hockey this season, so we were thrilled to see him eventually get selected, even though it was nearly 100 spots later than where we had him ranked. One of the smallest defenseman drafted this year, he plays with a ton of speed and loves to press the attack offensively.

Honorable Mention: Petteri Rimpinen — Los Angeles Kings, 152nd Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 79th Overall

Round 6

Burke Hood, G — New York Islanders, 170th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 53rd Overall

I scouted Hood pretty heavily this season, and there were multiple times when I was watching him where I thought to myself “This guy really reminds me of how Ilya Sorokin looks and plays.” And wouldn’t you know it, now he is a member of the Islanders as well, where he will slowly be groomed to be a potential understudy for Sorokin before the Russian netminder’s big NHL contract expires. Hood unexpectedly won the starter’s net with the Vancouver Giants this season and became one of the best goalies in all of Canadian junior hockey from February until his 18th birthday in April, even after accounting for a brief and disappointing playoffs.

Carlos Händel, D — Montreal Canadiens, 177th overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 67th Overall

Händel is a very interesting case study. At his best, the young German defender is a highly dynamic offensive threat who can make highlight-reel plays with the puck. The problem is that those kinds of outbursts don’t happen consistently, while his defending without the puck needs some serious work. Luckily for him, however, the Canadiens seem like the perfect organization for appreciating his upside and getting the most out of his development, which they will be able to pursue steadily and carefully.

Honorable Mention: Jan Chovan — Los Angeles Kings, 184th overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 66th Overall

Round 7

Jeremy Loranger, C — Columbus Blue Jackets, 198th Overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 129th Overall

Once considered a reliable source for finding draft-eligible talent, the BCHL has fallen on hard times in recent years and just saw a major exodus of players midseason when the changes to the CHL-NCAA transfer rules were formalized. Loranger was the cream of that crop this season, and even led the entire league in scoring as a 17-year-old, but his success rang a bit hollow considering he played on one of the few teams that actually manage to recruit and retain serious talent, and many of their opponents were so hollowed out that they barely put up a fight. Nevertheless, he’s a slick, slippery winger who owns a deep bag of puck tricks, and he’s heading off to face better competition in the fall in the NCAA ranks.

Filip Ekberg, RW — Carolina Hurricanes, 221st overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 84th Overall

Ekberg was the breakout star of this spring’s IIHF U18 tournament, leading it in scoring with 18 points in just seven games. All scouts know that you shouldn’t put too much weight into a player’s performance in a single tournament, but his play there also sparked the idea among our scouts that maybe he had a lot more to offer than what was seen with Ottawa in the OHL this season, where he never seemed totally comfortable and the team as a whole struggled. In contrast, NHL scouts remained skeptical about his overall upside, and he nearly slid all the way out of the draft. His hands are good, his shot is good, and he has quick-strike ability in dangerous ice, and that’s more than a lot of other prospects taken around him can boast.

Honorable Mention: Grayden Robertson-Palmer — Detroit Red Wings, 204th overall

McKeen's Hockey Final Ranking: 126th Overall

2025 IIHF U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REVIEW: PART TWO – Our scouts provide their biggest surprises and disappointments

Tue, 06 May 2025 15:43:57 +0000

FRISCO, TEXAS - APRIL 26: Sweden's Filip Ekberg #14 skates with the puck while USA’s Charlie Trethewey #19 defends during Preliminary Round - Group B action at the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Comerica Center on April 26, 2025 in Frisco, Texas, USA. (Photo by Micheline Veluvolu/IIHF)

In part two of our U18 post tournament coverage, our scouts submitted their surprises and disappointments from their regions.

SURPRISES

Jere Somervuori

Somervuori came to the IIHF U18 World Championships having a bit of an up and down season. He started the season strong, producing at a point per game pace in the first half of the season but struggling in the second half. However, he was a leader offensively for Finland as he ended the tournament first in points for Finland with six points (2 goals and 4 assists). He was one of the most used forwards for his team and he was able to showcase his high compete level in every game. Somervuori’s effectiveness and tenacity on the forecheck combined with his speed and his ability to play at a high pace are qualities that should make him attractive in the middle rounds. (Jérémy Rivet, Finnish Regional Scout)

Filip Ekberg

Ekberg was a driving force for Sweden at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship, leading the tournament in scoring with 18 points in seven games. His blend of skill, hockey sense, and goal-scoring touch made him a constant threat and a key reason behind Sweden’s silver medal finish. Ekberg’s ability to create offense in transition and from set plays stood out, and he was recognized as the tournament’s MVP and Top Forward. The performance not only highlighted his upside but also reinforced his status as a top prospect for the 2025 NHL Draft. (Viktor Åhlund, Swedish Regional Scout)

Cole Reschny

Cole Reschny concluded his second-half surge with an exclamation point at his final event of the season, establishing himself as the biggest riser among WHL skaters. Reschny joined the team midway through the tournament and finished with five goals and three assists in five games, including a clutch overtime winner against Czechia in the quarterfinals. In addition to his cerebral playmaking, Reschny showcased a complete two-way game and a high compete level. He was a regular contributor on the PK and was aggressive in puck pursuits and forechecking sequences. An overall performance that makes him a strong candidate to go in round one. (Kyle Dalla Zanna, Western Canada Regional Scout)

Tinus Luc Koblar

Norway’s Tinus Luc Koblar deserves a huge shout out for his key role in staving off elimination. Koblar was an all-situations center, matching up against the stars of the tournament at even strength as well as seeing time on both special team units. He provided a ton of puck insulation for some of Norway’s smaller players by winning board battles all over the ice and flashed some nifty playmaking moments. Koblar could be a late riser on draft boards thanks to his strong effort this tournament and he’s a strong candidate to be picked in the later rounds. (Felix Robbins, Swedish Regional Scout)

Matúš Lisý

Lisý is an interesting case, he’s a balanced two-way defenseman with average size (6-foot-0 to 6-foot-1) who skates well and could be a late round pick. I’ve seen him play some of his best hockey at the tournament - he was confident with the puck, joining the rush, creating chances and also winning battles in his own end. One thing that concerns me is his decision making - he seemed to make too many mistakes to my liking. Still, he’s a two-way defenseman with a decent toolkit who could make his way into the bottom rounds. (Matej Deraj, Central Europe Regional Scout)

Jakob Ihs-Wozniak

Jakob's never going to drive play like an Ivar Stenberg who does it at an elite level, but instead Jakob is good at finding open space both in the offensive zone while his team has possession or being able to make plays at fast speeds during the rush. Jakob is an incredible finisher and added up five goals throughout the tournament, ending up with seven points in seven games. While he wasn't Sweden's most trusted offensive forward (only receiving 14:24 average ice-time), he was still able to produce. Thanks to his play this tournament, an NHL team could very much be interested in taking him in the first round as the top six potential has become more evident. (Simon Johansson, European Video Scout)

Jack Ivankovic

Jack Ivankovic's talent and ability have always been prevalent throughout the season. Unfortunately, however, his performance has always fluctuated heavily, with his playoff series against Oshawa being a big test to see if the regular season inconsistencies were behind him. Unfortunately, that series did not go as planned, and Ivankovic ended his OHL year in a rut. The U18 world championship acted as the last chance for Ivankovic to generate momentum and prove that he can step up where every game matters. He did just that, only allowing six goals in six games. He looked very in control of the play, and even though his team was dominant, he was able to snuff out any comeback attempts, dominating the play himself and making some big saves while the results were still up in the air. (Liam Crouse, Goaltending Scout)

L. J. Mooney

Although Mooney was the smallest player on team USA, listed at 5-foot-7, he was by far their most consistent and reliable producer throughout the tournament. Not only did he lead the Americans in scoring with 11 points, but he was also their most consistent play driver and physical presence. Money was noticeable in all three zones and did not shy away along the wall and in the high danger areas. His relentless motor helped spark the U.S. squad at times when they needed a boost. This performance should definitely bump his draft stock. (Mark Dube, U.S. Regional Scout)

Cullen Potter

Besides L.J. Mooney, who was the most surprising standout on the USA team, Potter looked far and away the best player for almost every game in the tournament. He only played middle six minutes (technically 3rd line) but over the course of the tournament was continuously adjusting and improving. He seemed to benefit from having Moore and Horcoff on his line, both of whom are very talented in their own respects, and he used his supporting teammates during play more than we’ve seen with ASU throughout the season. Overall, a very strong showing for Potter. There were times when he touched the puck that he looked like an NHL player playing against 17-year-olds. (Sean Boyd, U.S. Regional Scout)

Lev Katzin

I did expect a 5-foot-8 speedster to be a big contributor offensively for Canada…but I didn’t expect it to be Guelph forward Lev Katzin. The Penn St commit had 48 points in 44 OHL games this year but established himself as a key top six forward in this U18 tournament and finished third on team scoring with 10 points. A draft afterthought during the season, I think his play this tournament secured him a later round selection. (Jamison Derksen, North American Video Scout)

Florian Schenk

Coming off a rather disappointing four-point, minus-eight season in the QMJHL, it was uncertain how much of a factor the 6-foot-4, 209-pound winger would be in Texas. Despite Switzerland getting relegated and not winning a game from the test-game phase to the shootout loss to Norway, Schenk showed a lot of spunk and was mighty aggressive in trying to prevent the team’s unfortunate fate. He pumped in four goals and racked up seven minor penalties, mostly because he ran around like a bull in a china shop. It hurt the team at times, but he sure stuck out in what was generally a potpourri of blandness. (Chapin Landvogt, Central Europe Regional Scout)

Elias Schneider

Put your hand up if you knew who Schneider was coming into this year’s U18 Worlds? Well, it sure wasn’t certain where exactly Schneider would wind up in the line-up, but he ended up anchoring the first line and becoming the team’s top scorer with six points. He regularly displayed a heavy shot (hitting a number of solid posts and crossbars along the way) while also collecting several lovely assists (and setting up plays that his teammates didn’t make use of). Sure, he’s not the finest skater and he tried pushing a number of plays that weren’t there, but he was one of the surprises of the tournament, not just this team. We’d sure love to see him in Canadian juniors next season. (Chapin Landvogt, Central Europe Regional Scout)

DISAPPOINTMENTS

Atte Joki

Joki was a bit of a disappointment for Finland offensively for Finland. He ended the tournament with zero points in five games even if he was the most used forward for Finland. Especially in high scoring games where Finland rolled over Norway (7-1) and Latvia (10-2), we could have expected more from him. He was still able to showcase his effectiveness on the forecheck, backcheck, and his play around the net, but his lack of finishing touch, could make his draft stock fall a bit. However, the number of minutes he played demonstrated that he is a player that can be trusted in different situations. (Jérémy Rivet, Finnish Regional Scout)

Karl Annborn

Karl Annborn’s performance at the 2025 U18 World Championship fell short of my expectations, particularly on the offensive side. Despite playing in all seven games, he failed to register a single point and had minimal impact in Sweden’s transition game or offensive zone play. In a tournament that highlighted the value of mobile, puck-moving defensemen, Annborn contributed little in terms of creativity or offensive pressure. While defensively reliable, his lack of production limited his overall influence. His showing reflected a more conservative role rather than one of a dynamic two-way contributor. (Viktor Åhlund, Swedish Regional Scout)

Cameron Schmidt

Cameron Schmidt’s play left much to be desired. Known for his breakneck skating ability and ability to execute skilled plays with high-end speed, the diminutive winger struggled to create offence and displayed concerns around his hockey sense and lack of defensive engagement. He disappeared for long stretches, and showed individualistic habits on the attack, skating into pressure and passing up playmaking opportunities for low-percentage shots far too often. Schmidt’s dynamic abilities and goal-scoring upside bring optimism for his NHL projection when he’s on his game, but at this point, he’s going to hear his name called on day two. (Kyle Dalla Zanna, Western Canada Regional Scout)

Eddie Genborg

Eddie Genborg was a player I wanted more from all tournament long. Outside of a couple big hits, Genborg was outshined and out-gritted by his checking linemates Torkel Jennersjo and Morgan Anderberg. While he isn’t exactly known for his scoring ability, he was a net negative on the puck and seemed to be constantly chasing play. He’s billed as a straightforward, playable depth piece, but there were moments he didn’t look all that playable for Sweden. This performance shouldn’t overshadow the excellent year he’s had in the J20 with Linköping, but the likelihood of Genborg going in the top two rounds may be in jeopardy. (Felix Robbins, Swedish Regional Scout)

Michal Oršulák

Goaltending was the main issue for Czechia throughout the whole tournament. Due to Ondřej Štěbeták’s absence, Oršulák was tasked with being the goalie no. 1, but eventually lost his job to underager František Polatín. Oršulák often looked nervous and disengaged in net. He was solid in his first game, although he did let in a sloppy goal, but held Czechia throughout the match. The next performances were much worse. He has great size at 6-foot-4 and displays solid athleticism, but his performance at the tournament certainly didn’t help his draft stock. (Matej Deraj, Central Europe Regional Scout)

Anton Frondell

Frondell's performance in the U18 tournament was a bit of a letdown. He joined the team mid-tournament and there are arguments for him being tired because of his play in the Hockeyallsvenskan. However, I would say that excuse doesn't suffice as he didn't play much at all through the latter parts of the Hockeyallsvenskan playoffs. Being talked about as a top 10 pick in this draft, you expect more from him. His flashes are good, making solid reads defensively and displaying his hockey IQ by finding teammates in good scoring areas. But overall, he was quite invisible and was lacking as a difference maker, which could drive his stock down in the upcoming draft. (Simon Johansson, European Video Scout)

Michal Orsulak

The U18 world championship is the ideal venue for goalies outside of the well-covered North America to make a name for themselves with a strong performance, leading to the draft. Orsulak was a goalie whose stats in Czechia U20 did not stand out, and relied upon his visual skillset to generate attention, but needed a strong performance at the tournament to assert that he is a legit prospect. Unfortunately, his weaknesses got exposed, allowing several weak goals from clean shots that could’ve been prevented with active hands and better positioning. Each goal seemed to negatively affect Orsulak and linger throughout the tournament, as he didn’t appear to be the same competitive, athletic goalie that was shown in the regular season. (Liam Crouse, Goaltending Scout)

Jack Murtagh

As the highest ranked U18 NTDP prospect here at McKeen’s, there were some expectations from Murtagh coming into this tournament. He’s known for his goal scoring abilities and only ended up with two goals and six points in seven games for team USA. Murtagh seemed to lack that confidence with the puck he often possessed throughout the season. He didn’t drive the net with much authority and seemed hesitant to shoot at times when a play was available to him. One tournament doesn’t define a season, but it would have been nice to see more from Murtagh in Texas. (Mark Dube, U.S. Regional Scout)

Charlie Trethewey

After a very strong season with the U17 team, he started slow this season and then really started heating up his play towards the end of the season, but he really fell flat this tournament. The offensive upside and overall shine to his game seemed suppressed and his highlights were overshadowed by mishandling under pressure and defensive lapses. Posting one assist in seven games after 10 points in seven games at the U17s last season, it seemed like there was still a lot of work to be done with Trethewey. Time in the NCAA with Boston University next season could iron out issues and bring back his A-game. (Sean Boyd, U.S. Regional Scout)

Jackson Smith

Jackson Smith was expected to be one of the best defensemen in the tournament and a key player for Canada. He was good, and did end up scoring four goals, but he didn’t really stand out or take over games the way I thought he might. No new red flags or anything, it just was a bit of a letdown for the number two defenceman on the draft board. (Jamison Derksen, North American Video Scout)

Matia Nico Birchler

Of all the goaltenders who stood in net for at least three games, Birchler’s numbers were the worst. He came in felt to be good enough to back the team into the quarterfinals but ended up being a difference maker from a negative standpoint. A 7.79 GAA and .810 save percentage were actually quite indicative of what we saw along the way and there were some goals against of the backbreaking variety in each contest. The 6-foot-5 netminder has some tools, so this was a bad time not to be able to apply them. (Chapin Landvogt, Central Europe Regional Scout)

David Lewandowski

The right wing on upstart Germany’s top offensive unit, Lewandowski underwhelmed his way to three points in the first three games before falling off the planet. In fact, he wrapped things up as more of a detriment to the team than the difference maker they desperately needed him to be. Possessing immense stickhandling and physical tools, not to mention a 41-point WHL season under his belt, he did far too little for a team that was otherwise busy overachieving. With several players having put up a +4, his -6 was the worst on the team. His shanking of a shot on as wide open a net as you’ll ever see was poignantly descriptive of his overall performance. (Chapin Landvogt, Central Europe Regional Scout)

2025 IIHF U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REVIEW: PART ONE – Standout performances in the tournamnent

Brock Otten and Derek Neumeier — Mon, 05 May 2025 21:52:46 +0000

Well, another IIHF U18’s is in the books, and it was a historic tournament for Canada, who captured back-to-back gold medals for the first time in the history of the event. In the gold medal final, the Canadians routed Sweden, capping off a terrific and dominating tournament performance. In the bronze medal game, the United States defeated Slovakia in overtime, sending Slovakia home empty handed for the third straight year; the Slovaks have lost three straight bronze games.

As is the case every U18’s, there were some outstanding performances that helped to raise the draft stock of said individuals. How much stock do you put in a single tournament from a scouting perspective? It’s really circumstantial. For some players, a strong performance can flaunt the in-season adjustments that a player has made, helping them execute at a high level versus their similarly aged peers. For others, a disappointing performance can be attributed to fatigue, poor usage, or…simply poor play.

In part one of our post tournament coverage, Scouting Director Brock Otten and Associate Scouting Director Derek Neumeier have chosen to focus their attention on the players who stood out in a positive way. These are their tournament favourites.

Brock Otten’s Favourites

FRISCO, TEXAS - MAY 3: Canada’s Brady Martin #28 skates to the bench with teammates after scoring a first period goal against Sweden during Gold Medal Game action at the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Comerica Center on May 3, 2025 in Frisco, Texas, USA. (Photo by Micheline Veluvolu/IIHF)

Brady Martin - Center/Wing - Canada

How could you not be impressed with Martin in this tournament? He was the straw that stirred the drink for Canada almost every game. We saw that in the semifinal too, when he was ejected for a late hit. The offense just lacked spark without him. I’ve been a huge Martin fan all year long and his performance at this tournament felt validating. His skating has come a long way from a year ago and when you combine that with his motor, I no longer have any concerns about his game translating. His pace of play is just fine. Additionally, I feel like his skill and offensive upside is massively underrated. I remember having the same arguments with people about Mike Richards so many years ago; sometimes these well-rounded, intense junior competitors get underrated. What was most interesting to me was how well Martin responded to a move to the wing. I actually really liked him there and could see him on the wing at the next level too. It would help simplify things for him. His puck management and decision making were so much better at the U18’s then they have been in the OHL this year. He finishes this tournament as a top ten candidate for me.

Jack Ivankovic - Goaltender - Canada

It wasn’t an easy year for Ivankovic. His stats for Brampton weren’t terrific, especially for a smaller netminder. I came away disappointed in several of his live viewings this year. However, you can’t argue with the way that he’s performed for Canada internationally. He was dominant at the Hlinka/Gretzky and he was dominant at the U18’s. He has all the tools to be an NHL netminder and where he gets selected this year will be fascinating. One thing worth mentioning that is not discussed enough; Ivankovic is a terrific puckhandler. He was so good at making plays to help clear the zone or set up the breakout and his confidence with the puck is refreshing in a time where it’s a bit of a lost art for netminders. We do see him confidently handle the puck and make plays at the OHL level, but not at the level that we saw in these U18’s. I hope we see more of it in the future.

Cole Reschny - Center - Canada

One of the hottest players in the CHL coming into this tournament, Reschny lived up to the hype after joining Canada later in the round robin. He’s not really a high pace guy, which considering his lack of size is going to be cause for concern for NHL scouts. But you can’t argue with his consistent high level of performance. He’s such an intelligent, detail-oriented player. Equal parts playmaker and finisher, he finds a way to settle into soft spots playing through the middle. I’m not sure I can remember him making a poor play or read all tournament long. Really, the only thing separating Reschny from a guy like Jake O’Brien is a few inches in height.

Filip Ekberg - Wing - Sweden

The tournament’s top forward, Ekberg deserved that honor with a record setting tournament, as he became Sweden’s top scorer at the event. It wasn’t an easy year for him in the OHL with Ottawa. He never seemed to settle in, even if his offensive production improved late in the year. Is this the Dave Cameron effect? Quite frankly, I think Ekberg saved his draft stock with this performance. He’s put himself back in Top 100 consideration, when without this tournament, he might have been a potential no-draft. His size/skating combination is still a bit concerning, but he was tenacious and determined to get to the middle in this tournament. He showed off more individual skill and creativity than we’ve seen from him previously too.

Sascha Boumedienne - Defense - Sweden

The tournament’s top defender, Boumedienne earned that award with his strong play for Sweden. Boumedienne really impressed me late in the season with Boston University and it’s clear that he was riding a confidence high entering the tournament. He’s a strong skater. He moves the puck well. He even shows promise in the defensive end, having increased his physical intensity over the course of the season. He just needs to cut down on the turnovers in the defensive end; puck management is going to be an area of focus for him. However, I like the season long progression capped off by a strong U18 performance and he’s someone who should push for the Top 20 in Los Angeles.

William Moore - Center - USA

I’ll fully admit that I haven't been a Moore fan this season. I’ve come away disappointed in nearly every viewing of the NTDP. However, there’s no denying that Moore was largely good in this tournament for the U.S. Getting Horcoff and Potter back really helped to bring out the best in Moore’s playmaking ability. His pace of play is still not outstanding considering he is a strong skater, but he did a really good job of managing and protecting the puck. Whenever the U.S. needed a big play, it seemed like he was at the center of it, setting it up from the wall; getting pucks into the slot. He also stood out defensively and at the faceoff circle, even if I wished his physical intensity was greater. Some of the members of our team have been advocating for him to receive a first round grade all season long, perhaps I’ll be more receptive to that.

Derek Neumeier’s Favourites

Braeden Cootes - Center - Canada

Canada played some incredibly smart, tenacious, two-way hockey this tournament en route to a perfect record and a decisive gold medal victory, and no prospect exemplified all of those attributes better than Cootes did. Not only did the canuck captain lead the team in scoring with 12 points, but he was also one of their hardest workers and their most defensively responsible forward. He set an example that his teammates followed. Not only does Cootes get to leave Texas with another addition to his trophy case, he also left a great impression upon scouts, who were curious to see how he would play alongside players of a similar skill level, in contrast to his long and hard season in the WHL where he had to do a lot of heavy lifting on a rebuilding team without much support around him.

LJ Mooney - Wing - USA

This was a difficult season for Mooney, as he missed a chunk of games due to injury and then didn’t quite look like himself for a while after he came back, so he was surely motivated to have a strong U18s and leave a positive final impression on NHL scouts. And boy, did he ever deliver. He was a serious spark plug for the Americans, bringing a ton of offensive pop when the puck hit his stick on the offensive zone, spinning off checks to drive possession and make high-danger passes. There’s a dynamic “it” factor to his game when he really gets going. Teams will still have concerns about his size and durability (especially since he got hurt again late in this tournament), but he probably did enough to ensure that he gets picked at some point in the draft.

Blake Fiddler - Defense - USA

A dual citizen of the United States and Canada, Fiddler made the definitive choice to represent America prior to this event, which gave him the chance to log more minutes on a comparatively weaker blueline (although it must sting a bit for him that Canada won gold while he had to settle for bronze). He really made the most of that extra ice time and larger role, doing a lot of great work in all three zones and standing out as one of the best defenders in the entire tournament. The right-shot shutdown specialist was a fringe 1st-rounder coming into the U18s but likely did enough here to solidify a high ranking on a lot of NHL draft lists.

Cullen Potter - Wing/Center - USA

His good-but-not-great point totals might not suggest it, but Potter was one of the most dangerous offensive players at this year’s U18s, from the first day all the way to the last. He’s one of the fastest players available for the 2025 NHL draft, and he was eager to show that speed off down in Texas, using it to frequently open up ice and generate chances for himself and his linemates. He’s far from a one-trick pony, however, as he thinks the game extremely well and is laser-focused when reading the play as it unfolds around him. After competing against much older competition all season in the NCAA it was great to see just how well Potter measured up against players his own age, and he passed that test with flying colors.

Radim Mrtka - Defense - Czechia

Mrtka became incredibly familiar with being a workhorse, minute-munching defenseman for the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds this season, so he only needed to make minimal adjustments when he was asked to play the exact same role for Czechia in this tournament. There was no disputing who their go-to, all-situations blueliner was going to be, and he delivered the exact kind of performance that they needed him to. The Czechs didn’t advance to the final four, but Mrtka sure did his part in the semifinals against Canada, registering an assist and nearly scoring the game-winning goal with an overtime breakaway.

Michal Pradel - Goaltender - Slovakia

Slovakia was an underdog to even make the medal rounds in this tournament, and it probably wouldn’t have happened were it not for the stellar performance of Pradel, their number one goalie. He was a rock between the pipes, posting shutouts over Finland and Latvia, and he almost led his team to a bronze medal with 29 saves, only to be defeated in overtime of that game by the Americans. The hulking netminder is very well-balanced and already plays a style of goaltending that is common in the NHL, so he’ll likely draw a lot of draft interest from clubs. Don’t be surprised if he gets picked early in the second round.

2025 NHL DRAFT: SUMMER OF 25′ – Introducing Sweden

Felix Robbins — Sun, 18 Aug 2024 17:57:58 +0000

The 2024 NHL Draft saw a historic two Norwegian prospects selected in the 1^st round. However, I don’t know if the Swedish region, more specifically Sweden the country, has ever had such a down year at the draft. Of the six players selected in the top 50, only three of them were Swedish-born. Sweden fans, fret not. While it is still early, the regional class of 2025 is looking very talented and very deep – especially at forward. Let’s get to know some of the big names!

Djurgårdens Anton Frondell.
Photo: Kenta Jönsson / BILDBYRÅN

#1 - Anton Frondell – C/LW, Djurgarden (HockeyAllsvenskan)

To those who watched him last year, should come as no surprise that Frondell is headlining the Swedish 2025 draft class. He dominated the J20 level and made his pro debut with Djurgården playing up to 20 minutes a night and looking great doing so. Had his season not been cut short due to a lower body injury, I’m certain his name would be more prominent in conversations about who starts the year at 1st overall.

Brilliant hockey sense. Reads the ice and anticipates play almost innately. Grandmaster levels of tactical play on display night in, night out. With the puck on his stick, expect trickery and manipulation in order to set up the play he planned out in his head before even touching the puck. His shot is laser quick and he can whip it with pinpoint accuracy. He makes expert passing plays other players could only dream of. A triple threat on offence, and a mature, refined two-way game. He’s a pickpocket with the stick, has an exceptional sense of timing and positioning off puck, and has advanced physical skills for his age.

I could go on and on, but the point is this: Anton Frondell is the total package on offence and on defence. You could easily project him as a top 6, do-it-all forward already. So why not a slam-dunk star? What holds Frondell back from that elusive 1st overall type of projection is the relative lack of explosiveness and pace to his game that the truly elite players of the sport possess. It affects his ability to create separation when carrying pucks in transition or to cycle around the offensive zone and play keep away from the opposition. He can’t use pure agility and quickness to tilt the ice in the same way that a Kiril Kaprizov or a Nathan McKinnon can. Frondell is nowhere near a poor skater, in fact he’s a good one, but that’s what’s missing from the equation.

I remember thinking the same thing about Leo Carlsson in 2023 - if he only had some extra quickness to his already fantastic toolkit, maybe him going 2nd overall would haven been a much different conversation. While Carlsson was a more highly touted prospect heading into his draft year, Frondell has a very similar play style and will face similar obstacles to reach his true potential. We witnessed the birth of a pro last year. He’s set himself up for a big year in 2025 in the HockeyAllsvenskan - will we witness the birth of a star?

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Everyone is playing checkers while Frondell (#14 blue) is playing chess. Before he even receives the puck, he sees the wide-open space in the middle and his teammate sneaking behind the defence on the far side. So, he orchestrates a give and go play to beat his man, draw in additional pressure on him and set up his teammate for a tap in on the doorstep.

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I don’t know if I’ve ever seen this move before. Frondell (#14 blue) has some serious hands and a quick processor in his brain to be able to pull that off.

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I mean… what are you supposed to do about that as a goalie? Sure, he had to slide all the way over, but Frondell (#14 Blue) didn’t shoot it right away. Just a perfect shot through the puck-sized hole over the shoulder.

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Here is an example of that lack of explosive skating. It looks like Frondell (#14 White) thought about chipping it in, but the D didn’t close in on him right away so he chooses to skate it. It looks like wanted to take this puck all the way deep, but his defender caught up and he ran out of room. Had he been quicker, he could have probably kept his initial step on his man and taken it all the way behind the net.

#2 - Victor Eklund – LW, Djurgarden (HockeyAllsvenskan)

Much like his brother William (San Jose), Victor Eklund is entering his draft year with a solid sample size of pro hockey under his belt and “top prospect” status attached to his name. While his lineage does account for his high work rate, fine skill, and solid hockey sense, that alone doesn’t tell the full story.

You don’t have to look very hard to see that players who play like Eklund are plentiful in the NHL. You can throw him over the boards in any situation and good things will happen. He uses his quick and shifty skating on zone entries, on the forecheck, and to push opponents back on their heels when attacking. He’s adept at finding little pockets of ice to work in and is skilled enough to create and maintain that space. Though he’s slightly undersized, he’s tenacious and physical along the wall and in the corners, never backing down from a battle. He shows great two-way habits through smart off-puck positioning and a good stick. On top of it all, he’s got excellent playmaking instincts, inviting in pressure from multiple defenders with his puck-handling in order to free up a passing lane to a teammate in a dangerous spot.

While Eklund’s bravery is undoubtedly a positive trait, it can sometimes border on recklessness and overconfidence, especially with the puck on his stick. At his current skill level, Eklund can sometimes invite too much pressure for him to stickhandle or pass his way out of and will end up turning the puck over. While his fine skill continues developing, he’ll have to hone his decision making and figure out the happy-medium between risk and reward at the pro level. In the dirty areas, it’s a bit more straightforward: he’s got to get physically stronger to play his game at higher levels. Eklund has the tools to play effectively through contact in the HA, and he’s certainly got that dawg in him, but he still needs a bit more bite behind his bark. Not really a whole lot of negative traits to talk about – these are more steps I’d like to see him take to really elevate his game to the next level.

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Here’s the evasiveness and work ethic on full display. Eklund (#7 Blue) takes this puck along the wall and is looking to move it along, dodging stick check and buying himself some space with some nice agility. His pass to his defender is risky and he turns it over, but he grits his teeth and gets that puck back. How can you not love this guy?

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Eklund (#7 white) never giving up on the play. He recovers this puck off of a missed shot and moves it from low to high. He gets around the reach of one defender and throws it on net. It’s deflected, but he follows his shot and scores on the second effort.

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Eklund (#7 Blue) gets this puck at his blueline and is looking to move it all by himself. He skates it just past the offensive blueline and cuts back before running into a defender, but he falls. It’s a bit of a scramble an he buys some time for reinforcements to arrive, but he ultimately gets knocked off the puck and turns it over. Maybe a little too much bravery here when a simple chip n chase would have accomplished the same thing.

#3 - Luka Radivojevic – RHD, Örebro HK (SHL)

Radivojevic first caught my eye while watching the great crop of 2024 draft eligibles on the powerhouse Örebro J20 team. He was easily their most skilled puck-moving defenceman, balancing creative playmaking with refined and responsible play in the defensive zone. At the J20 level, he outscored some of his draft eligible teammates who play forward. He even drew into a few games in the SHL, even if he only played a grand total of 20 minutes or so. He also played a big role internationally with Slovakia at both the U18 and the U20 WJC, supplying some much-needed offence from the blueline.

If I had a nickel for every time Radivojevic got the puck along the blueline, drew in multiple defenders by looking shot all the way, all before slipping a pass to a teammate for a scoring chance, I could buy a Mercedes. So much of Radivojevic’s offence flows through his mobility, deception and shot - or the threat of it, anyway. He’s got quite a rip. Defenders have to respect it, which opens up tons of space for Luka’s teammates to get fed the biscuit. Every now and then, he’ll activate into the play below the blueline and even behind the net to really send the defence into a frenzy with some shifty maneuvering from his edges.

He's not all offence, though. Radivojevic has pretty refined physical skills and can deal with larger opponents vying for pucks in dirty areas effectively. He does struggle to get inside positioning and can’t box them out from the net-front, instead relying on his reads and smarts to advantageously position himself where he can tie up sticks or push and pull loose pucks from a maze of feet. Honestly, he plays a pretty well-rounded game for a 5’10” defenceman.

For all the magical moments Luka showed in 2023-2024, there were times his lack of quickness held him back. Most of the time, he can move pucks effectively through both passing and skating in the Swedish juniors. However, it’s a bit tough to project his puck-moving abilities to higher levels without that extra top gear. He could be a surefire 1^st rounder if he adds some extra quickness to his step.

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All the best parts of Radivojevic (#29 Red) coming together in one play. He moves the puck from coast to coast, he skates down low and fires a quick shot that glances off the goalie, he makes a ridiculous play for a tap in goal. Looking for more of this in 2025.

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He can take the body, too. Radivojevic (#26 Blue) makes a great defensive play, laying out his man and causing a turnover.

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Quick and deceptive, but not quick and deceptive enough. Radivojevic (#29 Red) tries to skate the puck from his defensive end through the neutral zone, but can’t escape the reach of the lone forechecker in his way. He ends up taking a penalty on a play where a quicker player would have just blown by his man.

#4 - Filip Ekberg – LW/C, Almtuna IS (HockeyAllsvenskan)

I can’t quite explain it, but it feels like Filip Ekberg is already flying under the radar heading into 2025. He didn’t make the Swedish 2023 Hlinka Gretzky team (although he made the roster in 2024), nor did he play in the U18 worlds, but he did dominate at the U17 level internationally. He scored at nearly a point per game in the j20 for a middling Almtuna IS team and played a ton of games in the HA for a 16-year-old. At face value, that’s a pretty impressive resume for a D-1. So, where’s the hype?

At his peak, Ekberg is a quick, shifty puck handler, dynamic on his edges, faking out defender after defender, on a mission to create a scoring chance. He can really explode into a sprint on rush chances, and it rarely feels like he stops moving his feet once he gets them going. He sees the ice well, hitting teammates with creative and accurate passes. He’s got a laser of a shot that I wish he used more often. There is even a will to get physical, even if he doesn’t quite have his man strength yet. When Ekberg is pushing the pace on and off the puck and he’s driving his line, he is a 1^st round talent, no questions asked.

However, moments where that Filip Ekberg showed up only came in flashes. You saw that Filip Ekberg emerge at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky against Slovakia, and then disappear for the rest of the tournament. In fact, he was a healthy scratch in the bronze medal game against Team USA. When he’s off, more specifically off-puck, he’s invisible. Boxed out, pinned against the wall, pushed to the perimeter. Carelessness with the puck, skating with a lack of awareness, turning it over without a fight. There were painful moments in the HA (even a few in the J20) where the physicality and the pace of play overwhelmed him, which is frustrating because he’s shown that he can keep up and he can ride the lightning. Ideally, as he continues to gain experience at the pro level, his confidence in his skill with the puck will increase and he’ll figure out a way to make a greater impact on play away from the pucks. Sounds optimistic, but that’s what you have to be with high upside swings like Ekberg. Not unlike Lucas Pettersson’s (ANA) profile just last year. You bet on the potential and hope everything comes together in due time.

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This is peak Ekberg (#67 White). Pushing defenders on their heels with skill and evasive skating, manipulating their sticks and bodies to free up passing and skating lanes, making PLAYS. He makes gorgeous feed to a wide-open teammate who hammers it home.

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This is a pretty ridiculous shot. Sharp angle, not a lot of room to get it off, and he roofs it. Would love to see Eklund (#67 red) use his shot more at the pro level.

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One of those moments where Eklund (#67 red) really looked like a junior player amongst men. Gets the puck with tons of space, fumbles it, gets smooshed against the wall and basically eliminated from play. More mental and physical maturity should prevent situations like this from arising too often in the future.

#5 - Viktor Klingsell – LW, Skellefteå AIK (SHL)

Klingsell made a bit of a mockery of the J18 level in 2024, scoring 28 goals and 34 assists in 31 games and going over a point per game at the u17 level internationally for Sweden. His stint at the J20 level proved to be an adequate challenge for him. The higher pace of play, physicality, and skill meant that the undersized forward couldn’t just score at will. However, if his performance against the world’s top prospects at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky is any indication, it looks like Klingsell has his sights set on dominating whatever level he climbs to in 2025.

Klingsell is a lethal weapon offensively. He’s a perimeter player, but he still makes magic happen. He oozes skill. His passing ability, peripheral vision, and his ability to read the play is extremely high-level. It allows him to skate and stickhandle with his head up, spot streaking teammates across the ice, and hit them with a perfect tape to tape pass. He’s poised and patient on puck, surveying his options, never feeling the heat - even in tight spaces. He can control play almost equally well from his backhand as he can his forehand. His shot is quick and accurate, on and off his stick in an instant thanks to his quick hands. Quick hands, quick shot, quick skating, quick thinking. Seemingly everything Klingsell does is quick, yet never feels rushed.

When the pucks not on his stick, things get murky. He supports his teams transitional play very effectively, but can sometimes cheat for offense a bit too much. Despite this, he’s actually a pretty good backchecker and defends opposing offensive transitions well with the stick. However, he doesn’t forecheck or play with much of a physical edge at all. In fact, he has a pretty tough time making plays through physical contact… at the U18 level. If there’s one thing Klingsell is going to have to do in order to reach his enormous potential, it’s the same thing countless undersized offensive forwards have had to do: get physically stronger in order to play your game through heavy contact. He could also stand to chip in on defence a bit more, but if he’s filling the net with pucks, you can live without it – even if it substantially lowers his floor.

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Here we see the playmaking prowess of Klingsell (#39 Yellow). He receives the puck at the offensive blueline and starts working over his defender. Opening and closing his stance, daring the defenceman to make a move, getting him all the way behind the net before pulling a pretty insane spinning pass right on the tape of his teammate in front for the easiest goal of his life. Knowing Klingsell, that was 100% intentional.

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Klingsell (#25 Yellow) finishing off a 2-on-1 with a gorgeous shot. He and his line absolutely carried Sweden at the Hlinka. Most conversations for best forward/tournament MVP may have been between Gavin McKenna (CAN) and Adam Benak (CZE), but I think Klingsell edged them out.

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If there was any doubt that Klingsell (#25 blue) has a tough time playing through contact, here he is getting knocked over by 5’8” Cameron Schmidt of Team Canada White, turning the puck over for a 2 on 0 against. That simply cannot happen. Time to hit the weightroom.

#6 - Viggo Nordlund – F, Skellefteå AIK (SHL)

After a monster 2nd half of the regular season, going nuclear in the J20 playoffs, and being selected to the Swedish U18 WJC roster, Nordlund cemented his status as a top prospect to watch for 2025. The undersized forward found phenomenal chemistry on Skellefteå J20’s unstoppable top line with Oskar Vuollet (CAR 2024) and Swedish U18 WJC teammate Valter Lindberg, carrying the team to a J20 Nationell championship.

When Nordlund hits the ice, expect the unexpected. He’s got silk in his mitts and a deep bag of tricks. With his great vision, skill, and creativity, he pulls off passing plays and chains together moves that you normally only see in video games. Nordlund plays with lots of quickness and pace thanks to his strong skating and agility on his edges. He’s a shifty and slippery puck carrier. He shows off a lot of intelligence on the fly and adaptability, using cutbacks to pivot to plan B when plan A is no longer an option. His shot, like everything else, is quick and accurate.

Despite his small stature, Nordlund doesn’t shy away when the physicality of the game increases. While he’s tenacious and fights through contact well, the reality remains that he gets removed from play fairly easily in the dirty areas - either by a bigger player, or by virtue of him not being strong enough to make a difference in puck battles. He also has a tendency to play a bit of hero puck. While I would rather see a skilled player take risks and learn what works and what doesn’t while developing, there are moments where the obvious best option would be for him to use his teammates… and he looks them off to go 1v5.

He’s a ton of fun to watch, and that shouldn’t change too much while still playing at the J20 level. However, Nordlund isn’t the first small, extremely skilled forward out of the region to be hyped before his draft year. The same question marks apply to him as well. How well will he deal with increased physicality? Will his quickness be enough to be an advantage at higher levels? How much of his skill will translate to smaller ice surfaces? Can he make an impact outside of the offensive zone? There is definitely a boom-bust factor here. Nordlund has shown a lot to be optimistic about, but he’s going to have to prove it at every level he climbs to.

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Here is a regular shift featuring regular moves from Viggo Nordlund (#8 Yellow) … only regular if you’re him, though. The idea was spectacular even if the pass didn’t quite connect.

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Another extended clip of Nordlund (#8 Yellow) being a one-man army, battling through contact, even throwing a reverse hit, slipping and sliding through everyone to set up a man on the doorstep from behind the net. I never tire of watching him.

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Nordlund’s (#8 Yellow) amazing skill on the puck is also a double-edged sword, as we see him look off a good pass option through the middle and skate into an unwinnable situation, turning the puck over.

#8 - Jakob Ihs Wozniak – LW/C, Luleå HF (SHL)

The Ihs Wozniak hype train left the station at lightspeed after a ridiculously productive year both at home and internationally. The big, Australian-born forward led all D-1 players in the J20 Nationell in scoring with 50 points and placed top 15 in points scored overall. That’s quite the bar he’s set for himself heading into his draft season. If I’m being completely honest, I’m not sure how he’s going to live up to expectations. After a rather disappointing start to his draft year campaign at the Hlinka Gretzky, mustering only 4 goals in 5 games, I may not be the only one who thinks so. Now, I’m a big believer in Ihs Wozniak’s stellar offensive package. However, I feel like there are so many tools that he hasn’t figured out how to get the most out of yet.

What he’s definitely got working for him is his passing ability. He’s got the ability to find seams across the ice and put it right to his teammate’s tape. He’s got a lot of poise on odd-man rushes as well, waiting until the defender(s) and the goalie is down and out before sending a cross-crease pass for a tap in goal. Ihs Wozniak has got a terrific shot as well, which may even be better than his playmaking. He can get a lot of whip behind his wrister and seems to put it wherever he wants. He shines his brightest on the man advantage, where he has the time and space to plan from behind the net. It should be mentioned that he had a bit of a tough time generating scoring chances at even strength since neither his hands nor his feet are quick enough to create the same space he thrives in on the PP.

While the points came in bushels and the offensive tools are great, there are bound to be growing pains. Ihs Wozniak is a very raw prospect. He’s still figuring out how to make an impact outside of the offensive zone. He’s got a tall, lanky frame, and has no idea how to leverage it to his advantage yet. No real physical edge, no battling along the wall. Limited contributions defensively, save for using his long reach to poke or deflect pucks. In this regard, he reminds me of Simon Zether (FLA) – lots of hype, lots of points in his D-1, wasn’t able to round out his game during his draft year and fell all the way to the 5^th round. There is still time for Ihs Wozniak to figure that stuff out. Big men usually need a little extra seasoning. I just want to throw up a bit of a warning sign before the hype train goes completely off the rails in the pre-season.

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A perfectly placed shot from Ihs Wozniak (#71 Red), above the pad and below the blocker. Goalie had no idea where it went. If he has the time and space to get it off, his shot is the most lethal weapon in his arsenal.

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I love this play from Ihs Wozniak (#71 Red) on the rush. He uses his big frame and reach to protect the puck from a defender’s stick, but still has the hands to pull the puck across his body a few inches from the crease to thread a pass to his teammate for a tap in goal.

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That’s not what hitting looks like. I know that he’s young, but he’s also 6’3”. Ihs Wozniak (#71 yellow) has got to learn to use that frame to his advantage away from the puck.

#8 - Arvid Drott – RW, Djurgården (HockeyAllsvenskan)

Despite being overshadowed by his Djurgården teammates at the top of the list, Drott is an impressive talent in his own right. Drott profiles as a power-winger. He’s got good size and plays with a physical edge. He’s an exceptional skater with lightning quick straight-line speed and impressive agility, which he uses to create miles of separation on the rush. He’s constantly pushing the pace on and off the puck, pushing defenders on their heels on offence and disrupting opposing breakout attempts by forechecking hard. In addition, Drott sees the ice quite well and can typically find skating lanes in transition or pockets of soft ice to work with in the offensive zone without much of a hassle. He’s got a nice shot and he can get it off in stride, adding to the lethality of his rushing game.

Drott has shown flashes of finesse with the puck and has good playmaking instincts, but he tends to turn the puck over a bit easier than you’d hope for. He’s a determined, creative player, but his hands need to catch up to his feet and his ideas. To take it a step further, it would be very beneficial for Drott to work on adding some east-west into his already very promising north-south offensive game. Again, this hinges on his ability to refine his puck handling ability.

If his Hlinka performance is any indicator, Drott can do everything you need from a bottom six forward already, but the offensive game still needs a bit more time to cook. I don’t expect him to make the jump to the HA right away like his two highly touted teammates already have. However, I could easily see him getting into pro games later in the season, depending on how far his game progresses and how big of a role he seizes with the Djurgården J20 squad. Drott already has a pretty high floor thanks to his skating, physicality, and motor. If the softer skill continues to develop, we might be mentioning his name among the best in the region in a few months.

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Really good speed, really good shot. Drott (#66 White) showing off the best parts of his game on this play. He’s pretty hard to stop once he picks up his feet. Would love to see more drives to the net in situations like this, too.

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Drott (#66 White) using his speed, frame, and motor to turn a blocked shot into some offensive zone time. I love his intensity and the way he initiates contact in the corner. Gold star in my books.

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Unfortunately, Drott (#66 White) hasn’t learned how to apply his skill at the pace he plays the game yet. As a result, you get situations like this. You can clearly see he wants to pass the puck to his teammate waiting along the boards near the blueline, but he has to stop moving his feet to attempt a pass or a move.

#9 - Oliwer Sjöström – LHD, Luleå HF (SHL)

Making the list is another undersized, offensive defenceman who earned a brief call up to the SHL. Luleå is chalk full of interesting prospects in their system, and Sjöström is no exception. He led the Luleå J20 team in scoring by defencemen as a D-1 and moved the puck up ice well with some smooth and mobile skating. Points are great and all, but points don’t tell the full story. In that respect, it feels like Sjöström has a little bit more to prove despite his productive year.

Sjöström definitely looks his best in the offensive zone. He can walk the blueline with some great lateral mobility, he can bomb a shot from the point, or spot and feed a teammate set up for a shot. He can activate into the play, exhibiting stellar control from his edges and pull in defenders to open up space for his teammates in high danger areas of the ice. Sjöström’s IQ helps him seemingly always be in the right place at the right time off-puck, whether it be jumping up on the rush or supporting the breakout. He rarely leads the breakout, however. His passing and puck handling in general is very safe and lacks a certain creative flair.

Unfortunately for Sjöström, creative flair and risk is something I tend to want from undersized blueliners, especially on offence. He lacks a certain dynamism, too timid to attempt the dramatic. I know he’s skilled and capable enough to pull those kinds of plays off, so it’s frustrating to watch him play it safe. Defensively, there isn’t enough pace or compete in his own zone, even if his physical skills are pretty good. He tends to fade into the background quite a bit in general. This point was further reinforced by his diminutive performance at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky. He just couldn’t find a way to make much of an impact. I think Sjöström must go within himself and find a little more confidence. Players who profile like he does don’t go far unless they can prove that they’re game breakers in one form or another. As it stands right now, the best parts of Sjöström’s game are solid, but haven’t shown to be ice-tilters at higher levels *yet*.

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Here, we see the smarts and the playmaking of Sjöström (#27 Red) allow his team to take advantage of a poor change and score. It isn’t the highest pace play; he doesn’t try to do everything himself. Instead, he calmly skates up the ice and distributes the puck to a teammate with a ton of space and a good shooting angle.

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Once we put his feet to the fire a little bit in the SHL, some good stuff starts to happen. The speedy Isak Born is barreling down the wing and Sjöström (#26 Red) has him gapped up. It looks like he’s about to be beat, but Sjöström smacks the puck out of Born’s control and takes him to the boards. The puck comes free, there’s a bit of scrambling, but Sjöström takes initiative and grabs it before rimming it to a less busy side of the ice.

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So where was that at the J20 level? This is an extended shift for Sjöström (#27 Yellow), but there’s really no excuse to defer this much or to be this passive and removed from play. I need to see the fire, the want, the need to get that puck.

#10 - Milton Gästrin – C/LW, MoDo Hockey (SHL)

It wasn’t every game that they shared the ice, but Gästrin certainly caught my eye a few times while watching last year’s 35^th overall pick Lucas Pettersson. If you only go by counting stats, his 16 points in 41 games with MoDo’s J20 squad may not be the most interesting thing in the hockey world. If you factor in his performance at the u17 WJC and the most recent Hlinka Gretzky cup, however, you’ll see that every high-flying offensive duo needs a pacey workhorse to do their dirty work. This was Gästrin’s role on the Klingsell-Gästrin-Stenberg line, far and away the most productive line at the tournament. brings size, speed and intelligence to the ice, and, since he’s captained almost every international team he’s played for, intangibles to the locker room.

He plays a very solid two-way game and has refined physical skills for his age. He knows how to use his frame to get inside positioning on foes in stationary battles along the wall, but he also uses his strong skating ability to backcheck opponents and knock pucks loose with his reach. He plays with great spatial awareness on offence and can skate the puck up ice pretty well in transition. Gästrin is the fantastic compliment to higher-skilled players who struggle in the dirtier areas, playing a vital role in retrieving pucks on dump-ins and supplying a steady dose of forechecking pressure.

Offensively, there isn’t a whole lot going on just yet. He’s got a bit of a tough time controlling the puck at a high pace, he often skates with his head down while handling, and he doesn’t have a lot of slick moves in his bag. He does have some vision and passing skill, so he can supply some secondary playmaking in a pinch. He probably won’t be scoring a ton of goals from the quality of his shot alone, but he can tap them in from the doorstep or clean up the garbage. Gästrin will always be a great glue guy with some intriguing tools. However, unless the offence takes a big step in his draft year, he may be limited to just that. We’ve already seen one positive step, considering he had 10 points (3G, 7A) in 5 games at the Hlinka. Will he be able to build on that heading into the J20 season and, more importantly, be able to create that kind of offence himself?

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Here we see the amazing speed of Gästrin (#49 White) and his ability to use it to move the puck in transition. He gets a shot off in stride, too, even if it isn’t the best.

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Gästrin (#49 White) digging deep at the end of his shift to catch up to an opposing puck carrier and stripping him of it.

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The thing holding Gästrin (#49 White) back from being able to fully utilize his speed: Stickhandling with his head down because he has a hard time controlling the puck at high speeds. He runs right into a defender and can’t make a move in time before turning the puck over.

Honourable Mentions

Eric Nilson – C/LW, Djurgården (HockeyAllsvenskan)

You might have caught Nilson’s heroic performance in the bronze medal game vs the US at the Hlinka just a few days ago, where he scored three goals and added an assist in Sweden’s 6-3 victory. Nilson, son of former NHLer Marcus Nilson, is an Alberta-born Swedish forward who spent a good chunk of last season with Örebro alongside two of the top scoring draft eligibles in the whole J20 Nationell (Alex Zetterberg and Melvin Fernstrom (VAN)). Someone had to play defence on that line, and, luckily for the other two, that someone was Nilson. He’s got a mature, positionally smart two-way presence and solid physical skills for a kid who only weighs a buck-fifty according to his most recent measurements. He’s not afraid of using his frame to block shots or lay hits, and he clearly subscribes to the idea that “the best time to get the puck back is right after you lose it” – in other words, deftly using his stick to strip opponents of the puck in the OZ or in transition.

Nilson is a very smart player in general, lending itself to his patient puck distributing abilities in the offensive zone and his vision lets him make some great passing plays. He’s got a decent shot that he locates well, and can get a surprising amount of power behind his one-timers. However, he lacks the high-end puck-handling abilities and quickness that would make his offensive game more projectible. If he can find some sort of go-to space creator, I could see Nilson being someone that skyrockets up draft boards in the mid to late season. It has just recently been announced that he’s transferred from Örebro to Djurgården, a team stacked with high-end offensive talent. Hopefully some of that rubs off on him.

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Here we see transition defence turn to a goal for from the stick of Nilson (#19 Red). Some great awareness and off-puck movement to follow the play and to pounce on a puck-bobble by the defenceman trying to break it out, and some great moves to tuck the puck home.

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Nilson (#19 Red) can’t pick his feet up or put a move on the defender closing him out in time and gets pinned to the wall. His 154 lbs frame can’t really push back too much, either, and the puck is stuck in a scrum. If he had higher-end skating or handling, he might have been able to escape that unscathed.

Mikkel Eriksen - C/LW, Färjestad BK (SHL)

After a historic draft for Norway in 2024, it looks like the country is entering a golden era of producing talent. Eriksen, nephew of Espen “Shampo” Knutsen, hopes to continue the trend. He was on my radar as one of the top Norwegian prospects for 2025 and did not disappoint at the u18 WJC, playing a huge role in staving off relegation and staying at the top level of competition. He showed a few different things at different levels of play in Sweden and in Norway, but ever-present was his high-end puck handling ability, high-end hockey sense, and stellar finishing touch. His sense of timing, his awareness and his ability to read and react to play is markedly above average and he’s weirdly good in the faceoff dot as well.

His two-way game is still developing, mostly relying on smart positioning on defence. Something I’m really missing from him is pace and intensity in his off-puck game. He can look very passive, especially since he plays without much of a physical edge and without much willingness to battle. Seeing that in high-end junior scorers always makes me skittish, but Eriksen is one of the youngest players in the draft so he’ll have loads of time to figure it out. Not to mention, he’s going spend 2025 in the terrific Färjestad BK program, who have the cupboards chalk full of Norwegians – including former Vålerenga teammate Stian Solberg (ANA) – so maybe they’ll have some tips for him.

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Not a good idea to leave Eriksen (#16 Red) all alone in front. He’s got quite the scoring touch to be able to roof that thing from right up close.

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This type of behaviour would frustrate any coach. Eriksen (#10 white) is skating the puck from the neutral zone deep into the Leksands zone with a defender a half step behind. As soon as the defender looks to close the gap, he just pulls away and cedes possession. I get that you don’t want to get hit, but that was a little bit soft to be completely honest. Hopefully he learns how to absorb contact properly so something like this doesn’t happen again.

Max Westergård – F, Frölunda HC (SHL)

Another very young prospect for the draft class and I love the cut of his jib. The Finnish Westergård is a quick, pacey offensive forward who does a great job of reading the play developing in front of him and reacting accordingly. Strong positional awareness, a great set of hands, feet, and a nice finishing touch saw him enjoy a torrid D-1 season in Frölunda’s junior system. Now, he’s very light, but that doesn’t stop him from driving the net and taking contact to make a play. The lightness doesn’t do him any favours in battles along the boards, but the heart and the hustle are there. We love intent, folks.

He’s a blast to watch when he gets his feet moving and dekes around guys, but his passing ability is still developing. The ideas are there, it’s just the execution and timing that has to improve. This is true in transition as well as in the offensive zone. His offensive game would be pretty hard to stop if he focuses on improving that this season.

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And here I thought driving the net was illegal if you’re under 6’0! Westergård (#22 White) with a fantastic power move, catching everyone off guard and leading directly to a rebound goal.

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One of the many well-intentioned passes that simply do not work out in Westergård’s (#22 Red) favour. They always seem to hit a leg or go just long/short. However, after many such cases, you gotta think the passing skills need some work.

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.