[04-May-2026 15:31:54 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Class 'WP_Widget' not found in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/widgets/mckeens_news_feed_widget.php:3 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/widgets/mckeens_news_feed_widget.php on line 3 [04-May-2026 15:31:55 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Class 'WP_Widget' not found in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/widgets/mckeens_sidebar_menu_widget.php:3 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/widgets/mckeens_sidebar_menu_widget.php on line 3 [04-May-2026 15:31:45 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function add_action() in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/shortcodes/mckeens_display_editorials.php:22 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/shortcodes/mckeens_display_editorials.php on line 22 [04-May-2026 15:31:46 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function add_action() in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/shortcodes/mckeens_display_tabs.php:50 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/shortcodes/mckeens_display_tabs.php on line 50 [04-May-2026 15:31:47 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function add_action() in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/shortcodes/mckeens_heading.php:15 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/shortcodes/mckeens_heading.php on line 15 Max Bleicher – McKeen's Hockey https://www.mckeenshockey.com The Essential Hockey Annual Thu, 08 Aug 2024 15:32:30 +0000 en-US hourly 1 2025 NHL DRAFT: Summer of 25′ – Players to watch in Central Europe https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2025-nhl-draft-summer-25-players-watch-central-europe/ https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2025-nhl-draft-summer-25-players-watch-central-europe/#respond Thu, 08 Aug 2024 15:32:30 +0000 https://www.mckeenshockey.com/?p=187619 Read More... from 2025 NHL DRAFT: Summer of 25′ – Players to watch in Central Europe

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

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

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

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

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

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

CLIP #1

 

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

CLIP #2

 

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

CLIP #3

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

CLIP #1

 

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

CLIP #2

 

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

CLIP #3

 

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

CLIP #4

 

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

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

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

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

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

CLIP #1

 

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

CLIP #2

 

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

CLIP #3

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

CLIP #1

 

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

CLIP #2

 

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

CLIP #3

 

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

CLIP #4

 

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

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

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

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

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

CLIP #1

 

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

CLIP #2

 

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

CLIP #3

 

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

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

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

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

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

CLIP #1

 

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

CLIP #2

 

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

CLIP #3

 

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

]]> https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2025-nhl-draft-summer-25-players-watch-central-europe/feed/ 0 2024 HLINKA GRETZKY CUP PREVIEW: Team overview and players to watch https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2024-hlinka-gretzky-cup-preview-team-overview-players-watch/ https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2024-hlinka-gretzky-cup-preview-team-overview-players-watch/#respond Fri, 02 Aug 2024 18:49:54 +0000 https://www.mckeenshockey.com/?p=187565 Read More... from 2024 HLINKA GRETZKY CUP PREVIEW: Team overview and players to watch

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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.

 

]]> https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2024-hlinka-gretzky-cup-preview-team-overview-players-watch/feed/ 0 2024 U18 Division 1A World Championship – Team Previews + 2024 and 2025 Draft eligibles scouts are watching https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2024-u18-division-1a-world-championship-team-previews-2024-2025-draft-eligibles-scouts-watching/ https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2024-u18-division-1a-world-championship-team-previews-2024-2025-draft-eligibles-scouts-watching/#respond Mon, 15 Apr 2024 22:34:30 +0000 https://www.mckeenshockey.com/?p=186069 Read More... from 2024 U18 Division 1A World Championship – Team Previews + 2024 and 2025 Draft eligibles scouts are watching

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

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

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

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

The favorites

Denmark

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

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

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

Outlook:

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

Germany

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

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

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

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

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

Outlook:

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

The contenders

Austria

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

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

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

Outlook:

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

Japan

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

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

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

Outlook:

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

The ones with nothing to lose

Hungary

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

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

Outlook:

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

Ukraine

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

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

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

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

Outlook:

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

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