Oscar Holmertz – McKeen's Hockey

2026 NHL DRAFT – MID-SEASON RANKING – TOP 64 with Honourable Mentions – Closing gap between top prospects

Brock Otten — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 18:59:16 +0000

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 4: Sweden's Ivar Stenberg #15 looks on during a stoppage in play against Finland during Semifinal Round action at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship at Grand Casino Arena on January 4, 2026 in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. (Photo by Micheline Veluvolu/IIHF)

With the World Juniors firmly in the rear-view mirror and many “junior” leagues past the halfway point of their seasons, it is time to update and expand the McKeen’s Hockey 2026 draft rankings. This time around we are bringing you a top 64, in addition to several honourable mentions.

While many in the industry seem to be wavering on the concept of Gavin McKenna being the top player available, he remains at the top of our list. We understand the apprehensiveness, but we also believe that McKenna still possesses the highest upside of any player available this year; plus, his performance in the NCAA has ticked up post WJC’s. However, we also believe that the gap is razor thin at this point between McKenna and several of the players we have ranked behind him. In particular, Ivar Stenberg received a fair amount of support from our team to be ranked ahead of McKenna.

While the race for first overall will be fascinating as June approaches, the debate over the top defenseman available will rage even more intensely. Verhoeff remains ranked first in this grouping, but there are arguments to be made that any of Reid, Smits, or Carels could be or should be the top defenseman selected. One thing is for certain; it is a good year to be drafting in the top five if your organization needs a quality young defender.

Caleb Malhotra, Oscar Hemming, Alexander Command, Wyatt Cullen, and Maddox Dagenais are among our highest climbers compared to the previous ranking. Malhotra suddenly finds himself competing for an OHL scoring title, showing tremendous improvement as an offensive play driver over the course of the last few months. The Oscar Hemming saga finally reached a conclusion after he joined Boston College at the end of December. While the offensive production has been only mediocre, his impact on the ice has been incredibly impressive as a freshman power forward; it’s cliche but he’s passing the eye test on a consistent basis. Command has been terrific for both Sweden internationally and in the J20 league, and he plays a competitive and fast paced game from the center position. Wyatt Cullen hasn’t played a lot this year, but when he has, he’s been outstanding for the NTDP. Lastly, Dagenais is finally putting everything together for the Quebec Remparts, as the former first overall pick in the QMJHL draft is becoming more confident in being able to utilize his physical gifts.

Our largest “fallers” were Xavier Villeneuve, Mathis Preston, Ryan Roobroeck, and Beckham Edwards. While we respect Villeneuve’s offensive upside as one of the draft’s most dynamic playmakers, we also wonder how much his game has truly grown in the last calendar year as one of this draft’s oldest first time eligible players. The offensive production just hasn’t been at an elite level the last few months. Can a trade to Vancouver (WHL) help Mathis Preston find more consistency and urgency in his game? Roobroeck’s offensive production has definitely improved over the last few months, but like Villeneuve, we wonder how much his game has truly improved this year as a third year junior player. Lastly, Beckham Edwards is a power skating forward with a goal scorer’s touch, but, the offensive consistency has been majorly lacking this year and it brings to light concerns over his projection and ceiling.

What about the goalies? Initially, our team wasn’t enamored with the talent level for the position this year, however, some performances over the last few months have helped to change our mind. We have three goaltenders ranked inside of our top 64, with Tobias Trejbal of Youngstown (USHL) sitting at the top of that list. Trejbal has been outstanding in the USHL this year and the UMass commit has the size and athleticism combination to make him a potential NHL starting netminder.

You can expect our next update towards the end of March as we expand to a top 100 ranking.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1	Gavin McKenna	LW	Penn State (NCAA)	5-11/170	12/20/2007	22	10	19	29	19
2	Ivar Stenberg	LW	Frolunda (SHL)	5-11/185	9/30/2007	29	7	21	28	6
3	Keaton Verhoeff	D	North Dakota (NCAA)	6-4/210	6/19/2008	22	6	11	17	23
4	Chase Reid	D	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	6-2/185	12/30/2007	39	18	27	45	30
5	Alberts Smits	D	Jukurit (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/205	12/2/2007	34	6	7	13	12
6	Carson Carels	D	Prince George (WHL)	6-2/195	6/23/2008	37	12	28	40	42
7	Tynan Lawrence	C	Muskegon (USHL)	6-0/185	8/3/2008	13	10	7	17	6
8	Viggo Bjorck	C	Djurgardens (SHL)	5-9/175	3/12/2008	29	4	4	8	10
9	Caleb Malhotra	C	Brantford (OHL)	6-0/170	6/2/2008	45	23	38	61	37
10	Ethan Belchetz	LW	Windsor (OHL)	6-5/225	3/30/2008	43	29	16	45	35
11	Oscar Hemming	LW	Boston College (NCAA)	6-4/195	8/13/2008	6	0	3	3	8
12	Adam Novotny	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/205	11/13/2007	37	22	21	43	8
13	Ryan Lin	D	Vancouver (WHL)	5-11/175	4/18/2008	42	11	39	50	33
14	Daxon Rudolph	D	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-2/205	3/6/2008	45	21	33	54	42
15	Oliver Suvanto	C	Tappara (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/210	9/3/2008	34	2	5	7	14
16	Elton Hermansson	RW	MoDo Hockey (Allsvenskan)	6-1/180	2/5/2008	29	9	7	16	14
17	Ilia Morozov	C	Miami (NCAA)	6-3/195	8/3/2008	24	7	7	14	25
18	Xavier Villeneuve	D	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	5-11/160	9/29/2007	35	6	30	36	35
19	Malte Gustafsson	D	HV 71 (SHL)	6-4/200	6/11/2008	16	0	3	3	2
20	Juho Piiparinen	D	Tappara (Fin-Liiga)	6-2/200	8/10/2008	28	0	3	3	8
21	Alexander Command	C	Orebro (Swe U20)	6-1/185	6/16/2008	24	13	22	35	30
22	Wyatt Cullen	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/175	9/8/2008	17	3	11	14	2
23	JP Hurlbert	LW	Kamloops (WHL)	6-0/185	4/11/2008	45	31	41	72	26
24	Nikita Klepov	RW	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/180	6/27/2008	45	28	32	60	27
25	Mathis Preston	RW	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/175	7/21/2008	36	14	18	32	32
26	Jaxon Cover	LW	London (OHL)	6-2/175	2/13/2008	45	14	20	34	40
27	William Hakansson	D	Lulea (SHL)	6-4/205	10/8/2007	22	0	2	2	8
28	Giorgos Pantelas	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-2/215	4/24/2008	45	2	18	20	30
29	Brooks Rogowski	C	Oshawa (OHL)	6-6/225	6/28/2008	31	7	18	25	10
30	Maddox Dagenais	C	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/195	3/27/2008	43	20	17	37	23
31	Tomas Chrenko	C	HK Nitra (Slovakia)	5-11/170	11/2/2007	33	6	16	22	6
32	Marcus Nordmark	LW	Djurgardens (Swe U20)	6-1/180	5/4/2008	21	10	20	30	42
33	Egor Shilov	C	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	6-1/180	4/30/2008	42	22	37	59	23
34	Ryan Roobroeck	C	Niagara (OHL)	6-3/215	9/25/2007	45	27	26	53	26
35	Jakub Vanecek	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-1/190	2/25/2008	36	10	15	25	16
36	Pierce Mbuyi	LW	Owen Sound (OHL)	5-10/160	4/17/2008	45	23	27	50	65
37	Jack Hextall	C	Youngstown (USHL)	6-0/190	3/23/2008	38	12	25	37	22
38	Thomas Vandenberg	C	Ottawa (OHL)	6-0/180	9/8/2008	37	17	17	34	14
39	Vladimir Dravecky	D	Brantford (OHL)	6-0/185	12/19/2007	37	7	16	23	20
40	Alessandro Di Iorio	RW	Sarnia (OHL)	6-0/190	3/17/2008	28	10	9	19	8
41	Vilho Vanhatalo	RW	Tappara (Fin-U20)	6-4/195	1/18/2008	29	10	8	18	14
42	Ryder Cali	C	North Bay (OHL)	6-1/210	9/6/2008	24	11	5	16	4
43	Tommy Bleyl	D	Moncton (QMJHL)	6-0/160	12/1/2007	42	7	44	51	22
44	Tobias Trejbal	G	Youngstown (USHL)	6-4/190	11/9/2007	27	20	5	2.04	0.924
45	Charlie Morrison	D	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/195	10/12/2007	24	2	4	6	23
46	Oscar Holmertz	C	Linkopings (Swe U20)	6-0/190	3/21/2008	25	7	14	21	2
47	Nikita Scherbakov	D	Salavat Yulayev Ufa (KHL)	6-5/190	10/23/2007	7	0	0	0	4
48	Victor Plante	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-9/165	3/10/2008	34	16	13	29	55
49	Adam Goljer	D	HK Dukla Trencin (Slovakia)	6-3/195	6/7/2008	33	4	6	10	26
50	Luke Schairer	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-3/195	1/30/2008	36	0	9	9	55
51	Niklas Aaram-Olsen	RW	Orebro (Swe U20)	6-0/185	4/19/2008	22	17	15	32	12
52	Gleb Pugachyov	C	Chaika Nizhny Novgorod (MHL)	6-3/200	3/25/2008	27	8	13	21	20
53	Simas Ignatavicius	C	Geneva-Servette (Sui-NL)	6-3/195	10/22/2007	44	5	6	11	41
54	Lars Steiner	RW	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	5-10/175	11/12/2007	24	12	12	24	26
55	Dmitri Borichev	G	Loko-76 Yaroslavl (MHL)	6-3/200	6/19/2008	17	8	6	1.79	0.942
56	Adam Andersson	C	Leksands (Swe U20)	6-3/200	7/2/2008	23	2	13	15	22
57	Alexander Bilecki	D	Kitchener (OHL)	6-1/180	5/9/2008	44	7	15	22	24
58	Axel Elofsson	D	Orebro (Swe U20)	5-10/165	6/3/2008	26	7	24	31	18
59	Xavier Wendt	G	Tri-City (WHL)	6-1/165	1/24/2008	28	17	9	2.42	0.929
60	Adam Valentini	LW	Michigan (NCAA)	5-11/185	4/11/2008	24	6	13	19	40
61	Beckham Edwards	C	Sarnia (OHL)	6-1/180	1/6/2008	45	14	17	31	14
62	Samu Alalauri	D	Pelicans (Fin-U20)	6-2/200	5/31/2008	32	6	17	23	4
63	Ben MacBeath	D	Calgary (WHL)	6-2/185	3/4/2008	43	6	27	33	12
64	Liam Ruck	RW	Medicine Hat (WHL)	6-0/175	2/21/2008	46	27	37	64	26
HM	Simon Katolicky	LW	Tappara (Fin-U20)	6-4/195	7/24/2008	24	5	9	14	16
HM	Timofei Runtso	D	Victoria (WHL)	6-2/185	7/6/2007	45	7	26	33	22
HM	Layne Gallacher	C	Brantford (OHL)	6-1/180	2/16/2008	21	5	7	12	2
HM	Landon Amrhein	LW	Calgary (WHL)	6-4/190	4/6/2008	39	7	16	23	6
HM	Filip Ruzicka	G	Brandon (WHL)	6-7/230	3/24/2008	27	19	7	2.97	0.908
HM	Wiggo Sorensson	C	Boro/Vetlanda (Swe Div 2)	5-11/180	4/15/2008	24	13	16	29	2
HM	Viktor Fyodorov	C	Torpedo-Gorky NN (VHL)	5-10/175	2/21/2008	27	2	5	7	6
HM	Landon Nycz	D	Massachusetts (NCAA)	6-2/200	10/4/2007	24	1	1	2	0
HM	Brady Knowling	G	USN U18 (USDP)	6-5/200	3/9/2008	17	6	8	3.60	0.880
HM	Casey Mutryn	RW	USN U18 (USDP)	6-3/200	7/5/2008	36	7	18	25	32
HM	Tobias Tvrznik	G	Wenatchee (WHL)	6-4/180	7/29/2007	31	13	15	2.89	0.919
HM	Jonas Lagerberg Hoen	RW	Leksands (Swe U20)	6-2/175	10/24/2007	9	9	7	16	33
HM	Olivers Murnieks	C	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/190	7/31/2008	29	6	12	18	14
HM	Colin Fitzgerald	C	Pbo-Soo (OHL)	6-2/210	4/1/2008	44	13	12	25	48
HM	Adam Nemec	LW	Sudbury (OHL)	6-1/175	10/18/2007	8	4	6	10	0
HM	Chase Harrington	LW	Spokane (WHL)	6-0/195	10/30/2007	44	17	23	40	73

2026 NHL DRAFT – MID-SEASON RANKING – TOP 32 – Closing gap between top prospects

Brock Otten — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 18:56:46 +0000

You can expect our next update towards the end of March as we expand to a top 100 ranking.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1	Gavin McKenna	LW	Penn State (NCAA)	5-11/170	12/20/2007	22	10	19	29	19
2	Ivar Stenberg	LW	Frolunda (SHL)	5-11/185	9/30/2007	29	7	21	28	6
3	Keaton Verhoeff	D	North Dakota (NCAA)	6-4/210	6/19/2008	22	6	11	17	23
4	Chase Reid	D	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	6-2/185	12/30/2007	39	18	27	45	30
5	Alberts Smits	D	Jukurit (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/205	12/2/2007	34	6	7	13	12
6	Carson Carels	D	Prince George (WHL)	6-2/195	6/23/2008	37	12	28	40	42
7	Tynan Lawrence	C	Muskegon (USHL)	6-0/185	8/3/2008	13	10	7	17	6
8	Viggo Bjorck	C	Djurgardens (SHL)	5-9/175	3/12/2008	29	4	4	8	10
9	Caleb Malhotra	C	Brantford (OHL)	6-0/170	6/2/2008	45	23	38	61	37
10	Ethan Belchetz	LW	Windsor (OHL)	6-5/225	3/30/2008	43	29	16	45	35
11	Oscar Hemming	LW	Boston College (NCAA)	6-4/195	8/13/2008	6	0	3	3	8
12	Adam Novotny	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/205	11/13/2007	37	22	21	43	8
13	Ryan Lin	D	Vancouver (WHL)	5-11/175	4/18/2008	42	11	39	50	33
14	Daxon Rudolph	D	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-2/205	3/6/2008	45	21	33	54	42
15	Oliver Suvanto	C	Tappara (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/210	9/3/2008	34	2	5	7	14
16	Elton Hermansson	RW	MoDo Hockey (Allsvenskan)	6-1/180	2/5/2008	29	9	7	16	14
17	Ilia Morozov	C	Miami (NCAA)	6-3/195	8/3/2008	24	7	7	14	25
18	Xavier Villeneuve	D	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	5-11/160	9/29/2007	35	6	30	36	35
19	Malte Gustafsson	D	HV 71 (SHL)	6-4/200	6/11/2008	16	0	3	3	2
20	Juho Piiparinen	D	Tappara (Fin-Liiga)	6-2/200	8/10/2008	28	0	3	3	8
21	Alexander Command	C	Orebro (Swe U20)	6-1/185	6/16/2008	24	13	22	35	30
22	Wyatt Cullen	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/175	9/8/2008	17	3	11	14	2
23	JP Hurlbert	LW	Kamloops (WHL)	6-0/185	4/11/2008	45	31	41	72	26
24	Nikita Klepov	RW	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/180	6/27/2008	45	28	32	60	27
25	Mathis Preston	RW	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/175	7/21/2008	36	14	18	32	32
26	Jaxon Cover	LW	London (OHL)	6-2/175	2/13/2008	45	14	20	34	40
27	William Hakansson	D	Lulea (SHL)	6-4/205	10/8/2007	22	0	2	2	8
28	Giorgos Pantelas	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-2/215	4/24/2008	45	2	18	20	30
29	Brooks Rogowski	C	Oshawa (OHL)	6-6/225	6/28/2008	31	7	18	25	10
30	Maddox Dagenais	C	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/195	3/27/2008	43	20	17	37	23
31	Tomas Chrenko	C	HK Nitra (Slovakia)	5-11/170	11/2/2007	33	6	16	22	6
32	Marcus Nordmark	LW	Djurgardens (Swe U20)	6-1/180	5/4/2008	21	10	20	30	42

2025 HLINKA GRETZKY CUP PREVIEW -GROUP B – United States, Sweden, Slovakia, Germany – Slovakian hosts hope for an improved tournament, while Sweden returns with another strong squad

Linc Zdancewicz, Simon Johansson, Matej Deraj, and Chapin Landvogt — Sat, 09 Aug 2025 16:44:03 +0000

GROUP B

United States

By Linc Zdancewicz

The United States Hockey Program has been dominant at the international stage in recent history. However, this prominence has not carried over to the Hlinka Gretzky Tournament. The Red, White, and Blue haven’t won the tournament since 2003 and only have a bronze medal to their names in the last seven tournaments. Generally, this is due to the U.S. not bringing the best of their top prospects, often not selecting USNTDP players. Opting for lesser-proven prospects to fill out their roster to stand out. Luckily, this season they have an intriguing crop of prospects who will add firepower to their roster that can hopefully see a top three finish this year.

Looking at the rest of the field, the USA will have their work cut out for them. Staring down the barrel of a tough Swedish team in their own Group B and other teams like Czechia, Finland, and the absolutely loaded Canada squad in their way, America could find it difficult to medal. I predict this squad will at least be on the cusp of a bronze this year. Canada and Sweden are giants like most years, but I believe they can remain competitive with Finland and Czechia for that elusive third place finish.

Key Players:

Brooks Rogowski - C - Oshawa Generals (2026)

Bringing by far the most size in this group is Brooks Rogowoski, standing at 6-foot-6. Rogowski started looking like a problem for opposing OHL squads at the end of last year. His size is emphasized by a great skating ability, and solid compete level. Along with those traits, his anticipation was displayed quite well in his back checks and his positioning in the offensive zone for Oshawa this past season. He still needs to fine-tune his stick handling to better take advantage of some of his creativity with the puck, but, overall, Rogowski will most likely prove to be an effective power forward for the Americans in this tournament, who can produce points as well. He is currently committed to Michigan State for 2027-28.

Jack Hextall - C - Youngstown Phantoms (2026)

Moving to yet another Michigan State Commit, Jack Hextall showed off his patented skill and playmaking ability regularly this past season for Youngstown. Though I wouldn’t call his skating outstanding, his edgework allows him to change direction quickly and add serious pressure to opposing defenses. His marvelous stickhandling and playmaking strengths should help him out in the Hlinka Gretzky and in the USHL this upcoming season. Combine all of his strengths with his power play usage, and he can be a very effective performer in this tournament.

Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll - F - Medicine Hat Tigers (2027)

Electricity is personified by Utah-native and assistant captain, Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll. His high energy is evident in every viewing. Though his draft year isn’t until 2027, Gordon-Carroll’s skills and overall game are at an advanced level for a 16-year-old. His creativity with the puck and his skating were crucial aspects in keeping plays alive for Medicine Hat this past season. Gordon-Carroll is going to be a must-watch player in the offensive zone. Defensively, he has all the energy to be an X-factor, stepping up on neutral zone opponents and tilting the ice in his favor. His mix of smart, responsible hockey and confidence with the puck could prove that America’s youngest player is also their most impactful.

Alofa Tunoa Ta’amu - D - Edmonton Oil Kings (2026)

The size of your blueline is becoming more and more important, so it should be no surprise that the son of a former NFL offensive lineman is a physical monster on the back end. Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing in at 220 pounds, Ta’amu is a hard defenseman to get past on rushes. Showcasing his strengths from his past year in Edmonton in the WHL, he is adept along the wall and especially on retrievals, he will make opposing teams have to work to maintain an offensive zone chance. Even though he is still a very raw prospect, Ta’amu will have every chance to emerge as a solid, reliable defensive defenseman this tournament.

Nikita Klepov - Forward - Saginaw Spirit (2026)

Florida-born Russian American, Nikita Klepov, is an opportunistic forward who should not be left alone in space. While playing in a reduced role for Sioux City last season, he buried 12 goals and should get more ice time with a Saginaw Spirit team that has lost much talent. Klepov should be a great mix of playmaking and goal scoring that should make the U.S.’s forward depth even more potent. Though his skating speed and small frame are not doing him any favors, Klepov makes plays regardless. Overall, Klepov is a sneaky offensive talent, and he’ll score a back-breaking goal when his opponents least expect it.

Blake Zielinski - Forward - Des Moines Buccaneers (2026)

After starting with the New Jersey Avalanche, Blake Zielinski became one of the most valuable players for the Des Moines Buccaneers last season. His combination of relentless compete, solid stick talent, and rocket of a shot makes him a serious offensive weapon for the Americans in this tournament. Some drawbacks that will hurt him are his skating speed and the occasional habit of panicking when pressured. Overall, Zielinski is an intriguing offensive threat to add to any line and will work very hard to keep the offensive momentum on his team’s side.

Will McLaughlin - Defense - Portland Winterhawks (2026)

Another dual citizen on this team is Will McLaughlin, who hails from Canmore, Alberta. McLaughlin showed a ton of skill and two-way prowess in the AJHL with Drumheller last season and should surprise many this upcoming season for the Portland Winterhawks. The Hlinka Gretzky will be the first time that many see how potent a distributor he is from the blueline. Add in his solid skating ability and tendency to join the rush, and you’ll have many more leave this tournament as a fan of his. Though I remain optimistic, the Hlinka-Gretzky will be a proving ground of sorts for McLaughlin, so keep your expectations tempered.

Sweden

By Simon Johansson

Last year’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup for team Sweden looked great, with players like Sascha Boumedienne, Jakob Ihs-Wozniak, Milton Gästrin, and Eric Nilson all going pretty high in the 2025 Draft. This year’s no different. While the top end talent like Ivar Stenberg and Viggo Björck will not be attending, there’s still plenty of talent to be excited about. The backend is still a bit weak just like last year, though guys like Axel Elofsson and Malte Gustafsson have the upside to be able to crack into the first round. But you also have forwards like Elton Hermansson and Marcus Nordmark that bring exciting offensive tools, who should be able to get plenty of ice time in the top six. You even have Bosse Meijer participating who is a high-end prospect for the 2027 draft that, despite his young age, should still be able to make a stamp on this year’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Key Players:

Axel Elofsson Photo: Andreas Sandström / BILDBYRÅN

Axel Elofsson - Defense - Örebro HK U20 (2026)

Most likely the defenseman with the highest offensive upside for a Swedish born player this draft, Axel Elofsson has a ton of similarities to Axel Sandin-Pelikka. Almost being point per game, Elofsson brings plus tools in skating and offense creation. He uses his crossovers well to evade forecheckers and thanks to his edgework he’s also able to open up lanes by dancing on the blueline. Size is going to be his biggest concern but already growing an inch from last year there is hope that he could add that size and remove the doubts from NHL teams.

Malte Gustafsson - Defense - HV71 U20 (2026)

Malte Gustafsson has plenty of tangible toolsets that would make NHL teams foam at the mouth. His 6-foot-4 frame, skating ability, hockey IQ, and offensive skill are hugely impactful traits in today’s modern NHL. He compares to Sascha Boumedienne when it comes to the tools, but Gustafsson is also very raw, so it is hard to say what kind of ceiling he has. As a June birthday as well, he will most likely stay with his U20 team in HV71 and continue honing his craft.

Nils Bartholdsson - Forward - Rögle BK U20 (2026)

The small energy forward Nils Bartholdsson will be looking to make an impact at the Hlinka to raise his stock. Almost clipping a point per game with his Rögle U20 and possessing a high motor type of game, he should be a very intriguing prospect. Despite his smaller size, he’s still strong on his skates and utilizes his low center of gravity well. However, the NHL is leaning towards a taller preference and even though Bartholdsson has first round talent, he’ll really have to sell his game to NHL scouts if he wants to get there.

Elton Hermansson - Wing - MoDo Hockey U20 (2026)

Coming into this year’s draft, Elton Hermansson has one of the best shots of any Swedish prospect. Maybe not the same caliber as Anton Frondell but Hermansson’s wristshot is a definite threat. Scoring 17 goals and 19 assists, he can also be a dual threat on the ice. He’ll drive play and will find his teammates in scoring areas thanks to his great vision, recognizing their open space and making accurate passes. Hermansson will be switching clubs this season from Örebro to MoDo, back to where he grew up and will get into a more comfortable environment.

Oscar Holmertz - Center - Linköping HC U20 (2026)

One of the better defensive prospects in this tournament for team Sweden, despite being a forward, is Oscar Holmertz. Besides producing at a good pace with his Linköping U20, he possesses a mature, good two-way game at a very young age. How translatable his offense is going to be is a question, but there’s no doubt about what you will get from him in his own end. He’s responsible at center, plays a supporting role to his defensemen and is positionally sound. If Oscar continues his offensive production, he could end up as one of the better two-way prospects for the 2026 Draft.

Bosse Meijer - Center - Frölunda HC U20 (2027)

A personal favourite of mine in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup is Bosse Meijer, the next Gabriel Landeskog. Tenacious forechecker, defensively sound, and a good overall offensive game, Meijer is one of the few players that was invited to the team but not eligible for this year’s draft. He’s a center at heart but since the size might be an issue at only 5-foot-10 he might need to make the switch to wing. Though physicality is not an issue for him as despite him being younger and smaller than most of his opponents he rarely gets knocked off the puck and is not afraid to lay the body.

Marcus Nordmark - Wing - Djurgårdens IF U20 (2026)

Marcus Nordmark is a big winger that has the potential to be a future dual threat, power forward at the NHL level. He has solid vision to find open passing lanes, pushes the play towards the middle of the ice, and fancies wrist shots from those spots. His skating is below average, but thanks to his good hockey IQ, it may not be an issue in the future. In all likelihood Nordmark will be spending his time with the junior club and will try to be one of the leading scorers for his team.

Slovakia

By Matej Deraj

The tournament returns to Slovakia after two years, and the home team is aiming for a stronger result. The last time it was held in Trenčín, things didn’t go well for Martin Dendis’s squad. Slovakia lost all its games, even the final placement match against Germany, and finished in last place. This time, they’re hoping for a more successful run.

Last year’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup was an improvement. Slovakia almost pulled off an upset against Sweden in the opening game, falling 4-3 in overtime. They followed up with a 3–2 OT win over Switzerland and put up a respectable fight against Canada, despite a 5-1 loss. In the placement game, Slovakia defeated Germany 5–2 and finished in fifth place.

A similar result seems like a reasonable goal for this year’s Slovak team. They’ll benefit from home-ice advantage and the support from the stands, which should give them a moral boost. The first group stage match against the United States will determine their tournament. If Slovakia manages to win, they’ll have a solid chance to reach the semifinals. The last time Slovakia advanced to the final four was in 2021, when the juggernaut of a team led by Juraj Slafkovský, Šimon Nemec and Dalibor Dvorský took silver.

This year’s squad appears stronger than the 2023 team, which relied on underagers. On the other hand, the 2008 age group mostly lacks the experience from international U18 tournaments and many players will meet this level of pace for the first time, which will be a true challenge for Team Slovakia.

Goaltender Samuel Hrenák is expected to be a reliable No. 1 option. He’s a legit prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft and part of Slovakia’s promising new wave of goalies. Defenseman Adam Goljer (2026) brings poise and experience, while forward Timothy Kazda (2027) adds offensive skill. Both played at last year’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup. The forward group looks solid, including talented prospects like Matej Stankoven, Lucian Bernát, Michal Plančár, and underager Oliver Ozogány. However, the defensive group looks less mobile and more on the heavier side, which could lead to problems against better-skating opponents. Still, on paper, this Slovak squad has the potential to contend for a semifinal spot.

Key Players:

Timothy Kazda – LW/RW - Chicago Steel (2027)

Kazda has already played at last year's tournament and even scored a goal, which is an unusual feat for a 15-year-old. This year, he´ll be one of the most experienced players and an offensive leader. Kazda is a dynamic offensive forward with great hands, decent size at 6-foot-1 and also some bite to his game. He's a great scorer and fights for every puck. Overall, a very likeable prospect with some translatable traits – an interesting name for the 2027 draft. He´s already made his USHL debut and should spend the next season there.

Adam Goljer - RHD - HK Dukla Trencin (2026)

Goljer is probably the best 2008-born Slovak prospect who's eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft. He´s a calm two-way defenseman who has a lot of traits NHL teams love – he´s already 6-foot-3 and almost 200 pounds, right-handed, and a decent skater with some physicality to his game. He doesn´t stand out with his offensive skills or demolishing hits, but can grow into a reliable shutdown D. He should spend the next season with Trenčín in Slovak top tier league.

Samuel Hrenák – G - Team Slovakia U18/Fargo Force (2026)

Hrenák is the expected Goalie No. 1 for Team Slovakia, he´s already played some games with the U18 National Team and even made his U18 World Juniors debut at the last tournament. He has decent size (6-foot-3), he´s talented, quick and mobile. Still needs to work on his technique but he´s definitely very promising. Should be the backbone of the Slovak team if they want to achieve a successful result. He should follow the same path as Detroit´s third rounder Michal Prádel (2025) – to start the season with the U18 National Team in Slovak second division and then move to the USHL.

Matej Stankoven – C - Brampton Steelheads (2026)

Stankoven, a distant relative of Carolina Hurricanes´ forward Logan Stankoven, should be one of the key offensive creators for Team Slovakia. He's a quick forward with a decent hockey sense who plays a responsible two-way game. He was drafted by the Brampton Steelheads in the CHL Import Draft and is expected to start the season in the OHL. If he can translate his game to the North American ice, he could be on NHL teams´ radars as an intriguing pick for the 2026 draft.

Michal Plančár – LW/RW - SaiPa U20 (2026)

Plančár has already played some games in the Slovak top tier league and managed to score a goal at the age of fifteen, making him one of the youngest players in the league´s history to do so. He´s a typical power forward with a solid frame (6-foot-2, 209 pounds) who loves to finish his checks and destroy the opponents. He's mean and strong but also has legitimate skill and could be a decent draft prospect. He needs to score on a regular basis in the Finnish U20 league to have a shot in the draft but could gain a lot of attention due to his style of play.

Germany

By Chapin Landvogt

Team Germany enters the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup coming off its best U18 Worlds performance of this century. A quarterfinals thriller against Team Slovakia saw the Germans bow out in the quarterfinals by a one-goal margin and the opportunity to push the game to overtime was certainly there. A few of those young men are scheduled to be at the HG Cup but the new wave of players joining them hasn’t enjoyed the same hype as the previous group, which itself saw just three players selected in this past summer’s draft, namely Maxim Schäfer, David Lewandowski, and Carlos Händel, in that order.

New head coach Andreas Becherer will be guiding this team for the first time and with little preparation before the event, the truth is that Germany will likely have major problems achieving anything resembling on-ice success at the eight-team event. Instead, a few players here or there will be making their way into the notebooks of scouts (or not) while Becherer starts an arduous journey to his first time at the helm of the squad for the U18 Worlds next spring. In this first step, we hope to get a feel for what goaltending we’re looking at this winter and if any defensemen not named Rolsing or Pizka can make a positive impression. Up front, we’re expecting little from this group now, but are curious to see if underagers Max Penkin and Jonas Schwarz are already the best of the bunch.

All in all, you’ll not see us surprised if Team Germany manages to score just five or fewer goals at the tournament. It will be an invaluable experience for this group, one way or the other, but leaving any team behind them in the standings will be a big accomplishment in and of itself

Key Players:

Tobias Krestan - RW - HV71 U20 (2026)

A good-sized winger, Krestan has been with the HV71 youth program for ywo years running and checked in with over a PPG pace at the U18 level last season. The son of a Czech forward who enjoyed many years in a scoring role in predominantly Germany’s second league (and who now coaches the RB Juniors U15 squad), Krestan has been showing similar offensive tendencies, even if overall strength is lacking and skating will need to improve. He’s got an uncoordinated look to him, but there’s a nose for the net and some tricky mitts here.

Max Penkin - C - Adler Mannheim (2027)

Already one of the more impressive players for Germany in a limited role at the 2018 Worlds, he is the biggest name on Germany’s prospect front in the near future. No reason to think he won’t already be a go-to player in a top six capacity as he uses this tournament to get ready for Mannheim’s DEL camp. Strong skater and something of a shorthanded specialist.

Aurelius Pizka - LHD - Jokerit U18/U20 (2026)

Aside from Rolsing, Pizka is clearly the most talented defenseman in this year’s group and has been developing with the Täby program for the past two seasons. After this tournament, he should be heading to Finland for his next stop, with play in their Finnish U20 league looking likely. Lacks size but has gumption and smarts.

Darian Rolsing - RHD - Wenatchee Wild (2026)

Before he heads off to join Wenatchee for the upcoming WHL season, Rolsing will take his experience from the U18 Worlds, where the RHD gained more and more ice time, and add it to Germany’s efforts as the 6-foot-6 player who’ll surely have his hands full helping to keep pucks out of the net. This is the start of a big year for the top German prospect for next summer’s draft.