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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Axel-Oloffson-scaled-e1754757335359.jpg\")
Axel Elofsson Photo: Andreas Sandstr\u00f6m \/ BILDBYR\u00c5N\nAxel Elofsson – Defense – \u00d6rebro HK U20 (2026)<\/p>\n
\t\tGROUP B
\nUnited States<\/p>\n
By Linc Zdancewicz<\/p>\n
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\u2019t 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.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Key Players:
\nBrooks Rogowski – C – Oshawa Generals (2026)<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Jack Hextall – C – Youngstown Phantoms (2026)<\/p>\n
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\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll – F – Medicine Hat Tigers (2027)<\/p>\n
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\u2019t until 2027, Gordon-Carroll\u2019s 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\u2019s youngest player is also their most impactful.<\/p>\n
Alofa Tunoa Ta\u2019amu – D – Edmonton Oil Kings (2026)<\/p>\n
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\u2019amu 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\u2019amu will have every chance to emerge as a solid, reliable defensive defenseman this tournament.<\/p>\n
Nikita Klepov – Forward – Saginaw Spirit (2026)<\/p>\n
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.\u2019s 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\u2019ll score a back-breaking goal when his opponents least expect it.<\/p>\n
Blake Zielinski – Forward – Des Moines Buccaneers (2026)<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0 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\u2019s side.<\/p>\n
Will McLaughlin – Defense – Portland Winterhawks (2026)<\/p>\n
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\u2019ll 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.<\/p>\n
Sweden<\/p>\n
By Simon Johansson<\/p>\n
Last year\u2019s Hlinka Gretzky Cup for team Sweden looked great, with players like Sascha Boumedienne, Jakob Ihs-Wozniak, Milton G\u00e4strin, and Eric Nilson all going pretty high in the 2025 Draft. This year\u2019s no different. While the top end talent like Ivar Stenberg and Viggo Bj\u00f6rck will not be attending, there\u2019s 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\u2019s Hlinka Gretzky Cup.<\/p>\n
Key Players:
\nAxel Elofsson Photo: Andreas Sandstr\u00f6m \/ BILDBYR\u00c5N
\nAxel Elofsson – Defense – \u00d6rebro HK U20 (2026)<\/p>\n
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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Malte Gustafsson – Defense – HV71 U20 (2026)<\/p>\n
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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Nils Bartholdsson – Forward – R\u00f6gle BK U20 (2026)<\/p>\n
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 R\u00f6gle U20 and possessing a high motor type of game, he should be a very intriguing prospect. Despite his smaller size, he\u2019s 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\u2019ll really have to sell his game to NHL scouts if he wants to get there.<\/p>\n
Elton Hermansson – Wing – MoDo Hockey U20 (2026)<\/p>\n
Coming into this year\u2019s draft, Elton Hermansson has one of the best shots of any Swedish prospect. Maybe not the same caliber as Anton Frondell but Hermansson\u2019s wristshot is a definite threat. Scoring 17 goals and 19 assists, he can also be a dual threat on the ice. He\u2019ll 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 \u00d6rebro to MoDo, back to where he grew up and will get into a more comfortable environment.<\/p>\n
Oscar Holmertz – Center – Link\u00f6ping HC U20 (2026)<\/p>\n
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 Link\u00f6ping 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\u2019s no doubt about what you will get from him in his own end. He\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Bosse Meijer – Center – Fr\u00f6lunda HC U20 (2027)<\/p>\n
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\u2019s draft. He\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Marcus Nordmark – Wing – Djurg\u00e5rdens IF U20 (2026)<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Slovakia<\/p>\n
By Matej Deraj<\/p>\n
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 Tren\u010d\u00edn, things didn\u2019t go well for Martin Dendis\u2019s squad. Slovakia lost all its games, even the final placement match against Germany, and finished in last place. This time, they\u2019re hoping for a more successful run.<\/p>\n
Last year\u2019s 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\u20132 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\u20132 and finished in fifth place.<\/p>\n
A similar result seems like a reasonable goal for this year\u2019s Slovak team. They\u2019ll 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\u2019ll 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 Slafkovsk\u00fd, \u0160imon Nemec and Dalibor Dvorsk\u00fd took silver.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Goaltender Samuel Hren\u00e1k is expected to be a reliable No. 1 option. He\u2019s a legit prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft and part of Slovakia\u2019s 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\u2019s Hlinka Gretzky Cup. The forward group looks solid, including talented prospects like Matej Stankoven, Lucian Bern\u00e1t, Michal Plan\u010d\u00e1r, and underager Oliver Ozog\u00e1ny. 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.<\/p>\n
Key Players:
\nTimothy Kazda \u2013 LW\/RW – Chicago Steel (2027)<\/p>\n
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\u00b4ll 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 \u2013 an interesting name for the 2027 draft. He\u00b4s already made his USHL debut and should spend the next season there.<\/p>\n
Adam Goljer – RHD – HK Dukla Trencin (2026)<\/p>\n
Goljer is probably the best 2008-born Slovak prospect who’s eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft. He\u00b4s a calm two-way defenseman who has a lot of traits NHL teams love \u2013 he\u00b4s already 6-foot-3 and almost 200 pounds, right-handed, and a decent skater with some physicality to his game. He doesn\u00b4t stand out with his offensive skills or demolishing hits, but can grow into a reliable shutdown D. He should spend the next season with Tren\u010d\u00edn in Slovak top tier league.<\/p>\n
Samuel Hren\u00e1k \u2013 G – Team Slovakia U18\/Fargo Force (2026)<\/p>\n
Hren\u00e1k is the expected Goalie No. 1 for Team Slovakia, he\u00b4s 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\u00b4s talented, quick and mobile. Still needs to work on his technique but he\u00b4s 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\u00b4s third rounder Michal Pr\u00e1del (2025) \u2013 to start the season with the U18 National Team in Slovak second division and then move to the USHL.<\/p>\n
Matej Stankoven \u2013 C – Brampton Steelheads (2026)<\/p>\n
Stankoven, a distant relative of Carolina Hurricanes\u00b4 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\u00b4 radars as an intriguing pick for the 2026 draft.<\/p>\n
Michal Plan\u010d\u00e1r \u2013 LW\/RW – SaiPa U20 (2026)<\/p>\n
Plan\u010d\u00e1r 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\u00b4s history to do so. He\u00b4s 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.<\/p>\n
Germany<\/p>\n
By Chapin Landvogt<\/p>\n
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\u2019t enjoyed the same hype as the previous group, which itself saw just three players selected in this past summer\u2019s draft, namely Maxim Sch\u00e4fer, David Lewandowski, and Carlos H\u00e4ndel, in that order.<\/p>\n
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\u2019re looking at this winter and if any defensemen not named Rolsing or Pizka can make a positive impression. Up front, we\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n
All in all, you\u2019ll 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<\/p>\n
Key Players:
\nTobias Krestan – RW – HV71 U20 (2026)<\/p>\n
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\u2019s 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\u2019s got an uncoordinated look to him, but there\u2019s a nose for the net and some tricky mitts here.<\/p>\n
Max Penkin – C – Adler Mannheim (2027)<\/p>\n
Already one of the more impressive players for Germany in a limited role at the 2018 Worlds, he is the biggest name on Germany\u2019s prospect front in the near future. No reason to think he won\u2019t already be a go-to player in a top six capacity as he uses this tournament to get ready for Mannheim\u2019s DEL camp. Strong skater and something of a shorthanded specialist.<\/p>\n
Aurelius Pizka – LHD – Jokerit U18\/U20 (2026)<\/p>\n
Aside from Rolsing, Pizka is clearly the most talented defenseman in this year\u2019s group and has been developing with the T\u00e4by 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.<\/p>\n
Darian Rolsing – RHD – Wenatchee Wild (2026)<\/p>\n
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\u2019s efforts as the 6-foot-6 player who\u2019ll 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\u2019s draft.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"GROUP B United States By Linc Zdancewicz The United States Hockey Program has been dominant at the international…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":70492,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[50929,50930,50947,50933,23,50953,50939,50937,50944,50932,50954,50942,50931,50934,50940,50945,50949,50952,50950,3,50936,50941,50943,50948,50935,50946,50951,21,19,22,20,25,24,50938],"class_list":["post-70491","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-united-states","tag-2026-nhl-draft","tag-2027-nhl-draft","tag-adam-goljer","tag-alofa-tunoa-taamu","tag-america","tag-aurelius-pizka","tag-axel-elofsson","tag-blake-zielinski","tag-bosse-meijer","tag-brooks-rogowski","tag-darian-rolsing","tag-elton-hermansson","tag-ivan-hlinka-tournament","tag-jack-hextall","tag-malte-gustafsson","tag-marcus-nordmark","tag-matej-stankoven","tag-max-penkin","tag-michal-plancar","tag-news","tag-nikita-klepov","tag-nils-bartholdsson","tag-oscar-holmertz","tag-samuel-hrenak","tag-shaeffer-gordon-carroll","tag-timothy-kazda","tag-tobias-krestan","tag-united-states","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-unitedstates","tag-unitedstatesofamerica","tag-us","tag-usa","tag-will-mclaughlin"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70491","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70491"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70491\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/70492"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70491"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=70491"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=70491"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}