- Landon DuPont, D, Canada
- Brock England, C, Canada
- Brock Cripps, D, Canada
- Camryn Warren, LW, Canada
- Kayden Stroeder, C, Canada
- Jaakko Wycisk, RW/C, Canada
- Lukáš Kachlíř, D, Czechia
- Tomas Selic, RW, Slovakia
- Jonah Neuenschwander, C, Switzerland
- Gavin Burcar, C, USA
- Other Notable Standouts
The 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup is now in the books after Canada captured their 26th title with a dominating 8-1 performance against Team USA. Canada was setting the tone early on and didn’t look back as they were too much to handle for the Americans. With the draft season underway, there were plenty of draft-eligible prospects that really made their mark and stake their claim as top prospects.
As much as I would like to talk about Maddox Schultz and Liam Pue– as they were the true stars for Canada– they aren’t up for the draft until 2028. Rest assured, they deserve a lot of recognition as they were dominant for Canada. This post is only for the 2027 draft-eligible players and we’ll stick with that. Here are the names that really made a statement.
Landon DuPont, D, Canada
Landon DuPont was a driving force for Canada’s offense on the backend. He had eight points in five games and was creating plays anyway that he could; be it off the rush, on the cycle or stepping into the open ice for a high-end scoring chance. His deceptive playmaking vision, smarts and anticipation to intercept pucks were on full display as he was noticeable every shift. It’s clear to see why he’s the favourite to go first overall. His four-assist performance, three were primary, in the gold medal game was the cherry on top.
Brock England, C, Canada
Brock England got everything going in the gold medal game, scoring the opening goal and added another. His ability to constantly dictate the pace with his speed and be engaging on the attack was impressive. He’s easily the best skater amongst his peers for the draft as he has excellent straight-line speed and can pull away from defenders to create that separation. He was extremely quick, forcing turnovers, creative and an all-out offensive presence as he was one of Canada’s key offensive contributors. He was a threat in all situations.
Brock Cripps, D, Canada
Brock Cripps wasn’t far behind DuPont in terms of being Canada’s most effective and dangerous defenseman. His hockey IQ and processing on the ice was extremely impressive, making great reads to assess his options and executing the smart and safe play without turning the puck over. He’s agile, confident and attacked intently when leading a rush. He made nice passing plays within the offensive zone and showed a great amount of deception when distributing the puck.
Camryn Warren, LW, Canada
While the notable draft names were front and centre, I really liked Camryn Warren’s performance as he was on the top line with 2028 draft-eligibles Schultz and Pue. Warren is 5-foot-10, 159 pounds, but that didn’t deter him from playing with a great amount of intensity on offensive. He can cut through defenders, has great hands in tight and can push the middle very easily. He had seven points in five games and was a great secondary producer for Canada.
Kayden Stroeder, C, Canada
I was really impressed with Kayden Stroeder as he was playing with a great amount of force and skill. As the tournament went on, he was one of Canada’s consistent offensive producers, finishing with nine points in five games. He formed great chemistry with Jaakko Wycisk and Benjamin Veitch (2028) on the third line as they were relied upon on a lot. He was constantly pressuring opponents, being physical and when he gained control, he was pushing the middle of the ice and finding the open spaces very well. I’m excited to watch more of him this season.
Jaakko Wycisk, RW/C, Canada
Wycisk was a key piece to that dominant third line for Canada and continued to get better as the tournament went on. He was doing everything; finishing checks, cycling plays quickly and was really tough to handle as he was buzzing all over the ice, especially against Sweden and USA. He was a playmaking machine, finishing the tournament with eight assists and 10 points and was tied in the tournament lead with Schultz. I think he’s poised for a big season with the Guelph Storm in the Ontario Hockey League.
Lukáš Kachlíř, D, Czechia
I said that Czechia would rely on Lukáš Kachlíř and his offensive production from the backend and they got just that from him. While the team didn’t get the result that they may have wanted, Kachlíř was a dynamo with six points in four games. He was always making smart plays with the puck and executing them effectively. He’s small in stature, but the skill and offensive vision and puck-moving abilities he has is evident and shouldn’t be overlooked this season.
Tomas Selic, RW, Slovakia
Tomas Selic was the driving force for Slovakia. After a strong U18 tournament where he had six points in seven games, he surpassed that with eight points in five games. Selic was involved in every aspect of the game as he was displaying a strong work ethic every shift. He had a six-point performance against the Swiss where he had four goals, one of them short-handed, and a multi-point game against Sweden at the start, helping his team to a fourth-place finish.
Jonah Neuenschwander, C, Switzerland
Jonah Neuenschwander was easily Switzerland’s most impactful player with six points in four games and probably one of the better draft-eligible players in this tournament. He was a constant shooting and goal scoring threat every time he was on the ice but also displayed his playmaking in the process. He was using his 6-foot-3, 187-pound frame to his advantage to win battles and play with a physical edge. His offensive game, competitive drive and energy may have put him into the top-five conversation for this draft.
Gavin Burcar, C, USA
Gavin Burcar was one of the top producers in the tournament for a reason. He was dominant from beginning to end for Team USA with his five goals and nine points. His shot is unbelievable, showing great power, accuracy and deception with his release. He throws not just a high quantity of pucks on net, but quality ones that find the back of the net or one that his teammates can clean up. I’m really keeping an eye on him this season for the Spokane Chiefs in the Western Hockey League.
Other Notable Standouts
Malik L’ Italien D, Canada
Maximilian Mares, F, Czechia
Luca Santala, C/W, Finland
Milan Sundström, C, Sweden
Dorian Eklund Aspe, C/W, Sweden
Oliver Sundberg, F, Sweden
Ethan Sung, F, USA
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