By Blain Potvin
The IIHF U17 World Hockey Challenge just wrapped up last week in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. It was a scouting hotspot as one of the first big events for NHL staffs charged with evaluating the next wave of NHL talent.
There were some bright spots for the upcoming 2025 NHL draft that stood out and some future draft eligibles that grabbed the spotlight.
Canada White (Gold)
Canada White has won the all-home-team matchup to close out the 2024 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, beating Canada Red 3-1. It’s the second time in a row Canada White won the title for the third time in tournament history. The club had some issues in the round-robin, winning one and losing one in overtime to the eventual bronze medal winners, Sweden. This loss came after allowing a late goal against, letting Sweden get the game into overtime. Canada White got its revenge in the semifinals as they beat Sweden to earn a berth in the gold medal game.
Canada was able to assemble two strong lineups. Both were hard-working, highly driven and competitive. Both teams had strong goaltending, and a mobile, yet physical defence. The only real difference between these teams was how one team was able to take advantage of some opportunities in a winner-take-all event. The first half of the game was quite quiet, with neither team generating many high-danger opportunities. The goaltending at both ends was the story early, with neither keeper seemed to lose focus. That all changed in the second period, when Canada Red seemed to lose a step to an aggressive Canada White who, in a short two-minute span, then took a 2-0 lead, and never looked back.
Notable Players:
Adam Valentini, C (2026):
Valentini finished with the tournament lead with nine points (4 goals, 5 assists). He was dominant for Canada as of day one. He is a highly creative player, and it was on full display. Primarily as a puck distributor, Valentini does boast a hard and accurate shot, however, he uses it more as a tool that forces defenders to respect his shooting option. This provides him with a split-second extra to identify a passing lane to make an accurate pass if that option is available. What is most impressive is that he can make these plays while going at top speed. His ability to shield the puck, allows him to retain possession even when pressured, pairing that with his vision and high IQ, allows him to slow the game to the pace he dictates. He also uses his skating as a weapon as he uses edgework to speed up or slow the pace, generating a slightly larger gap from his checkers allowing him to that extra moment to make a play. Valentini showed that he is capable of being a top center at this tournament among his age peers and is worth keeping an eye on going into his draft year.
Jean-Cristoph Lemieux, C/RW (2026):
Lemieux had to battle his way onto a Canada roster and was added as a 13th forward. Because of this, not much was expected from the Windsor Spitfires’ 2024 second-round pick. But his impact far outweighed the expectations. He finished third on the team in scoring with seven points (2 goals, 5 assists) in five games. All of his offence stemmed from some intelligently crafted plays. His shot had good velocity and accuracy. His passing was quick and accurate. He had a soft touch in pass receptions. The difference for him was his compete level, which caught opponents off guard early on in games, and allowed some added space for him as games wore on. Anytime he was on the ice, he consistently attacked the puck with aplomb, making life difficult for his opponents, and easier for his teammates, which helped him jump up the lineup quickly, and put himself on the map for future international camps for Canada.
Mathis Preston, C (2026):
The 5’11’’ Preston ended the tournament with the scoring lead with six goals (7 points). He became more confident as the tournament wore on. He did battle consistency earlier in the tournament, but he showed up when the games counted most. He is lightning-fast in straight lines, using that speed in transition to force defenders to pivot early, giving him more time and space to make a play. He isn’t the biggest or heaviest player on the ice, but his wide base and high compete level make him hard to knock off balance or beat in a one-on-one battle. Preston is a creative offensive player, consistently skating with his head up, scanning the ice and showing no stress when under pressure. While this does allow him to identify open teammates and his passing is accurate at speed and through a crowd, he uses his ability to read developing plays to find open space and shoot from anywhere he sees a lane. With an outstanding shot selection, he can rip a seemingly effortless, and highly accurate one-timer or a catch-and-release wrister.
Keaton Verhoeff, RD (2026):
The 6’4’’, 212 lbs KeatonVerhoeff was brought in to add a physical aspect to the blueline, and solid defensive play. He was excellent defensively, and highly reliable, as he was used in every critical situation. He blocked shots fearlessly, understood his defensive assignments, boxed out the crease with a disciplined physicality, and communicated effectively with teammates on the ice, marshalling the defence and guiding them to make high-percentage plays quickly. His speed, mobility, effective pivots and his large wingspan made him difficult to beat, especially in 1-on-1 situations.
His puck distribution skills became relied upon as the tournament wore on. His solid defensive positioning along with his ample shoulder checks allowed him to have a vision of the entire ice surface, and make for quick breakouts. His passing is quick and accurate as well. He does have a very heavy shot that could be a weapon from the point, but he does need to use it more often. He already has NHL size, and a very mature defensive game, a focus on improving his offensive skills could make him a high draft pick in 2026.
Canada Red (Silver)
Canada Red came up short in the all-home-team matchup to close out the 2024 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, losing to Canada White 3-1. Red has never won gold at this event, this was their third silver medal, their second in three years.
The gold medal game marked the first time that Canada Red lost a game and the first time anyone was able to keep them to less than three goals in a game. Canada was able to assemble two strong lineups. Both were hard-working, highly driven and competitive. Both teams had strong goaltending, and a mobile, yet physical defence. The only real difference between these teams was how one team was able to take advantage of some opportunities in a winner-take-all event. The first half of the game was quite quiet, with neither team consistently generating high-danger opportunities. The goaltending at both ends was impressive early on, and despite any goals scored, neither goaltender lost focus or let in any weak goals. What changed was that Canada White took advantage of an ability to get pucks deep, and keep them there on the cycle, demonstrating an upward shift in intensity that it took Canada Red a couple of minutes to adjust to. Yet in that short two-minute span, White took a 2-0 lead and never looked back.
Notable Players:
Landon Dupont, RD (2027):
He is just the second player in WHL history to be granted exceptional status to play Major Junior hockey as a 15-year-old, joining Connor Bedard. He will be a player to watch in this tournament. His ability to not only play at the pace dictated but to dictate the pace of play will be crucial to Canada Red’s success and was on display on Day one. There are many strengths to his game, such as skating, he is an elite skater with superb edgework, agility, mobility and speed. But one area that makes him seem like a future star is his Hockey IQ. His awareness and anticipation are second to none. There is no panic in his game because he has already read, and deciphered all the possible outcomes. His creativity on offence was on full display as well as his role as a power-play quarterback. Teams will need to be disciplined or he will help Canada punish them. Despite his age and slightly smaller stature, no one should overlook his defensive abilities. He’s a more than capable defender with excellent gap control, a very high compete level and an underrated physical edge.
Cameron Chartrand, RD (2026):
With a roster constructed of nearly all CHL-based players, Chartrand, who is a Saint John Sea Dogs first-round pick in 2024, is the only one not in major junior hockey. Having the Saint John GM and Head coach in charge of Canada Red doesn’t hurt his chances of getting significant ice time as he did against Finland. He didn’t disappoint his coach either. There will be more fanfare for other defenders at this tournament, but after all the medals are handed out, the Boston College commit will be front and center on every scout’s must-watch list. His smooth skating is what stood out immediately. He has excellent speed, but it is his edgework that sets him apart as he uses it to retain that speed while going in any direction. His defensive gap control is impeccable, coupled with his speed and mobility, make him a difficult defender to beat one-on-one. His ability to scan and read the play allows for an accurate first pass, he can also choose to adeptly carry the puck up ice in transition. His offensive skills are another strength, while his shot is good, it is his playmaking skill that stands out as he can spot and hit an open man through traffic, and place an accurate pass while in motion, regularly providing high-danger chances to score.
Lucas Ambrosio, LD (2026):
Canada Red’s blueline is geared toward shifty, puck-moving defencemen and it lacks a defender with some size and strength, Lucas Ambrosio will provide that. He is a big, strong, shut-down defenseman for the Erie Otters of the OHL. His 6’4’’, 190 pounds frame makes him a dominant physical player at this level. He is a robust skater with good mobility who has a wide wingspan that he uses to his advantage to angle players away from dangerous areas. He is very physical in front of his own net and along the boards, punishing anyone who will go to his side of the rink. He actively places himself in shooting and passing lanes, cutting off offensive plays. He isn’t going to rush the puck end-to-end, but he can be responsible in his own zone, which is still a skill set every team needs someone to fill on its roster to be successful.
Joe Iginla (RW):
Yes, Joe is one of those Iginla’s, he is the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Jerome Iginla and the brother of the Utah HC’s first-ever draft pick Tij (6th overall). He has a lot of his father’s attributes, he is a rugged scoring winger, but he takes fewer penalties than his father. He is a gifted shooter, with a fully stocked toolbox of shot selections. His one-timer is hard and accurate, and his snapshot on the rush is a weapon, but it is his quick release while posted up tight in the slot that will make goaltenders frustrated. His defensive play will help keep him at the top of the lineup but it is his work ethic and elite compete level that set him apart. All of this made him a leader on the ice for Canada Red.
Sweden (Bronze)
The U17 World Hockey Challenge event has traditionally been the best place to see all the world’s future talent compete head-to-head and get a baseline idea of the next couple of NHL drafts’ potential and depth.
Sweden has been churning out top prospects and this cohort (2008, 2009) is no exception. In Sweden, the focus is more on skill and less on physicality, not that the Swedish team was unable to play physical hockey. The larger ice rinks in Europe allow for the time and space to be creative, with emphasis on passing and strategic plays along with a focus on skill and puck control. This leads to producing players with exceptional skating skills and hockey sense.
After losing to Canada White in the semifinals, in a game that showcased a Swedish team with no quit, scoring a goal with one second remaining to make the final 6-4, they went into the bronze medal game versus the USA with a chip on their shoulders. They were on their heels, with the Americans in control of the pace of play for the first 40 minutes of play. Yet, they exchanged scoring chances and goals with the US squad. In the third, however, Sweden began to push the Americans back, and took control of the pace, taking a one-goal lead late into the period. With less than four minutes remaining, team USA seemed to find new life, attacking Sweden relentlessly. With under two minutes left, and the goaltender pulled, Casey Mutryn was able to tie the game for the USA, taking it into overtime. Despite the late push by the Americans, Sweden made short work of them in overtime, as Elton Hermansson played the hero scoring the bronze medal-winning goal 16 seconds into the extra frame.
Notable Prospects:
Marcus Nordmark, RW (2026):
Nordmark was one of the biggest standouts for Sweden, he finished the tournament with two points per game pace with 5 goals, and 8 points in 4 games. It was his controlled puck movement on the power play that allowed Sweden to be one of the most dangerous offensive teams. The 6’0’’ winger is a shoot-first type of player, while his puck distribution abilities are on par with most of his peers, his strongest asset is his shot, and ability to get to the high danger areas of the ice to employ that weapon. He boasts a powerful and accurate snapshot, but he relies heavily, almost exclusively on his slap shot. He is strong on his skates and has an explosive first few strides. He maintains a wide base, making him hard to push off of the puck and allowing for more control, and he uses hip movements to maintain glide speed while keeping his head up looking for a shooting lane or to make a short pass, especially in a give-and-go scenario. His wide base is just one aspect of his puck protection abilities, he uses body position and reach to protect the puck. He is also highly capable of corralling passes, even in stride. When a pass is off the target he can adjust his feet and stick placement to receive the errant pass on his backhand or off his skates then quickly reset to take a shot in one fluid motion.
Axel Elofsson, RD (2026)
Elofsson fits the mould of a prototypical Swedish puck-moving defenseman. He is a defenseman blessed with excellent hockey sense and confidence. He never looks pressured when he has the puck, he looks like he is in his natural habitat. His shot isn’t overpowering, but he does get it on net through traffic regularly. His ability to lead the transition and his playmaking is what he excels in. He can make a no-look pass through tight seams, and use his skillful skating techniques, such as tight turns and pivots, to generate the openings he needs to get the puck to a teammate in motion with an accurate pass. He can take over a game in the offensive zone. The knock on Elofsson is his defensive game and size. He gets caught up ice at times and works hard to get back to his position as quickly as possible. He does well in one-on-ones as he uses his feet and stick positioning to maintain a good gap and angle forwards to the outside where he isn’t usually beat with speed. But his size is an issue as he does get knocked off pucks by larger opponents and he has difficulty defending the net front as well, two areas of his game that will need improvement.
Elton Hermansson, RW (2026):
The 6’1’’ 176lbs Elton Hermansson is one of the top scorers in Sweden in his age group. His skating lacks an explosive pop in the first few steps, but his top speed is excellent once he gets going. He is strong on his skates, making it difficult on defenders to knock him off the puck, he also has good edgework, and he can make direction changes, or stop-ups quickly to create space for himself. He is an exceptional puck handler, as he makes plays at top speed, is a threat in any one-on-one and can deftly corral any pass that comes within reach. He is creative with the puck as well, using deceptive body language and no-look passes to place an accurate pass through tight seems. But it is his shot that is his biggest weapon. He has a heavy and accurate shot. His shot toolkit is well stocked with catch and release, one-timers and a deceptively quick release on his snap and wrist shots. His hockey IQ is on display with an entrenched ability to separate from his checker, and then reappear in an open space in a high-danger area ready to accept a pass. Defensively he can position himself well and does backcheck, but there is room to develop this aspect of his overall game.
Viggo Bjorck, C (2026)
Viggo Bjorck is a prototypical playmaking center. The 5’9’’ 165 lbs forward is clearly a pass-first player, as evidenced by his team lead of five assists (and no goals) at the tournament in as many games. He is a competitive and intelligent playmaking pivot and has the skill set to be projected as a strong middle-six contributor at the NHL level. He will need to add size and start to shoot more often to keep defenders from seeing him as a one-dimensional offensive player.
He’s a cerebral player that can make reads at a high pace, and also predict a defender’s reaction so as to take advantage of any weakness in their game. He can make passes at a high pace of play and showcases some slick puck-handling skills. He’s a strong skater with good technique, and with some added strength can become even more dangerous. He can also be a power play quarterback as he directs traffic from the half-wall and makes efficient use of his time and space to generate scoring chances regularly.
USA (4th)
Team USA entered the tournament with six first-place finishes, nine second-place finishes, and three third place finishes, and has placed in the top three in seven of the last 10 appearances at the Under 17 World Hockey Challenge. Now that the tournament has come to an end it is no surprise that the top hockey powers continued their elite play with Canada White (gold), Canada Red (silver) and Sweden (bronze) medaling, and Team USA finishing fourth. But there were standouts on every roster. Finland was heavily reliant on defence and goaltending; Czechia had a small core of forwards they could lean on. But the top four had an embarrassment of riches at every position.
The USNTDP has become well known for developing high-quality hockey prospects while also being highly competitive, especially internationally, and this roster is no exception. Team USA used a more wide-open system than one would expect. This led to them giving up more goals than they scored over the five games played over the week-long tournament. The team was constructed to generate a quick strike offence, but that came at the expense of a suffocating defensive scheme that we have seen from previous US National teams internationally. Yet, as one of the youngest teams on average, it isn’t surprising to see that their defensive game is still more raw than their opponents.
After losing a one-sided game in the semi-finals to Canada Red, they went into the bronze medal game versus Sweden with a chip on their shoulders. They had control of the pace of play for the first 40 minutes of play, but exchanged scoring chances and goals with the Swedes. In the third, however, Sweden began to push the Americans back, and took control of the pace, taking a one-goal lead late into the period. With less than four minutes remaining, team USA seemed to find new life, attacking Sweden relentlessly. With under two minutes left, and the goaltender pulled, Casey Mutryn was able to tie the game, taking it into overtime. Unfortunately, as is usually the case, a missed opportunity at one end, leads to a goal at the other, and in this case, it was Sweden that was the beneficiary as they scored the bronze medal-winning goal 16 seconds into the extra frame.
Notable Prospects:
Casey Mutryn, RW (2026)
Casey Mutryn has excellent size at 6’1’’ and 172 lbs which he uses to his advantage. His skating has power and explosiveness in straight lines, but he also has excellent footwork and is strong on his skates. He has high-end awareness, using frequent shoulder checks, he sees open ice well, allowing him to read developing plays, and make decisions at high speeds. He is versatile, as he can play up and down the lineup, he is athletic, so he can play at a high pace consistently, and he has a high level of competitiveness, willing to battle for every inch of the ice. Sometimes, that compete does cause him to take penalties. He does use this to get into the high-danger areas where he can exploit any seams.
The 16-year-old right-shot winger is an effortless puck carrier. His awareness on the ice gives him a great vision, spotting linemates through traffic where he can dish an accurate pass to them in motion. His ability to penetrate the high-danger areas allows him to use different shooting techniques. His shot is a strength, as he can shoot without his feet being set, adding deceptiveness with his quick release. But he can also be a threat from the outside as he has a potent and accurate shot that he can release on the rush.
Victor Plante, LW (2026):
Plante is a versatile offensive player, he led Team USA in points at this tournament with 2 goals and nine points in five games. He has a tool kit of accurate and heavy shots to choose from that he tailors to the situation, but he prefers a snapshot, especially in the slot, where he seems most comfortable. His playmaking skills are solid as well, he is highly capable of timing his passes to get through traffic accurately, and he can place saucer passes flat and in the path of teammates in motion. He is difficult to play against as he is consistently in motion and competing, especially along the boards and the front of the net where he seemed to enjoy the physical play. Defensively he can be relied on to backcheck and his speed allows him to get into an advantageous defensive position quickly. He is undersized at 5’6’’ and 125 lbs and will need to take inspiration on how to adjust defensively from undersized American defensemen such as Lane Hutson and Quinn Hughes.
Lucas Zajic, RW (2026):
Lucas Zajic is a 5’11’’ and 163lbs skilled forward. He will need time to gain size and strength, and with his current decision to commit to the University of Wisconsin in 2027, he will have time to get both. He shines when playing with his peers thanks to his smooth skating skills. He has an ability to separate himself from defenders in his first few strides. He is agile, uses crossovers to gain speed and his edgework is strong as he is highly effective in using stop-ups to open space on zone entries. He is highly skilled with the puck, his hands are lightning quick, handling pucks nearly effortlessly at his top speed, and in tight spaces. He needs more strength to add velocity to his highly accurate shot, but he can fire it while in stride, he can shoot even when his feet aren’t set, and his release is fast, which helps to offset the lack of velocity. His hockey IQ demonstrates an awareness of his surroundings, and an ability to read emerging plays and decipher the best path to generating a scoring opportunity for himself or a teammate. He works hard and is competitive. He has all the skills to be projected as a potential top-six forward.
Luke Schairer, RD (2026?):
At 6’3’’ and 187 lbs, Luke Schairer already has NHL size. He is big, and mobile, he has the wing span and speed to cover a lot of territory quickly, using quick pivots, and solid backward skating to maintain and close gaps in attacking players. He is a two-way defenseman whose heads-up play allows him to read the play and select lanes to launch the transition attack. He demonstrates a strong work ethic and high compete in his own zone, which helps him in one-on-one battles, especially down low. He is rarely if ever caught watching a play, he is consistently keeping in motion and actively covering teammates when the defensive system looks to be breaking down. While he isn’t overly physical, he never shies away from finishing a hit, especially to defend or gain puck control. He has enough creativity with the puck to run a secondary unit power play. He can be a playmaker, making long, accurate passes in transition, or, finding teammates around the net with a quick and accurate pass for a tip, or a one-timer. He has to avoid the temptation to try to do too much with the puck. As his game matures, he has the potential to be a minute-munching top-four defenseman.
Finland (5th)
Finland, as a nation, produces players well known for their two-way ability, physical play, work ethic and compete level. All of it is similar to any North American development program. However, they add some hybridization due to being Sweden’s neighbours, they need to add a focus on individual skills they can exploit on the larger ice surfaces.
Finland, as expected, was one of the top defensive teams at the tournament, finishing by allowing the second least number of goals (12). However, they finished with the least number of goals scored (7). They lacked the scoring punch of the other nations but did all they could to make up for that problem through sheer will and hard work.
After a winless round-robin, and a loss in the quarterfinals, they faced off against Czechia in the fifth-place game. It was a 1-0 win for Finland, but it wasn’t a slow, boring game, on the contrary, it had some great plays and great saves. This matchup was a goaltending duel Finland was able to come out on top thanks to a goal by Vilho Vanhatalo early in the second period. While this was the only win in the tournament for Finland, they were highly competitive and do have some good quality prospects worth watching.
Notable Players:
Pyry Lammi, G (2026):
Lammi is a smaller statured goaltender at 5-foot-10. He had several moments in the game where he was overcompensating for that smaller stature by moving more than necessary. Technically, he is a sound goaltender but be it the size issues or adrenaline, he was pushing laterally harder and further than necessary. Despite this, his athletic approach allowed him to recover quickly from any gaps he left the Canadians. When Finland was playing flat, giving up far too much zone time to Canada, Lammi made several excellent saves, keeping his team in reach, and was inspired to step up in support. Despite the inspirational play, Finland’s skaters weren’t much of a match to Canada Red’s, and without Lammi’s stellar play, the score could easily have been as high as 7-1.
Vilho Vanhatalo, LW (2026):
Vilho Vanhatalo is a big-bodied winger with speed. He isn’t draft-eligible until 2026 and could be one of the top Finnish talents for that draft class. The 6’3’’ 176lbs forward is a highly intelligent Finn who can play the role of scorer or playmaker but prefers to shoot first. He has a killer instinct as soon as he enters the offensive zone, like a shark, he circles the zone waiting for his opportunity to strike. He is capable of playing either wing effectively. Has a very high hockey IQ with incredible awareness and anticipation. His shot can be lethal in the slot as he gets it off in a flash and can score from the perimeter as his shot has accuracy and velocity. Like most Finnish-trained players, he is a capable two-way player with a great work ethic and a high compete level. He can be relied upon defensively but is best used in a top-six role and on the power play.
Juho Piiparinen, RD (2026)
At 6’1’’ and 196lbs the 16-year-old Juho Piiparien has a large frame to build upon. He is a smooth skater, who does need to add explosiveness to his first few steps, but has strong footwork and edgework that allows the two-way defender the mobility to cover a large area quickly. Offensively he has a heavy and accurate point shot but it is his play in transition that has a large impact. He is good at picking his spots when it comes to joining the play, and his big shot can be a weapon on the power play. With some speed, pushing the pace in transition, he identifies high-percentage plays to break out of his own zone and retain puck possession, or to release pressure quickly. He has shown flashes of game management ability where he can dictate the pace, showing some offensive upside that, if unlocked, could make him an impact player. Defensively, he is risk-averse so he does also rely on a hard dump if his forwards are tightly covered on the breakout. He can also play a physical style, but he uses his size more to fill lanes, angling forwards to the outside using athletic transitions, smart stick placement and excellent gap management.
Czechia (6th)
The U17 World Hockey Challenge event has traditionally been the best place to see all the worlds future talent compete head-to-head and get a baseline idea of the next couple of NHL drafts’ potential and depth.
As one of the smaller hockey nations in the top tier, the Czechian squad was behind the eight-ball from the start of the tournament. That isn’t to say they don’t have their own rich hockey history as a nation, they simply don’t boast the depth of skill seen from Canada, Sweden or the USA. Despite lacking the scoring punch of most of the other nations, they did display some dynamic play from the wings.
They faced off against Finland in the fifth-place game. It was a 1-0 win for Finland, but it wasn’t a slow, boring game, on the contrary, it had some great plays and great saves. This matchup was a goaltending duel that placed Czechia was on the wrong side of the ledger. While they didn’t win any of their five games, they were highly competitive and do have some good-quality prospects worth watching.
Notable players:
Vojtech Svancar RW (2026):
Even for this age group, Svancar is an undersized forward, however, he has the drive and grit to not play with fear. He adjusts his approach to one-on-one battles due to his size, but is consistently on the defensive side of the puck, even when going in hard on the forecheck. At times, he is in the middle of the action, forechecking effectively, other times, he seems to disappear at times when he is on the ice as if he is floating, but that is by design, he is assessing the play and deciding his next step. The forward likes to play on his off-wing and use that position to help tee up his one-timer, but it is his catch-and-release snapshot that is his main weapon. While he does shoot from anywhere, his favourite location is from the high slot. He isn’t afraid of paying the physical price to go to the dirty areas, but he finds ways to disappear in the crowds,and then reappear for a quick strike.
Simon Katolicky, LW (2026):
On the other end of the size spectrum is Katolicky. The 6’4’’, 187lbs winger looks to be a man among boys. He is a strong skater for a player his size and still adjusting to his own growth. He plays more of a straight-line north-south style but combines commanding first-step acceleration with fluid crossovers that allow him to build speed quickly through the neutral zone that he uses to beat defenders one-on-one. He has been Czechia’s best forward in this tournament, standing out for his consistent play as much as for his size. He uses his frame and reach to pressure opponents into turnovers, but also to protect the puck where he can then combine his speed with quick hands, creating open space for himself by attacking the high danger areas to release an effective and accurate shot.
David Huk, C (2027):
Huk was a bright spot for an outmatched Czechian team. He factored into 50% of all Czechia’s goals at this tournament scoring two goals and two assists in four games. His effort and skill allowed him to generate a few other scoring opportunities. At 15 he is already 6’1’’ and 187 lbs, and he uses that size and reach to his advantage. Playing in the U18 league in Sweden, he produces 2 points per game, so Czechia expected him to be the offensive catalyst for this club, and on Day one, he was.
Even though he is one of the youngest players in the tournament, Huk was Czechia’s top line and was consistently one of their best skaters. While he boasts a powerful shot, good playmaking vising and a strong hockey sense that allows him to impact play over the full 200 feet of the rink, it is his tireless work ethic and relentless compete that will help him to lead his team in this tournament.