Scout’s Analysis: Who has stood out so far at Hlinka Gretzky Cup?

The scouting cycle for the 2026 NHL entry draft has officially begun, with action underway at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Brno, Czechia and Trencin, Slovakia. The event brings together some of the top draft-eligible and underage prospects from around the globe and provides NHL scouting staffs with an opportunity to prioritize what players they are most interested in tracking in the early stages of the new season.  

Team Canada’s U18 team has traditionally iced its deepest lineup at the Hlinka Gretzky, and the results speak for themselves. Team Canada has been crowned champions at the tournament twenty-five times since its inception in 1991.  

NHL fanbases will be excited to hear that the 2026 NHL draft class is positioned to provide more high-end prospects than the most recent class that was selected in Los Angeles in June. Not to discount the value of the players who were drafted this year — they will provide middle of the lineup support and aid in the team-building process — but the depth of the 2026 class stands out differently in my opinion.  

Here’s a look at some players who have stood out this week at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup: 

Keaton Verhoeff, Canada – six-foot-three, 208 pounds – right-shot defenceman 

Verhoeff is a name to keep a close eye on as the season progresses. He’s one of the top prospects from the CHL who has moved to the NCAA in his draft year. Verhoeff previously played in the WHL with the Victoria Royals, but will be suiting up for a storied program at North Dakota this winter.  

Verhoeff has been deployed in all situations for Canada and is averaging just under 22 minutes of ice time per game. He’s captaining the group and playing to his identity as a complete player.

He produced 21 goals and 24 assists, including eight goals on the power-play, for Victoria last year. He’s only produced one goal and one assist so far in the tournament, but his presence and detail have stood out.

Verhoeff uses his size to his advantage by taking away time and space in the defensive zone. He’s physically engaged and a very strong skater, especially in straight lines, for his stature. His ability to quarterback the power-play, direct pucks on net with authority from long range, and distribute accurately stand out in the offensive zone. He reminds me of Aaron Ekblad at this stage of his development.  

Ryan Lin, Canada – five-foot-11, 177 pounds – right-shot defenceman  

Lin is playing to his identity offensively this week in Europe. He’s a smooth-skating transitional defenceman and power-play quarterback who leans distributor more than shooter in the offensive zone. He’s contributed two goals and two assists so far this week.  

Like any developing defenceman, especially ones who rely on high-end hockey sense and small-area quickness to win pucks, Lin will be monitored closely by the scouts when under duress in the defensive zone.  

Here’s an example of a small area play that Lin executed very well this week in the game versus Switzerland.  

These kinds of sequences provide me more confidence in his all-around game, proving that Lin is calculating with this approach defensively and has the quickness and vision to move pucks out of harm’s way effectively. 

Mathis Preston, Canada – five-foot-10, 177 pounds – Right-shot centre 

At this time of year, I’m monitoring players who impact the game based on their elite element, but also looking to identify their ‘B’ game when they aren’t producing offence. In Preston’s case, he scored three times versus the Swiss and had one assist versus Finland.

Preston produced 23 goals and 22 assists playing for Spokane in the WHL last season. He also contributed nine goals and seven assists in twenty playoff games. He’s playing to his strengths with Team Canada and averaging 15 minutes per game ice time while being deployed at even strength and the power play.  

Preston is the kind of player who stands out with his relentless compete. He’s always around the play and involved. He’s the kind of player coaches start at the beginning of each period to set the tone for their team, and he makes life miserable on opponents with his quickness and push-back in the trenches.  

Here’s an example of Preston’s ‘B’ game leading to a scoring chance off a zone exit and speed rush through the neutral zone: 

I could provide feedback on most of the Canadian roster this week. To a man, the group is ‘buying in’ and playing to a ‘team identity’ that has resulted in a perfect 3-0 record through the round-robin portion of the tournament.  

Having said that, here are some players from other nations that have caught my eye: 

Marcus Nordmark, Sweden – six-foot-one, 183 pounds – left-shot winger 

Nordmark has contributed four goals and five assists in Sweden’s first three games at the tournament. He’s a fantastic skater who leads the power-play breakout and attacks with speed through the neutral zone. When he gains the edge on the offensive blue line, he explodes toward the net with or without the puck on his stick, and opponents need to be aware of his presence the entire time he is on the ice.

His ability to impact the game offensively is impressive. Nordmark produced 20 goals and 25 assists in only thirty-three games split between the J18 and J20 levels in Sweden last year.  

Filip Novak, Czechia – six-foot-two, 198 pounds – left-shot winger  

I’m curious to see how Novak transitions to the WHL when he comes over to play for Lethbridge this fall. He missed most of last season dealing with injury, but the previous season, his power style produced 26 goals and 32 assists alongside 98 penalty minutes. So far at the tournament, he has contributed two assists while skating between 16 to 22 minutes per game. The bulk of his time on ice comes at even strength and on the power play.  

Novak provides opponents all they can handle with his stature. He is most proficient between the hash marks in the bumper position on the power play and when setting screens and tracking rebounds around the crease, but he has also shown the ability to make quick decisions with the puck on his stick working off the flank. It’s my belief he is best suited for the way the game is played in North America compared to Europe. He should thrive on the smaller ice surfaces in the WHL.  

Here’s an example of Novak using his size, strength and skill to produce scoring chances on the power-play in Czechia’s game versus Canada: 

Thursday was a day off at the Hlinka Gretzky, which allows the teams a day to reset their bodies after playing three games in three days. It also allows my colleagues in the scouting fraternity to take in some of the sights that a European summer has to offer! It’s definitely a perk of the job at this time of the year compared to travelling through northern Quebec in the dead of winter.  

Friday’s semifinal matchups pit Team Canada against Team USA and Team Sweden versus Team Finland. Both games are high-leverage rivalry contests that should provide loads of feedback for all the NHL teams in attendance.