7th Overall: Jayden Grubbe – Calgary Bisons The AMBHL South MVP and leading scorer, Jayden Grubbe is a physically dominant power forward with great offensive and physical tools. A force on the fore-check, getting in as the first guy and laying a heavy hit on the defenseman. A right handed shot who gives his team that shooting options on the left side of the power play with his ability … Read more
8th Overall: Zack Stringer – Lethbridge Hurricanes DraftGeeks prospect of the year for the 2003 draft class, Stringer spent this past season playing midget in Alberta for the Lethbridge Hurricanes. He produced 30 points in 23 games and helped his team to the Telus Cup where he won Top Forward honors. A slick scoring forward with a nose for the net and ability to be effective off the puck. … Read more
11th Overall: Cole Sillinger – OHA Penticton When it comes to players who have that game breaking ability, Cole Sillinger might be right on top of that list when it comes to this year’s class. A scoring forward, Sillinger found himself on the score sheet consistently this past season. He has dangerous shooting abilities, he can get shots off under pressure and he is deadly accurate from everywhere in … Read more
22nd Overall: Eric Alarie – RHA Academy The Warriors first selection in this year’s WHL draft, Alarie spent the previous season with the Rink Hockey Academy where he produced 55 points in 30 games played. Alarie is big strong forward who plays heavy on the puck and can control the puck well in traffic. Has a dangerous shot, he can get it off under pressure and in traffic. The … Read more
2nd Overall: Carson Lambos – RHA Nationals Our top ranked player coming in the draft class and I think the consensus top player year rounds. Lambos seemed to not only be able to produce this season with his own age group where he had 40 points in 30 games, but also did so when given the opportunity with older/stronger players. Last year he had 38 points at the Bantam … Read more
2018 Draft Class: 10th Overall: Kai Uchacz – Okotoks Oilers Captained this year’s Okotoks’s Oilers bantam AAA team and led them in scoring with 42 points in 33 games played. Uchacz had a strong showing at the Alberta Cup tournament in April and was able to really help his draft stock with an abundance of productive games. Uchacz is a scoring center who’s physically developed well for his age. … Read more
Canada has been well known for years to dominate this tournament, they won it 12 times in the past 14 years and even went on an eight year gold medal run between 2008-2015. In the last couple of years however you have seen more teams really getting out and competing against Canada, they no longer just stroll through the tournament like they did in the past. Still bringing the best … Read more
A team that hasn’t had much success at the tournament in terms of standings, having next won more than two games in the tournament or getting past the placement game, but have had many successful players come through. The Swiss have done an excellent job bringing in high class NHL talent to this tournament. Bringing in a younger team every year and giving 16 years more of an opportunity. This … Read more
Potentially the underdog team at this year’s tournament, the Czech aren’t a team that gaze your eyes on paper but very much should be taken seriously. They stopped Canada’as eight year gold medal run in 2016 and they beat the Canadians 4-3 in pre-tournament play. This year’s team seems hungry to prove themselves, they are a bunch of hard working skilled players who were a havoc at last year’s U17’s … Read more
Announcing their roster this past week, Sweden is the second team to post there Ivan Hlinka Gretzky summer U18 squad. Sweden is bringing in quite a quick team to the tournament, a team that sort of blends a youth group up front and a stable core on the back end. They have always been one of the more touted teams going into the tournament. Consistently bringing in top NHL draft … Read more