Jason La Rose
The 2026 NHL Draft has come and gone, with 224 players finding out where their professional hockey journeys will begin.
Included among that group were 70 alumni of the Hlinka Gretzky Cup—more than 31% of those who heard their names called in Buffalo. Of the 32 players who were first-round selections, 21 laced up their skates at the annual summer under-18 tournament
Not surprisingly, considering its historic success, Canada led the way with 17 selections—four of the top nine and eight in the first round wore the Maple Leaf with the National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team.
Sweden was next with 14 alumni picked, followed by the United States (12), Czechia (9), Finland (9), Slovakia (7), Germany (1) and Switzerland (1).
Gavin McKenna was the first name off the board, going to the Toronto Maple Leafs with the top pick. Two summers ago in Edmonton, he posted three goals and three assists in five games to help Canada to its 25th and most recent gold medal.
GAVIN MCKENNA GOES NO. 1! The @MapleLeafs select the Whitehorse product with the first pick in the #NHLDraft. 🇨🇦 GAVIN MCKENNA EST LE PREMIER CHOIX! Les Maple Leafs font du joueur de Whitehorse la première sélection du #RepêchageLNH. 🇨🇦@BCHockey_Source | @PennStateMHKY pic.twitter.com/8Q7cwcSmwb
— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) June 26, 2026
The other 16 Canadians were part of the 2025 team that fell just short in Czechia and Slovakia, losing in a semifinal shootout to the United States before blanking Finland to win bronze.
In all, 15 players from that 2024 tournament in Alberta—where the Hlinka Gretzky Cup returns this summer—were picked. Ivar Stenberg, who ranked third in scoring with 4-6—10 while helping Sweden to bronze, followed right behind McKenna at No. 2 and they were joined by fellow first-rounders Viggo Björck (SWE-8th-Winnipeg), Adam Novotny (CZE-24th-Vancouver), Jonas Lagerberg Hoen (SWE-25th-Ottawa) and Tommy Bleyl (USA-31st-Nashville).
The American entry that won their country’s first summer U18 gold since 2003 was well-represented with nine members selected, led by first-round picks Nikita Klepov (15th to Anaheim) and Jack Hextall (30th to Calgary).
New champions! 💯 USA defeats Sweden 5–3 to win the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. 🇺🇸#hlinkagretzky #hlinkamemorial #hgc25 pic.twitter.com/rMRRklnvOK
— Hlinka Gretzky Cup (@HlinkaMemorial) August 16, 2025
The alumni went all the way back to the 2023 tournament, with three players who had previously gone unselected at the draft finally getting their moment—Czech defenceman Tomas Galvas (54th to Pittsburgh) and a pair of Swedes, goaltender Carl Axelsson (115th to Utah) and blue-liner Max Vilén (218th to Tampa Bay).
The Hlinka Gretzky Cup alumni selected at the 2026 NHL Draft included:
Canada – Gavin McKenna (1-TOR), Daxon Rudolph (4-BUF), Carson Carels (6-CGY), Keaton Verhoeff (9-SJS), Tynan Lawrence (11-STL), Ethan Belchetz (17-UTA), Ryan Lin (21-SJS), Liam Ruck (22-PIT), Markus Ruck (39-PIT), Mathis Preston (50-ANA), Pierce Mbuyi (86-PIT), Alessandro Di Iorio (94-CBJ), Adam Valentini (96-UTA), Beckham Edwards (143-DET), Giorgos Pantelas (153-LAK), Cooper Williams (158-TOR), Colin Fitzgerald (203-STL)
Czechia – Adam Novotny (24-VAN), Tomas Galvas (54-PIT), Jakub Vanecek (59-DAL), Martin Psohlavec (62-PHI), Michal Orsulak (79-DET), Marek Sklenicka (120-PHI), Vladimir Dravecky (141-NYI), Filip Novak (206-CBJ), Ondrej Rumi (241-COL)
Finland –Oscar Hemming (14-CBJ), Oliver Suvanto (18-WSH), Juho Piiparinen (29-VGK), Matias Vanhanen (26-NJD), Samu Alalauri (66-CHI), Vilho Vanhatalo (168-FLA), Luka Arkko (175-DET), Anttoni Uronen (182-CBJ), Max Laatikainen (231-PHI)
Germany – Tobias Kresten (209-LAK)
Slovakia – Adam Goljer (49-LAK), Samuel Hrenak (71-WPG), Adam Nemec (72-OTT), Tomas Chrenko (81-NYR), Jakub Floris (106-NSH), Roberto Henriquez (170-BOS), Lucian Bernat (176-VAN)
Sweden – Ivar Stenberg (2-SJS), Viggo Björck (8-WPG), Malte Gustafsson (13-NYI), Elton Hermansson (19-LAK), Jonas Lagerberg Hoen (25-OTT), Marcus Nordmark (28-ANA), Adam Andersson (83-MIN), Oscar Holmertz (87-OTT), Nils Bartholdsson (88-BOS), Carl Axelsson (115-UTA), Axel Elofsson (128-COL), Theodor Knights (130-UTA), Ole Palme (166-SEA), Max Vilén (218-TBL)
Switzerland – Lars Steiner (171-STL)
United States – Nikita Klepov (15-ANA), Jack Hextall (30-CGY), Tommy Bleyl (31-NSH), Brooks Rogowski (33-VAN), Blake Zielinski (80-LAK), Brady Knowling (127-SJS), Nick Bogas (139-STL), Will McLaughlin (159-VGK), Caden Harvey (180-EDM), Noa Ta’amu (199-WPG), Ryan Cameron (212-EDM), Cullen McCrate (216-BOS)
The 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup runs Aug. 3-8 in Edmonton, putting the top prospects for the 2027 NHL Draft on display in best-on-best competition. Individual game tickets are now on sale, beginning as low as $24 a game, with multiple ticket package options also available.
For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit HlinkaGretzkyCup.ca/Tickets.