DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY

Tag: Hlinka Gretzky Cup

  • Michael Tang vs Slovakia – Aug 7, 2026

    Michael Tang vs Slovakia – Aug 7, 2026

    Tang had about as impressive a performance as a goal scorer can have without actually scoring a goal. On one particularly impressive play, he beat a defender to the inside before driving the net and getting a shot on goal. He then attempted to bat his own rebound out of mid-air with a backhand, cross-body swing, but hit the post.

    On the power play, Tang beat a defender with a toe-drag at the face-off dot before releasing a powerful wrist shot that beat the goaltender high far side, sending the water bottle flying. The goal was ultimately called back for goaltender interference.

    This was by far Tang’s best game of the tournament. While his patience with the puck and ability to beat defenders with his hands allowed him to create offense, I would like to see him move his feet more when he has possession in the offensive zone. Adding more mobility could bring a more dynamic element to his cycle game.

  • Boston Tait (D) – 2027 NHL Draft Prospect Report

    Boston Tait (D) – 2027 NHL Draft Prospect Report

    Tait quietly played one of the most complete games on Canada’s blue line, impacting the game in all three zones.

    His puck movement was a constant throughout the game, helping Canada sustain its dominant performance by consistently moving the puck in the direction it needed to go.

    Rather than forcing difficult plays, he showed the poise to make the correct read, highlighted by a fantastic stretch pass that started the sequence leading to Camryn Warren’s goal.

    Offensively, Tait activated when the opportunity presented itself, but never at the expense of his defensive responsibilities.

    He looked most comfortable creating from the blue line, playing aggressively when needed to extend possessions before seamlessly recovering to his position.

    That balance allowed him to contribute offensively without leaving Canada vulnerable in transition.

    Tait consistently closed gaps and broke up plays through excellent stick and body positioning, including one sequence where he completely shut down an attacker one-on-one before immediately turning the play back up ice.

    Tait looked like your modern two-way, do-it-all defenceman, not shying away from any aspect of the game.

  • Joey Cullen (F) – 2028 NHL Draft Prospect Report

    Joey Cullen (F) – 2028 NHL Draft Prospect Report

    At just 16 years old, Joey Cullen was by far USA’s most talented forward, even in a high-intensity semifinal matchup.

    He always keeps his head up, scanning the ice for the right pass, and once he gets a good look, he has the elite hockey sense to know where everyone is and where they are going, allowing him to make plays before others can see them develop.

    He recorded a secondary assist on USA’s opening power-play goal. While he did not directly create the goal, he showed good poise with the puck, waiting until the right pass opened up. Though that was his last point, it was far from the last time he contributed offensively.

    Later in the game, Cullen beat one defender to the inside before taking another to the outside and ringing the puck off the post.

    On another play, he set up Gunnar Conboy with a completely open net, but Conboy missed. Cullen was also trusted to be a focal point of the American power play when he was on the ice.

    Another thing that impressed me was his ability to stay with plays even when they broke down. He was constantly able to recover and get to loose pucks before defenders.

  • Landon DuPont Dominates Beyond the Scoresheet

    Landon DuPont Dominates Beyond the Scoresheet

    Landon DuPont had a game that was indicative of his entire tournament, finishing with only one point despite being by far the most dominant player on the ice. Canada was in rough shape early, being outshot 10-1, but DuPont never let that get to him and continued making plays on every shift even while the players around him were struggling. Earning the C on his jersey, he dragged Canada back into the game with a slap shot from the high slot to tie it late in the first period.

    While he didn’t find the scoresheet again, DuPont remained dynamic in the offensive zone, whipping the puck around and controlling play. His second point of the night nearly came when he set up Maddox Schultz in the dying seconds of the first period, but time ran out. He didn’t receive a point on Malik L’Italien’s goal to give Canada a 3-2 lead either, but the play couldn’t have happened without him. DuPont caused havoc in the offensive zone, crashed the slot and drew all the attention away from L’Italien, giving him the time and space to score.