Eight Canadians to Watch at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup

The 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup begins on Monday with pre-tournament action underway. Tony Ferrari lists eight Team Canada players who could put on a show.

The Hlinka Gretzky Cup is the unofficial start to the hockey calendar. The U-18 tournament features some of the best talents building toward the NHL draft in each of the next couple of years. It’s always one of the most entertaining tournaments of the season, and scouts and analysts will reference the performances here until the June draft.

Canada is always one of the favorites at the Hlinka, and 2023 should be no different. Highly touted Macklin Celebrini not taking part as he underwent shoulder surgery after the USHL playoffs, according to FloHockey. He instead took part in the U-20 summer Program of Excellence meetings in preparation for the world juniors in December, which leaves plenty of room for others to step up for Team Canada. 

Let’s look at who could put on a show at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, which begins on Monday, July 31, and goes until Saturday, Aug. 5.

It may not have received the hype it deserved, but Michael Misa’s age-15 season in the OHL was historic. He was injured for part of the year, so his raw point total (56) fell short of the age-15 seasons of John Tavares (77), Shane Wright (66), and Connor McDavid (66), but his points per game were the best ever for a 15-year-old in the OHL at 1.24. Tavares’ 1.18 and Wright’s 1.14 were the only players close.

Misa plays with speed and skill, dangling and manipulating defenders like he’d been in the OHL for four years. His ability to put players on their heels and force them into giving him the space he wants is mystifying. Misa is the youngest player on this team and one of the top players eligible for the 2025 NHL draft. He could easily be the best player for this Canadian Hlinka Gretzky squad and could take home tournament MVP honors when it’s all said and done.

Dickinson is one of the top defenders eligible for the 2024 NHL draft and will likely take a lead role for Canada at the Hlinka tournament. He helped the London Knights to the OHL final last season, playing an important role for them throughout the year. The trust in him grew in a system that is generally unfavorable to younger players because the emphasis in London is always on winning.

Dickinson is a very good skater with the ability to play in all situations. He should be heavily relied upon by the Canadians. Dickinson’s mobility will allow him to defend on the rush at a high level and then push the puck up ice, whether by his passing ability or skating. With such a diverse group of defenders on the Canadian squad, Dickinson is expected to be the workhorse at even strength.

With no Macklin Celebrini for the Canadians, Berkly Catton looks like the No. 1 center. Catton is an extremely smart player who can elevate his game whenever asked. His instincts with and without the puck allow him to play with a variety of teammates, adapting to their strengths and filling in the gaps they have.

Catton is a true center and projects as such in the NHL by understanding the nuance it takes to play the position. He was the best 2006-born player in the WHL last season and led the age group in scoring despite playing on a Spokane team devoid of talent. He finished second in team scoring, proving he can not only play center at the WHL level but be an offensive catalyst for a team needing someone to take charge.

With 21 goals in 50 games, Parekh broke the record for most goals in a season by a 16-year-old defender. His ability to alter the game offensively is not only fun to watch, but it’s a headache for the opposing team. The Saginaw defender is so insanely skilled and manipulative with the puck on his stick. He rarely settles for shots from the point, beating an opposing defender high in the zone and attacking downhill to get his shot off from the slot.

Parekh must work on his defensive game, and with plenty of talent around him on the Canadian squad, he will be asked to defer more often as well. He should slot in on the power play and be used heavily in offensive situations. It won’t be shocking to see Parekh lead defensemen in scoring at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup because Canada will put him in a position to rack up the points.

Spence plays at a high pace, gashing defenses with his speed. The 2025 NHL draft-eligible player is electric and can change direction quickly in the offensive zone to get into the slot. Spence is a very good shooter who was forced to become more of a playmaker this past season since he didn’t have a lot of help in Erie.

Spence could be the secret weapon for the Canadians as he’s been known to step up in big moments. Spence's charisma is contagious, as he leads by example and has no issue hyping his team up when good things happen. In short tournaments like the Hlinka, you need players who play with their hearts on their sleeves. When you get that in a player who can bring individual skill and spectacular speed, it’s the perfect situation.

Canada has struggled to develop solid goaltenders in recent years, but D’Aigle may signal a change. He was a member of the Canadian squad at the World Under-18 Championship, and despite not being expected to play, he found his way into three games, including starting their bronze medal game after Carson Bjarnason was injured in the semifinal.

D’Aigle showed well at that tournament, giving him the inside track to be the starter on the Hlinka team. At 6-foot-4, he already has the size teams look for as a pro prospect. He plays within his frame but has the ability to come out of his structure to make a save in desperation when needed. D’Aigle isn’t NHL draft eligible until 2025, and this could be a huge platform to assert himself in that draft class.

A high-scoring undersized winger, Justin Poirier will have the chance to put his name forward as one of the better prospects of the 2024 NHL draft. He will have an uphill battle because of his 5-foot-8 frame, but his ability to beat defenders and create havoc in the offensive zone will be pure entertainment at the Hlinka.

Poirier should play a pivotal role for the Canadians, who will look for someone to step up and assert themselves as an effective scorer. His ability to settle into pockets behind the defense or on the back door makes him a threat whenever he is on the ice. His defensive game may have issues, but he won’t be asked to play defense – he’s here to fill the net.

Yet another 2025 draft-eligible player, Martone is a goal-scorer who can take advantage of the smallest opportunities. He has a diverse arsenal of shots, from a curl and drag into his feet to a one-time shot from the faceoff dot. Martone has the size and physicality that could help him dominate at this tournament.

Martone’s skating can look sluggish at times, but he uses his size well to protect the puck, pull it around defenders and get his opportunities. Adding a playmaking element would make him far more dangerous, but in a short tournament where the Canadians will need a dose of physicality and goal-scoring, Martone is a great fit in the middle six.