Every year, the Hlinka Gretzky Cup marks the start of the scouting calendar for the NHL entry draft, and the top participating prospects from the 2026 class and beyond did not disappoint. Team USA captured its first championship [https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/hlinka-gretzky-cup-three-stars-hextall-hermansson-and-betts-shine-as-usa-wins-gold-canada-takes-bronze] at the tournament since 2003 with a 5-3 victory over Team Sweden, while Team Canada earned bronze with a 3-0 win over Team Finland. With the 2026 draft class widely considered to contain a deeper pool of talent than the most recent group of players selected in Los Angeles, there were a ton of intriguing storylines to follow heading into this year’s tournament. How do NHL scouts tell if a player is going to grow more? After an eventful week of hockey, let’s take a look at some of the standout performers from this year’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup. MARCUS NORDMARK, FORWARD, TEAM SWEDEN Marcus Nordmark was the tournament leader in scoring with 12 points in five games, thriving alongside fellow winger and 2026 prospect Elton Hermansson, who finished with 11 points in the tournament. It was the timeliness of Nordmark’s offense that was a standout aspect of his game, notably scoring a hat trick that included the game-tying and overtime-winning goal in Sweden’s comeback victory against Finland in the semifinal. Nordmark proved to be a threatening presence on the power play for Sweden, with every play going through him. He has the instincts and hands of a playmaker with the shot and finishing ability of a scorer. While he was obviously dominant offensively, he made a couple of nice understated defensive plays in the tournament as well. He’s very disciplined in his positioning in his own zone, can close off passing lanes and intercept passes quickly and has the speed to turn up in transition. Nordmark is a clear first-round talent for this upcoming draft. This tournament was a huge boost to his stock, and he could potentially challenge for a spot on Sweden’s world juniors roster this winter. BLAKE ZIELINSKI, FORWARD, TEAM USA Blake Zielinski led Team USA with four goals and nine points in five games, but he had enough offensive opportunities to be the tournament leader in scoring. He played a main role in arguably the prettiest goal of the week with an unbelievable assist on a goal by Jack Hextall against Team Germany, and he progressively got more confident in his game with each shift. Zielinski is very good at selling fakes to generate small but impactful advantages over his defenders. He can manipulate defenders’ bodies and sticks at will in order to open up passing and shooting lanes. The Berlin, N.J. native has vision of the offensive zone like few other players do. It plays incredibly well into his playmaking ability, and players still have to respect his shot. He elevates the players around him and can dictate the pace of play when he touches the ice. This tournament set some high expectations for Zielinski, and it will be interesting to see if he can raise his stock any further throughout the upcoming season. LEVI HARPER, DEFENSE, TEAM USA Levi Harper was one of many underage players at this year’s tournament, and the 2027 draft-eligible prospect had a very promising showing, leading defensemen in goals and producing at a point-per-game level on the championship team. Harper’s best asset is his shot. He’s got a powerful release that makes him a threat to score from distance and has a knack for being able to shoot across his body to throw goalies off. Harper also has the instincts to know when it's time to jump into the rush, and rarely compromises his defensive positioning. Skating is also a huge part of what makes Harper so dangerous offensively. He doesn’t have Lane Hutson-level deception, but he’s great at changing pace and making opposing players uncomfortable while he walks the blueline. He’s got a great set of hands to get himself out of tight spaces, and he’s not afraid to carry the puck deep into areas of the offensive zone. Like most young defenders, there’s still some room to grow in regard to his play in his own zone. Simplifying breakouts and avoiding puck watching are two big points of emphasis, and he progressively cleaned up his game in that regard as the tournament progressed. Harper is set to play for the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL [https://thehockeynews.com/ohl] this season, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him have a similar impact to the one Zayne Parekh had with the team over the past few years. He’s going to be a ton of fun to watch over the next few seasons. KEATON VERHOEFF, DEFENSE, TEAM CANADA Keaton Verhoeff noticeably struggled in Team Canada’s 5-4 shootout loss against Team USA in the semifinal round, making some costly decisions with the puck and losing track of his assignments in an uncharacteristic way. However, in previous games, he had done so much to raise his stock and prove why he’s the projected No. 2 selection at the NHL draft next summer, which can’t be overlooked. Standing at 6-foot-4, 212 pounds, Verhoeff is extremely mature for his age from a physical standpoint. Players tend to just roll off of him as he protects the puck, and he is mobile enough to create some strong separation from opposing players pretty easily. The University of North Dakota commit is extremely calm walking the blueline in the offensive zone, and is so smooth when it comes to keep-ins and maneuvering with the puck in small spaces. He’s a very direct puck-moving defenseman, with very little east-to-west action. Defensively, he’s a pain to play against. Verhoeff is great at closing gaps on the rush and uses his size to pin players against the boards effectively. Verhoeff is undoubtedly worth the hype, and he’s got the foundation to become a minute-munching top-pairing defensemen for a long time in the NHL. TYNAN LAWRENCE, FORWARD, TEAM CANADA While Lawrence’s offensive numbers didn’t jump off the page in this tournament like Mathis Preston or Ethan Belchetz, there’s a case to be made that he was Canada’s most impactful forward. At five-on-five, the Muskegon Lumberjacks captain is a one-man breakout with some advanced rush patterns and can generate a ton of speed in the neutral zone. He’s also got a great feel for the offensive zone, playing off his teammates extremely well when cycling the puck. Canada head coach Mathieu Turcotte was able to lean on Lawrence to be an impactful defensive player as well, deploying him on the penalty kill despite also using him as a primary option on the team’s top power play. Tynan Lawrence skates with the puck while under pressure from AJ Francisco in the Ice Hockey Men's 6-on-6 Tournament semifinals between Canada and the USA. (OIS/Thomas Lovelock-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/c8de4a12-c19d-4242-a7b1-8c810755a528.jpeg] Tynan Lawrence skates with the puck while under pressure from AJ Francisco in the Ice Hockey Men's 6-on-6 Tournament semifinals between Canada and the USA. (OIS/Thomas Lovelock-Imagn Images) His high motor and skating ability led to him hunting down opponents on the backcheck and frequently stripping them of the puck, turning up ice to make things happen offensively in a hurry. There’s a strong chance that Lawrence ends up being one of the top forwards taken in next year’s draft, and this tournament showed all the reasons why. He elevated his play as the stakes got higher, proved to be reliable in his own zone and has a set of tools that could make him a dynamic offensive player for years to come. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.
