Earlier, Hockey Canada announced their roster for the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, which included 11 OHL players. Their biggest and longest-standing rivals in hockey, the United States, responded by announcing their 23-man roster for the upcoming U18 tournament.
USA’s roster consists of five OHL players, although only one of those players played in the OHL last season — Brooks Rogowski.
The tournament takes place from Aug. 11-16 in Brno, Czechia, and Trencin, Slovakia. The United States will compete in Group B, playing its games at Pavol Demitra Ice Stadium in Slovakia.
Below are the five OHL players who will represent the red, white, and blue.
Forwards
F, Caden Harvey - Windsor Spitfires - 6’1”, 185lbs
F, Brooks Rogowski - Oshawa Generals - 6’6”, 228lbs
F, Joseph Salandra - Barrie Colts - 5’10”, 190lbs
F, Jaxon Williams - Ottawa 67’s - 5’10”, 165lbs
Defenseman
RHD, Levi Harper - Saginaw Spirit - 5’11”, 175lbs
Canada's 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Roster Finalized; 11 OHL Players Set To Represent Their Country Overseas
Hockey Canada has <a href="https://www.hlinkagretzkycup.ca/en-ca/season/2025/stats/team-rosters?teamid=306">announced its 25-man roster for the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup</a>. The tournament will take place in Brno, Czechia, where Group A matches will be held, and in Trencin, Slovakia, for Group B matches. Canada will kick off its tournament on Aug. 11 against Finland.
Brooks Rogowski played 66 games for the Oshawa Generals last season as a 16-year-old, recording 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists). His quick acclimation to the league was a blessing for the Gens. He’s an intriguing prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft due to his towering 6-foot-6 power forward frame.
The Brighton, Michigan native will be interesting to watch. Has his pace and playmaking improved enough to play in a top-six role for the tournament? Or will they utilize him in the bottom six as a heavy checker who uses his size to cause disruptions?
Jaxon Williams is the son of former NHL forward and three-time Stanley Cup Champion Justin Williams. He’s been a top player for the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes organization throughout his minor hockey career.
Caden Harvey is a high-end, skilled forward who played the majority of his 2024-25 campaign with the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 16U club, recording 95 points (41 goals, 54 assists) in 53 games. He also played four games for the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL, recording two goals and an assist, and was a call-up for the USNTDP U17 team for five games. He's committed to Penn State University and should be one of USA’s top contributors in the tournament.
Joseph Salandra is a Harvard University commit and another forward who will be relied upon to deliver offensively. The stocky 5-foot-10, 190-pound right-shot forward played for Brunswick School in the United States High School Prep League, leading his team in points with 72 (38 goals, 34 assists) in 35 games.
Fun fact about Salandra, he played in the 2018 Brick Invitational, competing against Beckham Edwards, Colin Fitzgerald, and Alessandro Di Iorio. He will face them again at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, only if Canada and USA meet in the knockout rounds.
London Knights Sign Trio Of Prospects From The 2025 OHL Draft
On Tuesday, the reigning <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/ohl/latest-news/the-london-knights-hang-on-to-win-ohl-championship">back-to-back OHL champions, the London Knights</a>, signed three of their 2025 OHL draft picks to OHL Scholarship and Development Agreements.
Levi Harper is a smaller right-shot defenseman but will push play and provide offense from the backend for the Americans. A product of the Shattuck St. Mary’s program in Minnesota, the Tampa Bay, Florida native is a very agile skater who can escape pressure swiftly using his edges. He boasts a ton of creativity and offensive flair with the puck for a defenseman.
USA has won the Hlinka tournament only once, in 2003, since the event began in 1991. Instead of sending their best U18 roster from the NTDP, they assemble a team of the top U18 American players who compete in junior leagues, prep schools, or tier 1 leagues.
The United States have a pre-tournament game on Aug. 9 against Czechia, before the real deal starts on Aug. 11 against Slovakia.
(Top photo credit: OIS/Joel Marklund-Imagn Images)
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