Fifteen names to know heading into the 2025 NHL Draft season
Viktor Klingsell (LW, L, 5’10”, 188, Skelleftea AIK J20, 02/10/2007) Klingsell is an undersized left shot left wing who plays the game with his eyes constantly scanning the surface looking for open ice, passing lanes and scoring opportunities. He led the tournament in scoring averaging 2.40 points per game finishing with four goals and eight assists for twelve points. Hard passes stuck to his stick blade with little effort and after receiving the pass the puck seemed to always be in a position to make a quick play. His shot was hard, accurate and he made the goalie make a save. Klingsell used his eyes to open passing lanes and he showed the passing skills to fire hard flat passes through defender’s feet or through their triangle. Although not a banger, he was strong on his feet and won 50% of his 50/50 puck battles.
Adam Benak (C, L, 5’7″, 157, Youngstown Phantoms, 04/10/2007) Standing at 5’7″, 157-pounds Benak is an undersized right shot center who quickly bobs and weaves his way through traffic rarely getting hit. He showed a quick first step, excellent lateral mobility and the edge control to spin off contact by staying under his opponent’s point of leverage allowing him to maintain his balance while being leaned on. He finished second in tournament scoring with four goals and seven assists for eleven points in five games. Benak averaged 1.24 grade “A” scoring chances per game and seven shots per game but he did average having 1.71 shots per game blocked. He won 49% of his 50/50 puck battles.
Matthew Lansing (C, L, 6’0″, 185, Waterloo Black Hawks, 02/24/2007, Quinnipiac) Lansing is a 6’0″. 185-pound left shot forward who can impact the game from all three forward positions. He consistently showed a deep knee over toe skating base combined with a three joint powerful stride and a shoulder width skating base. He was balanced and strong through contact and showed separational speed when racing for loose pucks. Lansing showed excellent puck anticipation, often gathering pucks before his opponents had even started to stride. He finished the tournament with four goals in five games with his second goals versus Team Sweden coming on an exceptional individual effort where he bobbed and weaved through the entire Swedish team. Over the course of the Hlinka Gretzky Cup Lansing completed 79.4% of his passes and finished with zero assists. He won 51.1% of his 50/50 puck battles.
Ivar Stenberg (RW, L, 5’9″, 165, Frolunda HC J20, 09/30/2007) Stenberg is an undersized left shot forward who primarily played the right side. He showed a soft fist touch on his backhand having no trouble settling bouncing pucks and then quickly putting them in position to make the next play. He showed deception before passing by dropping a shoulder or twisting his head to make defenders adjust their stick and then he fired hard passes onto his teammate’s tape. He is still gaining the strength to hold off larger stronger opponents during wall battles but in open ice he was as dangerous as any player in the tournament as he finished with four goals and six assists for ten points which was good for third overall in point totals. Born on September 30, 2007 Stenberg is not draft eligible until 2026. He won 46% of his 50/50 puck battles.
Milton Gastrin (C, L, 6’1″, 185, MODO J20, 06/02/2007) Standing at 6’1″, 185-pounds Gastrin is a slightly below average sized left shot center who captained Team Sweden. He played in straight lines looking to get to the slot as quickly and often as possible. Gastrin showed a quick stick with his three goals coming on quick stick one-timers. He was strong throughout contact with the awareness to maintain net side positioning while battling. He finished the tournament with ten points, winning 58% of his face-offs and won 53% of his 50/50 puck battles.
Vit Zahejsky (C, R, 5’10”, 170, Kamloops Blazers, 08/10/2007) Standing at 5’10”, 170-pounds Zahejsky is an undersized right shot right wing who played top line minutes for Team Czechia. He showed a quick first step, a very easy glide and the ability to stop on dime before exploding in the opposite direction. Zahejsky settled bouncing pucks with his eyes up looking for an open teammate or a scoring opportunity and he cleanly knocked pucks out of the air which highlighted his hand eye coordination. At this point in his development he is still gaining the strength to consistently win wall battles and or loose pucks but his puck skills allow him to be creative and make plays in open ice. He won 39% of his 50/50 puck battles during the tournament.
Emile Guite (LW, L, 6’1″, 174, Chicoutimi Sagueneens, 05/31/2007) Guite is a long lanky left shot forward who has a power forward’s frame as he stands a shade over 6’1″, 175-pounds. He has a bit of an “A-frame” skating base and plays the game with two hands on his stick prepared to handle a pass and quickly make the next play. He was constantly around the net and finished tied for the Team Canada lead in points with three goals and four assists for seven points. He is coming off a very productive rookie year in the QMJHL where he scored twenty-five goals and thirty-two assists but we feel he still has major growth to his overall game by adding strength and mass through off-ice training. At the Hlinka Gretzky he averaged 13:30 in total ice time per game while winning 47% of his 50/50 puck battles.
Cole Reschny (C, L, 5’11”, 183, Victoria Royals, 04/04/2007) Reschny is a 5’11”, 183-pound highly skilled left shot center who was watched at every turn during the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. In all three zones he showed a soft first touch and excellent puck anticipation. Reschny won wall battles simply because his hands were quicker than his opponent’s and he placed the puck in areas where only he could retrieve it. Once the puck was on his stick he was unpredictable and deceptive, He showed the type of deception that had defenders spinning away from the puck or stopping hard on a single edge after their toe-caps were going in the wrong direction. He finished the tournament with three goals, four assists which was good for being tied for fourth place. He looked stronger and more confident through contact than our last viewing which led to him winning 61% of his face-offs, but the potential first round NHL draft pick will still need to continue gaining strength to maximize his offensive potential in professional hockey. He won 49% of his 50/50 puck battles.
Gavin McKenna (LW, L, 5’11”, 163, Medicine Hat Tigers, 12/20/2007) The left shot 5’11”, 160-pound McKenna is a high end December 2007 who is not NHL draft eligible until the 2026 NHL draft. Despite being one of the youngest players in the tournament he averages 19:43 in total ice time for Team Canada which was second on the team, including leading all Canadian forwards as well as being an assistant captain. He showed an explosive first step out of hard stops, a powerful cross-under coming out of turns that created separation and his hands moved independently of his feet when taking a shot or making a pass. He finished the tournament with three goals, three assists and won 51% of his 50/50 puck battles.
Matthew Schaefer (D, L, 6’2″, 175, Erie Otters, 09/05/2007) The 6’2″, 175-pound Schaefer is a left shot defenseman who led the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in average ice time per game (26:18) which was eighty-eight seconds longer than Finland’s Jesper Kotajarvi who was second. He was captain for Team Canada and quite frankly looked like a man among boys has he won 62% of his 50/50 puck battles and cleared shooting lanes with ease. Offensively he did not telegraph his passes and he finished with six points in five games. Schaefer was a key member of both special team’s units and was on the ice for important defensive zone face-offs. Heading into the tournament he was a potential top ten 2025 NHL draft pick and we feel his performance in Edmonton moved him into a potential top five position.
Jan Chovan (C, L, 6’2″, 185, Tappara U20, 01/09/2007) Chovan is a 6’2″, 185-pound left shot center who uses his lower body to protect the puck from defenders while keeping his eyes up to locate passing lanes. He showed he was willing to take a hit to make a play with the puck poise to wait until the last moment before sliding the puck through the defender’s feet or triangle. During the Hlinka Gretzky Cup he was much more of a passer than we had seen in the past finishing with five assists in four games. Although skilled and creative Chovan will need to continue adding strength and power to his game as he won only 35% of his 50/50 puck battles.
Jesper Kotajarvi (D, L, 5’11”, 173, Tappara, 07/24/2007) Standing at 5’11”, 175-pounds Kotajarvi is an undersized defender who logged big minutes for Team Finland as he was second in the tournament in total ice time per game with 24:50. The left shot was very comfortable playing the right side showing a soft first touch on both his forehand and backhand. During offensive transition we liked how he baited the opposing F2 and F3 into being trapped below his outlet passing options which lead to his forwards having more time and space to make plays after receiving his pass. During defensive transition Kotajarvi moved on the pass which allowed him to arrive at his opponent as the received the pass leading to loose pucks and turnovers. Offensively his passes were flat but he did telegraph his shot as he had 1.67 shots per game blocked which is something that simply cannot happen in the National League. Kotajarvi won 63% of his 50/50 puck battles.
Patryk Zubek (D, L, 6’3″, 206, Barani Banska Bystrica U20, 04/18/2007) Zubek is a plus 6’3″, 205-pound left shot two-way defenseman who led Team Slovakia in total ice time earning 24:10 per game, including 3:51 on the top power play unit. He is still developing his explosive first step, but he showed a knee over toe skating posture that did not breakdown as he fatigued. He finished the tournament with one assist but he is an accurate passer who completed 89.7% of his passes. In the defensive zone he maintained net side positioning throughout contact and he showed the leg drive to pin his opponent to the wall to end the cycle. We liked his ability to use one hand on his stick to push pucks into areas where only his teammate could retrieve the puck. The Hlinka Gretzky Cup was a launching point into his draft year for Zubek as he won 62.5% of his 50/50 puck battles and finished third overall in ice time earned among all participants.
Lasse Boelius (D, L, 6’0″, 179, Assat U20, 03/16/2007) Boelius is a 6’0″, 180-pound left shot smooth gliding left shot defenseman who led Team Finland in ice time earning 22:15 total ice time per game even though he averaged only 0:12 while shorthanded. He showed deception in his passing and, although very basic, we liked how he did not skate in the direction or towards his intended passing target. His passes were hard flat and on the tape leading to Boelius completing 94.3% of his passes which was good for second overall in the tournament. Defensively he was aggressive and liked to attack his opponent often times arriving just as they were receiving a pass. In the defensive zone he used a low center of gravity to push opponents off the puck and then start offensive transition. He won 54.3% of his 50/50 puck battles.
Carter Murphy (D, L, 5’7″, 158, Youngstown Phantoms, 02/13/2007, Minnesota Duluth) Murphy is a quick, agile under sized left shot defender who led Team USA in ice time earning 22:11 in total ice time per game, including ranking eighth in power play ice time earned with 4:22 minutes per game. Although being measured at 5’7″, 158-pounds Murphy was strong on his feet and well balanced through contact which led to him winning 60% of his 50/50 puck battles. He was an assistant captain and an offensive catalyst who finished with five assists in five games. He completed 79.6% of his passes.
Tournament Stat Leaders
Jake O’Brien (C, R, 6’2″, 168, Brantford Bulldogs, 06/16/2007) 94.4% completed passing percentage
Cullen McCrate (D, R, 6’1″, 195, Dubuque Fighting Saints, 04/18/2007, Michigan State) 82.9% 50/50 puck battle winning percentage
Matej Pekar (C, L, 5’10”, 158, Ambri-Piotta U20, 09/08/2007) 2.6 hits per game
Milton Gastrin (C, L, 6’1″, 185, MODO J20, 06/02/2007) 20.8 puck battles per game
Matthew Schaefer (D, L, 6’2″, 175, Erie Otters, 09/05/2007) 14 takeaways per game
Adam Novotny (C, L, 6’1″, 181, Mountfield HK, 11/13/2007) 8.2 giveaways per game
Patryk Zubek (D, L, 6’3″, 206, Barani Banska Bystrica U20, 04/18/2007) 5 puck retrievals after shots per game
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images