For less than the second time ever, the Hlinka Gretzky Cup is happening in Edmonton. The 2024 version of the annual under-18 worldwide match runs right this moment (Aug. 5) to Saturday (Aug. 10) at Rogers Place.
The match debuted in 1991, then often called the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Event. Edmonton first hosted the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2018, when Canada beat Sweden within the championship sport of the eight-team occasion.
Associated: 5 Standouts from Hlinka Gretzky Cup
The overwhelming majority of gamers that may go well with up on this 12 months’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup are 2007-born, making them eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft subsequent June. Meaning followers attending video games in Edmonton will possible be seeing a minimum of a pair gamers that at the moment subsequent 12 months will likely be Oilers prospects.
To place issues in perspective, about one-third of Edmonton’s projected 2024-25 opening night time lineup performed on this match earlier than their respective draft years. Right here’s a have a look at all the present Oilers with Hlinka Gretzky Cup expertise.
Mattias Ekholm, Sweden, 2007
In 2007 Mattias Ekholm helped his nation win this match for its first and to this point solely time, selecting up one aim and one help in 4 video games to tie Victor Hedman for the Group Sweden lead in factors by a defenceman. Ekholm was drafted 102nd general by the Nashville Predators two years later.
Evander Kane, Canada, 2008
Evander Kane picked up one aim and three assists in 4 video games in 2008, as Canada cruised to the gold medal, profitable the primary of a tournament-record eight consecutive championships. Ten months later, the winger was drafted fourth general by the Atlanta Thrashers.
Jeff Skinner, Canada, 2009
Jeff Skinner led all gamers with six targets in simply 4 video games in 2009, main Canada to the gold medal. Two of his targets got here throughout Canada’s 9-2 thrashing of Group Russia within the championship closing. The Carolina Hurricanes made Skinner the seventh general choice on the 2010 NHL Draft.
Viktor Arvidsson, 2010
Viktor Arvidsson tied for many targets within the 2010 match, scoring 5 instances in 5 video games to assist Sweden seize the bronze medal. It wouldn’t be till 2014 that he was drafted, when the Predators took an opportunity on the undersized winger with decide No. 112.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Canada, 2010
Then a celebrity junior ahead, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins accounted for all of the scoring throughout Canada’s 1-0 victory over america within the 2010 gold medal sport.
Over the course of the match, the ahead tallied 5 instances in 5 video games, matching the Swedish trio of Pontus Aberg, Arvidsson, and Joachim Nermark for the goal-scoring lead. The Oilers drafted Nugent-Hopkins first general in 2011, and he has been an Edmonton fixture ever since.
Darnell Nurse, Canada, 2012
Earlier than he was the second-highest drafted defenceman, chosen at No. 7 by the Oilers in 2013, Darnell Nurse was a part of a stacked blue line on a dominant Canadian staff on the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Event: Canada went undefeated and shutout Finland to win gold.
Cam Dineen, United States, 2015
Cam Dineen led all American blueliners with two factors and tied for the staff lead with a ranking of plus-3 on the 2015 match. He was chosen within the third spherical, 68th general of the 2016 Draft by the Arizona Coyotes, who since traded him to Edmonton in 2023.
Ben Gleason, United States, 2015
Ben Gleason was a part of Group USA’s defensive corps with Dineen in 2015, when the People completed fifth. He wasn’t drafted, however finally made it to the NHL with the Dallas Stars. He signed with the Oilers in 2023, and spent all of final season within the American Hockey League.
Philip Broberg, Sweden, 2018
Philip Broberg suited up for Group Sweden when the Hlinka Gretzky Cup made its Edmonton debut six years in the past, and the blueliner left a large impression in his future dwelling rink.
Edmonton’s first-round draft decide (eighth general) in 2019 led all defencemen within the match with three targets, together with one game-winner, serving to Sweden seize the silver medal.
Dylan Holloway, Canada, 2018
Dylan Holloway was simply 16 when he helped Group Canada beat Broberg and Sweden within the gold medal sport at Rogers Place in 2018. The ahead, who Edmonton drafted 14th general in 2020, had two targets and one help within the match.
Roby Jarventie, Finland, 2019
Fittingly, the most recent addition to the Oilers, who was acquired from the Ottawa Senators through commerce on July 15, additionally has a historical past within the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Roby Jarventie performed for Group Finland in 2019 and scored one aim because the Finns completed fourth in 2019. He was chosen with the second decide of Spherical 2, 33rd general, by Ottawa in 2020.
The 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup will get underway at midday in Edmonton right this moment with a preliminary spherical match-up between Slovakia and Sweden, and continues by means of Saturday (Aug. 10) when the gold medal sport is scheduled for six:00 p.m. MDT.
