USA Hockey will select its team for the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup starting this Thursday. The 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, taking place Aug. 2-8 in Czech Republic, will feature prospects born in 2004. The Americans going overseas for the first marquee international event of the draft season will be chosen from the USA Hockey Select...
USA Hockey will select its team for the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup starting this Thursday.
The 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, taking place Aug. 2-8 in Czech Republic, will feature prospects born in 2004. The Americans going overseas for the first marquee international event of the draft season will be chosen from the USA Hockey Select 17 Player Development Camp at Northtown Center in Amherst, N.Y.
The event didn’t occur in 2020, due to the coronavirus. As is customary, USA Hockey won’t send its top possible team, as NTDP players aren’t eligible for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. The ’04 birth year is deeper and more talented than the ’03s, but there are some question marks.
There are some reasons for optimism in terms of USA Hockey returning home with a medal. The defense should be very strong with capable blueliners with junior hockey experience. However, the forward group isn’t very deep, and there isn’t a legit bona fide starter.
Below is my pre-camp look at who I’d project to make the U.S. National Select-18 Team roster that will compete at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Asterisks identify late ’04s who are not eligible until the 2023 NHL draft.
Forwards
Brennan Ali, Chicago Mission 16-U, C, 6-1/193
Gavin Brindley*, Tri-City Storm, RW, 5-8/152
Andon Cerbone, Chicago Steel, C/LW, 5-9/150 (Michigan)
Jimmy Clark, Edina H.S., LW, 6-0/175
Luke Devlin, Muskegon Lumberjacks, C, 6-4/185 (Cornell)
Quinn Finley, Chicago Steel, LW, 5-11/161
Gavin Hayes, Honeybaked 16-U, RW, 6-1/161
Christian Kocsis, Lincoln Stars, LW, 6-0/183 (Providence)
Cole Knuble, Fox Motors 16-U, RW, 5-10/170
Cameron Lund, Junior Bruins; Cushing Academy, C/RW, 6-1/165 (Northeastern)
Ben MacDonald, Nobles, C, 6-0/155
Michael Mesic, Honeybaked 16-U, C, 5-11/165
Zam Plante, Hermantown H.S., C, 5-8/134
Defense
Vinny Borgesi, Tri-City Storm, RD, 5-10/146 (Northeastern)
Jackson Dorrington, Junior Bruins; Cushing Academy, LD, 6-1/185 (Northeastern)
Aiden Dubinsky, Omaha Lancers, RD, 6-0/176 (Minnesota Duluth)
Ryan Healey, Sioux Falls Stampede, RD, 6-1/170 (Harvard)
Jake Livanavage, Chicago Steel, LD, 5-10/154
Chase Pietila, Lincoln Stars, RD, 6-1/181 (Michigan Tech)
Spencer Sova, Erie Otters, LD, 6-1/174
Goaltenders
Jacob Fowler, Selects Academy 18-U, 6-2/185
Andrew Oke, Honeybaked 15O, 6-2/197
Projected Line Chart
Finley - Lund - Hayes
Cerbone - Plante - Brindley
Mesic - Devlin - Ali
Kocsis - MacDonald - Knuble
Clark
Sova - Borgesi
Dorrington - Healey
Livanavage - Dubinsky
Pietila
Fowler - Oke
