Preview group B: Can home team Slovakia hold their own?

Slovakia U18

Home fans will see the Slovak national team compete in Group B in Trenčín, as the team hopes to achieve greater success than in recent years.

Since the tournament’s inception, Slovakia has won three medals, but lately, success has been elusive. The last time they reached the playoffs was in 2021, when they somewhat surprisingly won silver.

Slovakia’s U17 team had a nice showing at the most recent World Championship. Their defence will likely be led by 17-year-old Adam Goljer, who played in six Slovak Extraliga games for Trenčín last season. He has also been a regular for the national team. In offence, Samuel Hybský is expected to take on a prominent role. He also boasts Slovak Extraliga experience, scoring 23 points for Zvolen’s junior team.

Sweden U18

As always, Sweden’s U18 team will be one of the top medal contenders. They won the tournament back in 2007 and have claimed four silver and nine bronze medals over the years. Last year, they finished third after losing to Czechia in the semifinals but dominated the USA in the bronze medal game with a 6:3 victory.

Sweden also enjoyed success at the most recent World Championship. After a series of high-scoring games, they made it all the way to the final, with their only loss in the group stage coming against the USA. However, the gold medal match ended in heartbreak, as Canada cruised to a 7:0 win, and the Nordic team left the ice in tears.

For this year’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup, Sweden is bringing a roster full of exciting names and one you shouldn’t miss is defenceman Axel Elofsson. The 17-year-old played for Örebro’s junior team last season and was a key offensive contributor, recording 32 points (9 goals and 23 assists).

Another notable player is forward Marcus Nordmark. Last season was an outstanding one for him. In U17 tournaments, he scored 19 goals and assisted on another 19. At club level with Djurgårdens IF, he split time between the junior team and the U18 squad.

USA U18

Team USA always aims to win. Despite have only won the Hlinka Gretzky Cup once, all the way back in 2003, the US are never to be underestimated. They’ve reached the final nine times since then, falling short on all occasions and have claimed bronze four times, last winning a medal two years ago.

At this year’s World Championship, Team USA displayed great confidence. They cruised through the group stage without a slip but stumbled in the semifinals against Sweden. However, they quickly bounced back, defeating Slovakia in the bronze medal match.

For the tournament in Trenčín, the Americans are bringing a roster full of young stars. Forward Blake Zielinski is one of their most dangerous offensive weapons. He had a productive season, collecting a total of 54 points, averaging a point per game.

Another interesting figure is Alofa Tunoa Ta’amu. The physically imposing forward not only made appearances for the national team, but also played a full season in the WHL for the Edmonton Oil Kings. While he wasn’t among the top scorers, his strengths lie in his physical play and grit.

Germany U18

Team Germany has participated in four editions of the Hlinka Gretzky Cup since the Covid-19 pandemic, finishing last in the group stage each time. However, they’ve only ended up in last place overall once.

Germany put up a very solid performance at the last World Championship, finishing third in their group and making the quarterfinals and for this year’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup, head coach Andreas Becherer has a few interesting names on his roster.

Towering Tappara U18 defenceman Darian Rolsing stands 197 cm tall and is expected to be a key part of the defence, while in offense, Max Penkin is expected to shine — one could even say he’s one of the team’s biggest stars. The 16-year-old forward scored 22 goals and assisted on 28 more for Mannheim’s junior team.