2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup: Stroeder, Selič highlight top standouts from Day 3
The preliminary round for the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton is complete, with Canada, Slovakia, USA and Finland moving on to the medal round.
With a playoff spot on the line, the Switzerland/Slovakia game had a little bit of everything going for it. Switzerland’s Nolan Thurler opened the scoring at 10:35, only for Tomas Selic to tie it up three minutes later for Slovakia. The second period was a busy one, with Selic scoring another before nabbing an assist on Matus Valek’s goal late in the period. Leo Ulrich had Switzerland’s second goal to help set them up for an important third period. Despite Switzerland’s best efforts, they couldn’t do anything to stop another two goals from Selic, and one from Miroslav Kalousek, to make it a 6-2 game.
In the second game, Canada took home a 7-4 victory over Sweden. It started off strong for the hosts, with Brock Cripps, Ben Veitch and Liam Pue all finding the back of the net early. Ryerson Edgar and Kayden Stroeder scored two goals 20 seconds apart near the end of the first to put the game well out of reach, negating anything Benjamin Nystrom or Loui Karlsson could do at the other end. Alexis Joseph and Maddox Schultz added one more Canadian goal each for good measure, giving Canada a perfect 3-0 record in the round robin.
USA will play Slovakia at 2:00 PM ET on Friday, while Canada and Finland will play at 7:00 PM ET.
Slovakia 6, Switzerland 2
Slovakia
#1 Jakub Husár, G: Husár was excellent against the Swedes a few nights ago and he stood on his head again today. Husár prevented one goal from crossing the line despite getting hit because he knew to keep his glove out far out regardless. He also had a huge breakaway stop on top Swiss prospect Jonah Neuenschwander about six minutes into the second to keep the game tied at one. The 6-foot-2 goaltender had a difficult year with the Slovak U-17 team last year but received some love from scouts regardless for the way he never gave up on a play.
#8 Matúš Válek, C: Válek had a goal and an assist in this one in easily his best performance of the tournament. Playing with Selic doesn’t hurt, but Válek was always in front of the net, creating havoc in front of the net and getting the puck where it needed to be. Válek played a depth role with the Slovaks at the U-18s, but I still thought he had the raw hockey sense and speed to be dangerous whenever called upon. Now, boasting a significantly bigger role, it seems like he’s puttig everything together to potentially become a mid-to-late round NHL pick.
#24 Tomáš Selič, RW: Selič is a hard-working forward who thrives on the penalty kill and loves to get in the way of passes. That was rewarded today with three goals and a pair of assists – registering a point on every goal. Selič is a 6-foot-3 forward who doesn’t use his frame just to level guys. Instead, he does it to force opponents to the outside while battling as hard as anyone out there. I really liked his showing at the U-18s because it felt like he could do a bit of everything – and that’s exactly what we’ve seen here, too.
Switzerland
#30 Ayden Huet, G: Huet had an ugly start against Canada a few nights ago, allowing four goals on nine shots through nine minutes to post a GAA of 26.13. He was much better in the start of this one, turning away 12 shots in the first 10 minutes alone. Husár was a bit more impactful in my opinion, but Huet looked dialed in, especially down low. His quick footwork is intriguing, and he does a good job of tracking pucks through traffic. The loss wasn’t on him today.
#19 Jonah Neuenschwander, C: Neuenschwander, as expected, has been Switzerland’s best player in in Edmonton. He had two goals and an assist in the previous two games, and added another helper today. Neuenschwander used to be known as more of a goal-scorer, but it’s been his playmaking that has really stood out to me this week. He had an assist on the 2-2 goal, drawing two Slovaks toward him before finding an open teammate.
Canada 7, Sweden 4
Canada
#12 Brock Cripps, D: I was wondering when we’d see Cripps at his best. The skilled Prince Albert Raiders defender can be extremely patient with the puck, and it paid off on the 1-0 goal. He doesn’t get baited into shooting just for the sake of shooting and it paid off today. His ability to blow past defenders and pull off a high-skill move, even under pressure, makes him fun to watch. Hopefully this is the start of something more the rest of the way.
#21 Kayden Stroeder, C: The Pue/Maddox/Warren line has received the most love, but Stroeder has been just as good for the Canadians. He had a goal and two assists in this one to build off his two-goal game on Tuesday. These short-burst tournaments can be difficult, even for young, star talents. But Stroeder has gotten better with every passing game, clearly showing he loves playing in Edmonton – home of his Oil Kings. I’m going to continue keeping a close eye on him.
#23 Liam Pue, RW (2028): Yeah, he’s back. Again. The Pue/Maddox Schultz combo was expected to be downright dominant and Pue has been the most noticeable of the bunch. His shot is electric, and he’s already such a mature two-way player for his age. He’s always buzzing and looking for scoring lanes, and that’s why he’s Canada’s top scorer now. Regina is going to be an absolute force for the next few years.
#27 Jaakko Wycisk, RW: This was Wysick’s best game. The Guelph Storm winger had a pair of assists and a couple of exccellent defensive shifts to go along with it. I thought his effort level was the highest we’ve seen from him and among the best on the team, period. I like his shot; I just wish he used it more. Regardless, I hope he uses this to build up momentum in the playoffs.
Sweden
#30 Vilmer Salen Forsberg, G: After a terrible start for Adam Annborn, Forsberg entered the crease and played quite well in the second half. He still allowed a few goals, but he was extremely busy and looked up for the task, no matter what Canada sent his way. He’s much, much bigger than Annborn and that seemed to throw off the Canadian shooters, who had to get much more creative to get chances on net.
#14 Milan Sundstrom, C: Sundstrom had to be Sweden’s best player, and while I’d argue this wasn’t his best game, he still looked like Sweden’s most impactful player. He’s strong, smart, and battled hard at both ends of the ice. He wins a ton of faceoffs on pure strength alone. Sundtsrom finished the night with a single assist but nearly had a pair of goals, as well.
#16 Benjamin Nystrom, LW: Nystrom was one of the few Swedish attackers who could make anything happen today. He scored a pair of goals, including the one that made it 6-4 late. Nystrom plays with a ton of energy, and while he didn’t win many physical battles, his quick hands and heads-up attack allowed him to stay dangerous all throughout the evening.
#19 Loui Karlsson, LW: Karlsson had two goals tonight to get his team back in it. It didn’t matter in the end, but he was buzzing all over the ice and creating opportunities in tight. He’s one of the younger palyers on this Swedish team but he was easily one of the fastest ones.