2026 U-17 World Challenge: Top standouts as Czechia, USA advance to final
OAKVILLE, Ont. – For the first time since 2019, there will be no Canadian team competing for gold at the U-17 World Challenge following semifinal victories for Czechia and the United States.
The gold medal game will take place at 7:30 PM ET, with the all-Canadian bronze medal fight occuring at 3:30 PM ET. 2019 happens to be the last year no Canadian team medaled at all. Canada swept the spots in the final in 2024 and 2025, with Canada White winning two of the past three golds.
Czechia has never won gold at the U-17s, while USA is looking to pass Russia for second all-time with their seventh.
The Czechs beat Canada red 4-3 in the first semifinal, with Matyas Čutta leading the way with a pair of goals. Canada White held a 1-0 lead early in the middle stanza during the second semifinal, but USA scored five unanswered in an eventual 5-2 win.
Here’s a look at the top performers from Friday night’s games at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex:
Canada Red 3, Czechia 4
Canada Red
#3 Maxwell Fransen, LHD: This was my favorite game out of Fransen. There’s nothing flashy or overly special about his game. Instead, his bread and butter are strong play reads and defensive positioning. He’s still a work in progress with the puck, but he battles hard and does an excellent job of poking pucks out of danger. I could see a team liking him in a third-pairing role in the NHL – he’s a steady own-zone player who doesn’t crumble under pressure.
#13 Liam Pue, RW: Scouts wanted more out of Pue this tournament – much more. He delivered, scoring a goal and adding an assist for Canada Red. One of the biggest criticisms heading into the night was that he just doesn’t look capable of dominating a game without Maddox Schultz by his side. But Pue was Canada’s top play-driver today, generating some of Canada’s most lethal scoring opportunities. I like his shot, his physicality and his ability to get the puck into high-end scoring situations.
#14 Zaac Charbonneau, LW: This was Charbonneau’s best game of the tournament. He was buzzing early on, and was rewarded with a power-play goal off a feed from Liam Pue. Charbonneau had a hat-trick in the pre-tournament but had been just average at best through the round robin. It felt like we were watching a motivated winger looking to prove to scouts that he’s a first-round talent for 2028. I love his confidence – we just need to see the shift-to-shift consistency.
Czechia
#2 Matyas Novotny, G: Novotny has been my favorite goalie at this tournament. His stats might not look that special, but I won’t blame him for at least three of the four goals he allowed against Canada White in the tournament opener. Tonight, Novotny got run into a few times, but he kept battling back and looked as quick as I’ve ever seen him. He’s an athletic goaltender with outstanding leg work, and while his hands might lag a bit behind, he usually gets them where they need to be to make a stop up high.
#6 Matyas Michalek, LHD: Michalek hasn’t had a bad game in Oakville. The big, all-around defender can play any situation asked of him and never looks out of place. Michalek is smart, rugged and has a good shot, but he also never seems to make mistakes under pressure. Michalek is a great skater who consistently gets to the right spot at the right time. I also appreciate how willing he is to lay the body, but he never puts himself in a position to get in trouble.
#20 Matyas Čutta, C: Čutta had an excellent two-goal showing, which ultimately proved to be the difference. The second-line center has been so good for the Czechs; night after night, he’s been in the right spot at the right time to bang home rebounds. He’s also creating his own chances, too. Čutta Every night, Čutta has found himself involved with the puck, getting an average of 2-3 good looks a game. He’s not a high-volume guy, but the quality seems to always be there.
#21 Dominik Zelezny, LW (2029): Zelezny, man. His hat trick on opening night was spectacular, but I didn’t love his second game. Today, he started slow, only showing his skill on the power play. But I thought he stood out defensively throughout the second period before stealing the puck and deking the pants off Loftus for the second goal. A projected top 10 pick in 2029, Zelezny has been a standout talent for the Czechs all tourney long, showing some of the best creativity that we’ve seen.
#24 Vojtěch Hüttl, RW: Hüttl’s tournament was a bit underwhelming, which was surprising given I liked what I saw from him previously. But this was his most noticeable game, leading the Czechs in hits while also being a menace around the net. He plays with a relentless edge without ever slowing down, which you love to see out of a 5-foot-10 winger.
Canada White 2, USA 5
Canada White
#4 Jaden Licastro, LHD: Licastro has been one of Canada’s better blueliners this week (and he even took a faceoff against Finland) and it was no different today. The 6-foot-2 defender is a strong skater who uses his footwork to win puck battles and take space away. Offensively, it’s been a quiet year for the Soo Greyhounds blueliner, but defensively, he seems to rarely be in the wrong position. I’ll definitely be keeping a close eye on him the rest of the season.
#18 Kain Martiniuk, LW: Martiniuk is a nuisance around the net. He scored the icebreaker in the second period after battling hard on the second power-play unit. He was bumped up to the top squad the rest of the night, but Canada’s struggles on the man advantage never seemed to change. Still, I like how annoying Martiniuk is – he’s a wasp looking for any opportunity to bounce. He might not have the best shot, but he makes up for it with his pure willpower, and his ice time was boosted as a result.
USA
#31 Mason Martin, G: This was one of the best performances of any goalie this week. He was forced to make a handful of big stops on 2-on-1s and rarely gave out a bad rebound. Martin made 36 saves in the first 40 minutes alone – that’s one heck of a way to make a statement after allowing six goals in his only other start. The 6-foot-1 goaltender is quite athletic, getting into the right spot at the right time frequently. He also does a good job of kicking shots to the corner and out of danger. I know his play this year has been a bit mixed, but this had to feel good for his confidence.
#43 Drew Daley, D: Daley is as steady as they come. Defensively, he gives players so little room to make moves – even speedsters like Madden Daneault. Daley is a strong puck-mover who likes to join in on the rush, and he’s got a reliable, accurate wrister. While the numbers have been mostly muted in Oakville (he did score today), Daley has consistently been USA’s best defenseman in just about every situation. I like his skating, his play reads and general positioning.
#34 Joey Cullen, C: Cullen is a one-man highlight reel. He has incredible hands, but he also can make quick passes and plays under pressure at a high rate. Cullen doesn’t need to score to be effective – the puck is usually in the offensive zone when he’s on the ice. When it’s not, he’s usually battling hard and winning defensive matchups with ease. Cullen looks like a potential top-five pick for 2028 because his game is already so varied and mature for his age.
#36 Henry Buttweiler, LW: Buttweiler is more of a support player on this USNTDP, but he proved at Honeybaked they he can pull off some creative plays. He had a pair of assists tonight in easily his most noticeable game of the tournament – I especially love how often he got into the slot.
DAILY FACEOFF NEWSLETTER
