Scouting Notebook: Top performers from the final day of round-robin action at 2023 U-17 World Hockey Challenge
Now, the games really begin.
The preliminary round of the World U-17 Hockey Challenge in Prince Edward Island is over, with every team having completed five games in six days. It’s a grueling schedule, even for teenagers with seemingly endless energy.
In the end, the United States and Sweden finished 1-2, earning byes to the semifinal. USA blew a 2-0 lead to Canada Red on Tuesday, with Canada Red fighting back for the 5-4 overtime winner. Canada’s other team was less fortunate, dropping a 5-3 decision to Finland despite a good second-half. In the earlier game, Sweden managed to beat Czechia 5-3 to help secure the second semifinal spot.
With all six teams making the playoffs, the two Canadian teams will fight for a chance to stay alive on Thursday, while Finland and Czechia will have a go at, too. Both games will be take place shortly after 6:00 PM ET on Thursday, with the semifinals proceeding the following day.
Here’s a look at the top standouts from Tuesday night:
Canada Red
#17 Braeden Cootes, C (2025): Coaches love players who never give up on a play, and that’s the basis for Cootes’ game. After his shot was sent to the rear boards, he beat out an American defender and flicked the puck over the American keeper to tie the game up at two. He was great around the net, as he’s been all tournament long.
#15 Ryan Roobroeck, LW (2026): Today’s effort was an extension of his strong showing against Sweden. He hit everyone in sight, and he scored at 41:34 to give Canada a brief lead. He’s really coming into his own at this tournament.
#9 Gavin McKenna, LW (2026): He scored the winning goal. You know the rest.
#7 Cole Reschny, C (2025): Reschny was everywhere in that overtime, creating his own breakaway and then setting up McKenna for the game-winner. McKenna has received more of the attention, but Reschny is a special talent himself.
USA
#32 Patrick Quinlan, G (2025): Despite giving up a two-goal lead, Quinlan looked great for the Americans. He made nearly 30 saves in the first 40 minutes in a lopsided shot-count, keeping the Americans in front for a large chunk. He’s been great when called upon in this tournament, but that might be his final start.
#50 William Moore, C (2025): Other than his goal that made it 2-0 – a flukey one from behind the net – Moore looked excellent tonight. He was buzzing, attacking the play, using his size and playing good defensively. He only had one point, but it was one of Moore’s more well-rounded efforts of the tournament.
#42 Donato Bracco, D (2025): Whenever Bracco got beat, he made up for it with a good shift almost immediately after. He had his ups and downs, but it was how he reacted in response that impressed me today.
Canada White
#20 Emile Guite, RW (2025): White’s best shooter all tournament long, it wasn’t surprising to see him score the goal that brought the team back into the contest. He then set up Matthew Schaefer for the 3-2 goal before nearly tying it up on the following shift. Guite’s shot is quite something, already looking high-level for this age group.
#15 Caleb Desnoyers, C (2025): Desnoyers is Canada’s No. 1 center for a reason. He doesn’t crumble under pressure, he’s working hard and sets an example for others in the lineup. The QMJHL star was rewarded with a nice spin goal to make it 4-3, forcing a turnover before beating Jooa Sammalniemi.
#14 Cole Temple, LW (2025): In the nicest way possible, Temple is a rodent out there. He’s always in the way, always pissing opponents off, creating screens and scoring chances. There’s a reason he’s been so effective in this tournament, and maybe the most versatile option in Canada’s top six.
#11 Matthew Schaefer, D (2025): Talk about a confidence booster. Schaefer hadn’t scored a goal all season long heading into tonight, but his power-play wrister made it 3-2. He has had a good tournament, but hasn’t had the numbers to show for it. Today was his best two-way game, no question.
Finland
#11 Rasmus Kämäräinen, RW (2025): He scored twice, including the back-breaker empty-netter in the final minutes of play. But it was his second-period goal that made it 3-0 that gave the Finns what looked to be an insurmountable lead at the time. He’s up to four goals and five points in five games, helping to give the Finns a big offensive boost the past few games.
#30 Jooa Sammalniemi, G (2025): It doesn’t matter who the Finns put in net, their goalies deliver. He allowed three goals, but Sammalniemi still turned away 38 shots – including 18 in the third period alone. Sammalniemi didn’t get a lot of support in the latter stages, but after allowing Desnoyers’ shot, the Finnish keeper was rock solid until the final buzzer.
Sweden
#16 Anton Frondell, C (2025): Move over Ivar Stenberg. Frondell had a three-goal opening period to help make it a 4-1 game, with his third goal being the dagger. The hot start was important because both teams looked way too tired as the game went on. Frondell has looked good throughout the tournament, entering the game with two goals and three points, but this helped his case as Sweden’s premier forward to watch from the 2025 NHL Draft.
#11 Jakob Ihs Wozniak, RW (2025): Wozniak saved his best games for the end of the tournament. He looked great against Canada Red on Monday, but he tallied three primary assists on Frondell’s goals today. At 6-foot-2, he has the ability to overpower opponents, and that’s exactly what we saw today.
#5 Sascha Boumedienne, D (2025): Boumedienne was one of the few Swedes that didn’t look gassed near the end of the game. The Youngstown Phantoms defender is speedy, knows when to attack and is deceptive when skating with the puck. He’s been great in the USHL this year, but this tournament has helped showcase the Swedish defender to more scouts.
Czechia
#25 Matej Pekar, RW (2025): Perhaps Czechia’s most consistent player, Pekar nabbed two assists today. While he tends to try and get the puck to his net himself – to a fault, sometimes – he does an excellent job of generating scoring chances. That’s exactly what he did today.
#5 Radim Mrtka, D (2025): Another good showing for Mrtka, a big 6-foot-4 defender with a booming shot. He scored earlier in the tournament, and he nabbed an assist today to keep his solid run going. His game is all about power.