Top 2028, 2029 Prospects to Watch at U-17 World Challenge
One of the top prospect showcases of the year is here.
The 2026 U-17 World Hockey Challenge gets underway on Nov. 1 in Oakville, Ont., pitting five nations and six teams against each other for a week of action. Hosted and operated by Hockey Canada, it’s the first real opportunity to see future draft prospects together on the international stage in a meaningful manner. Canada always brings two teams to get as many players in front of scouts as possible, and it has led to three straight gold medals and two consecutive championship game lockouts.
From a Hockey Canada perspective, it’s interesting because while the talent is split between two teams, it’s one of the only times you’ll see all their top talent wearing the maple leaf. Some players miss out on the U-18 World Championship due to the CHL playoffs, while other top stars could end up going straight to the NHL and miss out on the World Juniors. USA will bring its U-17 USA Hockey National Team Development Program roster, while Czechia, Finland and Sweden will bring an experienced group of players who have spent the past two years competing for medals in smaller international events.
From an overall perspective, this tournament is typically loaded with talent. We’ve seen strong performances from the likes of Macklin Celebrini, Gavin McKenna, Connor Bedard, Jack Hughes, Connor McDavid, Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, Auston Matthews, Alexander Ovechkin and so many others over the years. It simply makes for exciting hockey.
Here’s a look at 10 prospects for the 2028 NHL Draft worth keeping an eye on, as well as another five for 2029:
2028
Matyas Čutta, LW (Czechia)
Čutta has looked strong in his first year in North America, where he currently averages half a point per game with Rimouski. He had a point per game a year ago with the Czech U-16 team while also embarrassing opponents in the domestic U-17 league. Čutta is fast, smart and plays with a boatload of skill, which allows him to skate past opponents and create quality scoring chances. He’s not overly big, but Čutta makes up for it by blasting past opponents and avoiding physical battles. I’m excited to see him in person for the first time because the video scouting has been fun.
Matyáš Michálek, LHD (Czechia)
Michálek is one of the most exciting defenders to come out of Europe in quite some time. He was a star at the U-16, U-17 and even U-18 level for Czechia internationally last year and looks destined to challenge for a World Junior spot in December. Michálek is a mature defender who doesn’t make many mistakes under pressure, and he can keep up with faster forwards with little issue. I love how hard he competes every single shift, and he showed that against men in the top Czech pro league. You don’t see many players come back for a second go at this event, but Michálek is an absolute must-see talent.
Zaac Charbonneau, C (Canada Red)
Charbonneau took the American-based hockey route, where he’s currently dominating with the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks. He has more than a point per game already with the club, and he’s tracking toward tying Macklin Celebrini’s 46-goal run as a 16-year-old in 2022-23 (a league record). Charbonneau already has impressive size at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, allowing him to physically dominate his own age group. Some of the kids will catch up there – but what they won’t match is his hockey sense and two-way reliability, both of which look advanced for a 16-year-old. I could see him challenging for the scoring lead.
Liam Pue, RW (Canada Red)
Pue has been an absolute sensation in the WHL this year. He has 11 goals and 18 points through 11 games, giving him a full-season pace of 110 points. He’ll obviously miss time playing at this event, but only three 16-year-olds have ever scored more than 50 goals in a WHL season, with Connor Bedard’s 51 in 2021-22 being the only example of it from the 21st century (also with Regina). Having a mastermind at center like Maddox Schultz to work with doesn’t hurt (although they’ve been separated a few times this year). But Pue has consistently put himself into high-danger scoring areas in a way very few young players are capable of. Pue was amazing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him make Canada’s World Junior team this winter, too.
Maddox Schultz, C (Canada White)
Schultz is considered by many to be the top prospect for the 2028 NHL Draft. We saw his brilliance at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where it felt like he was making something happen offensively every time he hit the ice. His hockey sense is already so high for his age, and it’s why he was one of Regina’s top players last season, despite only being able to skate in half the campaign due to his age. Schultz plays the game at a high speed and has an absolute blister of a wrister. He’s also quite strong for a 16-year-old, allowing him to push past older, more experienced WHLers to create plays. Schultz will be the premier prospect scouts are keeping an eye on over the next week.
Jose Tiilikainen, LW (Finland)
Tiilikainen has been a dominant offensive weapon every time he has suited up for the Finns. He led the team in U-16 scoring a year ago and is first again this year with four assists through three games. He has also been lighting up the U-18 league there, where he’s two points off the league scoring lead. Tiilikainen is a true play driver who handles the puck well and does so much in the attacking zone. Scouts also like Tiilikainen’s off-puck game; he’s more of a supporter than an attacker, but he gives opponents little time to work with more often than not. He still needs to get stronger, but in the short term, he’s going to be a big part of Finland’s attack.
Wilson Boumedienne, C (Sweden)
Boumedienne is the younger brother of Winnipeg Jets prospect Sascha Boumedienne and the son of former NHLer Josef Boumedienne. There’s a very good chance Wilson will go on to be the best of the three thanks to his raw skill and high-end offensive instincts. He put an absolute beating on the U-14 prep school ranks two years ago, registering 60 goals and 160 points in 58 games. He continued that hot play throughout 2025-26, seeing some U-18 team action while also obliterating opponents with the Swedish U-16 team. He’s been good in the USHL this year – a hard league for 16-year-olds to score in. Could he turn some heads in Oakville?
Milo Spelkvist, RW (Sweden)
I loved Spelkvist in the 4 Nations tournament back in April. He was electric with the puck, dominating open areas while showcasing a high level of skill. Spelkvist was a shot-generation machine throughout his Swedish U-18 season, often getting himself into the slot to get pucks on net. I like how confident Spelkvist is, and he’s got the skill to go up 1-on-1 with just about anyone. If Spelkvist is paired up with Leon Roos and Joakim Dahl, watch out – they’re making goalies look like bozos this year in Swedish U-18 Region play.
Joey Cullen, LW (USA)
Thought his brother, Wyatt, was good? Joey might be better. The forward has been one of the most productive players in his age group the past few years and was one of the top recruits for the USNTDP U-17 team this season. Cullen has five points through eight games, while also being the most creative and dominant forward just about every night. He plays with so much pace and is already bigger than his brother was at the same age. Cullen is so smart, is outstanding in a straight line and rarely gives the puck up without a fight. In terms of raw talent, he’s one of the best players you’ll see this week.
Jack Trupiano, RW (USA)
Trupiano has been a scoring machine so far, leading the USNTDP with six goals in eight games. It’s not surprising, given he was extremely productive with the Little Caesars program the past few years. The Michigan State University commit is thinking all offense, all the time. He’s physically strong and isn’t afraid to battle players around the net, which often leads to him picking up rebounds. While scouts aren’t sure what his NHL outlook is, most would agree that he’ll be one of USA’s best players in Oakville.
Other notables: Kash Kwajah, C (Canada Red); Kane Cloutier, C (Canada White); Thomas Boisvert, C (Canada White); Lucas Andrejko, LW (Czechia); Leon Roos, C (Sweden)
2029
Dominik Železný, C (Czechia)
Železný is getting rave reviews for his national team play already. He’s averaging more than a point per game as an underager for the U-17 team (after doing the same with the U-16 squad last year). He’s also primarily playing against U-20 competition with Bili Tygri Liberec as a 15-year-old, which is crazy. He’ll be a first-liner for Czechia, and it’ll be clear why quite quickly – he’s one of the most creative players around. Železný is an absolute monster on the forecheck, but he’s also reliable defensively, too. Don’t give him open space unless you hate your goalie, though.
Madden Daneault, C (Canada White)
Daneault is still an underager in the WHL, but there’s a legit chance he registers 50 points as a 15-year-old. The Kelowna Rockets star has been their best player most nights while also putting up some decent efforts with the Red Deer Chiefs AAA team. Even though Red Deer’s U-15 squad wasn’t overly deep last year, it felt like Daneault was capable of carrying them whenever he was on the ice. Not only did he have 11 points in one game, but he had at least five points in 14 games to help contribute to his insane 65-goal, 149-point effort (in just 34 games!). His hands are absolutely insane; they’re legitimately some of the best I’ve seen out of a player this age. It’s going to be a blast watching him over the next week.
Pierre-Alexandre Lemieux, C (Canada White)
Lemieux was a late addition to Canada White, but he should have been there the whole time. He was one of the top standouts during the summer training camp and is off to a hot start in the Q with five goals and 10 points in 12 games. He battles hard along the boards, which isn’t surprising given his 6-foot-3 frame. Lemieux boasts an impressive wrister and plays a good give-and-go game, allowing him to create chances from everywhere. He’s also an impressive skater for his size, too. I could see him becoming a top-10 pick in 2029.
Thor Liffiton, RHD (Canada Red)
With a 6-foot-3 frame and an outstanding name, it’s hard not to notice Liffiton. He was one of Canada’s best defenders during the summer camp and has started to really figure it out in recent WHL outings after a slow start. He’s a good puck distributor who does a good job of clearing the crease and giving his goalie a chance to make a clean save. Liffiton rarely struggles against kids his own age, but can still have a difficult time reading quicker, older players on the rush. At this tournament, though, there’s no danger of that.
Chase Schulberger, RHD (USA)
Schulberger impressed at the USA 15U showcase in the summer and has continued that over into a solid start with the USNTDP. He’s a physically minded defender who isn’t afraid to blast you to the moon if you annoy him. Schulberger is capable of eating a ton of (tough) minutes without any real concerns about endurance or mental lapses. Schulberger has continued to improve as a puck distributor as he builds his confidence. He’s already one of the most powerful defenders in this age group, and it feels like he thrives on violence and attention.
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