When the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup opens July 31 in Breclav, Czechia and Tencin, Slovakia, Canada will enter as the heavy favorites. With a roster comprised almost exclusively with players from the Canadian Hockey League, some players have already established themselves among the top-tier players for the 2024 NHL Draft, with others looking like good bets to go early in 2025.

Last year, Canada rolled through the tournament on home ice, going undefeated and largely unchallenged on the way to the championship. The Hlinka-Gretzky Cup has alternated between being hosted in Canada and in its traditional location as a co-hosted tournament between Czechia and Slovakia since 2018. While Canada had home ice in Red Deer, Alberta last season, the expectations will be no different for this year's team across the pond.

Just 1️⃣0️⃣ days until 🇨🇦 is back on the ice for #HlinkaGretzkyCup! Will you be watching? 🏒

Plus que 1️⃣0️⃣ jours avant l’entrée en scène du 🇨🇦 à la #CoupeHlinkaGretzky! Serez-vous de la partie? 🏒 #FanFriday | #VendrediPartisans pic.twitter.com/HxH4T0cZ9N

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) July 21, 2023

The eight-team tournament which also includes a team from the United States often serves as the official kick-off of the 2024 NHL Draft season as it helps set a baseline for the rest of the year for many of the top players in the age group NHL teams will be scouting all year.

Like last year’s tournament, Canada will be without its best player in the age group. Last year, Connor Bedard was part of Canada’s entry at the summer World Junior Championship in Edmonton and thus unavailable for the tournament. This time around, Canada will not be able to rely on Macklin Celebrini, who was the leading scorer for his team in a bronze medal finish at the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Under-18 Championship. Celebrini underwent surgery earlier in the offseason to repair a shoulder injury and was not going to be ready in time to compete in this tournament before beginning his freshman season with Boston University in the fall.

ALSO READ: FloHockey's Way-Too-Early 2024 NHL Draft Top 10

Despite missing Celebrini, the Canadians have plenty of intrigue as a group.

Here’s a quick look at the roster with some thoughts on the roster and some of the players to keep a close eye on.

Current league in parenthesis

Goaltenders

Gabriel D’Aigle (QMJHL), Carter George (GOJHL), Ryerson Leenders (OHL)

Defensemen

Anthony Cristoforo (OHL), Ben Danford (OHL), Sam Dickinson (OHL), Charlie Elick (WHL), Frankie Marrelli (OHL), Henry Mews (OHL), Zayne Parekh (OHL)

Forwards

Cole Beaudoin (OHL), Berkly Catton (WHL), Jordan Gavin (WHL), Liam Greentree (OHL), Ollie Josephson (WHL), Cayden Lindstrom (WHL), Porter Martone (OHL), Maxim Massé (QMJHL), Roger McQueen (WHL), Michael Misa (OHL), Justin Poirier (QMJHL), Ryder Ritchie (WHL), Malcolm Spence (OHL), Carson Wetsch (WHL)

Canada’s outfit has a number of high-profile players including some highly-regarded prospects for 2024, perhaps most notably Sam Dickinson from the London Knights. He’s in the conversation for being the first defenseman off the board in 2024 after a strong showing last season with London in the OHL. 

Be sure to keep that puck, Sam! 👏@LondonKnights rookie Sam Dickinson wakes up the Budweiser Gardens crowd, as he launches a rocket to net for his first career #OHL goal! 📽️ pic.twitter.com/6vsxqTAjHB

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) October 14, 2022

Dickinson has size, mobility and athleticism, suggesting higher-end upside. He also had a strong showing in the OHL playoffs last year, registering eight points in 21 contests. He was ranked No. 5 in FloHockey’s early top 10 for the 2024 NHL Draft.

Two other defensemen on Canada’s roster also cracked Flo’s top 10, No. 9 Henry Mews and No. 10 Zayne Parekh, both from the OHL. 

Parekh set the league’s single-season record for goals by a U17 defenseman with a staggering 21 tallies. He scored six more during the playoffs and also was a top performer at the U17 World Hockey Challenge where he had five points in seven games. 

Mews, meanwhile, really caught attention after that same U17 Challenge, posting eight points while captaining Team Canada White. He also had 31 points in 55 games for the Ottawa 67s and shows a lot of poise for his age.

Henry Mews scored twice in the second period to extend the @Ottawa67sHockey lead 🎥 pic.twitter.com/fijGj0jIUd

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) November 27, 2022

While the forward group has some top-end 2024 NHL Draft-eligible forwards, led by Berkly Catton who was ranked sixth in FloHockey’s early top 10 for 2024, many eyes will be glued to Team Canada’s youngest player. 

Michael Misa played in the OHL last year at age 15 after being granted exceptional status to enter the year a league before the rest of his peers were eligible. He had a remarkable rookie year with 56 points in 45 games and was named the league’s rookie of the year. He also helped Canada Red take second place at the U17 World Challenge as an underager with six points in seven games in the tournament.

2007-born exceptional status player Michael Misa wins it for Canada Red over Canada White in OT at the U17 Hockey Challenge. He now has a goal in each of his three games in this tournament. pic.twitter.com/B8AbAj1hmx

— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) November 7, 2022

Despite his youth, Misa should be a prominent forward on this roster that includes a couple of other notable 2025-eligible players like Malcolm Spence of the Erie Otters and Porter Martone of the Mississauga Steelheads.

Youth will be served in net as well as Gabriel D’Aigle may have the inside track on being the No. 1 netminder. He made Canada’s World Under-18 Championship team last year, appearing in three games during the tournament. With a late 2006 birthday, he’s not eligible until the 2025 NHL Draft to be selected.

D’Aigle boasts good size and experience, having appeared in 21 QMJHL games last season with Victoriaville.

Carter George, meanwhile, will look to stake his claim on the starting spot. Despite lacking the size D’Aigle boasts, he performed at a high level in 10 OHL games last season, posting a .924 save percentage and 7-3-0 record for the Owen Sound Attack. George also played for St. Marys in the GOJHL, posting a 13-2-1 record, .910 save percentage and one shutout in 17 games as a junior hockey rookie.

Former St. Marys Lincoln goaltender and current member of the Owen Sound Attack Carter George has been named to the roster for Hockey Canada’s Under-18 Hlinka Gretzky Cup roster for the 2023 tournament. Congratulations from the@GOJHL
! pic.twitter.com/tCmLNINwWN

— GOJHL (@GOJHL) July 13, 2023

Canada will be led in the tournament by head coach Alan Letang, who was an assistant coach for Canada at the most recent World Junior Championship. He will be entering his third season as head coach of the Sarnia Sting in the OHL in 2023-24.

The Canadians open tournament play Monday, July 31 against Finland in Trencin, Slovakia. They’ll also meet co-host Slovakia on Aug. 1 and close out round-robin play against Switzerland Aug. 2. 

The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals Aug. 4 before third place and the tournament championship will be decided on Aug. 5.