Five Canadians to watch at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup
As per usual, there is no shortage of talent on Canada’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup roster.
As 22 CHL players begin their quest to win Canada a third straight gold medal Monday, it also signals the start of the 2025 NHL Draft season.
Canada will face Switzerland (Aug. 5), Slovakia (Aug. 6) and Sweden (Aug. 7) in round-robin action while the final is slated for Aug. 10 from Edmonton’s Rogers Place.
TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast all games.
While Medicine Hat’s Gavin McKenna will rightfully garner a lot of attention, there are other Canadian stars to keep an eye on this week.
Caleb Desnoyers – Moncton
The first overall pick in the 2023 QMJHL Draft certainly impressed in 2023-24.
In 60 games, the 17-year-old had 20 goals and 56 points to finish third in QMJHL rookie scoring. Among Q rookies, his 0.93 point-per-game average was tied first while his 18 power play assists and 53.9 faceoff percentage were tied for the third most. He was deservedly named to the QMJHL’s All-Rookie Team at the conclusion of the season.
Internationally, Desnoyers already has two gold medals to his name from the 2023 World U-17 Hockey Challenge and 2024 U18 World Championships.
ESPOO, FINLAND – MAY 5: Team Canada players pose with their medals after USA vs Canada Gold Medal Game action at the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Metro Arena on May 5, 2024 in Espoo, Finland. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/IIHF)
Alex Huang – Chicoutimi
Among QMJHL rookie defencemen, Huang ranked tied first with eight goals and second with 36 points. His 19 power play assists were also tied first among all Q rookies while he had five points in the postseason as the Saguenéens reached the second round of the playoffs. At season’s end he was named to the QMJHL’s All-Rookie Team.
Huang has previously represented Canada where at the 2023 World U-17 Hockey Challenge he won gold with Canada White.
BUT GAGNANT | Il faut toujours s'attendre à du spectacle lorsque le HUANG MAN SHOW est sur la glace ! 🪄 🎩
Alex Huang profite de l'espace en prolongation pour donner la victoire aux Sags. 🔵⚪️#FierdetreSags pic.twitter.com/44g46eaxG3
— Saguenéens (@SagueneensLHJMQ) February 23, 2024
Gavin McKenna – Medicine Hat
McKenna’s 2023-24 campaign was simply sensational.
After a 97-point (34-goal) season as a 16-year-old, McKenna was named CHL and WHL Rookie of the Year. He ranked second in WHL rookie scoring while his 63 assists were best among all WHL rookies, as were his 12 power play goals. In the process, the 2026 NHL Draft prospect became the first Medicine Hat player to be CHL Rookie of the Year.
A native of Whitehorse, YT, McKenna was named to the CHL All-Rookie Team as well as the WHL’s Central Division First All-Star Team.
The first overall pick in the 2022 WHL Draft would then have a record-breaking U18 World Championships; he set a Canadian record with 10 goals and 20 points to lead his country to gold where he scored a hat-trick in a come-from-behind win over the USA in the final.
GAVIN MCKENNA HAS THE CANADIAN POINTS RECORD WITH AN INCREDIBLE GOAL❗️🇨🇦#U18MensWorlds pic.twitter.com/KmnTGEeoJT
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) May 4, 2024
Jake O’Brien – Brantford
O’Brien impressed in his first OHL season as he collected the Emms Family Award as the OHL Rookie of the Year. The 16-year-old recorded 51 assists and 64 points in just 61 games as he established a new Bulldogs franchise record in both categories for a rookie. His 51 assists were the most by an OHL rookie in his first year of eligibility since Sarnia’s Alex Galchenyuk registered 52 in 2010-11. He also led all OHL rookies in power play goals (8), power play assists (19) and game-winning goals (4) and was named to the OHL First All-Rookie Team. O’Brien previously represented Canada at the 2023 World U-17 Hockey Challenge.
Jake O'Brien makes history! 👏
With a pair of goals in the opening frame, the first-year forward breaks Arthur Kaliyev's record (48) for most points by a Bulldogs rookie in a single-season 📽️ @BulldogsOHL | #2025NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/kZsn1sNbNq
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) February 18, 2024
Cameron Schmidt – Vancouver
In his rookie WHL season, Schmidt finished sixth in scoring with 58 points while he was one of just four players to reach the 30-goal plateau. His 0.98 point-per-game average was fifth most among first-year players while his 31 goals led all Giants skaters. In the WHL Playoffs, he scored twice in five appearances.
Schmidt had the scoring touch at the 2023 World U-17 Hockey Challenge where he scored five times in eight games that included the overtime game-winner against the USA in the final. The 17-year-old is one of two players (alongside McKenna) on Canada’s roster that scored more than 30 goals last season.
#ThrowbackThursday: The last time Cameron Schmidt suited up with Canada was when he scored the tournament-winning goal for Team White at the 2023 World Under-17 Challenge.
Now, the @WHLGiants forward is set to hit the ice with Team Canada at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup! pic.twitter.com/80aGRkoBdL
— The WHL (@TheWHL) August 1, 2024
