Canada unveils Summer Under-18 Team for 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup

By David Brien July 12, 2023

Twenty-four players have been selected to Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team as it looks to defend gold at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, July 31–Aug. 5 in Trencin, Slovakia and Breclav, Czechia.

Three goaltenders, seven defence and 14 forwards—representing seven Members—were selected by Alan Millar (Tottenham, ON), director of player personnel, and Cam Russell (Cole Harbour, NS/Halifax, QMJHL), the U18 lead for the Program of Excellence management group, with support from Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of hockey operations, Benoit Roy (Sudbury, ON), senior manager of hockey operations, and Byron Bonora (Brooks, AB), manager of hockey operations and U17 head scout.

Head coach Alan Letang (Renfrew, ON/Sarnia, OHL), and assistant coaches Kris Mallette (Kelowna, BC/Kelowna, WHL) and Sylvain Favreau (Orleans, ON/Drummondville, QMJHL) also provided input.

Here are the QMJHL players selected to represent Canada at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup:

Goaltender, #30 – Gabriel D’Aigle (Sorel-Tracy, QC/Victoriaville Tigres)
Forward, #7 – Maxim Massé (Rimouski, QC/Chicoutimi Saguenéens)
Forward, #9 – Justin Poirier (Valleyfield, QC/Baie-Comeau Drakkar)

Gabriel D’Aigle is one of two players on the roster who won a bronze medal with Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship last April.

Canada will open the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup against Finland on July 31 at 9:30 a.m. ET/6:30 a.m. PT. It will also face co-host Slovakia and Switzerland in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on Aug. 5.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast all Team Canada games and select elimination and medal games; please check local listings for more details.

Canada has won 23 gold medals in 31 years of summer under-18 competition, along with three silver medals and one bronze.

Source: Hockey Canada