2025 NHL Draft: U18 Ivan Hlinka Recap (Czech Republic)
Highlight-reel scoring, aggressive forechecking, and open-ice wallops defined another impressive Hlinka showing for the silver-medal-winning Czechs.
NASHVILLE (The Draft Analyst) — When you come right down to it, nobody remembers second place. That is the reality that faced a talented Czech Republic lineup after losing to Canada 2-1 in the gold-medal game of the 2024 under-18 Ivan Hlinka tournament. But convincing wins over contending Finland and Sweden right after outlasting the Americans (who won bronze in 2023) showed the Czechs belong among hockey’s elite and are developing more NHL-caliber prospects than at any point since the turn of the millennium.