The 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup final has a little extra intrigue for Vancouver Canucks fans. Canada and the United States are set to meet in the gold medal game on August 8, and the roster talent on both sides is loaded with names that could matter down the road for the Canucks.
The headliner is Canada captain Landon DuPont. The 17-year-old defenceman has been a force in the WHL over the last two seasons and is projected to go first overall in the 2027 draft. He’s committed to the University of Michigan for next year, and he enters the final with the kind of ceiling that makes him the sort of player an NHL team can build around.
Canada also has a strong group of projected first-round picks for 2027 in Brock Cripps, Brock England and Alexis Joseph. Each has played a major role for Canada, and that won’t change in the final, where they’ll be counted on heavily again.
If you’re already looking ahead to 2028, there are names worth circling there too. Maddox Schultz and Liam Pue, both only 16, have stood out in the tournament. Vancouver-area fans will get a chance to see them in WHL action later this year when the Regina Pats visit the Vancouver Giants on November 27.
Team USA has its own prospect worth tracking in Joey Cullen. The 16-year-old son of former NHLer Matt Cullen is viewed as a top 2028 draft candidate and has been one of the Americans’ leaders throughout the event. If the U.S. is going to repeat as champion, Cullen will need a strong showing in the final.
The gold medal game is set for August 8, 2026 at 4:00 pm PT and will air on TSN. Canada is chasing its 26th gold medal at the tournament, while the Americans are aiming to go back-to-back.
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