U18 Ivan Hlinka Tournament: Canada Part 1

Canada delivered a disappointing fourth-place finish at last month's Under-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament held in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. It marked the first time since 2003, and just the second time since the tournament's inception in 1991, that Canada had failed to earn a medal.

An opening-game shootout loss to Sweden ultimately sealed Canada's fate as they were never able to gain ground on the undefeated Swedes in their respective pool. The Canadians never dominated at this event and even needed a pair of third-period goals to barely escape with a win against Switzerland.

In the bronze medal game against Russia, they fell behind quickly only to stage a third-period rally with three goals before dropping a 5-4 decision.

McKeen's Chief Scout David Burstyn attended the event and takes a look at Canada's standout performers including team captain Steven Stamkos.

Steven Stamkos (2008), C, Sarnia

Team captain appeared frustrated and played with some sandpaper at this tournament, leading all Canadian forwards with 16 PIM .. tried to do too much at times and was guilty of holding onto the puck too long .. should easily have led the tournie in scoring given all the chances he was given, yet failed to fully capitalize .. a natural with the puck and blessed with good speed plus an ability to stop and turn on a dime .. strong for an average-sized forward .. displayed his remarkable hand-eye coordination, batting down errant passes and settling them all in one clean motion .. will work the puck down low behind the net, often drawing in opponents, then make a quick, precision-like pass behind his back or through a defenders skates .. shows great imagination .. a pure finisher and character-type player who should easily be among the top 3 picks next June. Tournament Stats: 4-1-4-5, 16PIM, MINUS-2

Cody Hodgson (2008), RW, Brampton

Re-united with former minor teammate Steven Stamkos on the top unit, he tied for the team scoring lead with five points .. pint-sized forward with very keen offensive instincts and great control of the puck in open ice or in scrums .. the puck seems glued to his blade .. more of a playmaker but won't hesitate to shoot if the passing lane is blocked .. possesses good velocity on his shot .. diminutive in stature and therefore not a player the opposition are afraid to play against .. gets easily outmuscled along the boards and doesn't always want to pay the price to make a play down low .. will need to bulk up, add more confidence to his game, and work on his first-step quickness to move among the elite company for the coming draft. Tournament Stats: 4-2-3-5, 4PIM, MINUS-1

Tyler Cuma (2008), D, Ottawa

Provided dependable support with his uncanny ability to shut down the opposition's best scorers .. displays remarkable gap control and a strong sense for the game .. very relaxed and composed on the backend .. utilizes his mobility to bail himself out of trouble yet rarely surrenders a chance as he is so positionally sound .. accepted his shutdown role and played well within the team concept, not overhandling the puck and consistently making smart dump-in's .. a capable passer who reads the plays deftly and can find his man with a quick feed, although he didn't showcase his puckhandling prowess much here .. saw limited PP time and consequently didn't rack up the points, however did score a key goal during Canada's late rally against Russia in the bronze medal game .. Tournament Stats: 4-1-0-1, 2PIM, MINUS-1

Colten Teubert (2008), D, Regina

A punishing, no-nonsense defender who hits to hurt and eliminates his man aggressively .. employed in a shutdown tandem with Yann Sauve .. followed players out of the zone and always finished his checks, sending a clear message to the opposition not to challenge his side again .. throws guys down with ease and delivered some bone-crushing hits .. did not have a chance to display his offensive ability, handling the puck rarely .. his feet could be slightly quicker but he does have a pelican-like wingspan that is a weapon in his defensive arsenal .. displays the potential to be a quality top-four NHL defender and should hear his name called quite early on draft day. Tournament Stats: 4-0-0-0, 8PIM, MINUS-2

Alex Pietrangelo (2008), D, Niagara

Possesses an attractive offensive game which, coupled with his flawless skating and rare ability to reach top speed within a few short strides, will make him a coveted selection on draft day .. not at 100 percent health-wise for this event though, as he seemed to be battling through an injury (knee) and was slightly sluggish .. nevertheless, he does possess outstanding agility and skates so smoothly it often looks as if he's not moving as fast as he actually is .. a capable puckcarrier, he moves alertly into the offensive zone and displays an instinctive feel for the game .. can get a bit carefree with the puck at times and almost appears lazy as a result .. didn't always make the best decisions at this tournament either. Tournament Stats: 4-1-1-2, 2PIM, PLUS-1

Shawn Lalonde (2008), D, Belleville

A surprise to make the team following a lukewarm training camp, however he impressed with his propensity to take offensive chances which resulted in many scoring opportunities .. led Canada's blueliners with four points .. can dictate the flow of the game while in possession as he handles the puck masterfully when crossing the line .. possesses a mean streak and will often involve himself in post-whistle skirmishes .. can also change the complexion of a game with a well-placed bodycheck .. flourishes in the offensive zone and might even project as a better forward in the future given his penchant for creating chances up front .. in either case, he established himself as a marquee player for the `08 NHL draft with this performance. Tournament Stats: 4-1-3-4, 16PIM, MINUS-2

Chris Doyle (2008), LW, PEI

A thick and sturdy winger who benefited from a strong debut season in the QMJHL where he notched an impressive 18 goals .. a natural finisher with a hair-trigger release .. lined up on the top unit and did not look out of place thanks to the ability of his linemates - Stamkos and Hodgson - to feed him the puck .. an average skater at best who needs playmakers to bring out his top game and retrieve the puck for him .. will use his size to dominate down low and cause turnovers .. unpredictable in the way he cuts in and out of the slot, and is always looking at the net .. shows signs of a true finisher as well as good potential to develop into a power forward. Tournament Stats: 4-2-0-2, 6PIM, EVEN

Nazem Kadri (2009), C, Kitchener

Displayed a work ethic that was unrivalled by any of his peers .. easily the hardest working and most consistent performer throughout the tournament, often drawing the difficult assignment of playing against the opposition's top player .. thrived on the PK and was even used to defend during 5-on-3 situations .. endeared himself to Coach Barr instantly with his ability to get onto the puckcarrier quickly and provoke a turnover .. lacks blinding speed, however is a shifty skater who constantly moves his feet to generate speed .. plays with an edge and will take on all challengers .. at his best when digging in the corners, agitating the opposition, and playing an in-your-face style. Tournament Stats: 4-0-2-2, 6PIM, MINUS-1