Hlinka Gretzky Cup Alumni | Edmonton Oilers News

The Hlinka Gretzky Cup is a powerhouse proving ground for future NHL stars—and several current Oilers got their start there. From Mattias Ekholm’s gold with Sweden in 2007 to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ game-winning heroics for Canada in 2010, the tournament has launched careers. Even Connor Murphy witnessed Nugent-Hopkins’ clutch moment as Team USA’s teammate. Evan Bouchard later represented Canada in 2016, while Vasily Podkolzin captained Russia in 2018, dominating with a hat trick in bronze. Shakir Mukhamadullin followed up with gold for Russia in 2019. These players’ paths crossed long before the NHL—proof that this international stage has shaped today’s Oilers into stars. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/82fa256f788ba968