<p>The Memorial Cup begins Friday, with four teams vying for junior hockey supremacy.</p>



<p>The OHL’s London Knights, WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers and the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats and Rimouski Oceanic are set to do battle in Rimouski over the next week to close out the Canadian Hockey League season. It’s a great situation where all four teams made it organically – you’ve got the three league champions, but the Oceanic, who are hosting the tournament, also made the QMJHL final.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/2025-memorial-cup-preview-breakdowns-players-to-watch-schedule-desnoyers-mckenna-lindstrom">Colton Davies had a detailed breakdown</a> of all four participating teams earlier this week. But this piece will focus more on 10 NHL-drafted players worth keeping an eye on. We tried to get as much representation from the four teams as possible, so while some good players only made it as “notables,” it goes to show you just how deep the talent pool actually is:</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="144"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sam Dickinson, D, London Knights (<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/san-jose-sharks/line-combinations">San Jose Sharks</a>)</h2>



<p>Dickinson is coming off one of the best seasons by a CHL defenseman this year. He had 29 goals and 91 points in 55 regular season games and another 31 points in 17 postseason games. He won the OHL’s Max Kaminsky Trophy as the league’s most outstanding defenseman, and the race wasn’t even close, depending on whom you talk to. We could see Dickinson playing in the NHL as soon as next year – he’s got the skating and the pure talent to take the step up. He’s prone to some defensive mistakes, like we saw at the World Juniors, but he seems to love the spotlight and he’s coming off playoff run that saw him register nine points in five games to close out the championship series. That’s a guy playing with momentum.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="134"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Kasper Halttunen, RW, London Knights (San Jose Sharks)</h2>



<p>Speaking of momentum, nobody in junior hockey is as hot as Halttunen right now. The Finnish sharpshooter has one of the best shots outside of the NHL, and he showed everyone why when he scored eight goals in his final three games against Oshawa. Between injuries, a suspension, and some time in both the AHL and World Juniors, Halttunen wasn’t able to annihilate goaltenders like many expected he would. But he still had 21 goals and 41 points while being a power-play stalwart and a bruising hitter, too. Halttunen has played in a ton of big games already in his career, so let’s see if he can take over.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Easton Cowan, C, London Knights (<a href="http://theleafsnation.com">Toronto Maple Leafs</a>)</h2>



<p>Seconds after losing the 2024 Memorial Cup, a camera shot showed Cowan looking disappointed towards the Saginaw zone. Some people made jokes that he was just getting used to losing, given the NHL team that drafted him. But others said he was using it for motivation to be better, and now he’s got a second chance to win the elusive junior hockey title. The 2023 first-rounder fell from 96 points a year ago to 69 this year (in eight fewer games), but came alive with an OHL-leading 39 points in the playoffs. That’s the second time he has done that, joining Taylor Hall as the only two-timer in league history. Cowan was great at the Memorial Cup a year ago, but will need to play like an absolute madman this year to finish his junior career on the right foot.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="2" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="249"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cayden Lindstrom, C, Medicine Hat Tigers (<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/columbus-blue-jackets/line-combinations">Columbus Blue Jackets</a>)</h2>



<p>Lindstrom is coming off his first hockey action of the season during the WHL final, where he put up four points in four games. The Tigers wanted to ease him in and make sure they didn’t overwork him after missing a calendar year due to injury. So how far will he push himself at the Mem Cup? The 6-foot-4 center was selected fourth overall, but a back injury kept him from reaching his true potential this year. The Tigers are a dangerous team already, especially with Gavin McKenna and Oasiz Wiesblatt. But having a motivated Lindstrom in potentially his final junior hockey event playing a middle-six role makes them all the more lethal.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tanner Molendyk, D, Medicine Hat Tigers (<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/nashville-predators/line-combinations">Nashville Predators</a>)</h2>



<p>Molendyk is one of the most fascinating defenders outside of the NHL. The speedy, puck-moving blueliner didn’t have an explosive season by any means, but you could always count on him being involved in the scoresheet in some way. He knows how to control the pace of play from the blueline, and he might be the best skater in this tournament. Molendyk was one of the few bright spots for Canada at the World Juniors, which wasn’t surprising given how well he plays under pressure.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="3" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="198"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Etienne Morin, D, Moncton Wildcats (<a href="http://flamesnation.ca">Calgary Flames</a>)</h2>



<p>Morin’s 58-point season might not come close to the 72 he had in his draft season in 2024-25, but that doesn’t change how effective he has become. In fact, he’s far more than just a puck-moving defenseman at this point – he’s a defensive stalwart who doesn’t make many mistakes in his own zone. His commitment to becoming a better all-around player has limited his overall production but it has only made him more intriguing to the Flames moving forward.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Juraj Pekarcik, LW, Moncton Wildcats (<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/st-louis-blues/line-combinations">St. Louis Blues</a>)</h2>



<p>You might remember Pekarcik for his World Junior exploits with Slovakia, but that carried over into an excellent rookie season in the Q. The Wildcats forward had 24 goals and 67 points in the regular season and another nine goals and 21 points in the playoffs. The skilled winger has a habit of getting himself into scoring situations and firing quick shots off, but he can also set up anyone while under attack. Pekarcik will be leaned on heavily as Moncton likes to keep the heat flowing.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="4" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="167"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Alexandre Blais, LW, Rimouski Oceanic (<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/anaheim-ducks/line-combinations">Anaheim Ducks</a>)</h2>



<p>The Oceanic might not have a super high-end scorer, but Blais continues to be quite underrated. He’s coming off a 76-assist season where he showcased himself as one of the best playmakers in the Q. He has quick hands, great feet and thinks the game at such a high level. I wish he’d shoot the puck more, but he’s still a capable goal-scorer and likes to spend significant time near the crease.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Eriks Mateiko, LW, Rimouski Oceanic (<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/washington-capitals/line-combinations">Washington Capitals</a>)</h2>



<p>The Oceanic snagged Mateiko at the QMJHL trade deadline and it paid off. The big, physical forward was one of the main reasons why Latvia beat Canada at the World Juniors and then continued to be a tough-as-nails force back in the Q. He has never been a high-end offensive threat, but he can be paired with anyone thanks to his hockey IQ and 6-foot-5 power-forward frame. Put that together and there’s a reason why he’s one of the most feared wingers in junior hockey.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="5" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="157"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mathieu Cataford, RW, Rimouski Oceanic (<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/vegas-golden-knights/line-combinations">Vegas Golden Knights</a>)</h2>



<p>Cataford is equally dangerous as a shooter and a passer. He might not be the best skater, but he’s got so many other high-end elements to his game. He’s one of the smartest players in the QMJHL, and he can play physically, too. This could be an eye-opening tournament for many who saw him have a quiet showing at the World Juniors – there’s a ton of skill here, and he’s one of Vegas’ best offensive prospects.</p>



<p><em>Other notables: Denver Barkey, C, London Knights (<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/philadelphia-flyers/line-combinations">Philadelphia Flyers</a>); Sam O’Reilly, C, London Knights (<a href="http://oilersnation.com">Edmonton Oilers</a>); Oliver Bonk, D, London Knights (Philadelphia Flyers); Ryder Ritchie, RW, Medicine Hat Tigers (Nashville Predators); Harrison Meneghin, G, Medicine Hat Tigers (<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/tampa-bay-lightning/line-combinations">Tampa Bay Lightning</a>); Spencer Gill, D, Rimouski Oceanic (Philadelphia Flyers); Rudy Guimond, G, Moncton Wildcats (Detroit Red Wings)</em></p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="6" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="132"></div>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Recent Articles from Steven Ellis</h2>



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