Vancouver Giants defenceman Ryan Lin will play for Hockey Canada鈥檚 national men鈥檚 under-18 team at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
This annual summer U18 tournament, which takes place August 11-16 in Brno, Czech Republic and Tren膷铆n, Slovakia, is billed as the first opportunity for scouts to see NHL draft-eligible prospects in their draft year, 10 months ahead of the draft.
Canada is looking for a fourth-straight gold medal.
Lin has represented his country before on the international stage. He is one of six players named to Canada's roster who won a gold medal playing as an underager at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship in Texas.
Lin 鈥� who now measures 5' 11" and weighs 177 lbs. 鈥� also won gold at the 2024 U17 World Hockey Challenge and played for Canada at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games.
The Richmond, B.C. product had one of the best 16-year-old seasons in Giants franchise history in 2024-25, recording 53 points and a +11 rating in 60 games, while leading the Giants in average ice-time and playing in all situations. He became just the second rookie WHL defenceman aged 16 or younger to hit the 50-point mark in 35 years, joining Everett鈥檚 Landon Dupont as the only two to accomplish the feat since Hockey Hall of Famer and Kamloops Blazers legend Scott Niedermayer in 1989-90.
Canada will open the preliminary round at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup against Finland on Aug. 11. Canada will also face Switzerland and Czechia in the round robin.
