Super 7 from Midwest on Team USA 17U roster for Hlinka-Gretzky Cup

By Jim den Hollander 

Editor/Publisher 

Midwesthockey.info 

USA Hockey released the roster for the U18 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup and it includes a dozen players who have spent time in the United States Hockey League along with seven that call the Midwest home. 

Three forwards last played at Shattuck-St. Mary’s located in Minnesota. 

Starting with the goaltenders, Caleb Heil from Victoria, MN will vie for time in the crease. The ‘06 split time between the Sioux Falls Power AAA 16U squad and the Sioux Falls Stampeders of the USHL.  Heil appeared nine times with the Stamps, posting a 5-2-1 record with a .908 Save Percentage and 2.92 Goals Against Average. 

Rounding out the trio of goaltenders is Thatcher Bernstein (‘06/Brookline MA) who played at Noble & Greenough a Massachusetts boarding school and Kam Hendrickson (‘06/Scottsdale, AZ) who this past season played goal at Chanhassen High School in Minnesota. 

Two of the seven selected defenders are out of the Midwest – Adam Kleber (‘06/Chaska, MN) and Finn McLaughlin (‘06/Arlington Heights, IL). 

Kleber appeared in 56 games for the Lincoln Stars in the USHL and he will likely try to build on the eight assists from last year with a return this fall. Kleber has already committed to the University of Minnesota/Duluth for the start of the 2024-25 season. 

McLaughlin took his act to Alberta this past season, scoring four goals and collecting 21 points in 39 games played with the Canmore Eagles of the Tier 2 Alberta Junior Hockey League. 

McLaughlin has another season of junior in front of him and has already committed to attend and play hockey at University of Denver in 2024-25. 

Other defenders include: Alex Bales (‘06/East Amherst, NY); William Felicio (‘06/Holden, MA); Tanner Henricks (‘06/Mission Viejo, CA); Owen Keefe (‘06/Saugus, MA) and Tory Pitner (‘06/El Cerrito, CA). 

Felicio played for the Madison Capitols in the USHL this past season, Keefe with the Muskegon Lumberjacks and Pitner with the Youngstown Phantoms.  

Among the 13 forwards on the team are Eero Butella (‘06/Chicago, Ill); Ryker Lee (‘0/Wilmette, IL); AJ Spellacy (‘06/Westlake, Ohio) and Will Zellers (‘06/Maple Grove, MN). 

Butella played for the Chicago MIssion AAA team and the Central District 17U team this past season while Lee and Zellers were teammates on Shattuck-St. Mary’s along with another Select team member, Aidan Park (‘06/Playa Vista, CA). 

Spellacy took his act north of the border, playing on the Windsor Spitfires in the Major Junior Ontario Hockey League. 

Butella (Northeastern), Park (Michigan) and Zellers (BU) have made college commitments already. 

Other forwards include: Trevor Connelly (‘06/Tustin, CA); Colin Frank (Ladera Ranch, CA); Callum Hughes (‘06/Basking Ridge, NJ); John McNelis (‘06/Potomac, MD); JJ Monteiro (‘06/Hudson, MA); Chase Stefanek (‘06/Yorba Linda, CA); Mac Swanson (‘06/Anchorage/AK) and Grant Young (‘06/Boulder, CO). 

The event will be played in two fronts this season – Breclav, Czechia and Trencin, Slovakia running July 31 – Aug. 5.