The Under-18 Five Nations Tournament just wrapped up in Plymouth, MI this past week, and Detroit Red Wings assistant GM Ryan Martin took in the tournament. Today, Martin spoke with the Free Press’s George Sipple regarding top prospects who participated in the tournament:
Forward Oliver Wahlstrom: Wahlstrom, 17, scored two goals and six assists for eight points in four games for USA. Committed to Harvard, he’s ranked seventh among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings.
“I thought he got better as the tournament went on,” Martin said. “At times, he was trying to be too individualistic.”
Forward Jack Hughes: Hughes, 16, had three goals and four assists in four games for USA. He could be the top pick in the 2019 draft. His brother, Quinn, plays at Michigan.
“At times, (Hughes) was the best player on the ice, regardless of the competition,” Martin said. “I thought he was excellent. You wouldn’t have known he was a year younger than much of the competition there. To me, hands down he was one of the top two or three players in the tournament, for sure.”
