August might be the dead of summer to most hockey fans but the path to the 2018 NHL entry draft begins now, a good 11 months before taking the stage in Dallas. The first international showcase of the season, the Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament, is held in Breclav, Czech Republic and Bratislava, Slovakia over the next week. This is not an IIHF sponsored event but serves as a bookend with the IIHF Under 18 World Championship in the spring as the premiere Under 18 events for first year draft eligibles. Making an impression at this event places prospects on the radar for scouts and the NHL Central Scouting's preliminary rankings heading into the 2017-18 season.
Path to the 2018 NHL entry draft starts with the Ivan Hlinka tournament
