ICE HOCKEY CLASSIC Canada — USA · Hobart 2026
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Ice Hockey Classic โ€” Canada vs USA โ€” MyState Bank Arena, Hobart TAS โ€” 2–4 July 2026
A welcome from the Classic

Welcome to Hobart.
Welcome to Hockey.

Hobart, welcome to ice hockey. Or perhaps we should say, ice hockey, welcome to Hobart.

The Canada-USA Ice Hockey Classic is a celebration of what we believe is the greatest sport on earth. It's about bringing together players who have spent their lives chasing frozen ponds, early morning training sessions, long bus rides and one more season in pursuit of a game they simply love.

We've assembled two teams wearing the colours of Canada and the United States, the greatest rivalry in international hockey. These jerseys represent journeys just as much as they represent countries.

On the ice this weekend is a remarkable collection of people from every corner of the hockey world.

Some have played in the NHL. Others have represented their countries at World Championships or World Juniors. Many built careers in Europe or through top university programs in North America. Several are champions of Australia's AIHL and New Zealand's NZIHL.

Some grew up in cities where every second kid owned a hockey stick before they could ride a bike. Others came from small towns where the local rink became a second home. A handful learned the game in Australia, where simply finding a sheet of ice can be a challenge.

If you're playing in Australia, you're probably training three times a week, putting in hours at the gym, balancing a full-time job, and travelling every weekend in front of crowds of a couple thousand and on TV audiences on ESPN. You do it because you love it.

Every path has been different, yet every player reached some professional league around the world at one time in their life. Yet, every one of those paths has led to this moment.

Now, each of these humans are volunteering their time to be here to share the sport they love with you, and to help raise money for Stop Concussions.

Hockey has a way of creating remarkable people. Each team has a few human beings that are easy to gravitate towards.

On Canada, there's Simon Desprรฉs. A self-proclaimed โ€œhockey explorer,โ€ Simon represented Canada at the World Junior Championship before becoming a first-round NHL Draft pick, only to play with the likes of Sidney Crosby. He's spent more than a decade playing around the world, has played for Canada at a World Championship, and has seen more of the hockey world than most dream of.

How about goalie Bailey Stephens? His hockey journey is made more significant after overcoming cancer. Keep your eyes on Mac Caruana. He has become one of the Australian Ice Hockey League's defining players. No player has more points than Caruana since the league rebooted. The Canadian-Australian dual citizen's hockey pathway was forged Down Under, and he represents the Green & Gold on the international stage.

Across the rink, David Booth knows exactly what it means to wear the Stars and Stripes. His career included more than a decade in the NHL, appearances for the United States at both the World Junior Championship and World Championship, and professional hockey in Russia before making Australia his latest stop. He's set all kinds of early scoring records in the AIHL, too.

Then there's Tyrone Bronte. Raised in Melbourne, he chased his dream from one hemisphere to the other, balancing work, training and countless hours on the road before representing Australia internationally and becoming just the second Australian to play in the ECHL.

Across both rosters, there are 29 players who once played professional hockey, including two former NHL players. The teams also feature four players with national team experience at some level, 13 who played pro in Europe, eight AIHL champions and four players who currently compete in the NZIHL.

The speed, skill and physicality are what first capture your attention. The friendships, sacrifices and resilience are what keep people coming back. Hockey has always been about more than the scoreboard. It is a community built on passion, hard work and an unwavering love of the game.

We hope you enjoy tonight's showcase, cheer loudly, meet a few of the players afterwards and leave Hobart with a greater appreciation for the people who make this sport so special.

Welcome to Hockey.

Canada Roster

Head Coach: Kevin Noble  ·  Canada's roster features players who have played in a combined 15 countries, including the NHL. Sorted by captain, then everyone else by sweater number.

Below is Team Canada's roster. You can scroll down for player bios and information on each. Each of these players are donating their time to be here, to raise money for Stop Concussions and bring an experience to Australian fans.

▶ View Series Stats

Captain

1 player
47C

Simon Desprรฉs

Defence·Laval, Quebec·Age 34

Leagues played in
  • NHL
  • KHL
  • AHL
  • DEL (Germany)
  • ICEHL (Austria)
  • EIHL (United Kingdom)
  • LNAH (Canada)
  • AIHL (Australia)
Last Team

Melbourne Ice (AIHL)

Memorial Cup Champion (2010โ€‘11) โ€ข 2ร— DEL Champion โ€ข QMJHL Defenceman of the Year โ€ข IIHF World Junior Silver Medallist
Elite Prospects CANADA NATIONAL TEAM
Learn more about Simon Desprรฉs

Desprรฉs is the most decorated player on Canada, bringing almost two decades of professional experience. Selected 30th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2009 NHL Draft, he played 193 NHL games with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Ducks before continuing his career throughout Europe. He won the Memorial Cup, Canada's top junior prize, with St. John and later captured the 2021 DEL Championship with Eisbรคren Berlin. Internationally, Desprรฉs represented Canada at both the IIHF World Under-18 Championship and the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship, helping Canada win a silver medal. He later played for Canada at the Spengler Cup. Following the 2025-26 season with the Fife Flyers in the Elite Ice Hockey League, he joined the Melbourne Ice for the 2026 AIHL campaign.

Roster

17 players
1

Spencer Robertson

Goaltender·Toronto, Ontario·Age 29

Leagues played in
  • None โ€” Ontario senior men's hockey (OSHL/OEHL)
Last Team

Tillsonburg Thunder (OEHL)

Learn more about Spencer Robertson

Robertson's career has stayed entirely within Ontario's senior ranks. After stints with the Alvinston Killer Bees and Orangeville Blitz, he posted a strong 2023-24 season with the Saints Monarchs Ice Hockey Club (1.86 GAA, .915 SV%) before joining Tillsonburg in 2024-25. He's the only goaltender on Canada's roster without professional or collegiate experience.

3

Max Coyle

Defence·Tillsonburg, Ontario·Age 28

Leagues played in
  • ECHL (USA)
  • Metal Ligaen (Denmark)
Last Team

Unattached โ€” most recently Aalborg Pirates (Denmark)

GOJHL Champion (2017โ€‘18) โ€ข BCHL Champion (2018โ€‘19)
Learn more about Max Coyle

A GOJHL and BCHL champion in his junior days (winning the 2018-19 BCHL title with Prince George), Coyle played four years of NCAA Division I hockey at Alabama-Huntsville and Bowling Green State before turning pro with the ECHL's Indy Fuel and Greenville Swamp Rabbits. He spent this season in Denmark with Aalborg, posting 8 points in 44 games and reaching the playoffs.

4

Jonathan Bartuccio-Pereira

Defence·St-Bruno-de-Montarville, Quebec·Age 30

Leagues played in
  • SPHL (USA)
  • FPHL (USA)
  • LNAH (Canada)
Last Team

Mid-South Monarchs (FPHL) โ€” signed for 2026-27; most recently Athens Rock Lobsters

Learn more about Jonathan Bartuccio-Pereira

A QJHL second-round pick and five-year NCAA III defenceman at Southern Maine, Bartuccio-Pereira has built a long SPHL/FPHL career since 2023, skating for six different clubs across three seasons. In an unusual international wrinkle, he represented Portugal at the 2023-24 Development Cup, picking up 15 points in 6 games.

9

Mac "Mackenzie" Caruana

Forward·Toronto, Ontario·Age 27

Leagues played in
  • Australian Ice Hockey League
Last Team

Melbourne Ice (AIHL)

AIHL Champion (2024โ€‘25) โ€ข AIHL Finals MVP (2024โ€‘25)
Elite Prospects AUSTRALIA NATIONAL TEAM
Learn more about Mac "Mackenzie" Caruana

Caruana is the headline crossover story of this roster. Born in Toronto and a dual Australian-Canadian citizen, he's been a Melbourne Ice mainstay since 2018, captaining the club and winning the 2025 AIHL Championship and AIHL Finals MVP. No player has more points in the AIHL since the league rebounded after Covid. He plays for Australia internationally at the IIHF World Championship Division 2A and the Trans Tasman Series.

10

Kalib "Gus" Ford

Centre·Tillsonburg, Ontario·Age 31

Leagues played in
  • Federal Prospects Hockey League (USA)
  • Southern Professional Hockey League (USA)
Last Team

Athens Rock Lobsters (FPHL)

FPHL Most Valuable Player (2022โ€‘23) โ€ข FPHL Most Points (2022โ€‘23) โ€ข FPHL Best Plus/Minus (2022โ€‘23) โ€ข FPHL Forward of the Year (2023โ€‘24)
Learn more about Kalib "Gus" Ford

One of the most accomplished pure scorers on this roster, Ford exploded for 114 points (46G-68A) with the Carolina Thunderbirds in 2022-23 to win the FPHL MVP, Most Points, and Best Plus/Minus awards, following it up with the FPHL Forward of the Year title in 2023-24. His career FPHL totals sit at 464 points in 255 games. He's a genuine all-time great of the league, ranked sixth all time in scoring. Ford played for Canada at the Classic in 2025.

11

Timothy Payne

Defence·Mississauga, Ontario·Age 30

Leagues played in
  • FPHL (USA)
  • Israeli Ice Hockey League
  • Erste Liga (Romania)
Last Team

Biloxi Breakers (FPHL)

IEHL Best Defender (2022โ€‘23) โ€ข IEHL Bronze Medallist (2022โ€‘23) โ€ข 2ร— IEHL USA Challenge Cup Winner
Learn more about Timothy Payne

Payne turned pro straight out of junior, debuting in the FPHL with the Delaware Thunder in 2021-22. His career has since taken him to Israel, where he won IEHL Best Defender and a bronze medal with the Jerusalem Capitals in 2022-23 and back-to-back IEHL USA Challenge Cups in 2024-25 and 2025-26, and most recently to Romania's Erste Liga before returning to the FPHL with Biloxi this season.

13

Luke Croucher

Right Wing·Ancaster, Ontario·Age 26

Leagues played in
  • Federal Prospects Hockey League (USA)
Last Team

Mid-South Monarchs (FPHL) โ€” signed for 2026-27; most recently Athens Rock Lobsters

Learn more about Luke Croucher

After four seasons at Neumann University, Croucher turned pro with the Athens Rock Lobsters in 2025-26 and had an immediate impact, posting 51 points in 45 games โ€” teaming up there with fellow Canadian Kalib Ford. He's signed for next season with the Mid-South Monarchs, joining Jonathan Bartuccio-Pereira's new club.

14

Domenic Della Civita

Defence·Trenton, Ontario·Age 27

Leagues played in
  • Federal Prospects Hockey League (USA)
  • Southern Professional Hockey League (USA)
Last Team

Pee Dee IceCats (FPHL)

Learn more about Domenic Della Civita

Della Civita came up through the OJHL with Cobourg, Newmarket and Markham, captaining the latter in 2019-20, before a four-year college career at Morrisville State and Misericordia University (captain, 2024-25). He turned pro in the FPHL with the Watertown Wolves in 2024-25 and has moved through the SPHL's Macon Mayhem and FPHL's Watertown Wolves and Tweed Oil Kings this season en route to the Pee Dee IceCats, where he's currently in the thick of a playoff run.

16

Trevor Lord

Forward·Hamilton, Ontario·Age 28

Leagues played in
  • Federal Prospects Hockey League (USA)
  • Australian Ice Hockey League
Last Team

Topeka Scarecrows (FPHL)

Learn more about Trevor Lord

A 236-point career FPHL scorer, Lord captained the Watertown Wolves to an 85-point season in 2024-25 before a brief loan stint with the AIHL's Melbourne Mustangs, where he put up 6 goals in just 3 games. He's since moved through the Pee Dee IceCats to the Topeka Scarecrows. Lord had six goals in three games in the Classic in 2025.

18

Kolton Shindle

Forward·Carman, Manitoba·Age 25

Leagues played in
  • Australian Ice Hockey League
Last Team

Melbourne Ice (AIHL)

MJHL Champion (2018โ€‘19) โ€ข AIHL Champion (2024โ€‘25)
Learn more about Kolton Shindle

A 1st-round Manitoba Junior Hockey League pick who won that league's championship with the Portage Terriers, Shindle had an explosive AIHL debut season in 2025 with 60 points in 24 games to help Melbourne Ice to the AIHL Championship. He's continued scoring at a near-two-point-per-game clip in 2026 (25 points in 13 games), and is the third Canada Hobart player, after Desprรฉs and Caruana, drawing from this same Melbourne Ice roster. He played college at the University of Regina.

19

Josh Adkins

Forward·Victoria, British Columbia·Age 31

Leagues played in
  • Australian Ice Hockey League
  • England's NIHL
  • France Division 2
Last Team

Melbourne Ice (AIHL)

Learn more about Josh Adkins

Adkins has been an AIHL fixture since 2023, racking up 153 points in 100 games across stops with Newcastle Northstars, Adelaide Adrenaline and, this season, Melbourne Ice. Adkins played NCAA hockey and professionally in France and England.

22

Jakob Lee

Centre·Owen Sound, Ontario·Age 27

Leagues played in
  • Swiss National League
  • Swiss League
Last Team

HC Sierre (Switzerland)

GOJHL Champion (2017โ€‘18) โ€ข AJHL Champion (2018โ€‘19) โ€ข Swiss League Champion (2025โ€‘26)
Learn more about Jakob Lee

A dual Canadian-Swiss citizen, Lee wins wherever he goes. He won the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League title with Listowel, captained Brooks to an Alberta Junior Championship, and just won the Swiss League championship with HC Sierre in 2025-26. He's played top flight European hockey with Lugano as well. He played five NCAA Division I seasons split between Merrimack and RPI, serving as an alternate captain at the latter.

25

John Aonso

Defence·Toronto, Ontario·Age 27

Leagues played in
  • Southern Professional Hockey League (USA)
  • Australian Ice Hockey League
Last Team

Melbourne Ice (AIHL)

Learn more about John Aonso

Aonso played junior in the GOJHL and OJHL before four seasons at SUNY-Fredonia (NCAA III), then turned pro with the SPHL's Peoria Rivermen and Fayetteville Marksmen. He first appeared in the AIHL with Melbourne Ice in 2024 (18 points in 25 games) and re-signed with the club on June 6, 2026 after a stint with the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs.

30

Bailey Stephens

Goaltender·Calgary, Alberta·Age 29

Leagues played in
  • Federal Prospects Hockey League (USA)
  • HockeyTvรฅan (Sweden)
Last Team

Baton Rouge Zydeco (FPHL)

Learn more about Bailey Stephens

Stephens has spent the past three seasons with the Baton Rouge Zydeco after beginning his professional career in Sweden. The left-catching goaltender has appeared in the Federal Prospects Hockey League since 2023 and has also represented Missouri State University in the American Collegiate Hockey Association before turning professional. One of the more inspiring stories on the Canadian roster, Stephens has publicly shared that he is a cancer survivor and has credited his recovery with motivating him to pursue hockey at a higher level.

55

Trevor Grasby

Defence·Holland Landing, Ontario·Age 26

Leagues played in
  • Federal Prospects Hockey League (USA)
  • Southern Professional Hockey League (USA)
Last Team

Topeka Scarecrows (FPHL)

FPHL Rookie of the Year (2024โ€‘25)
Learn more about Trevor Grasby

After captaining Morrisville State College, Grasby broke out with the Watertown Wolves in 2024-25, posting 75 points (9G-66A) in 55 games to win the FPHL Rookie of the Year award. He's bounced between the Macon Mayhem, Watertown and his current club, the Topeka Scarecrows, since then.

72

Samuel Loiselle

Defence·La Malbaie, Quebec·Age 26

Leagues played in
  • LNAH (Canada)
  • New Zealand Ice Hockey League
Last Team

Quรฉbec National / Saint-Hyacinthe Bataillon (LNAH) / Dunedin Thunder (NZIHL)

Learn more about Samuel Loiselle

Loiselle worked through Quebec's senior ranks before stepping up to the LNAH, viewed as Canada's top senior pro league, with Quรฉbec National and Saint-Hyacinthe Bataillon this season. Like teammate Luke Stegmann, he splits his year with a stint at Dunedin Thunder, putting up 16 points in just 9 NZIHL games in 2025-26. He briefly shared an LNAH roster this season with Simon Desprรฉs, who also passed through Saint-Hyacinthe Bataillon.

88

Cole Beckstead

RIGHT WING·Morrisburg, Ontario·Age 28

Leagues played in
  • New Zealand Ice Hockey League
  • France Division 2
  • NCAA
Last Team

Dunedin Thunder (NZIHL)

NZIHL Most Valuable Player • NZIHL Most Assists • NZIHL Most Points (103 pts in 43 GP)
Learn more about Cole Beckstead

A dynamic winger who has won the New Zealand Ice Hockey League MVP, including putting up 103 points in 43 games. Beckstead has played professionally in France, and played four years of NCAA college hockey.

93

Luke Stegmann

Defence·Gatineau, Quebec·Age 23

Leagues played in
  • CEHL (Belgium)
  • New Zealand Ice Hockey League
  • France Division 2/3
Last Team

Liรจge Bulldogs (CEHL) / Dunedin Thunder (NZIHL)

QJHL Napa Cup Champion (2022โ€‘23) โ€ข NZIHL Best Defenceman (2024โ€‘25)
Learn more about Luke Stegmann

The youngest and most well-travelled defenceman on the roster, Stegmann played junior hockey in the QJHL with Gatineau and Terrebonne before heading to Europe, first with France's Courchevel-Mรฉribel-Pralognan and now in a dual-hemisphere pro arrangement with Belgium's Liรจge Bulldogs through the northern winter, New Zealand's Dunedin Thunder through the southern one. He was named NZIHL Best Defenceman in 2024-25 and enters this series with 31 points in 34 CEHL games and 25 points in just 10 NZIHL games this season.

USA Roster

USA's roster features players who have played in a combined 12 countries, including the NHL. Sorted by captain, then everyone else by sweater number.

Below is Team USA's roster. You can scroll down for player bios and information on each. Each of these players are donating their time to be here, to raise money for Stop Concussions and bring an experience to Australian fans.

▶ View Series Stats

Captain

1 player
40C

David Booth

Forward·Detroit, Michigan·Age 41

Leagues played in
  • NHL
  • KHL
  • Elite Ice Hockey League (UK)
  • Australian Ice Hockey League
  • Norway
  • Germany (DEL2)
  • Hungary (Erste Liga)
Last Team

Fife Flyers (EIHL) and Melbourne Ice (AIHL)

U18 World Junior Gold Medal (USA) โ€ข U20 World Junior Gold Medal (USA) โ€ข DEL2 Champion (2023-24) โ€ข AIHL Champion (2025)
Elite Prospects USA NATIONAL TEAM
Learn more about David Booth

Booth is the most decorated player in this program. Drafted 53rd overall by Florida in 2004 after four seasons at Michigan State, he played 530 NHL games for the Panthers, Canucks, Maple Leafs and Red Wings, scoring 236 points and twice winning gold for Team USA at the World Junior and U18 levels. A serious concussion suffered in 2009 altered the course of his NHL career, but he has kept playing professionally ever since, through the KHL, Norway, Germany's DEL2 and Hungary's Erste Liga. He signed with Melbourne Ice in 2025 at age 40 and was instantly dominant, putting up 64 points in just 14 games to help the club win the AIHL championship. He now splits his year between Fife Flyers in Scotland and Melbourne Ice, and is captaining Team USA at this Classic for the second straight year.

Roster

17 players
1

Cody Karpinski

Goaltender·Chicago, Illinois·Age 34

Leagues played in
  • ECHL (USA)
  • Federal Prospects Hockey League (USA)
  • Southern Professional Hockey League (USA)
Last Team

Evansville Thunderbolts (SPHL)

FPHL Champion (2017-18) โ€ข SPHL Champion (2025-26)
Learn more about Cody Karpinski

Karpinski played college hockey at Lindenwood University before turning pro in 2017. He has moved through more than a dozen FPHL and SPHL clubs since then, won an FPHL championship with the Watertown Wolves in 2017-18, and just won the SPHL championship this season with Evansville, where he's posting a sharp 1.81 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage.

2

Jeff Solow

Defence·Naples, Florida·Age 29

Leagues played in
  • ECHL (USA)
  • Elite Ice Hockey League (UK)
  • New Zealand Ice Hockey League
  • Australian Ice Hockey League
Last Team

Unattached; retired, last with Melbourne Ice (AIHL)

NZIHL Champion, Best Defenceman & Most Points by a Defenceman (2022-23)
Learn more about Jeff Solow

Solow's path ran through Merrimack College and SUNY Oswego before 77 ECHL games with Iowa, Worcester and two other clubs. He had a standout 2022-23 in New Zealand, winning the NZIHL championship with the Skycity Stampede and taking home Best Defenceman and Most Points by a Defenceman in the same season. He closed out his career with Melbourne Ice in the AIHL, putting up 33 points in 26 games in 2024.

4

Evan Dougherty

Right Wing·Kalamazoo, Michigan·Age 27

Leagues played in
  • ECHL (USA)
Last Team

Kalamazoo Wings (ECHL)

Learn more about Evan Dougherty

Dougherty came through the U.S. National Team Development Program before five seasons at Bowling Green State, where he served as an alternate captain in his final two years. He missed all of 2024-25 but returned this season with a full 54-game slate for the Kalamazoo Wings, his hometown ECHL club.

5

Tyrone Bronte

Right Wing·Melbourne, Australia·Age 27

Leagues played in
  • NCAA
  • Alps Hockey League (Croatia)
  • ECHL (USA)
  • Southern Professional Hockey League (USA)
  • Australian Ice Hockey League
Last Team

Melbourne Ice (AIHL)

2ร— AIHL Champion โ€ข NCAA CCHA Champion (2023-24) โ€ข U18 World Junior Gold Medal (Australia, 2016-17)
Elite Prospects AUSTRALIA NATIONAL TEAM
Learn more about Tyrone Bronte

Bronte is an Australian dual citizen with one of the more well travelled resumes on this roster. He represented Australia at the U18 World Junior Championship in 2016-17 and won gold, won an NCAA championship at Michigan Tech in 2023-24, and has won the AIHL title twice with Melbourne Ice, in 2017 and again in 2025. This season he became the second Australian ever to play in the ECHL, debuting for Wichita Thunder and scoring on his first shift.

6

Xavier Abdella

Defence·Albany, New York·Age 29

Leagues played in
  • Federal Prospects Hockey League (USA)
  • Southern Professional Hockey League (USA)
  • International Hockey League (Croatia)
Last Team

Pee Dee IceCats (FPHL)

FPHL Champion (2022-23)
Learn more about Xavier Abdella

Abdella played college hockey at Stevenson and Wilkes before turning pro in the FPHL in 2021. He won an FPHL championship with the Danbury Hat Tricks in 2022-23, spent part of this season with KHL Medvescak in Croatia, and is now back stateside with the Pee Dee IceCats.

10

Joakim Erdugan

Right Wing·Linkรถping, Sweden·Age 33

Leagues played in
  • HockeyEttan (Sweden)
  • Ligue Magnus (France)
  • Australian Ice Hockey League
Last Team

Melbourne Ice (AIHL)

J20 SM Gold Medal, Sweden (2011-12) โ€ข AIHL Champion (2025)
Learn more about Joakim Erdugan

Erdugan won a Swedish junior national championship with Linkรถping before a long career in Sweden's second tier and a season in France. He resurfaced in the AIHL in 2023 and has been a major scoring threat ever since, winning the AIHL championship with Melbourne Ice in 2025 and racking up 174 points across 82 AIHL games.

11

Austin Albrecht

Left Wing·Flemington, New Jersey·Age 30

Leagues played in
  • ECHL (USA)
  • Elite Ice Hockey League (UK)
  • Australian Ice Hockey League
  • Germany3
Last Team

Monroe Moccasins (FPHL); signed for 2026-27 with the expansion Fresno Falcons

NAHL All-Star Team (2015-16) โ€ข NCAA (AHA) Regular Season Champion (2019-20) โ€ข AIHL Most Goals (2023, 39 goals)
Learn more about Austin Albrecht

Albrecht had a huge run through the AIHL, leading the league with 39 goals for the Canberra Brave in 2023 and following it with 68 points in 21 games for Melbourne Ice the next year. He's also logged 119 ECHL games and was an alternate captain in both Maine and Tulsa. He's currently lighting up the FPHL with Monroe, with 72 points in 36 games.

12

Matt Clark

Defence·Jamison, Pennsylvania·Age 27

Leagues played in
  • Southern Professional Hockey League (USA)
  • Australian Ice Hockey League
Last Team

Evansville Thunderbolts (SPHL)

AIHL Champion (2024) โ€ข SPHL Champion (2025-26)
Learn more about Matt Clark

Clark played junior hockey in Pennsylvania before two seasons of NCAA hockey at Bentley University and Wisconsin-River Falls. He spent 2024 and 2025 with the Canberra Brave in the AIHL, winning the AIHL championship in his first season there and following up with 30 points in 22 games the next year. He's now with the Evansville Thunderbolts in the SPHL, where he just won this season's SPHL championship as well, giving him two league titles in three years.

16

Elijah Wilson

Forward·Muskegon, Michigan·Age 28

Leagues played in
  • Federal Prospects Hockey League (USA)
  • Southern Professional Hockey League (USA)
Last Team

Pee Dee IceCats (FPHL)

MIHL Champion (2021-22)
Learn more about Elijah Wilson

No relation to Houston Wilson. Elijah came up through Michigan's senior leagues before turning pro in the FPHL in 2022. He served as an alternate captain for Baton Rouge in 2024-25 and is now with the Pee Dee IceCats, his fourth FPHL club.

17

Gord Whalen

Defence·Niles, Illinois·Age 27

Leagues played in
  • Federal Prospects Hockey League (USA)
Last Team

Topeka Scarecrows (FPHL)

NOJHL Champion (2017-18)
Learn more about Gord Whalen

Whalen won an NOJHL championship with the Cochrane Crunch in junior before four years at Wisconsin-River Falls. He's been in the FPHL since 2023 and is currently in the playoffs with the Topeka Scarecrows after a 14-point regular season.

18

Tyler Barrow

Forward·Massapequa, New York·Age 28

Leagues played in
  • Elite Ice Hockey League (UK)
  • Erste Liga (Hungary)
  • CEHL (Belgium)
  • Oberliga (Germany)
  • Southern Professional Hockey League (USA)
  • Federal Prospects Hockey League (USA)
Last Team

Columbus River Dragons (FPHL)

USCHO Rookie of the Year โ€ข 2ร— MAC Offensive Player of the Year โ€ข FPHL Most Valuable Player, Most Goals & Most Points (2025-26)
Learn more about Tyler Barrow

Barrow had a decorated four years at Wilkes University, earning USCHO Rookie of the Year and two MAC Offensive Player of the Year awards, then built a wide ranging European career across England, Hungary, Belgium and Germany before settling into the SPHL. He joined the FPHL for the first time this season with Columbus and had one of the great individual seasons in league history: 112 points in 54 games, the only player in the FPHL to crack 100, earning him the 2025-26 FPHL Most Valuable Player award outright.

20

Alec Butcher

Right Wing·Anchorage, Alaska·Age 32

Leagues played in
  • ECHL (USA)
Last Team

Reading Royals (ECHL)

NAHL Most Valuable Player, Forward of the Year & First All-Star Team (2013-14)
Learn more about Alec Butcher

Butcher comes from a hockey family, with his father and brother both registered players. He won NAHL MVP and Forward of the Year honours in 2013-14 before four years of college hockey, and has built a long ECHL career since, with 259 points across 417 games for four different organizations. He's back with Reading Royals this season and into the playoffs.

21

Houston Wilson

Right Wing·Philadelphia, Pennsylvania·Age 30

Leagues played in
  • Federal Prospects Hockey League (USA)
  • Southern Professional Hockey League (USA)
Last Team

Pee Dee IceCats (FPHL)

NCAA III (MAC) Sportsmanship Team (2020-21)
Learn more about Houston Wilson

Wilson put up 109 points across three years at Vermont Academy before four years at Stevenson University. He's been an FPHL regular since 2021 and broke out this season with 59 points in 48 games for the Pee Dee IceCats, adding 10 more in the playoffs.

14

Jon Buttitta

Forward·Middleburg Heights, Ohio·Age 33

Leagues played in
  • Federal Prospects Hockey League (USA)
Last Team

Retired as of April 2026; last with Twin City Thunderbirds

FPHL Young Stars Squad (2022-23)
Learn more about Jon Buttitta

Buttitta put up 271 points at Kent State before a long FPHL career, mostly with the Carolina and Twin City Thunderbirds, where he captained the team for four straight seasons and finished with 353 career points. He served as a player-assistant coach in his final seasons and formally retired this April.

24

Jed Lake

Forward·Melbourne, Australia·Age 19

Leagues played in
  • NCDC (USA junior)
  • Australian Ice Hockey League
Last Team

New Jersey Rockets (NCDC) and Melbourne Ice (AIHL)

U18 World Junior Best Forward & Silver Medal, Australia (2024-25) โ€ข U20 World Junior Silver Medal, Australia (2025-26)
Elite Prospects AUSTRALIA NATIONAL TEAM
Learn more about Jed Lake

By far the youngest player in this program at 19, Lake is currently representing Australia internationally, having won a silver medal for the Australian U18 team in 2024-25, where he was named Best Forward, and a second silver with the U20 team this season. He plays junior hockey in the U.S. with the New Jersey Rockets while also seeing part time AIHL action with Melbourne Ice. He leads all Australian born players in 2026 as a teenager.

27

Hayden Ford

Defence·Medford, New Jersey·Age 29

Leagues played in
  • ECHL (USA)
  • Southern Professional Hockey League (USA)
Last Team

Macon Mayhem (SPHL)

Learn more about Hayden Ford

Ford put up 42 points across two seasons in the Eastern Hockey League before five years at Buffalo State College. He's been a steady SPHL presence since 2023 and got a brief taste of the ECHL this season on loans to Reading Royals and Cincinnati Cyclones.

30

Cooper Davidson

Goaltender·Adelaide, South Australia·Age 23

Leagues played in
  • Australian Ice Hockey League
Last Team

Central Coast Rhinos (AIHL)

Learn more about Cooper Davidson

Cooper Davidson is a young goaltender in the AIHL system. He serves as the back-up for USA and the emergency back-up for the event. Davidson specialises in event operations including setting up rinks all across Australia.

Live Broadcast

Watch the Classic Live

These games are available to watch around the world for $7 per game. Click on the game below to purchase and watch.

Game 1: CAN 8 def USA 4
Watch Replay · MyState Bank Arena, Hobart TAS
Watch Now ›
Game 2: USA 10 def Canada 4
July 3 · Recap & Highlights ↓

The USA powered through Canada with an impressive five goal second period. David Booth starred with three goals and two assists. Cody Karpinski made 44 saves. Six different players scored, including three defencemen. Dom Della Civita and Gord Whalen dropped the gloves in an entertaining fight in the first period.

🇺🇸 USA
Key: D. Booth (3G, 2A) · C. Karpinski (44 saves)
Goals: Booth (3), Erdugan (2), Whalen, Solow, Barrow, Dougherty, A. Butcher
🇨🇦 Canada
Goals: T. Lord, G. Ford, K. Shindle, M. Coyle
Watch Game 3
July 4 · 7:00PM Hobart / 5:00AM New York · MyState Bank Arena
Watch Now ›

$7 per game · Available worldwide

Ice Hockey Classic 2026

Results

Game 1 · July 2
Canada 8 def USA 4

Canada and USA exchanged early goals, with a 2-2 scoreline standing after six minutes. Jakob Lee scored a late go-ahead goal in the first, before Max Coyle scored two goals in a minute to start the second and build a 5-2 lead. A Lee shorthanded goal with a minute left in the second put the game beyond doubt. Bailey Stephens made 43 saves in the victory.

🇨🇦 Canada
Key PerformersJakob Lee (2G, 2A) · Bailey Stephens (43 saves)
Goal ScorersJ. Lee (2), M. Coyle (2), M. Caruana, J. Adkins, T. Lord, G. Ford
🇺🇸 USA
Key PerformersJoakim Erdugan (2G) · C. Karpinski (41 saves)
Goal ScorersJ. Erdugan (2), D. Booth, H. Wilson
Watch Replay
Game 1 Highlights
Game 2 · July 3
USA 10 def Canada 4

The USA powered through Canada with an impressive five goal second period. 520 NHL game player David Booth starred, scoring three goals and adding two assists to lead all players with five points. Cody Karpinski made 44 saves in the victory for the Americans. Six different players scored goals, including three from defencemen. Dom Della Civita and Gord Whalen dropped the gloves in an entertaining fight in the first period.

🇺🇸 USA
Key PerformersDavid Booth (3G, 2A) · Cody Karpinski (44 saves)
Goal ScorersBooth (3), Erdugan (2), Whalen, Solow, Barrow, Dougherty, A. Butcher
🇨🇦 Canada
Goal ScorersT. Lord, G. Ford, K. Shindle, M. Coyle
Watch Replay
Game 2 Highlights
Game 3 · July 4
USA 8 def Canada 6

Trailing 4-2 late in the second, the USA turned it on with some fourth of July fireworks. The Americans scored six unanswered goals — all by different players — to surge ahead and hold on for the win. 19-year-old Australian-born Jed Lake stole the show with a hat trick in the victory.

🇺🇸 USA
Key PerformersJed Lake (3G) · Cody Karpinski (46 saves)
Goal ScorersJ. Lake (3), E. Dougherty, J. Erdugan, A. Albrecht, H. Wilson, G. Whalen
🇨🇦 Canada
Key PerformersBailey Stephens (38 saves)
Goal ScorersM. Coyle (2), L. Croucher, T. Payne, G. Ford, T. Lord
Watch Replay
Game 3 Highlights
Ice Hockey Classic 2026 — 3 Games Played

Series Stats

Click any column header to sort. Player names link to their Elite Prospects profile. 3 games played.

🇨🇦 Team Canada
Player # GP G A PTS
Kalib "Gus" Ford#103325
Jakob Lee#223235
Max Coyle#33505
Trevor Lord#163303
Mac "Mackenzie" Caruana#93112
Luke Croucher#133112
Josh Adkins#193112
Luke Stegmann#933022
Timothy Payne#113101
Kolton Shindle#183101
Simon Desprรฉs#473011
Trevor Grasby#553011
Samuel Loiselle#723011
Cole Beckstead#883011
Spencer Robertson#13000
Jonathan Bartuccio-Pereira#43000
Domenic Della Civita#143000
John Aonso#253000
Bailey Stephens#303000
🇺🇸 Team USA
Player # GP G A PTS
David Booth#403426
Joakim Erdugan#103505
Houston Wilson#213235
Evan Dougherty#43213
Jed Lake#243303
Austin Albrecht#113112
Elijah Wilson#163022
Tyler Barrow#183112
Alec Butcher#203011
Jeff Solow#23101
Tyrone Bronte#53011
Matt Clark#123011
Gord Whalen#173202
Hayden Ford#273011
Cody Karpinski#13000
Xavier Abdella#63000
Jon Buttitta#143000
Cooper Davidson#303000
New to the game?

How Ice Hockey Works

Never been to an Ice Hockey game before? Welcome! Here are a few rules and tips to help you enjoy one of the fastest, toughest and most exciting sports in the world.

Objective

Score more goals than your opponent by putting the puck into the net.

Player Formation

There are six players on the ice for each team at a time: one goaltender, two defencemen and three forwards.

Format

  • Games are played over three 20-minute periods, with breaks between each period.
  • Players can be substituted at almost any time, even while the game is in play. That's why you'll often see players jump over the boards every 30 to 60 seconds.
Key Rules You Will See

Penalties & Power Plays

If a player commits an offence such as tripping, hooking, slashing or high-sticking, they are sent to the penalty box, usually for two minutes. Their team must play with one fewer skater, creating a “power play” for the opposition for the duration of the two minutes or until the team on the “power play” scores.

Icing

If a player shoots the puck from their own half of the ice all the way past the opposition's goal line without anyone touching it, play is stopped and brought back into their defensive zone.

Offside

An attacking player can't enter the offensive zone before the puck. If they do, play is stopped.

Other Notes

Body checking is legal in many competitions. Big hits are part of the game, but dangerous or illegal contact will result in penalties.

Fights sometimes happen. While they are a famous part of hockey culture, officials quickly step in, and players involved are penalised.

Face-offs restart play after every stoppage. The referee drops the puck between two opposing players who battle for possession.

Most importantly, don't worry if you don't understand everything straight away.

Ice hockey moves incredibly fast, and even lifelong fans are still learning. Sit back, enjoy the speed, skill and atmosphere, and don't be afraid to cheer when the puck hits the back of the net!

About the Classic

The story behind the Ice Hockey Classic.

The Ice Hockey Classic was created by Kerry Goulet to showcase professional hockey in Australia, with touring teams made up of players from Canada and the United States. These players don't play together during their regular seasons. They donate their time to take part in the tour, training young players across Australia along the way and supporting local programs such as Ice Factor in Adelaide.

The tour exists to raise awareness and funds for player safety in hockey. Causes supported through the Classic include the StopConcussions Foundation, Brain Injury Australia and Ice Hockey Australia.

One of the programs behind the tour is Safe4Sports, a prevention program that gives sport organisations, administrators, parents and players practical steps to make their sport safer. Serious sport injuries have many causes, so Safe4Sports works with every part of a team, starting with coaches, who it sees as the main advocates for safer play. A well prepared coach can shape how an entire team and its community think about player safety.

StopConcussions was founded by professional hockey players Keith Primeau, Wayne Primeau and Kerry Goulet. It's an education and prevention platform focused on concussions and neurotrauma across all sports.