Top Youth Hockey Players In The Alps Region of Central Europe
The National Hockey League is composed of the best hockey players on the planet. There are nearly 800 athletes from 21 different countries competing in the 2021 season. The world of youth hockey is a reflection of the professional landscape, I mean after all, even Connor McDavid got his start playing Mite hockey somewhere.
Youth hockey is filled with top talent from a wide range of countries and regions across the globe, and the team at World Hockey Hub is watching closely. We are constantly looking to identify the biggest up-and-coming names in the sport. Want to catch your first glimpse of a soon-to-be household name? Watch U15 highlights of a future first-round draft pick? Check out a team with a fistful of future pros on the roster? WHH features the absolute best in youth hockey today.
Native region of Swiss defenseman Roman Josi and French forward Alexandre Texier, The Alps has quietly produced 17 players currently rostered in the NHL this season. It spans from eastern France through Switzerland and the northern part of Italy, and into Austria.
Not typically considered a hotbed, yet some of the best athletes in youth hockey regularly frequent the region for the most competitive international tournaments in existence. Chamonix, France, and Bolzano, Italy, have served as host cities of the U12, U13 and U14 World Selects Trophy (WST) tournament series for nearly a decade.
The team at WHH has identified some of the top players in the region at the 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 age groups.
2004s
ALESSIO BEGLIERI: A goaltender out of Biel-Bienne, Switzerland, Beglieri currently plays U20-Elite in the Swiss League. He has represented Team Swiss on three different occasions, twice for the U16 team at World Juniors and the Youth Olympic Games as well as the U17 team at World Juniors.
TOMMASO De LUCA: He’s a 5-foot-11 forward out of Aosta, Italy, whose spent the last five seasons playing in Swiss leagues. In 33 games for Ambri-Piotta U20, De Luca has 12 goals and 23 points.
2005s
DAMIAN CLARA: A native of Brunico, Italy, Clara is a big goaltender who takes up a lot of net. At 6-foot-5 and 190 pounds, he’s spent the 2020-21 season split between U18 RB Hockey Academy and U20 EC Salzburg in Austria.
TOMMASO MADASCHI: Currently playing for U17 Biel-Bienne Madaschi is a native of Torino, Italy. In his first full season of junior hockey, he has scored five goals and six points in 12 games.
COLIN LINDEMANN: The 15-year-old left-hander played a portion of the 2020-21 season in Sweden while skating for Leksands IF. Currently with Zug U17 in Switzerland, Lindemann has scored a total of seven goals and 11 points in 14 games this season.
2006s
WILLIAM RAIS: A 14-year-old currently playing junior hockey for ZSC U17s in the Elite League, Rais is one of the top young prospects in all of Switzerland.
JUAN-ESTEBAN BARRAUD: Also playing at the U17 level, Barraud has scored seven goals and nine points in 26 games this season. The lone defenseman on the list for his play-making ability and puck skills.
2007s
FLORIAN SCHENK: In his first season at the U15 level, Schenk scored 14 goals and 24 points in 26 games. He’s competed on an international level at both the 2019 WST and the Pee-Wee Quebec in ‘19 and ‘20. Schenk led his team in scoring in all three tournament appearances.
JEREMIAH MUNDY: He’s young at just 13-years-old, but Mundy is already 6-foot and competing at the U17-Elite level for Davos in Switzerland. He has plenty of intangibles to develop into a dominant forward.
JUSTIN ALLAIRE: A one-time teammate of both Schenk and Mundy at the 2019 U12 WST for Alps Selects, Allaire is a great contributor offensively. From Bern, Switzerland, he will certainly be one to keep in mind as this birth year climbs through the youth hockey ranks.
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