Kalder Varga is celebrating his first gold medal moment.
On Saturday, Aug. 16,. the Kelowna Rockets prospect celebrated winning gold at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup with his USA team after beating Sweden 5-3 in the championship game.
This annual under-18 tournament is recognized as one of the premier showcases for NHL Draft-eligible talent and attracts the top players from around the world.
Throughout five games in the tournament, Varga scored two goals and added an assist. In Saturday's gold medal game, he thought he scored his third of the tournament but it was disallowed.
The win marked Team USA's second ever Hlinka Gretzky Cup and first since 2003.
Additionally, new member of the Rockets Frantisek Poletin played for Team Czechia in the tournament, making 56 saves over a two-game span.
Overall, Czechia finished fifth in the tournament, which took place in Brno, Czechia, and Tren膷铆n, Slovakia.
