After two gold medals, Blake Zielinski sets sights on 2026 NHL Draft
There are over a thousand miles between South Jersey and Iowa, but Blake Zielinski hasn’t looked back since leaving his hometown to start his NHL draft year. With two gold medals added to his draft year resume, the Des Moines Buccaneers forward is grateful.
“Any time you can get the experience [under] your belt, it’s good,” Zielinski said. “Winning gold was an amazing feeling. So glad we got that done.”
The Hlinka Gretzky Cup was Zielinski’s first opportunity to represent the United States at the international level. He led his team in scoring with nine points in five games, helping power the Americans to a historic gold medal, the nation’s first at the tournament since 2003.
“We didn’t know what to expect, and we were extremely nervous to watch Blake on the international stage against the top 2008s in the world,” Joe Zielinski, Blake’s father, admitted. “Blake’s passion for hockey and his dedication to hard work in the off-season culminated in a remarkable performance. And to top it off, seeing the boys beat Canada and win the gold medal was unforgettable.”
Family is important for the Zielinskis. Back in South Jersey, Blake spends his summers on Long Beach Island, where he works up healthy competition with his brother and father playing golf and tennis.
“I love going down there,” Zielinski said. “My buddy lives about 30 minutes from there, so I usually pick him up on the way and just enjoy the summertime. We’re big golfers in my family. I’m pretty competitive.”
Is he a better golfer than his father?
“Of course. I feel like I’ve always been pretty good,” Zielinski said. “Ever since my brother and I started beating him regularly, he can’t keep up with us anymore.”
And like with any healthy competition, sometimes a dinner is wagered on. But it’s all in good fun, and a good release for Zielinski away from the rink. His competitive nature runs deep, and it’s been showing more and more on the ice as he continues to mature.
As Zielinski returned to the Buccaneers for his second season, the winger continued to work with the coaching staff to see if he could take on a centre role this season. With solid defence and good puck skills, he’s comfortable playing both positions.
“It's a little bit better. [I’m] still flipping between centre and wing. But yeah, I'm just working every day after practice with our centres and our coaches, and yeah, just trying to try to be better every day.”
It hasn’t gone unnoticed. While faceoffs remain a work-in-progress (Zielinski is currently at 47% in the dot), he’s increased his shots on goal rate, and he’s nearly a point-per-game player this season with 24 points in 25 games.
The biggest difference this season has been leaning on his experiences last year to boost his confidence. “[It’s] just being able to play with confidence and understand the league a lot more, understanding the speed,” Zielinski noted. “You know how players are going to play and how goalies play as well. Yeah, it's getting to the harder areas on the ice. It's kind of kind of all of it, really.”
High hockey IQ powers Zielinski’s game. He understands where to be on the ice and how to get to the harder areas, adapting to plays and making his linemates better. That kind of adaptability helped him adjust quickly at the USA Hockey All-American Game.
On the top line for Team Blue, who won the game 5-4, Zielinski played with Youngstown teammates Jack Hextall and Evan Jardine. The trio showed immediate chemistry, and Zielinski showed some feistiness, as well, even face-washing an opponent. It’s something scouts take notice of, on top of the puck skills, Zielinski’s work in the corners, and the little details of his game.
After the game, Jardine was complimentary of his new linemate. “I play with [Hextall] all year, and I played with Zielinski for a little bit at the Jr. A Challenge. Getting in with those two guys, [Zielinski] is a great kid. This was awesome.”
Zielinski’s next stopping point will be at Providence College to continue his development. Friars head coach Nate Leaman was a big reason for his commitment there.
While there’s a long way to go until the NHL draft in June, Zielinski has generated significant NHL interest. As a currently-projected second or third round pick, the second half of his season with the Buccaneers, and the NHL Combine in the spring, will be important for Zielinski to continue improving his draft stock.