The 2027 NHL scouting season has officially launched.
Several prospects made an impression at last week's Hlinka Gretzky Cup, an annual under-18 tournament that was hosted in Edmonton by Team Canada. The competition will return to Czechia and Slovakia next summer, with future host cities still to be determined. Canada won gold after routing the U.S. 8-1 in the gold-medal game on Saturday night, while Finland downed Slovakia to take the bronze.
It’s early in my process, but several prospects caught mine and colleague Sam Cosentino's attention. With an eye towards next June's draft, here are some quick notes on players who stood out:
Team Canada
Landon DuPont — five-foot-11, 192 pounds — right-shot defenceman – Michigan Wolverines (NCAA)
DuPont captained Canada to gold. He was deployed in key offensive- and defensive-zone scenarios, competed physically, executed at an elite level with the puck and ended the tournament with two goals and six assists (including four helpers in the gold-medal game).
DuPont, in my opinion, is a complete player and a future top-pairing NHL defenceman. He doesn’t just produce offence — he's a fantastic skater who never backs down in the hard areas of the ice, net front and along the boards. He reminds me, in many ways, of a young Drew Doughty.
Brock England – five-foot-11, 175 pounds – left-shot winger – Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
England plays with pace, skill and tenacity. His quick release, and overall puck skill in small areas, was on full display in Edmonton. He ended the tournament with five points (four goals, one assist) and appears poised to have a very productive year with the Thunderbirds. England has the hockey sense and commitment to be deployed in all situations if required and projects as a top-six NHL forward.
Jaakko Wycisk – six-foot-one, 204 pounds – Right Shot Center – Guelph Storm (OHL)
Wycisk was outstanding for Canada as his combination of skating ability, skill and overall physical presence stood out throughout the tournament. Wycisk’s power along the boards and in front of the opponent’s net makes him extremely difficult to defend and opens up space for his linemates. He tied teammate Maddox Schultz for the scoring title with two goals and eight assists for the Canadians and currently projects as a first-round prospect.
Brock Cripps – five-foot-11, 166 pounds – right-shot defenceman – Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
NHL teams covet right-shot defencemen, especially elite skaters and playmakers who project as potential power-play quarterbacks — and Cripps fits the description. He’s currently undersized and will need time to add more weight to his frame, but his quickness and hockey sense already stand out and lead to Cripps winning pucks and launching the attack. He produced one goal and five assists and projects as a two-way/transitional defenceman with top-four potential.
Kayden Stroeder – six feet, 165 pounds – left-shot centre – Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
Stroeder was playing on home ice in Edmonton and stood out for a variety of reasons. He contributed offence (four goals, five assists), but it was his relentless compete level that stood out for me. Stroeder battled for possession and drove to the net off the flank. He played with pace, was reliable defensively, and won most of his shifts throughout the tournament.
Cooper McAslan – six-foot-two, 195 pounds – right-shot defenceman – London Knights (OHL)
I could have written about almost every Canadian player for this piece, and their time will come between now and next June, but London Knights defenceman Cooper McAslan is a prospect who deserves recognition to start the season.
McAslan spent most of last year playing for London’s Junior “B” affiliate, the London Nationals, and only suited up for four games with the Knights. He contributed 10 goals and 37 assists in 45 combined regular season and playoff games with the Nationals. McAslan is long and rangy, a solid skater with well-above-average puck skill. He was generally used in a depth role for Canada, but did contribute three assists. I feel like McAslan is just scratching the surface of his potential and should compete for significant minutes with the Knights this season.
Team Sweden
Douglas Johnsson – five-foot-10, 169 pounds – right-shot defenceman – Skelleftea J20 (Sweden)
Johnsson is another intriguing and undersized right-shot defender. He’s an outstanding skater who has the ability to track down pucks in his zone and launch the attack on his own or outlet the puck and join the rush as an extra attacker. He quarterbacks the power play and competes defensively. The Swedes were underwhelming overall at this tournament but Johnsson stood out for long stretches, contributing one goal and two assists.
Milan Sundstrom – six-foot-two, 207 pounds – left-shot centre – Modo J20 (Sweden)
Sundstrom is a pre-season top-five prospect who projects as a top-line NHL forward with significant offensive upside. He produced six points (two goals, four assists) for the Swedes and was their most consistent offensive threat. There were times his shift length was too long, leaving him exhausted and cutting some corners defensively, but he left me with a positive impression overall.
Team Switzerland
Jonah Neuenschwander – six-foot-three, 185 pounds – left-shot centre – Biel NLA (Switzerland)
Neuenschwander played to his identity in Edmonton and appears prepared for a big season in his draft year. He’s the kind of prospect who has to be dissected shift-to-shift with a sense of reality in relation to the team around him. The Swiss lack depth at the top of their lineup, but Neuenschwander ended the tournament with three goals and three assists while having to compete against opponents' top lines and defensive pairings every shift. He’s another prospect whose combination of size, skill, pace and elite shooting ability stands out.
Team Finland
Luca Santala – six-foot-two, 190 pounds – right-shot winger – London Knights (OHL)
Santala is making his way to North America to play in the OHL for the Knights and projects as a prospect who leans more shooter than distributor. He’s aggressive directing pucks on net and has the size to create issues for defenders who attempt to push him off pucks. One area of Santala’s game I’m monitoring is his overall pace, as he has the ability to play fast but seems to pick his spots at times. Santala produced two goals and four assists.
Team USA
Gavin Burcar – six-foot-two, 185 pounds – right-shot centre – Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
Burcar was fantastic for Team USA as the Spokane Chiefs centre dominated offensively (five goals, four assists) and, like Santala, was aggressive directing pucks on net. He shoots the puck a ton, but what stood out was the way he stationed himself around the net and walked to open space after winning plays off the boards.
Team Czechia
Maxmilian Mares – six-foot-six, 229 pounds – left-shot centre – Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL)
I’m pretty sure Cosentino grew tired of me pointing out all of the positive things Mares was doing for Czechia on a shift-to-shift basis. He’s a hulking centre who plays a straightforward power game. When he wins offensive zone draws, he heads to the crease to set screens and hound for tips and rebounds. Mares was selected by Rimouski in the first round (fifth overall) in the CHL import draft. He contributed three goals and three assists in Edmonton and has my full attention heading into the fall.
Underage prospects
It would be irresponsible of me to end my piece without acknowledging the under-age prospects (2028 draft eligible) who had significant impact at the tournament:
Maddox Schultz – five-foot-10, 183 pounds – left-shot centre – Regina Pats (WHL)
Schultz was outstanding for Canada. He contributed three goals and seven assists, but it was his complete game that impressed me most. Schultz doesn’t cut corners. He competes in all three zones and isn’t shy to battle in traffic. He’s trending towards being the top prospect for the 2028 draft.
Liam Pue – six feet, 188 pounds – right-shot winger – Regina Pats (WHL)
Pue also plays in Regina and he has undeniable synergy skating alongside Schultz. He owns a lethal release — if he identifies a lane to the net, no matter how small, he has the ability to rip pucks in the blink of an eye. Pue produced six goals and three assists for Team Canada.
Joey Cullen – five-foot-11, 173 pounds – left-shot winger – USNTDP U17 (USHL)
Joey’s brother, Wyatt, was selected by the Nashville Predators 10th overall in June and Joey appears to have the same upside. He’s dynamic with the puck on his stick and plays with a confident swagger that produced three goals and two assists for Team USA.
