Three NCAA players named to NHL Central Scouting's 2027 Preliminary List

The NCAA will have three players to watch as the road to the 2027 NHL Draft begins, with Landon DuPont, Sammy Nelson, and William Lacelle appearing on NHL Central Scouting’s Preliminary Players to Watch List.

Released October 26, the preliminary list provides an early look at draft-eligible talent across North America and Europe. The list changes a bunch throughout the year, but the three NCAA names offer a lens to look at who the top names are for the upcoming draft. 

Headlining the list was projected first-overall pick Landon Dupont, the University of Michigan freshman defenseman received an A rating, identifying him as a potential first-round selection even though he is clearly not going to move away from that rating anytime soon. Already projected by NHL.com as a possible No. 1 pick, DuPont has made an immediate impact in Ann Arbor. Through six games, he recorded six points, all assists, while averaging 18:13 of ice time per game.

DuPont arrived at Michigan following two productive seasons with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips. He recorded 73 points in 63 regular-season games last season before adding 23 points in 18 playoff matchups, helping Everett capture the WHL championship. His transition to the NCAA has only strengthened the attention surrounding his draft potential.

Notre Dame forward Sammy Nelson also earned an A rating, placing him among Central Scouting’s potential first-round candidates. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 193 pounds, the right-shot forward gives the Fighting Irish a prominent draft prospect to follow throughout the college season. Nelson is looking to be the only first-rounder amongst his brothers henry, and Danny, who are also at Notre Dame with him. 

Rounding out the NCAA trio is William Lacelle, a left-catching goaltender at the University of Nebraska Omaha. Lacelle received a C rating, which places him in the preliminary fourth- or fifth-round candidate category. At 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, he represents the goaltending position among this year's college prospects on the list.

The three players occupy different positions and carry different preliminary draft projections, but their inclusion highlights the NCAA’s role in developing NHL-calibre talent. And when you consider how many commits will be on this list by the end of the year, it’ll be another year of NCAA representation.