2027 NHL Draft Prospects That Stood Out At The Hlinka Gretzky Cup

The 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup has come and gone, with Canada capturing the gold medal with a dominant 8-1 victory over the United States.

Now that the tournament is over, NHL scouts build their full reports and start to prepare for a 2027 draft class loaded with talent.

The Hlinka Gretzky Cup is one of the major points of the scouting calendar. The tournament boasts the top under-18 talent from around the hockey world and gives fans and analysts an early look at some of the names from the year's upcoming draft class.

Let's take a look at which players at this year's tournament stole the show and stood above the rest.

Brock England will be among the younger players in the 2027 class due to his late-August birthday. Going into the tournament, he was regarded as a potential top-10 player in next year's draft, but even with those expectations, he exceeded them. 

In five games, England had four goals and five points for Canada while being the most noticeable player on the ice in every game. People talk about prospects who are really good skaters, and then there’s a different tier of skaters that can go from zero to 100 in a flash; that’s Brock England. 

He creates space effortlessly and attacks defenders at high speed, using his deceptive stickhandling to create lanes for himself. England also has a lightning-quick release and dangerous finishing ability.

Despite his smaller frame, he competes physically and plays with passion. He sometimes forces plays by trying to do too much individually, but he’s a lock to be selected in the top-10 as it stands right now.

Gavin Burcar wasn’t a standout player in his rookie season with the Spokane Chiefs in the WHL, but his work in the off-season was on full display at this tournament.

His pace, relentless effort, and great shot led to him putting together the tournament’s first hat trick in the United States' first game against Czechia. Burcar finished the tournament tied for second in points with five goals and nine points in five games.

Burcar is a strong, competitive, two-way player with an elite one-timer and dangerous finishing ability. He's displayed high-end skill and creativity with the puck, patience, and reads all areas of the ice well.

He consistently sacrificed his body to block shots, even when his team was down big in the final game of the tournament. Burcar needs to improve his pace on zone entries, but he impacts the game offensively and defensively. 

It will be interesting to see how this tournament affects Lukas Kachlir's draft stock, because he was everything you would expect, and more. At five-foot-eight, Kachlir can be a negative in his own zone at times, but when he has the puck in the offensive zone, he makes plays happen everywhere. 

He was tied for the team lead in goals with three and points with six, but he was inches away from putting together larger numbers on multiple occasions. 

Kachlir is a mobile defenseman with excellent agility, quick processing, and strong puck-moving ability. He controls possession well and can create offense through deception and accurate east-west passing.

There are times where he tries to do too much, and his deception occasionally feels forced. Overall, Kachlir is an impactful puck-moving blueliner with strong offensive instincts and the ability to dictate play.

While Jaakko Wycisk's 10 points was tied with Landon DuPont for the tournament lead in scoring, it wasn’t even his offensive output that made him stand out early on. 

He’s a strong, competitive winger with excellent puck protection and balance. It's very difficult to knock him off the puck and he consistently makes smart plays in tight spaces. Wycisk's quick hands stand out in transition, while his anticipation allows him to win loose pucks and create turnovers at a high rate.

He creates offense through smart passes, including some very strong east-west passing. Wycisk can finish plays when given to him and overall looks like an all-around player who can make an impact with and without the puck. 

Wycisk will return to the Guelph Storm this season in hopes of winning the Memorial Cup as the host city, and should continue to rise up the draft rankings.

Jake Prunty led the American defensemen in points with five, with all of them being assists. The University of Massachusetts commit is set to play for the U.S. NTDP next season after a very solid year with the Sioux Falls Stampede in the USHL.

He’s a smooth, mobile defenseman who moves very well along the blueline and constantly appears to be processing the next play. Prunty is shifty with the puck and is able to weave through traffic and create lanes. He showcased strong defensive instincts throughout this tournament as well, having a good defensive stick to cover dangerous passing lanes.

Gap control is an area for Prunty to improve on, as he can slow down and allow net drives. Adding more size and physicality would complement his skating and hockey sense. Overall, he's an intelligent defenseman with strong puck movement and transition ability.

There are a lot of mixed opinions on the Swiss centerman, but Jonah Neuenschwander showed a lot of the traits that make scouts gravitate towards him.

He finished with three goals and six points in four games and will now gear up for his second season of professional hockey in Switzerland's top men's league.

Neuenschwander is a strong, intelligent center with good size, excellent puck protection, and high-end offensive instincts. He reads the game extremely well and consistently appears to be a step ahead of the play. Once he picks up speed, he is difficult to separate from the puck and can drive offense through traffic.

He wins puck battles consistently and shows strong playmaking ability, allowing him to complement other high-end players. This was a strong showing for Neuenschwander, who's developed into a well-rounded center with strong hockey sense, a physical presence, and the skill to create offense.

Tomas Selic had three more points than the next closest player on Slovakia. The winger put together five goals and eight points in the tournament, headlined by a dominant six-point effort against Switzerland.

Selic is a smart, versatile winger who makes quick decisions and consistently finds the right play. He uses open ice effectively to create opportunities for himself and teammates, while also displaying strong defensive awareness with an active stick that regularly breaks up plays.

He's comfortable playing at different paces and does a good job finding soft areas on the ice. Selic is willing to sacrifice his body with big blocks and competes hard in all three zones, making him a reliable two-way winger that could be highly sought after on draft day.

Brock Cripps has the same dynamic skillset as his former WHL teammate and fourth-overall pick Daxon Rudolph, and it was on full display at this tournament. 

His 161-pound frame doesn’t hold him back from playing in the corners whatsoever. Cripps is a confident, mobile defenseman who impacts the game at both ends. He's very patient defending the rush and uses his high-end agility to stop, turn, and evade pressure.

Cripps is an excellent puck mover who consistently acts as a one-man breakout and makes quick, smart plays under pressure. He's crafty and creative with the puck, while showing defensive effort by being active in both shooting and passing lanes.

Despite not being a big defender, he separates opponents from the puck effectively. His confidence and ability to make plays stood out among a lot of other draft-eligible defenders at this tournament.

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