The 2027 Draft lacks a player as rated as a Caleb Malhotra or Chase Reid, but holds high promise in terms of talent
In somewhat of a weaker year for the Ontario Hockey League, the 2027 NHL Entry Draft doesn't have a top pick coming out of the OHL, but at top, there are a few players who do have the potential to become major risers and enter top prospect territory with a strong season.
This ranking is based merely on my own projection of the players, rather than a projection of where they are expected to go. Imports such as Luca Santala and Timothy Kazda, who both project as first round picks, are included in a seperate 'Top 5 Imports' article. If they were included in the list, Santala would place second, and Kazda fourth.
1 - Jaakko Wycisk - F - Guelph
There's an almost unstoppable element to Jaakko Wycisk's game when he's on, almost impossible to defeat because he just keeps going and pressing. Wycisk is one of the hardest workers in the league, and has shown the dynamic skating and puckhandling duo to match.
Away from the puck, Wycisk is just as high-effort and energetic than he is with it. Wycisk has looked instantly translatable since stepping into the OHL, and looks due to only blossom as this season goes along.
He may not get the same heavy usage as fellow 2027 top prospect Dima Zhilkin, but Wycisk could end up the more projectable player. He had a fantastic Hlinka where he looked to be one of the best draft eligibles for Canada, if not in general.
2 - Dima Zhilkin - F - Saginaw
Dima Zhilkin will have a much greater workload, but also having to find new chemistry without fellow Russian descendants Nikita Klepov and Alex Barabanov. Luckily, Zhilkin has shown he can be a one man show, and it's likely he'll be the Spirit's leader heading into this season. Zhilkin is also a strong candidate to make Canada's World Juniors roster.
Zhilkin is a dangerous offensive threat with a physically demanding edge. He's a consistent hard worker who battles for pucks and can create in open ice. The gap between Zhilkin and Wycisk isn't huge, both players could battle for the right as top prospect in the OHL, but Zhilkin could run away with it on the scoresheet and with a strong WJC.
3 - Brenner Lammens - F - Sarnia
Brenner Lammens was a standout on a struggling Sarnia team despite just 18 points in 59 games for the Sting. Lammens is a two-way forward who plays with a high level of energy and compete. Lammens has dual offensive threat and away from the puck is a physically demanding player.
Sarnia is a team that still needs to pick up offense, with Lammens someone who should be key for them this season, but he'll need to find ways to create for himself to prove himself, but his flashes of upside show he could be a first round pick. Lammens is three days from being a 2028 Draft eligible.
4 - Levi Harper - D - Saginaw
It'll be a test for Levi Harper to showcase himself next season on a Saginaw team without two of their stars in Klepov and Barabanov, but it'll be hard to imagine Harper not being one of the OHL's best defensemen regardless.
What will make or break Harper's draft stock is in the defensive end. Harper is an electric offensive defenseman and breakout stud, but needs to have more control on the defensive side of things.
Improving on his defensive game could see Harper go as high in tbe NHL Draft as the lottery, but he could slide a bit if he can't replicate his scoring prowess without stars around him. The Michigan commit could lead all OHL defensemen in points this season.
5 - Kohyn Eshkawkogan - D - Ottawa
There is little separation in my view between Eshkawkogan and Levi Harper, with both prospects having similar games and project around the same area, but like Harper, Eshkawkogan's game is based around a strong offensive mindset that will have to prove itself in the defensive end.
Eshkawkogan shows better defensive instinct than Harper, which could see him leapfrog for that fourth spot, but lacks Harper's dynamicism, which could become a limitation. Like most of the OHL's defensemen in this draft, Eshkawkogan comes with clear risk in projecting his NHL potential.
6 - Aleks Kulemin - F - Kingston
Kulemin, the son of former Toronto Maple Leaf Nikolay, was practically a shoo-in for the fourth spot on this list before a disappointing Hlinka dropped him a bit down the rankings. The good news, there are months for Kulemin to steer things in a positive direction again.
Kulemin already got himself ahead of the rest of the crop with two points in the first game of the new OHL season. It's one game, but Kulemin being a consistent multi-point scorer should make him a first rounder.
7 - Ryerson Edgar - F - Niagara
Ryerson Edgar is another player who has a clear path to a first round pick, but also one to dropping his stock this season. Edgar isn't the biggest forward, but he plays a responsible, hard-working game to make up for that lack of size.
Offensively, Edgar has been one of the OHL's more dependable youngsters as both capable in scoring goals and creating plays. He could be a first rounder if he takes a massive step this season. The Michigan commit was highly likable at the Hlinka.
8 - Johnny McLaughlin - F - Windsor
As an August birthday, Johnny McLaughlin should be someone with room to grow, and he more than looks the part. Although having been lacking ice time on a stacked Spitfires team, McLaughlin is a dynamic offensive forward who is inventive and moves the puck incredibly well. He isn't the meanest, but isn't afraid to be a bit physical if needed.
McLaughlin does have to prove himself as someone who can handle the heavier minutes he should get this season, his eight points in 13 playoff games is a sign he's capable of taking his game up a level. He could find himself in the first round conversation by June.
9 - Alex Forrest - D - Kitchener
The Kitchener Rangers have done really well with offensive defensemen in recent years, turning Cameron Reid and Alexander Bilecki into top-64 NHL Draft picks, and Forrest is someone cut from the same cloth with a chance to be next.
Forrest is closer to a Bilecki than a Reid, but he could still have a similar impact this season offensively with Reid headed to Michigan. Bilecki looked like a solid puck-moving defenseman in limited games for the Memorial Cup winning Rangers, but will need to prove his projectability full-time.
10 - Keaton Ardagh - F - Brampton
Similarly to Brenner Lammens, Ardagh lacked a chance to produce more offense on a team seemingly allergic to scoring, but while Ardagh isn't as dynamic as Lammens, he has projectsble tools himself for the NHL level. Lammens isn't as physically demanding as would be liked, but has good hockey IQ that keeps opponents on their toes.
Ardagh is another late birthday with creativity and untapped potential to his game waiting to be unlocked. If Brampton is able to produce more on offense, Ardagh could take off, and he has the chance to be a key reason why. What that means for his draft stock however depends on how much he can contribute on the defensive end of things.
Additional Thoughts
It is no surprise that London has a promising rookie in Cooper McAslan. He gained rave reviews at the Hlinka, but his game has been a bit inflated by how well the Knights have done letting players sit in lower levels in their D-1 before calling them up in their draft year.
McAslan is somewhere in the 11-15 range for me in terms of 2027 OHL prospects, but it's very possible he moves up as the next case of the Knights development success. Fellow Knight Alex Campeau is another player to watch on the same path, with the 6'4 center someone who could excel in depth minutes and become a mid-round pick.
If Camryn Warren can prove that his size isn't detrimental to his game, he could see himself get drafted in 2027. His Hlinka was a sign that he has some advanced talents relative to his age group, but he has to convince NHL scouts further not to be too hesitant on his height.
A lot of interesting defensemen are in this draft, from smaller defenders in Brampton's Peter Green and Kingston's Matthew Henderson, to 6-8 Drew Roscoe. Late in the draft could see a run on defenders.
