DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY

Tag: USNTDP

  • Weekly 2027 Draft Eligible Three Stars

    The 2027 season is underway for prospects in Europe and across North American junior hockey. The American college season is starting up soon. That means NHL teams and fans can start to get a read on prospects to keep an eye on as the season progresses. This weekly column will highlight three of the top performers eligible for the 2027 NHL Draft. The first edition of the 2027 Three Stars features two projected top ten picks getting a hot start to their draft years and a first overall pick in the OHL establishing himself on a new team.

    Here are the first draft eligible three stars for the 2027 season:

    Dima Zhilkin | RW | Saginaw Spirit (OHL)

    After posting 75 points (36 goals, 39 assists) in 59 games in his pre-draft season, slick winger Dima Zhilkin established himself as an early player to watch for the 2027 class. The Toronto, ON native hasn’t wasted any time getting to work, two weekends into the OHL season. Zhilkin has eight points (four goals, four assists) in four games to start the campaign.

    The 2027-28 University of Michigan picked up three points (one goal, two assists) in a pair of games to continue his dominant start on the score sheet. In game one, Zhilkin parked himself near the front of the Niagara Ice Dogs and stripped the puck away from a defender. He proceeded to flip the puck over the outstretched goalkeeper for his fourth goal of the season.

    After showing off his slick stick work in the first game, it was his vision and play-making that stood out against the Windsor Spitfires. With the game tied at one early in the second period, Zhilkin fed the puck down low and picked up a secondary assist after the rebound was shovelled in.

    The projected 10th overall pick on Draft Prospect Hockey’s 2027 Draft preview added another helper later in the game. Subsequently, after a pass in the face-off circle, Zhilkin waited for a lane and fed the puck to the front for a tap-in.

    Carter Meyer | C | Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)

    American centre Carter Meyer could’ve stayed with the United States National Development Program for his draft season, but the 2009-born pivot opted to take his talents to Quebec. The 17-year-old joined his older brother Freddy, a member of the 2025-26 Remparts, in the Quebec capital. The early returns suggest it was a smart move. The Winchester, MA, native has seven points (one goal, six assists) in four games.

    Meyer opened his weekend with a big outing against Shawinigan. Breaking in on an odd-man rush with St. Louis Blues prospect Maddox Dagenais, Meyer slipped it over to the 2026 first-round pick for a tap-in goal.

    The former Three Rivers School prep star helped facilitate great puck movement on the power play to pick up a secondary assist as the Remparts took a 3-0 lead. Just four minutes later, Meyer completed the assist hat trick. He fed Dagenais for a one-timer that bounced out for teammate Nathan Quinn. The 2025 Philadelphia Flyers sixth-round pick sent it back to Dagenais, who wired it to the top shelf.

    Meyer was held off the score sheet in Quebec’s 5-4 overtime win but still found ways to contribute. The projected seventh overall pick on Draft Prospect Hockey’s 2027 Draft Preview finished second in ice-time among forwards for the Remparts in the contest. He won seven of nine face-offs, had three hits, and had a pair of takeaways.

    Kaden McGregor | C | Brantford Bulldogs

    Kaden McGregor had a solid first year in the Ontario Hockey League after being the first overall pick by the Peterborough Petes in 2025. The Braeside, ON native had 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 39 games in his rookie campaign. An off-season trade sent Cooper Dennis to the Lift-lock City in exchange for the former Ottawa Valley Titans star.

    McGregor has quickly acclimated himself with the rebuilt Bulldogs. The January 2009-born centre has six points (three goals, three assists) in five games for the undefeated squad.

    Opening the week against his former team, McGregor helped seal the deal with a marker in the third period. With teammate Adam Nemec in on the fore-check, McGregor settled into some open ice in the slot. The loose puck squirted right to him, and he wired a quick snap shot past the unsuspecting Peterborough goalie.

    Despite an offensive domination by the Bulldogs of the Kingston Frontenacs by a score of 10-4, McGregor was held pointless. He still managed to fire three shots on goal and had six takeaways.

    The 2025 Ontario high school silver medallist had his biggest showing of the weekend on Sunday with three points (two goals, one assist) in a 5-3 win over the Oshawa Generals. McGregor picked up a secondary assist in the second period for his first point of the evening. Later in the frame, he scored the first of his two markers. On the power play, McGregor took a pass at the point before walking a few steps in. He then wired a wrist shot up and over the goalie’s glove. Shortly afterwards, McGregor doubled up. After finding some open ice in front of the Generals’ goal, he waited patiently for a pass and then quickly redirected the feed over the goalie.

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Luke Schairer (RD)

    Luke Schairer:
    Projection: Second Pair Defenceman
    Strengths: Skating, Defensive aspects, Passing
    Weaknesses: Offensive Aspects

    Analysis:
    Don’t be surprised if Luke Schairer’s name gets called much sooner
    than he’s ranked. NHL teams love big, responsible, smooth-skating,
    right-handed defencemen. That’s exactly what Schairer is. He has an
    excellent stride that allows him to keep up with attackers coming down
    on him. His top speed is very good as well, helping him get to loose
    pucks or move the puck up ice quickly. He makes excellent use of his
    body to angle out attackers along the boards or to the corners, as
    well as boxing out in front of his own net. He has some good passing,
    too, making him a manageable option on the power play or in
    transition.

    Schairer really needs to grow his offensive game to make the
    transition to the next level. Apart from his passing, the rest of his
    offensive game leaves a lot to be desired. He’s good at getting pucks
    through towards the net, but doesn’t really have a dangerous shot to
    beat goalies clean. He isn’t the most creative player in the world,
    often just making the open and correct pass over a fancy pass to a
    high danger area. Apart from that, I wouldn’t be shocked to see
    Schairer in the NHL as a shutdown defender with some offensive input
    in the future.

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Wyatt Cullen (LW)

    Wyatt Cullen (Ranked #24 on my list):
    Projection: Middle 6 Winger
    Strengths: Edge work, Release, Stick skills, Very young
    Weaknesses: Size and physicality, Absence of engagement, Defensive attributes

    Analysis:
    Wyatt Cullen is a high-octane offensive play driver. When he has the
    puck, he utilizes confidence, strong edge control, and impressive
    stick skills to outmaneuver defenders and generate offense. He has a
    special ability to use his edges to deke around defenders, protect the
    puck, or grant him enough mobility to get open in the offensive zone.
    He has a snappy release and a strong one-timer that make him even more
    threatening on the power play. With the puck on his stick, Cullen can
    be the most dangerous player in the game and completely take over.

    However, when he doesn’t have the puck on his stick, I think he can be
    completely absent from the game. I find him waiting for the game to
    come to him, puck watching, and floating around until his teammates
    can get him the puck. He lacks a sense of urgency without the puck,
    which is the best way I could describe it. I don’t think he is the
    best in the defensive zone either. Along the wall, he doesn’t have
    enough strength to push opponents off pucks and retrieve them cleanly.
    The bright side about his weaknesses is that he is such a late
    birthday, he is only a week from being eligible next year. That gives
    him up to an extra few months to grow and develop over some other
    players in this class, which could be a huge advantage for his draft
    stock.

  • Weekly Draft Eligible Three Stars: The Goalie Edition

    This week’s draft-eligible three stars is taking a different approach. The main focus has been on some of the top point getters among players trying to build up their stock for the 2026 NHL Draft, but this week it showcases three goaltenders. Leading the way is a Western Hockey League (WHL) puck stopper who posted back-to-back shutouts. Sticking in the WHL, an American keeper is leading the way for his club, only allowing two goals in a pair of games. Finally, another American in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) is proving to be a key piece for a strong contender.

    Parker Snell | Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)

    Edmonton Oil Kings goalie Parker Snell is one of the top draft-eligible goalies in the WHL this season. Despite his save percentage of .886, which ranks eighth in the league among draft-eligible puck stoppers (min. 10 games), his three shutouts and 2.94 goals against average (GAA) are both second in the WHL with those same qualifiers.

    Snell is not a huge goalie at 6-foot-2 and 179 pounds but has a strong technical base that makes him an intriguing prospect. The St. Albert, AB, native was the 21st-ranked goalie out of 37 on the NHL Central Scouting Mid-Term Ranking of North American goalies. Snell played in a pair of WHL games last season and stopped all 54 shots, earning one shutout. This season, Snell has split the crease and played 27 games, amassing a 17-7-1 record.

    The Northern Alberta Xtreme product held down the fort for the Oil Kings on Friday night as they were outshot 34-23 by the Red Deer Rebels. He stopped every puck thrown at him in the contest, coming away with first-star honors in a 2-0 victory. Back at it on Saturday night, Snell had a quieter night with a 20-save shutout in a 6-0 blanking of the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

    Harrison Boettiger | Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

    Harrison Boettiger has taken on the starting job for the Kelowna Rockets in his first season in the WHL. The Wheat Ridge, Colorado, native is second among draft-eligible keepers who have played at least 10 games in wins (21) and fourth in save percentage (.904).

    The United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) product was excellent in the first inaugural USNTDP vs. Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Prospect Challenge in November 2024. After the US was pounded 6-1 in the first game, with current Sarnia Sting goalie Patrick Quinlan struggling against the high-flying offense of Team CHL, Boettinger got the start in game two. He was sensational, with 35 saves and a .921 save percentage, and almost got the game to overtime but lost 3-2 with a last-minute goal by Calgary Flames prospect Cole Reschny.

    Boettiger, now a CHL goalie, suited up for the other side in the 2025 edition of the challenge. Unfortunately for him, fellow draft-eligible goalie Brady Knowling outdueled him, making 42 saves to win the game 4-2.

    The seventh-ranked stopper by NHL Central Scouting in its Mid-Term Rankings for North American goalies had a strong week for the Rockets. On Wednesday night, Boettiger made 25 saves in a 4-1 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds. He followed it up on Saturday, turning away all but one of the Wenatchee Wild’s 26 shots to help secure a 5-1 win.

    Ryder Fetterolf | Ottawa 67’s (OHL)

    Ryder Fetterolf is really making a name for himself this season as one of the top netminders in the OHL. He is second in the league in both save percentage (.922) and GAA (2.11) with 26 wins in 36 games.

    The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native ranked as the 16th goaltender on the NHL Central Scouting Mid-Term Rankings of North American goalies. He is committed to Penn State next season. Fetterolf was a star on the American prep school circuit, putting up a .940 save percentage with 49 wins in 61 games in his final season with the Gilmour Academy. He played in one game with the United States Hockey League’s Tri-City Storm that went very poorly, as he allowed six goals on 25 shots.

    The 18-year-old continued his hot play this week with a pair of stellar outings. On Thursday night, Fetterolf was beat twice in the first period but closed the door through the next two periods. He stopped all 10 shots as the 67’s coasted to an 8-2 win over the Saginaw Spirit. The Pittsburgh Penguins Elite program alumnus was the first star of the game Sunday afternoon. The 67’s built a 3-0 lead in the first period, and Fetterolf stopped all 28 shots by the Sarnia Sting as his club won 5-0.