There is no doubt that in the 2027 NHL Draft, a player from the region will be taken in the first round. That should be a point of pride for New England.
Yet there’s also considerable depth for the 2027 draft a year out.
Carter Meyer, the player ranked No. 1, is a potential top-five pick. But the four players ranked after him are already strong candidates to be picked somewhere in the top three rounds. If they exceed expectations, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them taken in the second round — or maybe even the first.
There are also several players near the end of our rankings with high upside. Big 2026-27 seasons would do them well for the draft.
Let’s dive into our first rankings of New England natives for the 2027 NHL Draft. These will likely change a lot over the next 10 months.
1. Carter Meyer
U.S. NTDP U17, 4/10/2009, F, left shot, 6-0/176
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.
NCAA: Boston University
Surprise, surprise. Meyer is an early favorite to be a top-five pick. He had a huge year with both the NTDP’s U17 team (18 goals, 45 points in 41 games) and the U18 squad (11 goals, 25 points in 29 games). His play was good enough to get him to the U18 Worlds with Team USA. The biggest thing with Meyer is his IQ and poise with the puck. He has all the makings of a franchise center in the NHL someday. He plans to play for the QMJHL's Québec Remparts next season.
2. Finn Sears
U.S. NTDP U17, 5/4/2009, F, left shot, 6-0/187
Hometown: Medford, Mass.
NCAA: Boston College
Sears had a strong U17 year with 18 goals and 35 points in 55 games, which should serve as a phenomenal jumping-off point for a big U18 campaign next winter. The former Rivers star plays with a high level of pace and has no problem getting to high-danger areas. As a lethal producer of offense off the wing, I could see him going somewhere from late in Round 1 to early in Round 3.
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3. Jake Boguniecki
U.S. NTDP U17, 4/22/2009, D, right shot, 6-2/176
Hometown: Orange, Conn.
NCAA: Boston College
NHL scouts love a right-shot defenseman with size. Boguniecki was a stout defender for the NTDP this season with three goals and seven points, and played extremely difficult minutes. If he continues to progress as a two-way threat on the back end, which he should as a U18, he will be a player NHL teams covet somewhere in the top 90 picks. It's unknown where he will play next season after requesting a release from the NTDP.
4. Sam Pandolfo
U.S. NTDP U17, 7/2/2009, F, left shot, 6-4/205
Hometown: Winchester, Mass.
NCAA: Boston University
Pandolfo’s U17 year was shortened due to injuries, as he only posted five goals and 10 points in 35 games. But if he bounces back in his U18 season, which kids at the NTDP often do, he could be a relatively high pick. The size is too good to ignore. Add in that he can play anywhere in a lineup and his intelligence, and he’s someone NHL teams will likely want to take.
5. Jamie Glance
U.S. NTDP U18, 9/23/2008, F, right shot, 5-10/181
Hometown: West Newbury, Mass.
NCAA: Boston University
Glance just missed the cut-off for the 2026 NHL Draft. He was a top breakout player on the NTDP’s U18 squad this winter, leading the team in scoring with 23 goals and 56 points in 62 games. He’s a highly skilled player who has a missile of a shot. He will play for the QMJHL's Saint John Sea Dogs next season and is an early favorite to be a first-round pick.
6. Declan Wotton
Baie-Comeau Drakkar, 5/16/2009, F, right shot, 6-1/203
Hometown: Windsor, Maine
NCAA: Cornell
This is a bit of projection, but Wotton’s size and power forward style are hard to ignore, given that NHL teams love players like him. He struggled in his first season with the QMJHL’s Baie-Comeau Drakkar (four goals, six points in 28 games), but he should rebound and pop in Year 2.
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7. Caiden Pellegrino
St. Mark’s, 12/4/2009, F, left shot, 5-8/155
Hometown: Uxbridge, Mass.
NCAA: Providence College
While Pellegrino is undersized, his playmaking, vision and IQ more than make up for it as a force down the middle. He was second in New England prep in points this winter with 75. He’s slated to play for the QMJHL’s Rimouski Océanic next season, where he should be as productive. If that’s the case, teams may have a hard time passing on someone with his hands and ability to create offense.
8. Brody Berard
Youngstown Phantoms, 9/2/2009, D, right shot, 6-0/194
Hometown: Cumberland, R.I.
NCAA: Northeastern
Berard is a pain to play against. He’s hard-nosed, physical and not afraid to drop the gloves, which, obviously, NHL teams love. For his draft year, it will have already been his second season in junior hockey, so he’ll have the experience that teams look for, too. He’s likely to be a shutdown defenseman at higher levels.
9. Easton Anello
Williston Northampton, 1/19/2009, D, left shot, 6-3/185
Hometown: Windsor, Mass.
NCAA: UMass
Anello had a solid prep season with 16 points in 26 games. But the UMass commit has all the tools to be in the upper echelon of ‘09 defensemen in the United States. He’s a smooth skater who makes both simple and creative plays with the puck. He also has a great stick when defending. His combination of that with his size should make him someone NHL teams covet.
10. Cam Minella
Halifax Mooseheads, 8/29/2009, D, left shot, 5-11/163
Hometown: Darien, Conn.
Minella left prep a year early for the Mooseheads and put up nine points in 64 games. Given that he’s an elite offensive defenseman, those numbers should be boosted quite a bit next season. Minella’s skating and brain help him elude pressure and make passes that even people watching from above didn’t see coming.
11. Kurt Beck
Dexter Southfield, 4/2/2009, D, left shot, 6-2/188
Hometown: Arlington, Mass.
NCAA: Providence College
If things go well during his draft season, Beck could be one of the biggest risers in this story. He is athletic and a physical force. He’s a great skater who can be creative offensively. It’s just about putting it together consistently. If Beck can find that consistency, NHL teams will love what he has to offer. In terms of upside and ceilings, Beck has some of the highest.
12. Joe Covelluzzi
Dubuque Fighting Saints, 1/30/2009, F, right shot, 5-10/174
Hometown: Wakefield, Mass.
NCAA: Maine
Covelluzzi left Cushing halfway through the season for Dubuque in the USHL. He also spent some time with the NTDP’s U17 team. While the production wasn’t eye-popping this winter (16 points in 20 games for Cushing; three points in 11 games for Dubuque), the ability is there. He’s an assertive, puck-dominating winger who has a heavy, accurate shot.
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13. Noah Survilas
Dexter Southfield, 12/27/2008, F, right shot, 5-11/170
Hometown: Winthrop, Mass.
NCAA: Northeastern
Survilas was on a stacked Dexter Southfield team this winter, producing a tad less than he did as a sophomore (40 points in 28 games) with 37 points in 30 games as a junior. His skill, however, is wicked. He has phenomenal playmaking abilities and can slow the game down when the puck is on his stick. If he can continue to prove himself as an offensive force as a right wing, he has a shot to be drafted next June.
14. Parker Stockseth
Sherbrooke Phoenix, 12/9/2008, G, catches left, 6-3/183
Hometown: Blandford, Mass.
NCAA: UMass
It’s always hard to tell with goalies. That’s especially true for those who bounce around in juniors. Stockseth started the year with Berkshire in prep, but didn’t play for them. Instead, he went to the NAHL’s Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks and posted a 4.42 goals-against average and an .868 save percentage. He followed that up by going to the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix and notching a 4.58 GAA and a .844 save percentage. But with his size and athleticism, a good draft year should get him some attention.
15. Nico Ciardiello
Avon Old Farms, 11/10/2008, F, right shot, 6-0/170
Hometown: Guilford, Conn.
NCAA: Brown
Ciardiello, a late ‘08, had a high-end year in prep, scoring 17 goals and posting 33 points in 28 games en route to an Elite 8 championship. He’s a composed skater who has a heavy shot and a great ability to get to high-danger areas. If he stays in prep, he will be one of the top draft prospects in the region. If he goes to the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks, who picked him in the fourth round of the Phase 2 Draft, a big season would help him get NHL Draft attention.
16. Jacoby Palmer
Woodbridge Wolfpack, 8/9/2009, D, left shot, 6-1/176
Hometown: Holden, Mass.
Palmer has a mix of good skating and fantastic vision with size that should get him NHL Draft attention next season. It’s unknown where he’ll play next season — USHL Des Moines and QMJHL Newfoundland own his rights — but a highly productive, offensive season should go a long way into solidifying his stock.
17. Cade Noonan
St. Sebastian’s, 8/21/2009, F, left shot, 6-1/181
Hometown: Needham, Mass.
While Noonan’s skating isn’t a strength, his compete and edge are impossible to ignore. He broke out with 16 goals and 26 points in 27 games this season. He’s a menace on the forecheck and phenomenal on the cycle. He also has no issue getting to high-danger areas either.
READ MORE: The roller coaster NHL Draft day ride of Myles Brosnan
18. Ryder Bisson
St. John’s Shrewsbury, 8/4/2009, D, left shot, 6-1/176
Hometown: Holden, Mass.
Bisson is an interesting case. He’s headed to Dexter Southfield next season, where more eyes and attention will be on him. He’s a fantastic skater who has all the confidence in the world with the puck. He dominated MIAA games this past winter, and if he can translate those skills to prep, he should be getting NHL attention.
