Top-10 NHL Draft Pick? Hype Growing Around Gophers Commit Wyatt Cullen

Super prospect Wyatt Cullen revealed in a March interview that he plans to join Gophers hockey next season. Minnesota has hired a new head coach, and his father, Matt Cullen, as the director of player development since that interview, and Wyatt could be joining the roster as a top-10 NHL Draft pick.

Cullen is currently playing with Team USA at the 2026 IIHF World U18 Championships. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic published an article on Monday titled "How Wyatt Cullen became talk of 2026 NHL Draft: ‘You can’t really stop him.’" It's a fascinating read about Cullen's ascension to becoming an elite draft prospect.

The Moorhead, Minnesota, native has been playing with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (USNTDP) since the 2024-25 season. He has 16 points (6 goals and 10 assists) in 15 United States Hockey League (USHL) games this season, and he leads the world juniors with eight points (3 goals and 5 assists) in four games in round-robin play so far.

Cullen is listed at 6-feet tall, and as a left-handed forward with NHL bloodlines, he has become a highly-touted prospect in the 2026 NHL Draft. Eliteprospects.com scout Cam Robinson thinks Cullen's performance this week in Slovakia could launch him up NHL draft boards.

"I think he's very much putting himself in the top 10 conversation," he responded to a user on X.

I think he's very much putting himself in the top 10 conversation
— Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) April 27, 2026

Many scouts think he's a lock for the first round, and recent play could solidify him in the top half of the first round. The latest 2026 NHL Draft big board from eliteprospects.com has him No. 28 in the class. NHL.com has him as the 23rd-best prospect in the class.

Wyatt's older brother, Brooks Cullen, is currently wrapping up his second season in the USHL with the Fargo Force, and he's set to join Minnesota next season as well. The influx of Cullens could generate some serious buzz for new head coach Brett Larson heading into his first season with the program.

The first round of this year's NHL Draft is set for Friday, June 26, in Buffalo, New York. Defenseman Jacob Rombach was the first of five Gophers prospects selected in last year's draft, and he went in the second round to Nashville.

The Gophers have a long history of professional prospects joining their program, including recently with the likes of Matthew Knies, Logan Cooley, Jimmy Snuggerud, and Brock Faber, who are all now making their mark in the NHL.

Cullen has the potential to be the next player to join that group.

Add us as a preferred source on Google