Blog: Preds Prospects Well Represented at 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase

It’s been nearly a month since Preds Development Camp wrapped up — but the prospects have not slowed down. 

Seven of Nashville’s recent NHL Draft picks were invited to the 2026 World Junior Summer Showcase, held at WFCU Centre in Windsor, Ontario, from July 26 to Aug. 3. The showcase consists of practices, scrimmages and player evaluations, aiding coaches as they assemble their 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship rosters. 

Both of Nashville’s first-round picks from the 2026 NHL Draft – Wyatt Cullen (10th overall) and Tommy Bleyl (31st overall) – were named to the U.S. WJSS roster, along with prospect Jacob Rombach (35th overall in 2025). 

The Preds 2025 Draft class is well represented with Brady Martin (5th overall), Cameron Reid (21st overall), Jack Ivankovic (58th overall) and Alex Huang (122nd overall) skating for Canada. Martin, Reid and Ivankovic competed for Hockey Canada last year at the 2026 IIHF WJC, earning the bronze medal. 

Team USA and Canada will square off on the final day of the showcase, allowing another chance for the Preds prospects to compete with and against each other. 

Stay tuned to this blog for updates throughout the showcase, and click here for a full schedule.

July 26:

Cullen, Bleyl and Rombach skated in USA Blue’s opening scrimmage against Sweden, an eventual 6-1 win. 

Cullen, who has primarily played wing in recent seasons, centered the top line which combined for seven points (2g-5a), with Cullen recording two of them (1g-1a). 

The 17-year-old dished the primary assist on the first goal of the game and later added a goal of his own in the final period, deflecting a shot from the slot.

Fellow first-round pick Bleyl showed off his smooth skating, taking the puck from coast to coast before putting one past the netminder; although the score was ultimately waved off for goaltender interference.

"I think I'm naturally supposed to be a center," Cullen, who is the son of former Preds forward and three-time Stanley Cup champion, Matt Cullen, told NHL.com. "I think I'm really comfortable in the middle with the puck. The defensive zone is the thing that I need to focus on the most, and I'm getting better at it."

July 27:

The Preds prospects didn’t mark the scoresheet on Day Two but still defeated Finland 5-1 with Cullen remaining as the top center and Bleyl in the top d-pairing. 

July 29:

The U.S. played Finland a second time with Cullen and Rombach in the lineup once again, although the squad fell 3-2. 

Martin was named an alternate captain for Canada as the team competed in its first scrimmage of the week, losing to Sweden 5-3.