Brock Cripps | RHD | Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
Prince Albert Raiders defender Brock Cripps showed that he was going to be a player of interest in the 2027 draft after an impressive 2026 playoff run. The Victoria, BC, native posted 21 points (four goals, 17 assists) during 20 games en route to the WHL final.
The number two defenseman on Draft Prospects Hockey’s 2027 NHL Draft Ranking behind the University of Michigan’s Landon DuPont has started the 2026-27 campaign where he left off. The slick-skating rear guard has 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in 11 games.
The former St. George’s Prep School phenom had four assists in two games this past week as the Raiders lost a pair of contests in extra time.
Cripps found the open man in the offensive zone for a primary assist to open the scoring against the Moose Jaw Warriors. He doubled up with another helper on the power play later in the frame. After making it look like he was trying to find a shooting lane, Cripps dished the puck to an open man who fired it in.
Brock Cripps
#12 Prince Albert Raiders. Right-shot defenseman. 5.11 / 166
DOB: July 23, 2009
Player Type: Offensive Defenseman
Report: Cripps is an offensively driven defenseman whose game is built around puck movement, creativity, and offensive instincts. He displays excellent poise under pressure, consistently keeping his head up and identifying passing lanes. His puck movement is quick, deceptive, and efficient, allowing him to create opportunities in transition and the offensive zone. He possesses a strong shot, soft hands, and the confidence to carry the puck through traffic and attack the net. Cripps is effective on both special teams units, serving as a power-play quarterback while also contributing on the penalty kill. His agility, edgework, anticipation, active stick, and ability to hold the offensive blue line help maintain possession and generate scoring chances.
20 – Brock Cripps I may not be as high on him as others, but the offensive capabilities are undeniable. He is an elite skater, is nonstop moving, very hard to defend and contain, and has very good vision. He dictates the ice from the blueline and can thread the needle with passes through sticks and bodies. My concerns are his size, is his edgework and skating ability enough to make his 5’10, 165lb frame a non issue?
13 – Brock Cripps (5’10” | 161lbs | RD | Prince Albert Raiders | Canada) While Landon DuPont captured most of the headlines on the Canadian blue line at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, Brock Cripps quietly put together one of the best all-around performances of the tournament. He is incredibly gifted with the puck, using his elusive edge-work to shake forecheckers, opening up passing lanes, and driving offence from the back end. Despite a smaller 5’10” frame, Cripps played physical, never shying away from contact, making life miserable for opposing forwards in corner battles. Drawing comparisons to recent early-round draftees in Tommy Bleyl and Xavier Villeneuve, Cripps is making a compelling case to join the growing list of undersized defensemen who hear their names called in the opening rounds in June.
Cripps showcased the puck skills and hockey sense that make him such a dynamic offensive defenceman.
He scored shorthanded after making a slight move, waiting for the defender to overcommit and slide right past him before beating the Swedish goaltender on the far side from the top of the circle.
Later in the game, he repeatedly kept cycles going by keeping the puck in the offensive zone while under heavy pressure with little room to work at the blue line.
This was highlighted by one shift where he did it three separate times before cutting through the Swedish defence with a stutter step to create another scoring chance.
At even strength, Cripps and defensive partner Boston Tait controlled play from the offensive blue line. Their combination of passing ability and hockey IQ allowed them to toy with the Swedish forwards, moving the puck seamlessly back and forth while maintaining possession and giving the Canadian forwards time to get into scoring position.
D.O.B – Jul 23, 2009
Cripps has 10 points in 19 games, scoring two goals with eight assists, and at 5-10 and 161 lbs he plays a steady, detail-oriented defense game built on clean retrievals, controlled exits, and excellent gap management. His smooth mobility keeps him connected to rushes and allows him to seal the interior. He isn’t a high-event creator, but he moves pucks efficiently, activates at the right moments, and maintains structure in all three zones. Cripps reads plays well and rarely overhandles, which helps him stay ahead of pressure. With added strength and increased responsibility, he could develop into a reliable second-pair D-man with steady points and heavy minutes.
Brock Cripps – Right Defence
Brock Cripps was the WHL’s 2nd overall pick in 2024 and was one of the biggest standouts in the U17 tournament as he was able to make an impact at both ends of the ice. The basis of his entire game is his skating ability. He is a quick, evasive skater who is highly mobile and uses speed changes and edgework to deceive defenders and attacking forwards. He has an ability to move laterally and change directions sharply. His use of stutter steps confuses his opponents; this makes him elusive and difficult to defend, allowing him to create separation from opponents in all three zones.
Offensively:
Cripps pairs his skating with a poised demeanour, especially under pressure. His excellent hockey IQ is aided by his habit of constantly scanning the ice, allowing him to read emerging plays and better anticipate where pressure will be applied. His transitional play stands out thanks to a good first step, allowing him to reach top speeds more quickly (which will improve as he gains strength). His edgework, coupled with his puck skills, is on full display when he is in the offensive zone, as he creates space for himself while walking the blueline, evading defenders and creating open spaces that teammates can exploit. Cripps also has a very hard and accurate point shot, which makes him a scoring threat at distance, and paired with his puck handling skills, a very strong PP quarterback as well.
His IQ also allows him to identify the best opportunities to pinch at the point, or to slide down the weakside to an open area I the slot where he can use that heavy shot to beat a goaltender clean. His offensive instincts and excellent skating allow him to be an effective puck mover who can confidently and effectively skate the puck out of danger and through the neutral zone.
Defensively:
At only 5-foot-10 and 161 pounds, the 16-year-old still has room to grow to be more durable once he reaches the professional ranks, but that doesn’t mean he was afraid of physical contact; quite the opposite, he relished it. Cripps is highly competitive, and this meant he initiated contact regularly, and did so to gain possession, not just to lay a big hit. Despite how often he initiated contact, he was rarely penalized, demonstrating his calculated and disciplined defensive style.
That defensive style stems from his skating and mobility, which he uses to gain positional advantages in open ice and along the boards. It allows him to break up plays, including using an active stick to take away lanes. Cripps displayed strong rush defence, using his mobility to help him keep tight gaps as he matched speed with the attacking player, and used his body and stick positioning to angle them to the boards, killing the rush.
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