Yes, you should be able to put a "road" wheel on a track bike, provided it's the same size. But 27" wheels and 700c wheels are virtually the same size, and I've never had a problem swapping them out. Tires, however, are not interchangeable between those sizes.

Track bikes run nutted axles out of tradition, nothing more (someone correct me if I'm wrong.) So if I were you I'd run quick releases because as you said they make things easier.