The Athletic’s Max Bultman weighs in regarding the Detroit Red Wings’ 2026 NHL Draft class this morning, discussing the players who Kris Draper and the Wings’ amateur scouting staff targeted to address team needs.
Here’s what Bultman has to say about JP Hurlbert, the Red Wings’ first round draft pick, who was acquired via trading Sebastian Cossa to Utah for the 23rd overall pick.
Bultman notes that Hurlbert received a glowing recommendation from fellow WHL player Carter Bear, whose Everett Silvertips battled Hurlbert’s Kamloops Blazers on a regular basis this past season:
“Obviously, he can score, for sure,” Bear said. “He’s quick with the puck and can handle the puck well, and he has good smarts for the game. Getting to know him now, he’s a great person.”
Bear said he and Hurlbert are rooming together, which is a cool setup for the two WHL scorers.
General manager Steve Yzerman said Hurlbert was “one of a small group of players” the Red Wings estimated might be available around pick 23, before trading Cossa to Utah for that pick. And when they executed the trade and went on the clock, Yzerman said Hurlbert was “without a doubt the prospect we wanted the most at that pick.”
As with Bear, Hurlbert will need to continue to work on his skating, but he’s a natural scorer, and adding a player with that ability to the system definitely addresses a need for the Red Wings.
Continued (paywall); as per usual, Bultman’s discussion of the Wings’ prospects is worth your time.
