Detroit Hockey Now’s Max Smith profiles Red Wings 2026 first round draft pick JP Hurlbert this morning, discussing the 6,’ 190-pound forward’s pluses and minuses.
Hurlbert scored 42 goals in 68 games with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers last season, and he’s going to enter his freshman season with the University of Michigan Wolverines this fall:
Three Reasons Why Hurlbert Will Play in the NHL
- Hurlbert’s a scorer, plain and simple. If he gets the puck on his stick and he thinks he has a shot, he’ll take it. With 42 goals on 294 shots on goal, he’s good for a point on about 14.5% of his
- Hurlbert is a high character, high motivation player. While he faces some physical limitations in the checking and defensive game, there’s no question about him trying.
- He’s got plenty of runway to develop more dimensions to his game. Hurlbert wasn’t commonly viewed as a first round pick going into the year, and found himself going in the Top 25 on actual draft day.
What May Hold Hurlbert Back
The biggest problem Hurlbert faces as a hockey player is his ability to find a second gear. Hurlbert’s speed isn’t one of his greatest strengths, and with a lack of size at the moment to make up for that missing speed, he can sometimes find it hard to get separation from opposing skaters. Shooting from anywhere is one thing, but he has to actually get to those spots somewhat cleanly if he wants to make an impact on the scoresheet.
Continued; Hurlbert’s got issues to fix in terms of his skating and “compete level,” but he’s only 18, and he’ll be playing for coach Brandon Naurato and the Wolverines’ hockey machine this upcoming season. That should provide Hurlbert with a “learning environment” both on and off the ice.
