J.P. Hurlbert Selection Shows Red Wings Finally Took a Swing in the Draft – The Hockey Writers – NHL Prospects

The Detroit Red Wings went into the 2026 Draft without a first round pick. They had packaged their own pick with some other assets to add Justin Faulk at the trade deadline in an unsuccessful attempt to make the playoffs. They ended up watching the playoffs from the sidelines once again, and were left without a selection until the middle of the second round.

However, Detroit made a bit of a surprising move on draft day, trading away goaltending prospect Sebastian Cossa to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for the 24th overall pick in the 2026 Draft. The Red Wings were immediately on the clock, and selected J.P. Hurlbert from the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL. 

This was a big move for the franchise, not only because it meant moving on from a goaltending prospect that the team had invested heavily in, but also because it represented a different draft approach. Hurlbert doesn’t fit the typical mold of a Red Wings first round pick, and I think that’s a big reason why it was such a strong choice.

First Rounders in the Yzerman Era

It’s no secret that the Red Wings have had a type at the top of the draft. Carter Bear, Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Nate Danielson, Simon Edvinsson, the list goes on. Throughout the Yzerman era, Detroit heavily prioritized compete level, two way play, and skating in all rounds of the draft, but especially when it came to their first picks.

Now, sometimes this has paid off, like the Moritz Seider pick that now looks brilliant, but it has also led the team to take prospects who have lower skill ceilings as NHL prospects such as Danielson and Marco Kasper. Another complaint I have for this draft philosophy is that Detroit filled their prospect pool up with a ton of players with overlapping skillsets, meaning they are creating internal competition for the same roles rather than just trying to add as much talent as possible.

I don’t think they made any particularly objectionable choices in the first round over the past eight years or so, though I do think they could have been bolder and taken some bigger swings on skill. In the 2026 Draft, the Red Wings did just that with their bet on Hurlbert.

What Makes Hurlbert Special?

Hurlbert is a skilled forward who split his time in the WHL between playing at center and on the wing. He has tons of skill with the puck, making junior defenseman miss him with creative dekes and clever fakes. Hurlbert’s playmaking is strong, but it’s his shot that makes him a real threat in the offensive zone. 

After leaving the United States National Team Development Program after just one of the typical two seasons, Hurlbert made his way to the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL). Despite spending the majority of his first WHL season as a 17-year-old, he was a clear top talent in the league from start to finish.

Hurlbert’s 42 goals and 97 points were both fourth highest in the entire league, and his next highest scoring teammates reached 86 and 77 points on the season. If Hurlbert wants to be a center at the next level, then he has some work to do when it comes to the faceoff circle as well as his overall compete level. He works hard enough, but his game has the style of a top-six forward and his compete doesn’t match what I’d expect from a top-two center.

Spending a year in the CHL worked wonders for Hurlbert, who wasn’t seen as a first round pick at the beginning of the season. With the new NCAA/CHL agreement, he is already set to move on to college hockey for next season with the University of Michigan Wolverines. The 2026-27 Wolverines are filled with NHL prospects, from drafted guys like Michael Hage and Will Horcoff to the most highly touted prospect for the 2027 Draft, Landon DuPont. 

With Hage, Horcoff, and Jack Nesbitt profiling as long-term centers, I expect Hurlbert will get to play on the wing, at least for his Freshman season. The team also has good players on the wings, though I think Hurlbert will be able to lock down a spot in the top-six pretty quickly. 

New Age For Detroit’s Drafting?

Is the selection of Hurlbert in the first round the start of a totally new approach to the draft and acquiring talent, or is it a one time thing? Only time will tell, and Detroit’s next management group will go a long way in forming their new draft philosophy in the post-Steve Yzerman version of Hockey Town.

I am intrigued by the addition of Hurlbert and think it represents a bolder and higher-ceiling decision than the Red Wings have typically made of late. While a late first round pick is unlikely to be a massive game-changing decision for a franchise, here’s to hoping it is just the first of many decisions bringing Detroit more in line with the modern NHL.