Hurlbert Selected by Red Wings in First Round of NHL Draft
6/26/2026 10:10:00 PM | Ice Hockey
• NHL Draft Tracker | Wolverines in the NHL
• Michigan First-Round NHL Draft Selections | U-M NHL Draft Selections by Franchise
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- University of Michigan ice hockey incoming freshman J.P. Hurlbert team was selected by the Detroit Red Wings with the 23rd overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft on Friday (June 26).
Named the 2026 Western Hockey League Rookie of the Year, Hurlbert has been committed to Michigan since 2024. He spent the last season with the Kamloops Blazers, serving as alternate captain. A native of Allen, Texas, Hurlbert finished fourth in the WHL in scoring with 97 points (42 goals, 55 assists) in 97 games -- leading all rookies in the Canadian Hockey League.
A WHL Western Conference First All-Star Team selection, Hurlbert was also a finalist for the WHL Player of the Year. The right-handed forward finished fourth in the WHL in points and goals while tying for eighth in assists. Of his 42 goals, 32 were scored at even strength, with nine on the power play and one shorthanded. He logged three hat tricks along with six four-point outings throughout the season. Hurlbert was named to the 2025 Team CHL at the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge and was named to the leadership group for Team West at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game.
Hurlbert played for the U.S. National Development Team program in 2024-25 after serving in the Dallas Stars Elite hockey organization.
Rounds 2-7 will be held on Saturday (June 27) beginning at 11 a.m. on the ESPN App and the NHL Network.
