Center/Right Wing
6’0/182
Right
Kamloops Blazers/WHL
Related: Adam Novotny
Hurlbert left the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) to join the Western Hockey League and play for the Kamloops Blazers. Hurlbert has gotten off to a hot start to the 2025-26 season with the Blazers. Hurlbert has been on an absolute tear since making the jump from the USNTDP, amassing 20 points in his first eight games with the Blazers, and now has 32 goals and 76 points in 48 games. Hurlbert has been the CHL’s most productive forward throughout most of the season, and he’s a sure bet to crack the 100-point barrier as a WHL rookie. The University of Michigan commit has a great one-touch shot that he routinely unleashes on the power play. He’s also an exceptionally smart puck-mover who has very little difficulty getting it where it needs to be against players his own age. On an offense-minded forward who is committed to playing at both ends of the ice with excellent puck-handling ability and a great wrist shot. He has a real weapon of a shot, some deft stickhandling, and has demonstrated some nice playmaking early on this. Sustained individual success this season will go a long way in determining how high Hurlbert will be selected next June at the 2026 NHL Draft.
Size/Strength Good
Skating Average
Shot/Scoring Excellent
Puckhandling Good
Physical Play Average
Offensive Play Excellent
Defensive Average
Hockey Sense Excellent
Competitiveness Great
Strength
1. Has an elite Wrist Shot & Release. One of the best catch‑and‑release mechanics in the draft class. Generates power without needing space and beats goalies clean from the tops of the circles.
2. Excellent Scoring Instincts. Arrives in pockets at the perfect moment. Reads defensive layers early and adjusts routes mid‑stride. Finds soft ice like a veteran.
3. A Creative Stickhander. His hands are quick and purposeful — not showy, but efficient. Excellent at manipulating defenders’ sticks to open passing lanes.
Areas of Impovement
1. Needs to refine his Skating Mechanics. Not slow, but lacks a dynamic top gear. Stride can get choppy under pressure. Needs more explosiveness to project as a true top‑line threat
2. Doesn’t shy away from playing a Physical game, but doesn’t impose himself either. Will need to add strength to handle NHL forecheck pressure.
3. Defensive read are good but consistency wavers. Can get puck‑watchy in the defensive zone.
Scouting Report
Hurlbert is a shot‑driven, high‑IQ winger whose game revolves around manipulation, timing, and a pro‑ready release. He’s not a chaos engine or a pace monster — he’s a solver. He reads the ice, finds the pocket, and punishes mistakes with a release that jumps off the tape. Hurlbert is one of the best catch‑and‑release mechanics in the draft class; he generates power without needing runway and beats goalies clean from distance — a legitimate NHL trait.
Uses small fakes, shoulder dips, and stick deception to open lanes, wins 1v1s by changing pace and angle, not by raw speed, and creates passing options by forcing defenders to commit. He arrives in soft ice at the exact right moment, reads defensive rotations early, and rarely wastes movement — everything is purposeful. Playmaking is Better Than Advertised. He Uses his shot threat to draw coverage and slip passes through seams and Makes quick, intelligent bump plays in tight, though he’s not a primary driver, but absolutely a dual‑threat. His best shifts include puck skill and play creation, being defensively engaged in his center role, and driving transition especially over the offensive blue line. However, he has a few shifts every game where he lazily chips the puck out of the defensive zone or blindly throws pucks to the front of the net. Hurlbert is thriving with the Blazers, being deployed in all situations, and contributing 20G-28A in his first 27 games, which leads the WHL in scoring. Scouts are monitoring Hurlbert’s skating and looking for him to add more explosiveness as he matures, but his puck touch and overall impact speaks for itself. He has work to do in the faceoff circle, and that, combined with his sub-6-foot size, may result in him being viewed as more of a winger, but he has chipped in on the PK with the Blazers, is already wearing a letter, and has some quiet jam to go with his skill. And while his feet can kick a little through his stride, he plays with pace and has made plays with the puck all over the ice. Although Hulbert is listed as both a Center and Right Wing, he projects better as a winger at the NHL level, and his playstyle is comparable to Brock Boeser, a prolific goal scoring winger. Hurlbert projects as a top 6 goal scoring winger and should be a top 20 pick.
Skill: Dual‑Threat Finisher with Playmaking Pop
NHL Comparable: Brock Boeser
NHL Potential: Top 6 Goal Scoring Winger
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | PTS |
| 2024-25 | US National U17 Team | NTDP | 56 | 19 | 37 |
| USNTDP Juniors | USHL | 34 | 16 | 31 | |
| USA U17 | WHC-17 | 5 | 0 | 3 | |
| 2025-26 | Kamloops Blazers | WHL | 48 | 32 | 76 |
| Team CHL | Prospects Challenge | 3 | 1 | 1 |
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