The Boston Bruins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/boston-bruins] will be looking to land a gem with their first-round pick this year. While the Bruins took a nice step forward this season and made the playoffs, they should still be looking to improve their prospect pool. In his latest mock draft for The Athletic [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7333541/2026/06/09/nhl-draft-mock-prospects-list-2026/], Scott Wheeler predicted that the Bruins would select left winger J.P. Hurlbert with their first-round pick this year. If Hurlbert is still available for the taking when the Bruins are on the clock, it would make a lot of sense for them to take him. The 6-foot forward showed a ton of offensive potential this season with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL), posting 42 goals, 55 assists, and 97 points. in 68 games. With the Bruins needing more skilled forwards, adding a prospect like Hurlbert to their system would have the potential to benefit them nicely. When looking at the numbers that Hurlbert put together in the WHL this season, it is clear that the young forward has good upside. The potential for him to emerge as a top-six forward is there, so he could be a player worth taking a flier on for the Bruins. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if the Bruins end up taking Hurlbert this summer at the draft.
