Could the Penguins take a chance on this skilled prospect with their first round pick?
The Pittsburgh Penguins may have made the playoffs this season, but they are still very much focused on the future. Due to this, they will be looking to land a good player with their first-round pick this year.
In his most recent 2026 NHL Mock Draft for The Athletic, Scott Wheeler predicted that the Penguins will select forward JP Hurlberg with the 22nd overall pick.
If the Penguins landed Hulpert in the first round of this year's draft, he would give them another skilled prospect to work with. The 6-foot winger is coming off an excellent season in the Western Hockey League (WHL), where he had 42 goals, 55 assists, 97 points, and a plus-13 rating in 68 games with the Kamloops Blazers.
When looking at Hurlbert's numbers in junior, it is clear that he has plenty of offensive skill. With this, he would have the potential to be a good addition to the Penguins' prospect pool as they continue on with their retool.
The Penguins should be on the hunt for help on the wing, too, so it would be understandable if Hurlbert ended up being their pick if he is still available once they are on the clock. It will be interesting to see if he ends up being their pick this summer.