A deep dive into the Detroit Red Wings WHL prospect pool.
Welcome to this edition of the 2026 WHL Prospect Pools. Throughout the 2026 off-season, we will be looking at current or recently graduated WHLers who have been drafted or signed by NHL clubs. Today's organization is the Detroit Red Wings.
During the 2026 NHL Draft, the Red Wings went back to their trusted western roots, selecting J.P. Hurlbert and Michal Orsulak.
Hurlbert represents a massive injection of elite offensive talent into the Red Wings' system. The dynamic winger put together a historic debut season for the Kamloops Blazers, racking up 42 goals and 55 assists for 97 points. Those gaudy numbers led all WHL rookies and earned him the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as the league's Rookie of the Year.
Orsulak was targeted by Detroit to further bolster their impressive goaltending depth. Ranked as the second-best North American goaltender on NHL Central Scouting's final list, the Czech netminder was a workhorse for the Prince Albert Raiders. He posted a sparkling 28-4-4 record, backed by a .907 save percentage and a 2.22 goals-against average.
Among the notable recent picks are Everett Silvertips forward Carter Bear and former Blazers captain Emmitt Finnie. The Red Wings' patient development model is already paying dividends, as Finnie successfully made the jump to Detroit's NHL roster this season, while Bear continued to hone his all-around game back in Everett and tallied 77 points in 53 games to help Everett capture the WHL Championship.
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