Few players have had a better start to their WHL careers than J.P. Hurlbert. The 17-year-old forward has 34 points in 18 games, which is the most in the entire CHL as of November 5, 2025. Hurlbert is also a top prospect for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft and has been named to Team CHL for the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge.

After a successful pre-season, Hurlbert didn't waste any time making his name known across the WHL as he recorded a hat trick in his first career game. In three games during the month of September, the Texas-born forward recorded eight points, which is more than some players have all season. Hurlbert then followed that up with 26 points in 15 games, which earned him the WHL Player of the Month award for September/October. 

On top of becoming one of the top players in the league, Hurlbert has also taken on a leadership role with the Kamloops Blazers. He is wearing an "A" and is one of the youngest assistant captains in the WHL. It is safe to say that Hurlbert has embraced the added pressure as he has more 3+ point games (seven) than pointless efforts (five). 

While it is early, Hurlbert is considered a frontrunner for WHL MVP this season. He is also eligible to win WHL Rookie of the Year, which hasn't been won by a Blazers player since 2000-01 when Scottie Upshall was also named CHL Rookie of the Year. If Hurlbert wins both awards, he would become the second player in league history to be named Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, joining Joe Sakic, who won both in 1986-87. 

Ultimately, bringing Hurlbert to the WHL has been a massive win for Kamloops. The only unfortunate part is that WHL fans may only get one year to watch him dominate, as he is committed to the University of Michigan for the 2026-27 season. Regardless, Hurlbert is having a historic year and is on pace to leave the season as a WHL award winner. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.     

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