Red Wings take 'big swing' on J.P. Hurlbert as NHL draft grades roll in

The Detroit Red Wings traded goaltender Sebastian Cossa to the Utah Mammoth to acquire the No. 23 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, which they used to select forward J.P. Hurlbert, the reigning WHL Rookie of the Year. Despite entering the draft without a first-round pick, the Red Wings built a seven-member draft class that received C grades from both Elite Prospects' David St-Louis and The Athletic's Corey Pronman. Both analysts acknowledged the Hurlbert selection as a high-risk, high-reward 'big swing' due to his offensive skill set and dual-threat scoring ability.