The Detroit Red Wings began Friday’s 2026 NHL Draft without a first-round pick after trading it to the St. Louis Blues. That changed when Detroit selected Kamloops Blazers winger JP Hurlbert, traded goaltender Sebastian Cossa to the Utah Mammoth for the 23rd p
Friday night started with a missing piece for the Detroit Red Wings—at least on paper. After the Detroit Red Wings traded their first-round pick to the St. Louis Blues at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, the organization entered the opening round of the 2026 NHL Draft without a pick.
By the time the night moved forward, Detroit had changed that picture. The Red Wings added Kamloops Blazers winger JP Hurlbert to their prospect pipeline, a selection that landed with immediate meaning inside Hockeytown.
Detroit also made its path to that pick clear by moving goaltender Sebastian Cossa. The Red Wings traded Sebastian Cossa to the Utah Mammoth for the 23rd pick, and with that selection they chose Hurlbert.
Hurlbert arrives as more than just a new name on the roster of prospects. In the source story. he’s described as one of the most prolific scorers in the CHL this season. with a rookie season that saw him dominate the WHL as a Blazers rookie. For a pipeline that Detroit has spent the offseason building momentum around. the move is framed as an injection of high-upside offensive talent.
The Red Wings’ pick came with a moment of personal connection from Hurlbert almost as soon as it was official. After his selection, Detroit posted his first message to fans: “HEY JP” with the link to the tweet, posted by the club account on June 27, 2026.
Hurlbert also spoke in an interview with Sportsnet on Friday night. He described the selection as a full-circle experience, saying it was made even more meaningful by family ties to the Detroit area.
“They got me into hockey. I was a Red Wings fan growing up. My whole family is from Detroit. It’s so special to be able to put on this jersey. I’m so excited,” Hurlbert told Sportsnet on Friday night.
For Detroit, the choice sits inside a wider draft week story that has kept the team in the conversation. Cossa and team captain Dylan Larkin were described as clear trade candidates entering the draft. Cossa’s ending with Detroit is also part of the narrative spelled out here: he ends his tenure with the Red Wings having played one NHL game. followed by ups and downs in the AHL. along with losing his starting role in net before the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Detroit, the source notes, was able to trade from a position of strength to address an area of need. General manager Steve Yzerman acted on that approach on Friday night. reshaping the organization’s draft-day situation from one where a first-round selection was missing to one where a player like Hurlbert—described as both proven and high-upside—now figures into the future in a tangible way.
With Detroit having already shifted pieces like Cossa and the traded first-round pick to St. Louis, the focus turns to what Hurlbert can become on the ice in Hockeytown—and how quickly his offensive ceiling can translate from junior production to Red Wings expectation.
Detroit Red Wings JP Hurlbert Kamloops Blazers NHL Draft 2026 Sebastian Cossa Utah Mammoth St. Louis Blues Steve Yzerman Dylan Larkin Sportsnet