Hurlbert, Klepov, and Bleyl named finalists for the CHL’s 2025-26 Rookie of the Year

JP Hurlbert of the Kamloops Blazers (WHL), Nikita Klepov of the Saginaw Spirit (OHL), and Tommy Bleyl of the Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) have been named finalists for the CHL Rookie of the Year Award, presented annually to the Canadian Hockey League’s top rookie.

Each finalist earned his respective Member League’s rookie of the year honour: Hurlbert captured the WHL’s Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy, Klepov won the OHL’s Emms Family Award, and Bleyl claimed the QMJHL’s Sidney-Crosby Trophy.

The 2025-26 season marks the first time in CHL history that all three Member League Rookie of the Year recipients are U.S.-born players. With all three finalists hailing from the United States, this year’s winner will become the sixth American to receive the CHL Rookie of the Year Award, joining Patrick Kane (London Knights/OHL), Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters / OHL), David Legwand (Plymouth Whalers / OHL), Bryan Berard (Detroit Jr. Red Wings / OHL), and Patrick O’Sullivan (Mississauga IceDogs / OHL).

The 2026 recipient will be announced at the CHL Awards ceremony on Monday, June 15, in downtown Toronto.

The award’s decorated list of past winners also includes Joe Thornton (Soo Greyhounds / OHL), Vincent Lecavalier (Rimouski Océanic / QMJHL), Sidney Crosby (Rimouski Océanic / QMJHL), John Tavares (Oshawa Generals / OHL), Taylor Hall (Windsor Spitfires / OHL), Brayden Yager (Moose Jaw Warriors / WHL), Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat Tigers / WHL), and most recently Landon DuPont (Everett Silvertips / WHL).

WHL Nominee – JP Hurlbert (Kamloops Blazers)
42G-55A, 97 PTS, +13 in 68 GP during the 2025-26 season  

Eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, Hurlbert is the top-ranked U.S.-born skater in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings, listed as the No. 12 North American skater. His outstanding rookie season saw him become just the third player in Kamloops Blazers history to capture the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as WHL Rookie of the Year, joining Scottie Upshall (2000-01) and Ron Shudra (1985-86). If selected as the 2026 CHL Rookie of the Year, Hurlbert would become the second Blazers player to win the award, joining Upshall, who captured the honour in 2000-01.

A native of Allen, Texas, Hurlbert is also only the second Texas-born player to earn WHL Rookie of the Year honours, following Arlington native Seth Jones, who won the award with the Portland Winterhawks in 2012-13. With 97 points, Hurlbert delivered the highest-scoring rookie season in Kamloops Blazers history, surpassing Upshall’s previous benchmark of 87 points in 2000-01.

Hurlbert was named to the WHL Western Conference First All-Star Team and is also a finalist for the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the WHL Player of the Year — a rare honour for a first-year player. His 97 points led all WHL rookies and tied Nikita Klepov for the most by any rookie across the CHL in 2025-26.

Serving as an alternate captain for the Blazers, the 6-foot, 182-pound forward ranked among the WHL leaders in several offensive categories, finishing fourth in points, tied for fourth in goals, tied for second in first goals, and tied for eighth in assists. He also became just the third rookie in Blazers history to score 40 goals in a season, joining Upshall and Rudolfs Balcers, while adding six four-point outings and three hat tricks on home ice.

Should Hurlbert be named the 2026 CHL Rookie of the Year, he would become the second Kamloops Blazers player to win the award, joining Scottie Upshall, who captured the honour in 2000-01.

OHL Nominee – Nikita Klepov (Saginaw Spirit)
37G-60A, 97 PTS, +9 in 67 GP during the 2025-26 season  

Nikita Klepov became just the third player in OHL history to win both the Eddie Powers Trophy as the league’s scoring champion and the Emms Family Award as Rookie of the Year in the same season, joining Jack Valiquette of the 1973-74 Soo Greyhounds and Patrick Kane of the 2006-07 London Knights. Klepov led the OHL with 97 points (37G-60A) in 67 games, becoming the first player to accomplish the rare double since Kane.

The 17-year-old from Deerfield Beach, Florida, also became the first rookie to lead any CHL Member League in scoring since Kane did so with the London Knights in 2006-07. Since 2000, the only other rookie to accomplish that feat was Sidney Crosby with the Rimouski Océanic in 2003-04.

Klepov’s 37 goals tied Cole Perfetti’s 2018-19 franchise rookie record with the Saginaw Spirit, while he joins Michael Misa (2022-23) as just the second player in team history to capture the Emms Family Award. If selected as the 2026 CHL Rookie of the Year, Klepov would become the first Spirit player to win the award.

A 2026 NHL Draft prospect ranked 16th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, Klepov also became the first CHL Import Draft selection to win OHL Rookie of the Year since Andrei Svechnikov in 2018. The rookie forward recorded at least three points in a game on 13 occasions and earned OHL Rookie of the Month honours in October, January, and February.

Klepov’s playmaking skill, finishing ability, and confidence with the puck quickly established him as the focal point of the Spirit offence and one of the league’s brightest young stars. He finished as the clear front-runner in the award voting process after emerging as a finalist alongside Brantford Bulldogs NHL Draft-eligible centreman Caleb Malhotra, capping a historic season that rewrote portions of the Spirit record book.

QMJHL Nominee – Tommy Bleyl (Moncton Wildcats)
13G-68A, 81 PTS, +58 in 63 GP during the 2025-26 season  

Tommy Bleyl finished second among all QMJHL rookies with 81 points in 63 games, setting a new league record for points by a rookie defenceman. The previous mark of 77 points had stood since 1978 and was held by Gaston Therrien, underscoring the historic nature of Bleyl’s offensive production from the blue line.

His 68 assists led the entire QMJHL, regardless of position, as he finished nine ahead of Rouyn-Noranda Huskies forward Thomas Verdon and Chicoutimi Saguenéens defenceman Alex Huang. Those 68 assists also stand as the highest single-season total by a CHL rookie defenceman in the 21st century and the fifth-highest total by any CHL rookie since 2000.

Bleyl also became only the second player in QMJHL history to win both the Sidney-Crosby Trophy as Rookie of the Year and the Émile-Bouchard Trophy as Defenceman of the Year in the same season, joining Dmitry Kulikov, who accomplished the feat with the Drummondville Voltigeurs in 2008-09. He is also the first Wildcats player to be named QMJHL Rookie of the Year since Jordan Spence in 2018-19.

Should Bleyl be named CHL Rookie of the Year, he would become just the fourth defenceman to receive the honour, joining Philippe Boucher (Granby Bisons / QMJHL, 1990-91), Bryan Berard (Detroit Jr. Red Wings / OHL, 1994-95), and Landon DuPont (Everett Silvertips / WHL, 2024-25), who captured the award last season. He would also become the first Wildcats player to win the award.

After helping lead Moncton to a second consecutive QMJHL regular season championship, Bleyl concludes the year with three league trophies to his name, having also captured the Raymond-Lagacé Trophy as Defensive Rookie of the Year earlier this week. His remarkable rookie campaign has firmly established him as one of the top young defencemen in Canadian major junior hockey.

Bleyl’s outstanding play has also drawn significant NHL attention, as he is ranked 17th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft.