Blazers forward Hurlbert named Tempo WHL Player of the Month for September / October

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today Kamloops Blazers forward JP Hurlbert has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Month for September / October.

Hurlbert, a 17-year-old product of Allen, Texas, who is a top prospect eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, tallied 28 points (11G-17A) and a plus-7 rating in 15 games to lead the WHL in scoring during the combined months of September and October.

The 6-foot, 182-pound right winger has been electric since first stepping onto WHL ice. In his WHL regular season debut September 20, he recorded a hat trick to lead the Blazers to a 6-4 win over the Spokane Chiefs.

That opening night outburst led to a six-game point-scoring streak (9G-7A–16 points) to begin Hurlbert’s first WHL campaign. After being held off the scoresheet for the first time this season October 11 at Saskatoon, the Blazers alternate captain responded with four assists at Regina (October 13) and three points at Moose Jaw (October 15) in back-to-back outings.

In total, Hurlbert has tallied six games with at least three points, including his opening night hat trick, four-point efforts versus Seattle (2G-2A, September 27), versus Portland (2G-2A, October 4), and at Regina (4A, October 13), and three-point performances at Moose Jaw (1G-2A, October 15) and versus Medicine Hat (3A, October 24).

During the months of September / October, Hurlbert recorded eight multi-point games.

The first-year WHL forward has had an impact in all phases of the game for Kamloops, registering three power-play goals, one shorthanded goal, and seven even-strength goals.

Hurlbert’s 11 goals were tied for fourth best among WHL players in September / October, while his 17 assists ranked tied for third. With 76 shots on goal during September / October, Hurlbert is shooting more than any other WHL player.

Opening week of the 2025-26 WHL Regular Season saw Hurlbert named Sandman WHL Rookie of the Week on September 22, before following it up with Tempo WHL Player of the Week recognition on September 29.

On October 28, Hurlbert’s outstanding start to the campaign was rewarded when he was identified as one of eight WHL players named to the Team CHL roster for upcoming 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge, which will be contested November 25 and 26 in Calgary and Lethbridge, respectively.

There is no question Hurlbert is on the radar of NHL scouts ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft. Prior to being named to Team CHL for the CHL USA Prospects Challenge, NHL Central Scouting assigned him an ‘A’ rating, planting him firmly atop their Preliminary Players to Watch List for the 2026 NHL Draft.

With 28 points (11G-17A) in 15 games as of the end of October, Hurlbert not only led the WHL in scoring, but had ascended to the top of the scoring charts across the entire Canadian Hockey League.

Selected by the Kamloops Blazers in the first round (20th overall) of the 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft, Hurlbert signed a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement on August 26, 2025. Days later, he was in camp with the Blazers and scored a hat trick in his first WHL preseason game on September 5.

Through the month of October, Hurlbert and the Blazers went 6-7-1-1 in the tightly contested B.C. Division. Heading into Tuesday action, the Blazers are 7-7-1-2 and rank seventh in the WHL’s Western Conference, a mere two points behind the B.C. Division leading Victoria Royals.

Next up, Hurlbert and the Blazers head south to take on the Spokane Chiefs (8-7-0-0) Tuesday, November 4 (7:05 p.m. PT) at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.

About the Western Hockey League

Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 23 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.