J.P. Hurlbert celebrates against the Prince George Cougars on Jan. 16, 2026. (Image Credit: Brian Johnson/Kamloops Blazers)
By Victor Kaisar
WHL Awards

Blazers’ Hurlbert nominated for WHL player of the year award

Apr 9, 2026 | 4:12 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops Blazers forward J.P Hurlbert has been nominated for his second major award of the 2025-26 WHL season.

The 17-year-old Hurlbert is one of six nominees for the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the league’s player of the year. It comes exactly one week after Hurlbert was nominated for the WHL’s rookie of the year award.

Hurlbert led the Blazers with 42 goals and 97 points in 68 games, which had him fourth in the WHL’s scoring race and tied for fourth in goals. The ‘Texas Tornado’ was also the leading scorer across the entire Canadian Hockey League for much of the regular season, and finished tied for fifth place.

A two-time WHL Rookie of the Month award winner, and the WHL’s Player of the Month for September/October, Hurlbert was also named to the WHL’s Western Conference First All-Star Team last month.

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Ranked 10th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings, Hurlbert is projected to be a first-round selection in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Hurlbert is the first Blazer to be nominated for the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy since Kamloopsian Logan Stankoven in the 2021-22 season. Stankoven went on to win that award as well as the CHL’s Player of the Year award that season.

Hurlbert will go up against Cameron Schmidt of the Seattle Thunderbirds, Tij Iginla of the Kelowna Rockets, and the Medicine Hat trio of Bryce Pickford and twins Markus and Liam Ruck for this year’s award.

This season’s WHL award winners will be announced between April 21 and May 6.

by Victor Kaisar

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