J.P. Hurlbert joins Kamloops Blazers for a unique opportunity
Texas-born J.P. Hurlbert was raised to love the game of hockey.
Living around the Dallas area, he became a top-notch player in the Dallas Stars Elite program. With more and more players coming from Texas, Hurlbert is the latest to represent the Lone Star State. Last year, he played for the U17 team with the NTDP and now he’s playing for the Kamloops Blazers.
“For me, the opportunity here in Kamloops was really, really great,” said Hurlbert. “My goal is to play in the NHL. I felt Kamloops was the best fit for me at the time. It was a long process. I’m really excited to be in Kamloops now and to get going.”
It didn’t take long for Hurlbert to do just that. He kicked off his WHL career with a hat trick in his debut, and now has an impressive nine goals and 20 points in his first eight games.
It was a difficult decision for Hurlbert to leave the NTDP after a strong season. But Hurlbert loved playing in the USHL, and speaks very highly of his time there.
“I obviously enjoyed my time in the USHL. It’s a tremendous league. It's very old, very physical. It's a challenging league. Everything was great there. I made a bunch of lifelong friends, and I still talk to the guys, but for me, it's kind of onward and I’m excited to be a part of Kamloops.”
Hurlbert is a natural centre, but like all centres, he can play on the wing. His defence is good, and his offence is better.
“Yeah, for me, you know, I've always played centre and left wing,” Hurlbert stated. “Whatever the team sets, you know, practices, training camp start up this weekend, so we'll definitely talk more about it. But, you know, for me, [playing] centre doesn't matter as long as we're on the ice and scoring goals.”
As talented as Hurlbert is offensively, his coaches relied on him to play both ends of the ice, which is how he earned a solid reputation as an all-around talent.
“We talked a lot about it, to be offensive after you get after it defensively,” Hurlbert responded. “I feel I'm at my best when the puck is on my stick. So just, you know, doing the simple things right, working hard, and, you know, listening to the details.”
Wherever he plays, Hurlbert knows how to approach faceoffs and understands that he has to get stronger. “I think everybody cheats on face-offs. I think last year I was a little bit of a weaker guy compared to some of these bigger kids in the USHL,” Hurlbert revealed. “So, this year I spent a lot of time in the weight room and, you know, it's the little things like just repetition, snapping it back, working on things like that. Some people might not say they do it, but, you know, I think everybody's got their own little secrets and tricks up their sleeves that they keep to themselves.”
As a native Texan, Hurlbert has watched a lot of Stars games, and he has a particular player that he watches in the circle.
“I like watching Jamie Benn on draws,” Hurlbert said. “He's a Dallas guy, so I've watched him growing up. As I've gotten older, I've started to watch the little things in hockey, like faceoffs. He wins a lot of his draws on his backhand, and he has a certain routine. And I take notes from him, and it has definitely been a big learning point for me.”
Benn isn’t the only Dallas hockey connection Hurlbert has made over the years. Seattle Kraken second-round pick Blake Fiddler, who also played in the Dallas Stars Elite program, has given Hurlbert advice on what to expect in his NHL draft year.
“I think we were together for two years. We built a really good relationship, and we did great things together,” Hurlbert added.
As Dallas continues to grow as a hockey market, Hurlbert knows how valuable playing in this market has been for his development. Learning from older players and playing up in age groups has helped Hurlbert mature.
“It's been a huge benefit for me playing in Dallas and playing with older guys. They're obviously a lot bigger and faster and stronger than I was at that time. You got to learn to think the game better, learning about time and space, making plays at a quicker rate because you're not the most physical kid on the ice,” Hurlbert explained. “I think it has helped translate into a locker room where I can be comfortable with older guys and get a lot better and push each other every day.”
But after making the decision to move north of the border for the first time, playing hockey in Canada is opening Hurlbert’s eyes in more ways than one. For instance, Hurlbert is learning to love Canadian food staples.
“Yeah, for me, I had my first-ever Tim Hortons bagel yesterday,” Hurlbert said. “I'll be back there for sure. I'm a Tim's guy now. I have to go out and try ketchup chips. I hear those are pretty good.”
He’s excited for his season with the Blazers, but also for the chance to play some outdoor hockey for the first time in his life.
“My billets are going to build an outdoor rink this year, it will be my first experience, so I'm looking forward to that,” Hurlbert said with a smile.
The USHL gave him a foundation, and now he’s hoping to excel in the WHL. If his first few games are any indication, there’s no reason to think he won’t.
