At USA Hockey’s Summer Showcase on Day 2, a specific trio turned heads hard at Little Caesars Arena. Red Wings draft picks J.P. Hurlbert and Victor Plante skated alongside 2027 draft prospect Sammy Nelson, instantly looking like a strong unit and making a powerful early statement for a spot on the 25-man World Junior roster. This camp is a full-on evaluation of 48 players, and these guys are already making it tough for the coaches to ignore them.
The Chemistry Everyone Saw Coming
It’s no surprise this line clicked. Hurlbert, a first-round pick, and Plante, snagged in the second round by the Red Wings last month in Buffalo, bring some serious offensive firepower to the ice. Nelson, the 2027 draft-eligible prospect, wasn’t just riding coattails either, dominating drills at both ends. They played with an “attacking mindset,” which clearly meshed perfectly with what Team USA coach Adam Nightingale is preaching at this early camp. Nightingale, also the head coach at Michigan State, even mentioned that “some guys you can tell are starting to step off the page a little bit.” It makes you wonder who else he had in mind, but this trio certainly fits the bill.
Turns out, for this group, it’s less a breakthrough and more of a “reunion tour.” Hurlbert, Plante, and Nelson all skated together previously with the U.S. National Team Development Program before Hurlbert spent last season tearing it up with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers. Nelson himself said he has “a little connection with them,” calling them “Two great players, and it makes it easy to play with them.” That existing chemistry is huge, especially when you consider players are coming from 15 different colleges and six different leagues. They put all that aside for the national team, and it shows.
Scaling Up to the Next Level
Beyond the camp lines, Hurlbert and Plante have been spending time together. They were both at the Detroit Red Wings development camp earlier this month at the familiar Belfor training center. You can tell they get along; after one reporter praised Hurlbert’s skill set, Plante gave a complimentary review, earning himself a fist bump and a grin. Plante, 18, is heading to Minnesota-Duluth this fall, while Hurlbert, also 18, is off to Michigan. Talk about a whirlwind summer for Hurlbert, with the draft, development camp, and now training in Detroit while living with fellow prospects Carter Bear (a 2025 Red Wings first-rounder) and Grand Rapids signee Justice Christensen.
He’s clearly got his eye on the prize, telling The News that a lot of his training is about getting “bigger, faster, stronger.” Why? Because he’s about to “play against men now in college and 24-year-olds,” so he needs to be “strong physically and be able to get away and use separation.” The gym, he says, has been “a big thing” for him, and he’s evaluating his “all-around game.”
The competition to make that 25-man World Junior roster is fierce, with 48 hopefuls battling it out right now. But if these first few days are any indication, Hurlbert, Plante, and Nelson are absolutely bringing the heat. Keep an eye on them as this Showcase continues, because they are making a loud case for December.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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