Kurtz 'just scratching the surface' ahead of 2026 NHL Draft

The Upper Deck 2026 NHL Draft will be held June 26-27 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. The first round will be held June 26 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS) with rounds 2-7 on June 27 (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, ESPN+, SN). NHL.com is counting down to the draft with in-depth profiles on top prospects, podcasts and other features. Today, a look at defenseman Jayden Kurtz of Rogers High School in Minnesota. Full draft coverage can be found here.

The ascent of Jayden Kurtz from late-blooming standout to one of the most intriguing defensemen available in the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft has been built on size, skating and steady development.

But those around him believe the most compelling part of his story is how much room he has to grow.

"I think I'm a really well-rounded 200-foot defenseman right now and I'm only going to keep getting better," Kurtz said. "I think I'm just scratching the surface of what I can become because I've only been playing full-time defense for three years, so I'm just building on that."

The right-handed shot (6-foot-3, 190 pounds) with Rogers High School in Minnesota is No. 61 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters. He's the highest-rated scholastic player on Central Scouting's list and a projected second- or third-round pick in the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft.

"There's a lot of Minnesota guys who stayed and played their senior year in high school; (Boston Bruins forward) Casey Mittelstadt is a big one," Kurtz said of the former Eden Prairie High School standout. "I think he really showed that you can do that. You don't have to go play junior and leave early. I think coming back, playing one more season with your friends and being in your community one last season, was a fun experience."

The senior alternate captain had 38 points (13 goals, 25 assists) in 26 games at Rogers this season and was named a finalist for Minnesota's Mr. Hockey Award, given to the outstanding senior high school boys' hockey player in the state. Kurtz also had three points (one goal, two assists) and 30 shots on goal in 16 games with Chicago of the United States Hockey League, where he'll return for 2026-27.

He's committed to the University of Wisconsin in 2027-28.

"He kind of burst onto the scene for us," Central Scouting's Pat Cullen said. "Big, right-shot defenseman, skilled, smart, can play offensively, is solid defensively. We liked him a lot and he just kind of kept growing on us.

"He's a little bit of a late bloomer so I think that's why he has so much intrigue, because he's very far from the finished product. But 6-foot-3, a right-handed shot ... just checks a lot of the right boxes."

Rogers coach Dave Brown began working with Kurtz before eighth grade and said the trajectory was not always obvious. Born in 2007, Kurtz was younger than many of his peers in age-group hockey and had to stay patient as others developed sooner.

"I would say he’s one of the top three players I’ve ever coached," Brown said. "He was an awkward seventh-, eighth- and ninth-grader. He’s a December birthday, so he had to play the long game. He had to work through the three years that most kids quit."

Kurtz first stood out as a forward and Brown called him “one of the best goal-scorers I’ve ever worked with,” but saw a bigger long-term future on the blue line. He moved Kurtz to defense as a sophomore, a decision that has helped define his draft stock.

"I said, as a forward I think you can be one of the best forwards in the state as a high school player," Brown said. "I think as a defenseman, you can play in the NHL for 15 years."

The switch has revealed a player who looks increasingly tailored for today’s NHL.

"He's a pro's pro in his ability to assess a situation," Brown said. "Do I need a home-run pass, or do I need to just hit a single here?"

That feel for the game is a major reason Kurtz already handles heavy minutes in all situations. He can run a power play, kill penalties and move between low-risk and aggressive puck decisions without looking out of control. Brown believes his game processing is elite for his age.

"I don’t think he goes out there on a power play or a penalty kill trying to figure out what he’s doing," Brown said. "I think he can genuinely process what every guy on the ice is doing."

Kurtz's time with Chicago this season only strengthened that profile. Rather than simply adjusting to the USHL, Brown said Kurtz “became a driver,” showing he could retrieve pucks under pressure, make clean exits and contribute at a faster pace against older, stronger competition.

Kurtz is excited to get a full season with Chicago coach, former NHL forward and Stanley Cup champion Scott Gomez.

"I'll be learning the Gomez model; he has a really big NHL background, so I'll just keep picking his brain about things and keep developing as I go up levels," he said.

Kurtz added about 40 pounds over the past couple of offseasons and focused heavily on skating, including weekly power-skating sessions during the summer to improve explosiveness.

"As a big guy you’re going to have to be able to skate well to play at the higher levels," Kurtz said.

Brown also credits Kurtz’s emergence as a leader. Though he did not wear a letter as a junior, his presence grew significantly this season, both on the bench and in high-pressure moments.

"When the lights got the brightest, I thought his presence on the bench as a vocal leader was arguably one of the best I’ve had," Brown said. "He allows his teammates to play at their best.

"I feel like I've spoken to 31 teams about Jayden and one thing is, you can just sense in the scouts' voices that they think this kid's going to be a special player."