Jayden Kurtz – 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

Jayden Kurtz

2025-26 Team: Rogers High (USHS-MN)
Date of Birth: Dec. 20, 2007
Place of Birth: Rogers, MN, USA
Ht: 6-foot-3 Wt: 194 pounds
Shoots: R
Position: D
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2026 first-year eligible

Rankings

• NHL Central Scouting: 61^st (among NA skaters)
• Steven Ellis- Daily Faceoff: 83^rd

The Minnesota high school scene is a hot bed of talent that shines with underrated and quality draft-eligible players. That continues to be the case as Rogers High’s Jayden Kurtz may not be a known name, but there should be plenty of attention on him heading into the 2026 NHL Draft. He was extremely productive in high school with 13 goals and 38 points in 26 games, while also seeing time with the Chicago Steel in the USHL, registering three points in 16 games.

Kurtz is a very strong and smooth skater that moves well for a player of his size. He has great mobility and movement, displaying strong crossovers and edges to show a layer of deception when leading a play. He’s strong on breakouts to stretch plays out and can effectively and safely exit the zone with possession. Even when dealing with pressure, he can fend them off and continue to push forward.

Kurtz does a great job to put a quality amount of pucks on net. There were only two games in the 16 that he played in the USHL where he didn’t register a shot and nine of them were multi-shot games. He has a swift and quick release with his wrist shot and does have good power behind it when he does wind up. He’s always finding the open ice to walk in for opportunities and can angle his body to be deceptive in the process. He has great passing vision to make heads up plays. His head is on a constant swivel assessing his options while making strong and accurate passing plays. Even though he’s a right shot, he can play on his off-side and looks very comfortable when doing so.

Defensively, Kurtz displays great positioning and is very sound, not being too aggressive where it normally ends up as a mistake. He has great gap control and does a great job in one-on-one coverage and boxing players out in front of the net. There are times where maybe he can use his size a little more to his advantage and step up to be more physical but he has the smarts, reaction time and awareness to step up and break up plays. He’s steady on the rush and does a great job to negate plays.

Other THW Draft Profiles

• Tyus Sparks
• Landon Amrhein
• Beckett Hamilton

Jayden Kurtz – NHL Draft Projection

Most likely, Kurtz is seen as a mid-round selection in the upcoming draft. Being ranked 61^st among North American skaters, it’s a great spot for him as he has quickly risen up rankings and boards during this final stretch. He made a name for himself and has put him in a spot where he can be a valuable third or fourth round pick for a team looking for a right-shot defenseman.

Quotables

“Kurtz primarily played high school hockey in Minnesota, but also got into 16 games with the Steel, where he was often tasked with shutting guys down. I like his shot, and he moves well while being 6-foot-3. He seemed to really understand how to maximize his play down the stretch with the Steel, and I think he has what it takes to be a decent shutdown defender.” – Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff 

“Kurtz’s mobility complements a high hockey IQ, allowing him to manage the game effectively from the back end. Beyond his defensive reliability, he brings a sophisticated offensive game and the vision to facilitate play from deep in his own zone. He is a constant threat on the power play, where he flashes a deceptive shot to pick corners and exploit openings.” – Ryan Sikes, USHL.com

Strengths 

• Skating, mobility and deceptive movement
• Strong vision, head on a swivel to make plays
• Defensive and shut down game
• Reliable in all situations

Under Construction- Improvements to Make

• Can offensive production take a step forward at next level?
• Take on more of a physical presence with size
• Be stronger on puck
• Work on puck handling and control

NHL Potential

Kurtz has all the qualities teams look for in a defenseman that can make an impact in all areas of the game. He can create offensively, shut things down defensively and play in a variety of roles and earn big minutes. He may not be a top pairing defender, but he’s a player you can rely on in a number of situations. If he can continue to take steps with his game and development, he can be a serviceable third pairing defender with some upside.

Risk- Reward Analysis

Risk- 3.5/5, Reward 3.5/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense- 5/10, Defense 6.5/10

Jayden Kurtz Stats

Videos