Jacob Julien – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – WINNIPEG JETS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #23

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 17:05:31 +0000

Prospect System Ranking – 23rd (May 2025 - 16th)
GM: Kevin Cheveldayoff Hired: September 2011
COACH: Scott Arniel Hired: May 2024

With 11 players ranked in McKeen’s top 200, Winnipeg boasts a balanced blend of established NHL contributors and prospects poised to make an impact in the near term.

Anchored by a stable core—Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey, Gabe Vilardi, and Neal Pionk—all signed long-term, plus Cole Perfetti and Kyle Connor nearing extensions, the Jets are built for sustained contention.

That core did take a hit during the off-season, with their biggest offseason storyline was the departure of Nikolaj Ehlers to Carolina in free agency. While they offset the departure by signing a savvy veteran in center Jonathan Toews, it’s a big blow to their overall top six offense.

At the top of the prospect chart are Brad Lambert, Nikita Chibrikov, and Elias Salomonsson, each waiting for their opportunity to break into the NHL. In the AHL, the Manitoba Moose are set to welcome Colby Barlow and Brayden Yager as full-time pros after standout junior careers. The organization did take a hit, however, with Chaz Lucius forced into early retirement due to a rare tissue disorder.

One of the biggest risers in the system is Kieran Walton. In his draft-plus-one season with Sudbury (OHL), he exploded offensively, finishing with 92 points—22 more than his closest teammate—and placing top 10 in league scoring.

While Winnipeg didn’t have a large draft class in 2025, they did add a quality piece in defenseman Sascha Boumedienne with the 28th overall pick. Draft capital remains limited over the next few seasons, meaning continued growth will rely heavily on developing their existing pipeline rather than restocking it in bulk.

With a core still firmly in its prime and young talent pushing from below, the Jets are well-positioned to contend in the short term. The challenge now is balancing the drive to maximize the current window with the patience needed to let their next wave of talent reach full potential.

Winnipeg Jets Top-15 Prospects

1 - Brayden Yager

Yager has gone through two trades in the past calendar year, first involving his NHL team (going from the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Jets) and then again in the WHL a few months later. Through it all, Yager has stayed Yager, playing to the same strengths that have made him so consistently successful going as far back as his early teens: he's strong on pucks, reliable in all three zones, and has a wicked release on his shot. He's the type of player that doesn't necessarily jump out at you with his on-ice contributions, but when you look at a box score after a game you notice how many points he collected and how many minutes of ice time that he logged. Even though Yager wasn't initially selected by the Jets he should nevertheless be an ideal fit for the team's persona and style of hockey, making the NHL sometime soon as a trustworthy depth forward before steadily working his way up the lineup as he continues to develop.

2 - Brad Lambert

Playing on the second worst team in the entire AHL (Manitoba Moose) certainly didn’t have a positive effect on the development of Lambert last season. He saw his goal scoring numbers crash significantly and his overall offensive production was down. Not exactly ideal for the Jets’ top prospect. Is this a case of a lack of support hurting Lambert or a lack of development from Lambert? Truthfully, it’s a bit of column A and a little bit of column B. Lambert is, unquestionably, an extremely talented offensive player. He excels as a playmaker with his ability to push pace, thanks to his blazing speed, and with his elite hands and creativity. He can develop into a top six forward for the Jets and he may be given that opportunity next year. Yet, this past year has brought to light the fact that he still needs to upgrade his strength and improve the consistency of his physical engagement. He needs to play with more jam every shift, working to play through the middle of the ice, rather than just the perimeter.

3 - Elias Salomonsson

It’s been a long road back to prospect relevancy for Salomonsson, but he’s certainly achieved it. At one point in time, he was considered to be one of the top 2004 birth years on the planet. However, a disappointing couple of years in Sweden (around his draft year and draft year plus one), really did a number on his “stock.” He has since rebounded very well and is coming off an excellent first professional season in North America with Manitoba; the argument could be made that he was their best player this past season. His combination of length and mobility is a real asset in the defensive zone. He’s very difficult to beat one on one. Additionally, his puck management and overall offensive game has been better than expected, suggesting that his upside could be higher than initially believed. There’s a really good chance that if Salomonsson continues on this development path, he could be a quality top four defender for the Jets.

4 - Colby Barlow

While Barlow remains a quality NHL prospect, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that his two years of development post draft were slightly disappointing. Even a move to the stronger Oshawa Generals did not prevent his goal scoring from dipping for the second straight year. There’s still hope that Barlow can develop into a quality middle six, complementary winger. His two-way compete level is solid. He finds success playing that North-south power game. Of course, he still has that high-end shot, even if the production hasn’t been eye popping. So where’s the disconnect? His decision making with the puck and overall playmaking ability did not improve to the point where he could become a true primary play driver at the OHL level. Next season, he’ll turn pro and it will be interesting to see how his offensive game translates to the AHL level. We will get a better indication of how close Barlow is to an NHL position at that time.

5 - Sascha Boumedienne

Towards the end of his season, Boumedienne stood out on a Boston University team that had some incredible offensive defencemen. When given the opportunity, he showed off some solid offensive upside in his freshman season with BU. However, during his play against tougher opponents, his offence became muted in favor of some real, hard-nosed defensive stability. Sascha Boumedienne is still a raw prospect, which is apparent in his skating and defensive details, but it’s important to talk about how solid he played in the tough Hockey East conference. Jets fans have a lot to look forward to in this upcoming year and beyond for Sascha Boumedienne.

6 - Nikita Chibrikov

Despite the fact that an awkward play last January ended his season prematurely thanks to a lower body injury, you could make the argument that Chibrikov had a better developmental year than top prospect Brad Lambert. When healthy, Chibrikov was leading Manitoba in scoring and he performed extremely well in a small cup of coffee for the Jets that saw him score his first NHL goal. Chibrikov is a highly skilled player. He’s not big, but he’s so elusive in the offensive zone, adept at avoiding checks, because of his quick feet and quick hands. He doesn’t need a ton of space to execute, be it a quick wrister or a well placed pass. Through two years in North America, Chibrikov definitely looks like he could be ready to be a complementary piece on a scoring line at the NHL level. The question is will he be healthy to start next year and will he be able to continue to improve his conditioning this offseason?

7 - Kieron Walton

The big winger was one of the OHL’s most improved players this past season as he emerged as an offensive leader for the Sudbury Wolves. Walton is such a dangerous player in transition with his ability to play a North-south game. He’s a strong skater for a big man and he also has terrific hands. He routinely turns OHL defenders inside/out as he drives the net and works his way to the middle of the ice. Yes, he slipped to the sixth round last year, but a lot of that had to do with his poor second half and the inconsistency of his off puck intensity, and not his upside. The off puck play and physical engagement still needs to improve further, but given the positive steps forward taken this year, Walton’s projection and value as a prospect has improved greatly. He’ll return to the OHL next season, where the focus will be on rounding out his game further to prepare him for the pro game. Expect him to be one of the highest scoring players in Ontario in 2025-26.

8 - Domenic DiVincentiis

DiVincentiis is a very interesting case as a prospect. After having a very dominant OHL season, putting himself on the map, he followed it up with pedestrian numbers on a great team the following season. After he split time with Winnipeg’s AHL and ECHL teams this past year, he’s put up underwhelming numbers in the ECHL but pretty solid numbers in the AHL on a horrible Manitoba Moose. He’s got a pretty nice toolset, but the inconsistency in numbers and the sporadic poor performances are a bit concerning. He’s a very solid skater, great positionally, and seems to anticipate play at a high level. But his rebound control is very bad, leading to a lot of extra chances given up, and he gets beat cleanly more than you’d like to see, suggesting he may not be tracking shots into saves very well. He could be a backup in the NHL, but he needs to iron out these consistency issues and string together good seasons as a starter before that can happen.

9 - Kevin He

Much like fellow Jets’ OHL prospect Kieron Walton, He made extremely positive strides this year. One of the most energetic players in the OHL, He’s work rate is tremendous. He uses his speed to be a real difference maker without the puck. He’s extremely dangerous on the forecheck and he is a tremendous penalty killer. This is a player who is hungry to earn possession for his team. The big difference in He’s game this year was the improvement in his playmaking and decision making with the puck. As a draft eligible player, his game was too one note and predictable as an attacker; offensive zone turnovers were an issue. However, this past year he worked to refine his approach to play less “hero puck,” utilizing teammates more effectively by finding them in open space and altering his pace to help prolong possession. As He continues to improve his two-way game, he has a chance to become a very effective middle six player for the Jets in the future.

10 - Alfons Freij

What was supposed to be an excellent opportunity to get some pro experience in the HockeyAllsvenskan ended up being a season from hell for Freij. He stumbled out of the gate with Björklöven, barely produced points, and then got injured for three months, essentially missing the rest of the HA season and playoffs. In the games that he did play, though, Freij’s skating and playmaking still looked as dynamic as ever. He can carry the puck from end to end effortlessly. It’s just that he didn’t progress much in the areas he really needed to progress in. Namely, anything to do with the defensive side of play. Despite the tough year, Freij still has a ton of potential to reach his ceiling as an offensive puck moving defenceman. He’ll be on loan with Timrå in the SHL for the upcoming season, so hopefully a fresh start with a new team can be a mental reset and springboard him forwards in his development.

11 - Zach Nehring

An aggressive right shot wing with size, Nehring had a solid freshman season at Western Michigan with 30 points in 42 games. The question will be whether this season will be his last in college so that he can sign with Winnipeg, or if he’ll remain longer.

12 - Dmitry Rashevsky

Rashevsky signed a three-year deal with Avangard in the KHL this season, so Jets fans will have to wait a while longer to see him, if ever. The high-octane winger remains intriguing, consistently putting up solid offensive seasons in the KHL for the last three years.

13 - Jacob Julien

The tenacious Julien saw a dip in his offensive output in London this season, but followed that up with over a point per game in the Knights’ playoff run. Given the NHL factory that is London, he seems poised to make a smooth transition to pro hockey this season for the Manitoba Moose.

14 - Owen Martin

A third-round pick for Winnipeg this summer, Martin established himself as a strong checking center for a good Spokane team last season. Martin has yet to sign his ELC with the Jets, perhaps leaving open the NCAA door.

15 - Parker Ford

Ford notched his first NHL goal last season in his first stint with the big club and after spending two years now in the AHL, could be set to battle for a depth role with his high compete style come training camp.

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #16 Winnipeg Jets – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

Sun, 25 May 2025 12:48:00 +0000

Winnipeg Jets forward Brad Lambert C (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

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Winnipeg 25 Prospects

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – WINNIPEG JETS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #18

Introduction - Dave Hall, Profiles - Derek Neumeier — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 13:00:20 +0000

_{MONTREAL, QC - SEPTEMBER 29: Winnipeg Jets forward Brad Lambert (47) tracks the play during the Winnipeg Jets versus the Montreal Canadiens preseason game on September 29, 2022, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)}

Prospect System Ranking – 18th (Previous Rank - 13th)
GM: Kevin Cheveldayoff Hired: September 2011
COACH: Scott Arniel Hired: May 2024

The Winnipeg Jets are the epitome of a middling team striving to take that next step. With just three playoff series wins to show for their seven playoff appearances since moving to Manitoba, it’s been a constant battle for the Jets to improve.

Despite this, the team has managed to stay competitive both at the NHL level and within their prospect system. With seven prospects in our top 200 and the recent graduation of Cole Perfetti, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has ensured a steady influx of youthful talent.

The Manitoba Moose, Winnipeg’s AHL affiliate, has been home to an impressive crop of young players recently, all of whom have put together strong seasons early in their careers. Most notably, Brad Lambert (39th) is coming off a potent rookie campaign, finishing second among all AHL rookies with 55 points in 64 games. While he’s likely to start the year back on the farm, there’s a strong chance he will get his first taste of NHL action this season. Nikita Chibrikov (122nd), who finished with 48 points, also placed in the top 10 among AHL rookies. Chaz Lucius (105th) continues to be a highly regarded prospect, but his durability remains a concern. He has suited up in just 71 games since the start of the 2021-22 season, putting his development on hold for much of his post-draft career. When healthy, Lucius is an upside player, but the challenge has been keeping him on the ice.

On the backend, Ville Heinola (119th) continues to develop his game, and with 152 AHL games under his belt, it feels like his number should be called this upcoming season for full-time employment. He’ll be joined by 2022 second-rounder Elias Salomonsson (240th), who is set to make his North American debut after a solid career in Sweden.

Colby Barlow, who sits just outside our top 50 (53rd), is still a few years away, but another strong season with the Owen Sound Attack could see his ranking rise considerably.

GM Cheveldayoff was able to resolve a difficult situation with Rutger McGroarty, who effectively forced a trade, indicating he had no plans to join the Jets post NCAA. He moved him in a one for one trade for Brayden Yager. The two prospects are ranked closely by McKeens with McGroarty at 61st and Yager at 69th, representing a good value return with his hands tied. Yager will return to Moose Jaw for one more season in the WHL. After scoring 250 points across 211 WHL games, he is expected to go out with a bang in his fifth and final junior year.

Winnipeg Jets Top-15 Prospects

1. Brad Lambert

Getting to join the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds halfway through last season was exactly what the doctor ordered for Lambert’s development. He found himself excelling at a high level once again, he got to feed off other top prospects in his age group, he got to experience what it takes to win a league championship, and most important of all, he has carried over all that progress with him to the professional level. He had an incredible AHL rookie season with the Moose, finishing as the team’s top scorer. That barn can get pretty raucous at times, and the way that he was able to regularly feed off of that energy and use it to his advantage was a great preview to him being able to do it in the NHL. He is a thrilling center who is borderline elite with his skating ability and puck skills.

2. Colby Barlow

Barlow's game did not take a big step forward this season as expected, and while there's no reason to overreact or hit the panic button, the Jets surely would have had questions for him about what happened. In his defense, playing for an outgunned Owen Sound team that never really looked like a contender was probably a large part of the equation. And even though his assist totals cratered, he still cracked the 40-goal mark for the second consecutive year. He's an explosive skater, hard-nosed grinder, and an authoritative finisher, and he shouldn't need to make any serious adjustments to how he plays in order to be successful as an NHLer because his strengths are so useful in multiple roles and situations. He's an odds-on favourite to make the Canadian roster for the next World Juniors and might even wear a letter for that group.

3. Brayden Yager

Brayden Yager continued to terrorize WHL defences. The dynamic center amassed 95 points in 57 games for the Moose Jaw Warriors, showcasing his elite shooting ability and knack for finding teammates. He's quite strong and compact, which helps him out in various ways, whether that's staying on his feet as he fights through checks or generating a lot of power through his shot. While his offensive production is undeniable, consistency remains a talking point. There were stretches where he dominated, but there were also quieter nights. The bright spots, however, were undeniable. His work on the power play was a highlight, and his burgeoning two-way play suggests a well-rounded future. He'll need to add strength to compete at the NHL level, but the raw tools are undeniably there. Expect him to spend another year in the WHL before turning pro, but his NHL debut could be on the horizon soon.

4. Chaz Lucius

Is Lucius one of the unluckiest top prospects in the hockey world? It certainly seems that way. He’s only 21 years old but has already experienced his hockey career being beset with knee, ankle, and shoulder injuries that have all required surgery. It’s an incredible shame, too, because he always looks excellent when he’s healthy, and has shown no trouble at all adjusting to different leagues and levels of hockey. The greatest strengths of his game have always been in the offensive zone and around the opposing team’s crease, but that’s also an area where a lot of punishment is doled out, and there are now unfortunate yet unavoidable questions about whether his body will be able to withstand making a career out of playing that way. If good luck isn’t going to come to him naturally then he might need to make some adjustments to save his career.

5. Ville Heinola

If Heinola doesn’t make the Jets out of training camp next fall the reaction from some fans of the team could be riotous, because he’s a highly touted prospect who’s been on the cusp of making the team for five years in a row without being allowed to fully take that plunge. Making matters even more urgent, his waiver eligibility begins in 2024-25, so there would be a huge risk in trying to send him down again. He is a clever, fleet-of-foot defenceman who excels with puck retrievals and breakouts. There’s some offensive generation to his game as well, but it’s unlikely he’ll ever be a powerplay quarterback in the NHL. There are also concerns about his play-stopping ability that will be hard to ever shake. Winnipeg has three defencemen coming up for free agency this summer, so it feels like it’s going to be now or never for Heinola.

6. Nikita Chibrikov

After three straight years of splitting time across three levels of hockey, Chibrikov enjoyed newfound stability in 2023-24, dressing for 70 games with the Moose. And he must have had no complaints whatsoever about the single outlying game where he donned a different sweater, because that was his NHL debut with the Jets, and he got to celebrate it by scoring his first goal. He and fellow AHL rookie Lambert have found a lot of chemistry together, as they both possess blazing speed and slick hands that can make enemies miss, and they're bringing much-needed fresh blood into the organization's forward ranks. He’s also handled the increased physicality of hockey on this side of the world much better than was expected. As he continues to adjust to the structure of North American hockey his skill should gradually keep shining through.

7. Alfons Freij

Freij was a bit of a tricky prospect to get a comfortable read on this season. There were some games where he was a true standout, but in some others, you wouldn’t be able to pick him out of a police lineup. And while he would routinely dazzle you with his shifty footwork and deceptive dekes, a lot of those plays failed to result in goals, leaving his point totals on the season looking a little lackluster. Was he simply unlucky, or is there a disconnect somewhere in how he utilizes his teammates or reads the play? One way or the other, he possesses a high base level of skill, which could potentially be built up over time, and he’s going to keep getting looks with the Swedish national program and gain more access to their resources.

8. Elias Salomonsson

Injuries continue to be a recurring theme in Salomonsson's young career, but the good news is that they don't seem to be slowing down his long-term progression all that much. Him earning a legitimate roster spot and regular ice time on a great Skellefteå team has played a key role in keeping things on track, because they fought their way to back-to-back appearances in the SHL final, which provided him with more games to play in and a beneficial type of experience that not all prospects receive. He's a puck-moving defenceman who is slippery and serpentine on breakouts and at the offensive blueline, in an oddly similar way to Skellefteå alumnus John Klingberg, and has been rounding out his game in the time since his draft day by becoming more gritty and committed in his own zone.

9. Dmitry Rashevsky

Rashevsky isn’t exactly considered a top prospect, but when it comes to sheer entertainment value, there aren’t many others out there who can match him. He’s an offense-first winger who is almost monomaniacal about beating opposing defenders one-on-one, and it’s kind of hard to fault him for that, because he’s undeniably great at it. He’s endlessly confident, and at the drop of a hat is always ready to launch another attack. There were previous frustrations about him having horse blinders on too often and not working with his teammates enough, as well as about him not applying the same level of furious commitment to his off-puck play, but he’s made a lot of progress in those areas over the past three seasons in the KHL. Can he stick in the NHL with how he plays? If it does happen, he’ll be pretty unique among wingers in the league.

10. Jacob Julien

The secret to scouting doesn't lie with simply analyzing what a prospect is good or bad at right now, but rather, trying to project how they will develop and predict what their game will look like in the future. That was Winnipeg's philosophy when they drafted Julien, and so far it's looking pretty darn wise. The lanky center keeps growing into his body, the London Knights keep using their development expertise to grow his skillset, and the results of the project have been fantastic, with significant year-over-year growth. As of this writing he's one of the top scorers on a Knights team that is chasing an OHL title, and as their number one center he had back-to-back hat tricks to eliminate Kitchener in the second round. His long reach and fluid footwork make him hard to contain and help him navigate the ice while exerting minimum effort.

11. Danny Zhilkin

Zhilkin enjoyed some moderate success during his time in the OHL but had a disastrous first year in the AHL. Drafted relatively high because of perceived upside as a two-way center, there are now concerns because his progression in both areas seems to have stalled. None of his individual tools stand out enough and the overall package might not be enough to set him apart. Can he make a regular living in the NHL as a bottom six pivot?

12. Domenic DiVincentiis

It was a trying year for DiVincentiis, who battled injury and consistency issues, which cost him a roster spot at the World Juniors and then North Bay’s starting job in the playoffs. It was especially a shame because he had some wind under his sails coming into the season after an impressive sophomore campaign. An NHL future isn’t out of the question so long as he can get things back on track.

13. Thomas Milic

All Milic ever does is defy the odds and quiet his naysayers. After winning a WHL title in 2023 and then getting drafted as a re-entry prospect, he turned pro, before quickly surging up the organization’s goalie depth chart from fifth to third. His goalie IQ is miles above most of his peers. He’ll never be big, but does he have a bit of that magic that Dustin Wolf and Devon Levi possess as undersized netminders?

14. Dmitri Kuzmin

The jump to professional hockey proved to be a steep one this season for Kuzmin, as he failed to hold down a spot in the AHL and then didn’t really make any kind of statement a level lower in the ECHL. For as good as he is with the puck and as hard as he can shoot it, he’s not nearly quick or agile enough for his size, which he will need to rectify sooner rather than later.

15. Kevin He

Give a loud stick tap to He, who had to suit up for an atrocious Niagara team in his draft season but still came to the rink every day ready to play and to compete. There’s something to be said about getting consistently blown out on the scoreboard but still finding the inner will to pot 31 goals. He’s a speedster who is all gas and no brakes, but at least he knows how to finish plays.

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #13 Winnipeg Jets – Organization Overview – Top 15 Profiles

Player Profiles - Derek Neumeier, Team Overview - Robert Howard — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 15:02:11 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - SEPTEMBER 29: Winnipeg Jets forward Brad Lambert (47) tracks the play during the Winnipeg Jets versus the Montreal Canadiens preseason game on September 29, 2022, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

What a difference a year makes. The Jets have had high expectations for a number of seasons, coach Rick Bowness had inspired the team to squeak into the playoffs in 2022-23, but ultimately lost in the first round of the playoffs. There was a lot of speculation to start the season around two key players in Mark Scheifele and elite goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck, and their future on the prairies. In the summer, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff traded Pierre Luc Dubois for a healthy return in Alex Iaffalo, Gabriel Vilard, Rasmus Kupari, along with Montreal’s second in 2024 (37th) suggesting further change to come. He then surprised the hockey world by signing both his key free agents to eight-year, $8.5 million AAV contracts on the eve of the start of the season, cementing them as core pieces. Retiring coach Bowness, while missing some time for health reasons, did a masterful job producing a 100-point season, good for fourth in the league. Hellebuyck returned to Vezina trophy form, and there is optimism in Winnipeg again.

Cheveldayoff was an aggressive buyer at the deadline picks to acquire Sean Monahan, Tyler Toffoli and Colin Miller, all UFA’s this summer. The return was a first (2024), second (2025), third (2024) and a fourth-round picks (2026). Effectively clearing out significant draft capital. Whether any of those players return, with only a first-round loss to Colorado to show for it, Cheveldayoff sent a message that their window is now. The prospect system remains healthy, and relatively deep. There are seven prospects in our top 200, with a couple of players who could join Cole Perfetti as a graduate next season in Brad Lambert and Ville Heinola. They know their window for a championship is open, and with picks already gone, it would not be surprising to see any of the players move for more immediate help.

RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	Acquired	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Brad Lambert	C	20	6-0/180	Manitoba (AHL)	`22(30th)	64	21	34	55	38
					Winnipeg (NHL)	`22(30th)	1	0	1	1	0
2	Colby Barlow	LW	19	6-0/195	Owen Sound (OHL)	`23(18th)	50	40	18	58	27
3	Chaz Lucius	C	20	6-1/185	Manitoba (AHL)	`21(18th)	17	2	11	13	6
4	Rutger McGroarty	LW	20	6-1/200	Michigan (B1G)	`22(14th)	36	16	36	52	6
5	Ville Heinola	D	23	6-0/180	Manitoba (AHL)	`19(20th)	41	10	17	27	24
6	Nikita Chibrikov	RW	21	5-10/170	Manitoba (AHL)	`21(50th)	70	17	30	47	53
					Winnipeg (NHL)	`21(50th)	1	1	0	1	0
7	Elias Salomonsson	D	19	6-1/185	Skelleftea (SHL)	`22(55th)	31	2	9	11	58
8	Dmitry Rashevsky	RW	23	6-1/165	Dynamo Moskva (KHL)	`21(146th)	67	24	19	43	20
9	Jacob Julien	C	19	6-4/180	London (OHL)	`23(146th)	67	29	49	78	53
10	Danny Zhilkin	C	20	6-1/195	Manitoba (AHL)	`22(77th)	44	2	5	7	22
11	Domenic DiVincentiis	G	20	6-2/185	North Bay (OHL)	`22(207th)	42	27	9	3.13	0.895
12	Thomas Milic	G	21	6-0/180	Manitoba (AHL)	`23(151st)	33	19	9	2.72	0.900
13	Daniel Torgersson	LW	22	6-3/200	Manitoba (AHL)	`20(40th)	52	1	8	9	12
14	Dmitri Kuzmin	D	21	5-10/175	Norfolk (ECHL)	`21(82nd)	24	2	7	9	4
					Manitoba (AHL)	`21(82nd)	18	1	2	3	6
15	Parker Ford	C	23	5-8/170	Manitoba (AHL)	FA(3/23)	72	18	23	41	57

1. Brad Lambert, C, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

Getting to join the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds halfway through last season was exactly what the doctor ordered for Lambert’s development. He found himself excelling at a high level once again, he got to feed off of other top prospects who were his age, he got to experience what it takes to win a league championship, and most importantly of all, he has carried over all that progress with him to the professional level. He had an incredible AHL rookie season with the Moose, finishing as the team’s top scorer. That barn can get pretty raucous at times, and the way that he was able to regularly feed off of that energy and use it to his advantage was a great preview of him being able to do it in the NHL. He is a thrilling center who is borderline elite with his skating ability and puck skills.

2. Colby Barlow, LW, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)

Barlow's game did not take a big step forward this season as expected, and while there's no reason to overreact or hit the panic button, the Jets surely would have had questions for him about what happened. In his defense, playing for an outgunned Owen Sound team that never really looked like a contender was probably a large part of the equation. And even though his assist totals cratered, he still cracked the 40-goal mark for the second consecutive year. He's an explosive skater, hard-nosed grinder and an authoritative finisher, and he shouldn't need to make any serious adjustments to how he plays in order to be successful as an NHLer because his strengths are so useful in different roles and situations. He's an odds-on favourite to make the Canadian roster for the next World Juniors and might even wear a letter for that group.

3. Chaz Lucius, C, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

Is Lucius one of the unluckiest top prospects in the hockey world? It certainly seems that way. He’s only 21 years old but has already experienced his hockey career being beset with knee, ankle and shoulder injuries that have all resulted in surgery being required. It’s an incredible shame, too, because he always looks excellent when he’s healthy, and has shown no trouble at all adjusting to different leagues and levels of hockey. The greatest strengths of his game have always been in the offensive zone and around the opposing team’s crease, but that’s also an area where a lot of punishment is doled out, and there are now unfortunate yet unavoidable questions about whether his body will be able to withstand making a career out of playing that way. If good luck isn’t going to come to him naturally then he might need to make some adjustments to save his career.

4. Rutger McGroarty, LW, University of Michigan (NCAA)

McGroarty is a very intriguing prospect, because his game is fairly pigeonholed, yet he’s an undeniable expert in two specific areas: in the cycle and at the net front. There’s actually an art to scoring greasy, blue-collar goals, and he seems to have mastered it. He is an absolute tank sometimes down low, with an abundance of lower-body strength, and once he gets himself dug in at the top of the crease, he can be nearly impossible to box out or win body positioning against. He’s also very hard to contain when he tries to take the puck from the wall or behind the goal line into a better scoring position. His feet are, unsurprisingly based on what was just said, quite heavy and slow, but he keeps working hard to improve his quickness and mobility. There was talk of him turning pro this spring, but he elected to spend another year in college.

5. Ville Heinola, D, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

If Heinola doesn’t make the Jets out of training camp next fall the reaction from some fans of the team could be riotous, because he’s a highly touted prospect who’s been on the cusp of making the team for five years in a row without being allowed to fully take that plunge. Making matters even more urgent, his waiver eligibility begins in 2024-25, so there would be a huge risk in trying to send him down again. He is a clever, fleet-of-foot defenseman who excels with puck retrievals and breakouts. There’s some offensive generation to his game as well, but it’s unlikely he’ll ever be a powerplay quarterback in the NHL. There are also concerns about his play-stopping ability that will be hard to ever shake. Winnipeg has three defensemen coming up for free agency this summer, so it feels like it’s going to be now or never for Heinola.

6. Nikita Chibrikov, RW, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

7. Elias Salomonsson, D, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

Injuries continue to be a recurring theme in Salomonsson's young career, but the good news is that they don't seem to be slowing down his long-term progression all that much. Him earning a legitimate roster spot and regular ice time on a great Skellefteå team has played a key role in keeping things on track, because they fought their way to back-to-back appearances in the SHL final, which provided him with more games to play in and a beneficial type of experience that not all prospects get to receive. He's a puck-moving defenseman who is slippery and serpentine on breakouts and at the offensive blueline, in an oddly similar way to Skellefteå alumnus John Klingberg, and has been rounding out his game in the time since his draft day by becoming grittier and more committed in his own zone.

8. Dmitry Rashevsky, RW, Dyanmo Moskva (KHL)

Rashevsky isn’t exactly considered to be a top prospect, but when it comes to sheer entertainment value, there aren’t many others out there who can match him. He’s an offense-first winger who is almost monomaniacal about beating opposing defenders one-on-one, and it’s kind of hard to fault him for that, because he’s undeniably great at it. He’s endlessly confident, and at the drop of a hat is always ready to launch another attack. There were previous frustrations about him having horse blinders on too often and not working with his teammates enough, as well as about him not applying the same level of furious commitment to his off-puck play, but he’s made a lot of progress in those areas over the past three seasons in the KHL. Can he stick in the NHL with how he plays? If it does happen, he’ll be pretty unique among wingers in the league.

9. Jacob Julien, C, London Knights (OHL)

10. Danny Zhilkin, C, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

Zhilkin enjoyed some moderate success during his time in the OHL but had a disastrous first year in the AHL. Drafted because of perceived upside as a two-way center, there are now concerns because his progression in both areas seems to have stalled. None of his individual offensive tools stand out and the overall package doesn’t seem like it will be enough to set him apart, so his shot at becoming a future NHLer will rest on his skillfulness killing penalties, handling tough matchups, and eating a lot of heavy defensive zone minutes in general. Can he make a regular living in the NHL as a Bottom 6 pivot? He already has the commitment and shift-over-shift work rate in place, but he will still need to improve his top speed and mix in a little more sandpaper to his defending than he’s used to currently.

PROSPECT CRITERIA: Players under 26 years of age as of 9/15/2024 who have appeared in less than 60 games (30 for goalies) and less than 25 in one season (25 for goalies).