The Winnipeg Jets have a first-round pick for the upcoming 2025 NHL Entry Draft after not having one in 2024 due to trading it away. Despite winning the Presidents’ Trophy this season, the Jets lost in the second round and as such will pick 28th overall on June 27 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Here, we’ll look at six players — three forwards, three defensemen — general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff could target.
Forwards:
The Jets have some forwards pushing for full-time NHL work in Nikita Chibrikov, Parker Ford, and Brad Lambert in addition to a number of prospects set to join the American Hockey League (AHL) Manitoba Moose this fall out of juniors.
Related: Winnipeg Jets 2024-25 End-of-Season Prospect Check-In
As such, forward isn’t a huge position of need for the organization, but these three could be good future fits if Cheveldayoff decides the prospect pipeline could use another one with high potential.
Benjamin Kindel: Centre, Calgary Hitmen, Western Hockey League
Benjamin Kindel finished sixth in WHL scoring with 99 points (35 goals, 54 assists) in 65 games, but hasn’t been hyped up nearly as much as some of the players only slightly ahead of him production wise. The 18 year old, who improved on his point total by 35 from his rookie WHL season, could have the potential to be a late first-round steal while simultaneously not being a risky pick.
“He’s an excellent creator, evidenced by the fact that he’s one of the top assist-generators in the WHL,” THW‘s Justin Giampietro wrote in a prospect profile. “He’s frequently putting his Calgary linemates in positions to score, whether that be off the rush or inside the offensive zone. Kindel is surrounded by some great players, no doubt, but he’s helping to activate them. His smooth skating complements his playmaking, especially at 5-on-5.”
“In addition to his offensive upside, Kindel is willing to backcheck and help out in his own zone. He may be small, but he engages in board battles (and isn’t half bad at them, either). He plays at even strength, the power play, and the penalty kill for his awareness in all facets of the game,” Giampietro continued.
The 5-foot-10 Coquitlam B.C. product is ranked 20th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and between 30th and 60th on three THW ranking lists.
William Moore: Centre, U.S. National Team Development Program (USNTDP)
Cheveldayoff has chosen a number of players from USNTDP in past drafts to mixed results. He hit big with Kyle Connor and Jacob Trouba, more recently missed with the now-retired Chaz Lucius, and got good return for the disgruntled Rutger McGroarty.
Moore is one of the most-compelling draft-eligible players from the prestigious American program. The playmaking 6-foot-2 centre was prolific wherever he went, recording 59 points (27 goals, 32 assists) in 64 games for the U18 team, 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) for the United States Hockey League (USHL) team, and 11 points (three goals, eight assists) for the bronze-medal-winning U.S. 2025 IIHF U18 World Junior Championship (WJC) squad.
“Moore is a decisive playmaker,” THW’s Giampietro wrote in a prospect profile. “When he’s piling up assists, it doesn’t always appear as though he was a major factor in the play. In reality, he can open up defenses with his intelligent and accurate passes. A lot of his best sequences in this area were inside the offensive zone, but he also showed flashes as an off-the-rush creator. Moore didn’t score 27 goals by accident, either. He has a solid shot, and he combines that with a nose for the net front. His skating is so-so, but it has room for growth.”
“On top of his offensive gifts, Moore has two-way potential,” Giampietro continued. “While not a grind-in-the-corners type, he was on the USNTDP’s penalty kill for a reason. He’s aggressive and disruptive when he needs to be, able to force turnovers as a result. There’s a promising defensive brain here, but his shutdown ability is developing.”
The Mississauga-born 18-year-old had committed to playing for Boston College, a strong NCAA program, for next season. He is ranked 29th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and between 28th and 41st by three THW ranking lists.
Jack Murtagh: Centre/Left Wing, USNTDP
Murtagh, Moore’s teammate, is another interesting option from the USNTDP. The 17-year-old recorded 53 points (22 goals, 31 assists) in 56 games for the U18 team, 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 24 games for the USHL team, and six points (two goals, four assists) in seven games at the 2025 U18 WJC.
The 6-foot-1 New Yorker is considered a workhorse who has the “combination of will and skill” with a lethal shot a and is willing to get into the dirty areas and go to the front of the net. There’s no market if not Winnipeg that likes its lunch-bucket players with high compete levels.
Related: THW 2025 NHL Draft Guide
“Murtagh does not stand out as an elite stick handler, but he has showcased quick hands to avoid stick checks, extend plays, and move the puck into better areas,” THW’s Jim Bay wrote in a prospect profile. “His shot carries a lot of power, especially on his one-timer. He is a straight-line puck carrier and shooter who plays with great pace and intensity. He is also an active playmaker, keeping his head on a swivel as he attacks downhill.”
The 17-year-old is a strong skater and his speed and agility allow him to push the pace and attack defenders head-on,” Bay continued. “His speed is top-end, as he has an extra gear that allows him to separate and beat defenders. He is a strong athlete who can play through strong strides and push tempo in straight lines or round corners with speed to get to his spots. While his skating is technically strong and effective, it lacks some explosiveness to be able to shift pace quickly.”
Murtagh is also committed to Boston College for 2025-26. He is ranked 25th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and 31st and 35th in two THW ranking list.
Defensemen:
The Jets’ prospect pool is not as deep on defense as it is up front, with Elias Salomonsson the organization’s only blue liner not already in the NHL considered to have top-four potential. Considering four of the Jets’ defensemen are unrestricted free agents after next season, selecting a d-man 28th overall may be the best choice for Cheveldayoff.
Sascha Boumedienne: Left Defence, Boston University, NCAA
Boumedienne recorded 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 40 games for the Boston University Terriers this season. The 6-foot-2 left shooter, born in Finland but a Swedish national, made jump to the NCAA team after spending 2023-24 with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms, where he recorded 27 points (three goals, 24 assists) in 49 games. There wasn’t a ton of pressure on him at Boston University considering Tom Willander and Cole Hutson also patrolled their blue line, but he improved as the season went on.
“Boumedienne is touted as an offensive defenseman who projects as a top power-play option in the very near future,” THW’s William Espy wrote in a prospect profile.
Boumedienne represented Sweden at the 2025 U18 WJC and broke the single-tournament scoring record for a defenseman by racking up 14 points in six games en route to being named the tournament’s best defenseman. His eye-popping six-point performance against Switzerland showcases his heady skillset that could be perfect for a team like the Jets, who stress the importance of getting offensive production from the back end.
“Boumedienne’s skating is one of his greatest strengths, however, he still needs to improve in a few areas, Espy continued. “His mix of speed and size allows him to be a key player in transition, however, he needs to use his frame to his advantage more consistently at the collegiate level. He’s improving defensively, but if he’s going to become a reliable 200-foot player rather than a power play specialist, he’ll need to continue improving considerably.”
Boumedienne is ranked 18th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and 33rd by THW’s Andrew Forbes.
Henry Brzustewicz: Right Defence, London Knights, Ontario Hockey League
Henry Brzustewicz is used to winning, having been a part of back-to-back champion London Knights squads in 2023-24 and 2024-25. This season, he recorded 42 points (10 goals, 32 assists) in 67 games and five points in 17 playoff games and took on a bigger role, moving up to the second pairing from the third.
“Brzustewicz is a smooth-skating defenceman who moves the puck extremely well out of his own zone,” THW’s Lukas Bernasiewicz wrote in a prospect profile. “Once the puck hits his stick, he can calm the play down in his own zone. When he gains possession, he can make a great stretch pass to a teammate for a breakout and also isn’t afraid to break the puck out of the zone himself. With his smooth skating abilities, he can take two or three strides in open space, bring the puck to the neutral zone, and start an offensive rush for his team.”
“The London Knights defenceman also enjoys joining in the rush and showing his offensive game…Bernasiewich continued. “His ability to join his teammates in an offensive rush chance could scare teams into thinking he loves offence too much but with his fast skating and smooth stride, he can get back on defence very quickly and stop a rush chance from happening the other way.”
The 6-foot-1 Michigan product is also noted to have a pinpoint wrist shot, to be able to start breakouts, and have great lateral movement at the blue line. Doesn’t that sound a whole lot like Josh Morrissey?
Brzustewicz is ranked 19th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and between 53rd and and 61st in two THW ranking lists.
Blake Fiddler: Right Defence, Edmonton Oil Kings, WHL
Big, responsible defensemen who are actually mobile are a rare commodity, and Fiddler seems to check all three boxes. The 6-foot-4 product recorded 33 points (10 goals, 23 assists) in 64 games for the Edmonton Oil Kings this season to more than double his 2023-24 rookie-season output. The Texan also played at 2025 U18 WJC, scoring two goals and adding one assist in seven games.
Often, defensemen with size are slow and prone to being torched by skilled players, and the Jets have a few of those in Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley. That doesn’t seem to be an issue with the soon-to-be-18 year old Fiddler.
“Fiddler’s size will be a factor that many teams look at when they consider drafting him this season,” THW’s Jesse Courville-Lynch wrote in a prospect profile. “He stands 6-foot-4, 209 pounds, and for a player that big to be able to skate the way he does is rare and impressive. Having the privilege to watch him live this season in Edmonton, he was trusted in plenty of situations with the Oil Kings, and if he can translate his play to the professional level, he could be one of the steals of the draft.”
“His mobility, physicality, and defensive IQ are all tools that he possesses that could make him fly up draft boards,” Courville-Lynch continued. “He has the potential to expand his offensive game at the professional level, and as he continues to develop in the WHL and likely a stint in the AHL down the line. His lack of offensive dominance and consistency may drag him down the draft a little bit, but he is still one of the strongest defenders in the entire draft class.”
Blake Fiddler is the son of former NHLer Vern Fiddler, a forward who played 877-career games from 2002-03 through 2016-17. Blake Fiddler is ranked 24th among North American skaters by NHL Central scouting and between 23rd and 37th by three THW ranking lists.
Who do you think the Jets should draft 28th overall this year? One of these six players if available, or someone else? Comment below!