The Winnipeg Jets have more than two-dozen draft picks scattered through various junior and professional leagues in North America and Europe. It can be tough to keep track of them all and how they’re playing when much of the focus inevitably falls on the pro team itself or just a few of the top prospects.
Here, ahead of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft — where general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff and company will add even more prospects to the organization’s pool of potential future NHLers — we’ll check in on how each draft pick in their system did in their 2023-24 seasons for their respective teams.
Note that we’re not including any NHL regulars here such as Cole Perfetti, David Gustafsson, Dylan Samberg, or Logan Stanley, nor any players the Jets no longer control.
2023 Draft Class
Colby Barlow (1st round)
Spent season with: Owen Sound Attack (OHL), Manitoba Moose
The 18th-overall pick at last year’s draft played his third season with the Ontario Hockey League’s Owen Sound Attack and second as captain in 2023-24, scoring 40 goals and adding 18 assists for 58 points in 50 games. The left winger missed some time with a midseason back injury, which quashed his chance of playing for Canada at the 2024 World Juniors. He also had one goal and two assists in four playoff games.
Barlow — who is known for his wicked shot, strong work ethic, and leadership skills — then joined the Manitoba Moose for the final stretch of the American Hockey League season, appearing in three games and recording his first three professional points by scoring one goal and adding two assists.
Zach Nehring (3rd round)
Spent season with: Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
Zach Nehring spent his entire season with the United States Hockey League’s Sioux Falls Stampede, collecting nine goals and adding five assists for 14 points in 44 games and two assists in three playoff games. It was a step up in level of play for the right-winger, as he was drafted out of Shattuck-St. Mary’s, a prestigious prep school in Minnesota.
Nehring is committed to the NCAA’s Western Michigan University for 2024-25.
Jacob Julien (5th round)
Spent season with: London Knights (OHL)
Jacob Julien put the OHL on notice in his sophomore campaign with hometown London Knights, racking up 29 goals and 49 assists for 78 points in 67 games. The left winger continued his scoring prowess into the playoffs, recording a further nine goals and nine assists for 18 points in 18 games as the Knights won the OHL Championship.
The 6-foot-4, 180-pound product’s increase in production was no less than an explosion. He had just 16 points in 40 games the season prior and was considered a longer-term project.
Thomas Milic (5th round)
Spent season with: Norfolk Admirals (ECHL), Manitoba Moose, Spengler Cup Team Canada
Thomas Milic began the season in the ECHL with the Norfolk Admirals, posting an 11-3-3 record, 2.45 goals against average (GAA), .908 save percentage (SV%), and a pair of shutouts. As a result, he was named an ECHL All-Star.
In the back half of the season, he took over the Moose starter’s role from Collin Delia and Oskari Salminen, who were both struggling mightily. As one of the AHL’s youngest goalies (he just turned 21 on April 14), Milic posted a 19-9-2 record, 2.72 GAA, .900 SV% while capturing his first professional shutout and playing an instrumental role in helping the Moose make the Calder Cup Playoffs after a historically-bad first half.
Milic was also one of the three goaltenders on Canada’s Spengler Cup team, but was injured in the third period of his only start, on Dec. 28 against host HC Davos.
Connor Levis (7th round)
Spent season with: Kamloops Blazers, Vancouver Giants (WHL), Manitoba Moose
Connor Levis began the season with the Kamloops Blazers — his fourth with the club — and recorded 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points in 37 games and served as an alternate captain before being traded to the Vancouver Giants, where he recorded a further 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points in 28 games. The 19-year-old right winger also had three assists in five playoff games with the Giants. He then made his professional debut, playing two games with the Moose and posting a plus-1 rating.
2022 Draft Class
Rutger McGroarty (1st round)
Spent season with: University of Michigan, World Juniors Team USA
Rutger McGroarty, one of the Jets’ top prospects and considered by many to be a potential future captain, returned to the University of Michigan Wolverines for his second season and put up strong numbers, recording 16 goals and 36 assists for 52 points in 36 games to finish second on the team in points. The Wolverines won the Big 10 Championship and made it to the Frozen Four for a second-consecutive season but lost in the semifinal to Boston College.
The versatile and competitive 20-year-old right winger also served as captain of the gold-medal winning U.S. World Junior team and recorded four assists for nine points in seven-straight wins. He showed great resilience in working his way back from injury to be able to play — only six weeks before the tournament began, the 14th-overall pick was taken off the ice on a stretcher during a game against Penn State after taking a massive hit into the end boards from Reese Laubach, but luckily the injury wasn’t as bad as it first appeared and he was able to recover in time.
There was plenty of speculation that McGroarty may sign an entry-level contract (ELC) to join the Jets for next season, but in April, he decided he would return to the University of Michigan for a third season. This is a logical move and does not suggest some sort of rift between him and the organization. Considering the Jets’ deep forward group, there isn’t a clear spot for him in the big leagues at present.
Brad Lambert (1st round)
Spent season with: Manitoba Moose, Winnipeg Jets (one game)
Brad Lambert — the top prospect on the Moose — led the team in points with 55 (21 goals, 34 assists) and was a reliable threat in his first full pro season. It was a huge step forward for him to play consistently well in a top-six and top power-play role, as he has been inconsistent in seasons past.
The 20-year-old Finn got a well-deserved call up at the end of the season and made his NHL debut against the Vancouver Canucks on April 18, tallying his tallied first big-league point on a first-period assist.
Elias Salomonsson (2nd round)
Spent season with: Skelleftea AIK, SKelleftea AIK Jr. (Sweden), World Juniors Team Sweden
Elias Salomonsson spent the bulk of his season with the Swedish Hockey League’s Skelleftea AIK in his fourth campaign with the organization. The right-shot defender had two goals and nine assists for 11 points in 31 games, which is the most he’s played for the top Skelleftea club in his career. He also put up one goal and five assists for six points in 16 playoff games and helped Skelleftea win the championship after losing in the final in 2023. The now 19-year-old also played four games with the Skelleftea junior team, scoring three goals and adding two assists for five points.
Salomonsson also represented Sweden in his first World Juniors and got off to an inauspicious start as he was ejected just 25 seconds into the opening game against Latvia for hitting Emils Veckaktins from behind; he was issued a one-game suspension as a result.
After serving his suspension — which made him the most-penalized defender in the tournament — he played a key role on a stingy and stifling Swedish blue line that allowed just 15 goals in seven games (and only nine through the first six games prior to the gold-medal game, which they lost to the U.S.)
Salomonsson signed his ELC with the Jets two years ago but it has slid twice since he hasn’t come to North America, meaning it still has all three years on it.
Danny Zhilkin (3rd round)
Spent season with: Manitoba Moose
The 20-year-old forward, in his first professional campaign, recorded two goals and five assists for seven points and a minus-19 rating in 44 games for the Moose before suffering a shoulder injury in February that required surgery and ended his season.
Garrett Brown (4th round)
Spent season with: University of Denver
Defenseman Garrett Brown played just eight games in his first season at the University of Denver, recording four assists, before suffering a lower-body injury that kept him out for the reason of the season.
Fabian Wagner (6th round)
Spent season with: Almtuna IS, Linkopings HC (Sweden), World Juniors Team Sweden
Fabian Wagner spent the bulk of his season with the Swedish Hockey League’s Linkopings HC, recording one goal and five assists for six points in 41 games. The left-shot centre also played for Almtuna IS, which is in a tier below the SHL.
The now 20-year-old also represented Sweden at World Juniors alongside Salomonsson, being held pointless and to a minus-one in seven games. He was a playmaking threat at the 2023 World Juniors, posting two goals and four assists for six points in seven games, but couldn’t replicate that production this time around.
Domenic DiVincentiis (7th round)
Spent season with: North Bay Battalion (OHL)
Domenic DiVincentiis saw his numbers dip the season after being named OHL Goalie of the Year. This season, his third with the Battalion, the now 20-year-old’s 3.14 GAA, .895 SV%, and one shutout, were worse than in 2022-23, but he still posted an impressive 27-9-5 record and was named OHL Goaltender of the Month for February.
He suffered a lower-body injury in Game 2 of the Battalion’s first-round playoff series against the Kingston Frontenacs, which ended his playoffs early and rendered him a spectator to his team’s run to the Conference Final.
2021 Draft Class
Chaz Lucius (1st round)
Spent season with: Manitoba Moose
Chaz Lucius, who has struggled with injuries for his entire career, had his fourth season-ending surgery in as many years and is looking like a seriously-compromised asset.
The first-rounder recorded two goals and 11 assists for 13 points in 17 games in a second-line centre role this season, but once again, was been bitten by the injury bug that’s robbed him of significant development time. The 21-year-old had ankle surgery in January to add to his extensive injury history.
Nikita Chibrikov (2nd round)
Spent season with: Manitoba Moose, Winnipeg Jets (one game)
Chibrikov recorded 47 points (17 goals, 30 assists) with the Moose in his first season in North America, good for fourth on the team. The 21-year-old Russian’s quick adjustment to the North American play-style earned him a call up to the Jets alongside Lambert, and it was a night to remember for Chibrikov as he scored a third-period goal that turned out to be the game winner.
Dmitry Kuzmin (3rd round)
Spent season with: Norfolk Admirals (ECHL), Manitoba Moose
Defenseman Dmitry Kuzmin split his first professional season between the Admirals and the Moose. The Belarusian 19 year old played in 24 games for the Admirals, recording two goals and seven assists for nine points and 18 games for the Moose, recording one goal and two assist. He also had four assists in seven playoff games with the Admirals.
Dmitry Rashevsky (5th round)
Spent season with: Dynamo Moscow (KHL)
Dmitry Rashevsky set a new career high in points in his fourth season with the Kontinental Hockey League’s Dynamo Moscow. The now-23-year-old left-shot right winger put up 24 goals and 19 assists for 43 points in 67 games, and five goals and two assists for seven points in 10 playoff games.
The Russian product is not in a rush to sign an ELC with the Jets as he still has one year left on the two-year deal he signed with Dynamo last summer.
2020 Draft Class
Daniel Torgersson (2nd round)
Spent season with: Manitoba Moose
Daniel Torgersson was not as productive in his sophomore season as he was in his rookie pro campaign. In a bottom-six role with the Moose, the Swedish forward had one goal and eight assists for nine points in 52 games, down from 11 goals and nine assists for 20 points in 69 games in 2022-23.
Anton Johannesson (4th round)
Spent season with: Brynas IF, Brynas Jr. (Sweden)
The Jets opted not to sign Anton Johannesson by the June 1 deadline, making the defender free to sign with another team. The Swedish product had three goals and 11 assists for 14 points in 36 games between Brynas IF (28 games) and their junior club (eight games.)
Tyrel Bauer (6th round)
Spent season with: Manitoba Moose
The rugged defenseman and enforcer was a regular on the Moose back end, recording two goals and five assists for seven points in 56 games along with 83 penalty minutes in his second professional season. The 22 year old also dropped the gloves eight times, which tied him for the team lead with Jeffrey Viel.
2019 Draft Class
Ville Heinola (1st round)
Spent season with: Manitoba Moose
Ville Heinola missed the first half of the season as he recovered from a fractured ankle he suffered in the Jets’ final preseason game. Upon his return from injury, he suited up for 41 games for the Moose in a top-pairing and top power-play role and recorded 27 points (10 goals, 17 assists.)
Heinola, the 20th-overall pick, has finally completed his ELC as it slid twice and is a restricted free agent (RFA.) Prior to the season’s start, now-retired head coach Rick Bowness stated that Heinola had impressed enough in preseason to earn a spot on the opening-night roster, but the fractured ankle was the latest setback in his attempt to establish himself as an NHL regular.
Heinola, now 23, has played just 35 NHL games in four seasons, recording 11 points (one goal, 10 assists) but has spent the majority of his professional career with the Moose. He is cerebral and intelligent defender whose anticipation, reads, passing ability, and skating are all outstanding.
It’s clear Heinola is too good for the AHL and needs meaningful NHL minutes to develop the defensive side of his game further. He hasn’t gotten them so far, something he has voiced his frustration with in the past, but still has time to develop into a top-four NHL defenseman under new head coach Scott Arniel, who said at his introductory press conference that young players are “vital.”
Simon Lundmark (2nd round)
Spent season with: Manitoba Moose
Simon Lundmark spent the final year of his ELC with the Moose as a blue line regular and is a pending RFA. The 51st-overall pick suited up for 67 of 72 games, recording five goals and 12 assists for 17 points. The Swedish product, now 23, has played 188 games with the Moose during his three pro seasons, recording 12 goals and 36 assists for 48 points.
Henri Nikkanen (4th round)
Spent season with: Manitoba Moose
Henri Nikkanen, in his second full season with the Moose, put up seven goals and five assists for 12 points in 57 games. The 23-year-old Finnish forward’s point total was lower than in 2022-23, when he had 16 in 66 games.
Harrison Blaisdell (5th round)
Spent season with: University of New Hampshire
Blaisdell, in his third season with the University of New Hampshire, recorded 11 goals and three assists for 14 games. It remains unclear if the now-23-year-old centre will ever sign with the Jets.
Logan Neaton (5th round)
Spent season with: Miami University (Ohio)
Neaton got the majority of starts for Miami University in his third season with them but he and the team had a rough time, winning only seven of 36 games. Neaton posted a 6-14-2 record, 3.24 GAA, and .894 SV%. He is now 25 years old and has played five seasons in the U.S. college system.
