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Winnipeg Jets Ivan Telegin (right) is recovering from surgery to his hand. (JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES)

The Winnipeg Jets have their fingers crossed Ivan Telegin, one of the organization’s top prospects, will be good to go come training camp in September.

Jet GM Kevin Cheveldayoff revealed more details Thursday about the hand injury suffered by the Russian forward this off-season, one that required surgery and has kept him off the ice during this week’s Development Camp at MTS Iceplex.

"We would have loved to have had him here on the ice, but he’s been able to participate in the off-ice stuff," said Cheveldayoff. "It really signals how quickly things can change for an individual or an organization. You just have to be ready to roll with the punches. We’re thankful the injury has been dealt with and it’s under our care now. He’s going to continue rehab and it looks like everything should be a full recovery. From the last medical reports I have, he should have full clearance by September."

Telegin's agent told the Jets his client cut his hand on a fence and Cheveldayoff said the injury required more than one surgery.

"There was some surgical procedures that were needed outside of just sewing it up," he said. "It was an off-ice injury where he cut his hand and his agent talked to me at the draft and told me that he had done it and we got him in here right away. He was in Russia, and we got him in here as quickly as possible after that.

"It was serious enough to keep him off the ice and whenever you’re dealing with cuts on hands, even the most minute ones can become serious because of your gloves and the sweat factor. You have to be careful and be over-cautious when it comes to that because you just don’t want infections to set in."

The 20-year-old winger, who scored 35 goals and had 64 points in 46 games with the Barrie Colts last winter, is coming off an injury-plagued season that limited his effectiveness at the World Junior Hockey Championships and also in the OHL playoffs. The knee injury he suffered at the end of the OHL season, which required meniscus surgery, has fully healed.

"Those are things that happen," Cheveldayoff said. "You can’t dwell on them. They happen, you move forward and you’re just thankful things will heal and you go on from there."

As for how the injuries might affect his place with the team -- his junior eligibility is used up but he was expected to push for work with the Jets – Cheveldayoff stressed that won’t be determined until the fall.

"His place will happen on the ice," he said. "He made great strides last year. Players make their own way. It will be dictated on his play, but the fact that he’s not able to participate on the ice right now is disappointing. But the off-ice stuff and other things he’s been fully involved in. The bright side is he’s had the opportunity to spend a lot of time in here and get really accustomed to Winnipeg and the North American culture. His English has improved leaps and bounds – way better than my Russian has – and my hat goes off to him for how hard he’s worked at it."

Ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait