Winnipeg tourney lit fire under Freij Jets 2024 draft pick back nine years after childhood visit By: Mike McIntyre Posted: 5:45 PM CDT Thursday, Jul. 4, 2024

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This article was published 04/07/2024 (435 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Alfons Freij was nine years old when he travelled with his father from their native Sweden to a far-flung place in the middle of Canada to compete in a pair of high-level youth hockey tournaments.

His team didn’t win a single game.

The long-distance trip wasn’t a total loss, however. Freij got an up-close look at the practice facility of the Winnipeg Jets — even posing for a picture under two towering posters of Mark Scheifele and Jacob Trouba — which he admits lit a bit of a fire.

“Wanted to be there one day,” he said Thursday, speaking inside the very same Hockey For All Centre that was known as the Iceplex back then. “That was one of my goals.”

Talk about a full-circle moment. The now 18-year-old Freij re-enacted the photo this week for the Jets social media team as one of the newest members of the organization, fresh off being drafted 37th-overall by Winnipeg last Saturday in Las Vegas.

Summer development camp is in session, and a wide-eyed Freij is soaking up every second of it.

“It’s so, so special to be a part of the Winnipeg Jets,” the smooth-skating defenceman said following the first of four on-ice sessions. “Such a good day here, nice to be with all the boys.”

A total of 35 players are participating in the camp, which is led by director of player development Jimmy Roy. The roster includes 17 drafted players and 18 free-agent invitees.

Because of that, this week means different things to different skaters.

For Freij and three others from the class of 2024 — fourth-rounder Kevin He, fifth-rounder Markus Loponen and sixth-rounder Kieron Walton — it’s about getting their feet wet with a new organization after a whirlwind few days.

“All of them are really nice kids. I don’t know them as players. One thing in player development, you go around and you watch your players and you get to know your kids when you draft them,” said Roy.

“It’s early, but meeting with them at the draft and getting to speak with them and seeing them in person here now, this is where the relationship starts.”

He, 18, made history last weekend, as the Beijing native became the highest-chosen Chinese-born player selected in an NHL draft.

“Just try to showcase my skills. Just compete. I also haven’t been on the ice in a little bit here, so just try to get my legs going,” He said of his mindset.

“There’s a lot of stuff behind the scenes, but that’s what really helps us get together and get to know the guys around. We all come from all over the world. Some I’ve played against, some I haven’t. Just try to get to know them.”

For already established top prospects such as forward Brad Lambert and defenceman Elias Salomonsson, this week is a stepping-stone to a chance to make the Jets roster as early as this fall. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, addressing a lack of free-agent signings earlier this week, called it an “exciting time” for young players in the organization.

“I think it’s awesome. I’m super excited,” Lambert said when asked about those comments. “Obviously, there’s a lot of work ahead of me this summer. So that’s kind of my thought process, is taking it a day at a time, trying to get as much better as I can. So that come training camp and ready to compete.”

Lambert is coming off a tremendous rookie season with the Manitoba Moose in which he had 55 points (21 goals, 34 assists) in 64 games. Could he be in the mix for the wide-open second-line centre job? Lambert made his NHL debut in Game 82 last April, registering an assist.

“To be able to get to see where I’m kind of at and to get to see the atmosphere that it was to play in front of the crowd in Winnipeg was an unbelievable feeling and I guess that just drives me to want more of that,” said Lambert.

Finally, for players whose rights aren’t currently held by NHL clubs, this week is about trying to open some eyes and perhaps earn another look at some point down the road, perhaps eventually leading to a tryout or contract offer.

“What we tell kids is that professional hockey is a different animal than junior, college or European pro,” Roy said of the lessons he hopes they all take away from educational sessions on things such as fitness, nutrition and even dealing with social media and the press.

He recalled driving Salomonsson back to the airport last fall following Jets training camp and asking him what his biggest takeaway was.

“He’s like, ‘I couldn’t believe how well guys look after their body.’ To see all of those guys going up into the gym right after practice, spending time on rehab or small muscle groups, recovery, all different kinds of things that kids just don’t know,” said Roy.

Current Jets captain Adam Lowry was brought in as a guest speaker Wednesday to address the current crop of kids, sharing valuable insight from his own experience as a 2011 third-round draft pick and development camp alumni who spent parts of three seasons working on his craft in the AHL after finishing up his junior career.

“He talked about his path from where he grew up with his dad and being a hockey family. He talked about the things that he does to prepare himself for games,” said Roy.

“His path, the first time he was sent down and how disappointed he was, how he had to go back down to (the AHL) and work on his game and figure that out to get back up there. Those are all great growing experiences. So to hear it from him, I think it has huge impact, more than I could ever tell a kid or a coach could ever tell a kid.”

Some players recovering from injuries, others absent

Not all 35 players were full participants on Thursday in drills and a short, spirited scrimmage.

Forwards Chaz Lucius and Danny Zhilkin wore non-contact sweaters as they recovered from season-ending injuries they suffered with the Moose last year. Salomonsson wasn’t present because of a medical appointment but should be good to go Friday, and defenceman Garret Brown is just doing off-ice work as he recovers from an ACL injury that ended his college season after eight games last season.

There was also some talk about a prized prospect who wasn’t present in 2022 first-rounder Rutger McGroarty, who was the darling of summer camp last year but is skipping this year’s event. According to sources, he’s at an impasse with the Jets over his development path, which may force the organization to trade him

“You know what, I had a great relationship with Rutger. I still do,” said Roy, who spent plenty of time watching McGroarty in person with the University of Michigan last year, including during the Frozen Four in April.

“But I don’t know. That’s probably more comments for Chevy. On the player development side, we had some great conversations and I watched him play quite a bit this year. That’s all.”

Cheveldayoff has so far declined to discuss any specifics of the situation. Roy was asked if he had ever detected any “red flags” that something was amiss.

“Nope. Not for me. Not at all,” he said.

The camp continues with daily skates on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday beginning at 10 a.m. These are free and open to the public.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

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