Jets’ young stars set to hit the ice

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/09/2024 (394 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

We may still be in the final stages of summer, but that isn’t stopping the Winnipeg Jets from gearing up for a new hockey season.

First up is rookie camp and the annual Young Stars Classic, which will be held next week in Penticton, B.C. A total of 26 skaters — 17 forwards, seven defencemen and two goaltenders — will participate in the event.

Players will gather next Wednesday at the Hockey For All Centre for a team practice, then head west to play games against the prized young prospects of the Calgary Flames (Friday Sept. 13, 6 p.m. CT), Vancouver Canucks (Sunday Sept. 15, 4 p.m. CT) and Edmonton Oilers (Monday Sept. 16, 1 p.m. CT).

All contests will be streamed online at www.winnipegjets.com.

Winnipeg’s roster includes several recent top draft picks such as Chaz Lucius (2021, first-round), Nikita Chibrikov (2021, second-round), Brad Lambert (2022, first-round), Elias Salomonsson (2022, second-round) and Colby Barlow (2023, first-round).

Brayden Yager, the 14th-overall pick in 2023 recently acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Rutger McGroarty, will also take part.

Seventeen of the players have been drafted by the Jets, while the other nine are free agent invites including many under AHL contracts with the Manitoba Moose.

Once the tournament is over, many of the players will take part in the full Jets training camp, which begins on Sept. 18. Winnipeg plays the first of six preseason games beginning on Sept. 21, with the 82-game regular-season beginning Oct. 9.

There are already plenty of established players back in town holding informal daily skates at the Hockey For All Centre.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg