Jets prospects: Yager’s speed, playmaking on display for Canada

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/01/2025 (244 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s mostly about the present for the Winnipeg Jets, who sit near the top of the NHL standings with 56 points through 41 games this season.

But the organization currently has 22 drafted and developing prospects playing in various leagues and levels who could one day work their way up to the big club. Ten of them are currently with the Manitoba Moose, one is in the ECHL while the other 11 are scattered around the Canadian Hockey League, college and European clubs.

To help you keep tabs, we’ll check in on the kids each month over the course of the season.

---

Don’t pin Canada’s disappointing showing at the world juniors on its captain.

Brayden Yager certainly wasn’t an issue, as proven by the fact he was selected as the team’s top forward at the conclusion of the event. The 20-year-old Jets prospect had three assists in five games and was dominant in the faceoff circle while winning plenty of puck battles and showing off his speed and playmaking abilities.

No doubt failing to reach the medal round for a second straight year will sting on a personal level for Yager, who won’t be eligible for the tournament next year due to his age.

“It sucks,” he told a horde of media in Ottawa earlier this week following a quarterfinal elimination at the hands of Czechia.

On a Canadian team that couldn’t get out of its own way by taking penalty after penalty, it’s worth noting Yager didn’t spend a single second in the sin bin.

“There’s nothing we can change about it. There’s no point in really dwelling on it,” said Yager, who was asked about the pride he took in having the “C” stitched on his sweater above the Maple Leaf.

“It’s really special to be able to represent our country and to be part of the leadership group,” he said.

Now, the focus turns to finishing strong with his Western Hockey League club, which got off to a good start on Saturday as Yager scored his 13th goal of the year in his return to action.

The Saskatoon product now has 35 points (13G, 22A) in 24 games this year split between the Moose Jaw Warriors (21 games) and the Lethbridge Hurricanes (three games), who traded for him in December as they load up for what they hope will be a run to the Memorial Cup.

WHL:

-F Markus Loponen (5th round, 2024): It’s been a solid rookie season for the 18-year-old Finnish forward. Loponen has 23 points (10G, 13A) through 36 games with the Victoria Royals.

-F Connor Levis (7th round, 2023): The 20-year-old winger is starting to heat up and now has 33 points (14G, 19A) in 35 games this year with the Vancouver Giants — including 12 points (6G, 6A) in 10 December contests.

OHL:

-F Kevin He (4th round, 2024): He had a terrific December which included signing his pro contract with the Jets and putting up 16 points (5G, 11A) in 10 games with the Niagara Ice Dogs. The 18-year-old from Beijing is up to 49 points (25G, 24A) in 35. That’s only four fewer points than he had all last year — in 29 fewer games.

-F Kieron Walton (6th round, 2024): Like He, the 18-year-old might prove to be an absolute steal. The 6-6, 216 pound centre is now third-overall in league scoring with 62 points (23G, 39A) in 35 games. That includes an incredible December in which he he had 19 points (7G, 12A) in eight games with the Sudbury Wolves.

-F Colby Barlow (1st round, 2023): The 19-year-old just hasn’t really hit his stride this year, with 29 points (19G, 10A) in 35 games with the Oshawa Generals. A rough first training camp with the Jets, a snub by the World Junior selection committee and a step backwards in offensive production — he had 58 points in 50 games last year — is not ideal.

-F Jacob Julien (5th round, 2023): After posting 78 points in 67 games with the London Knights last year, Julien has just 23 points (8G, 15A) in 37 games this year.

COLLEGE:

-F Zach Nehring (3rd round, 2023): The 19-year-old from North Dakota has been a bit streaky in his first college season at Western Michigan but had a solid December (2G, 3A in four games) and is now up to 12 points (5G, 7A) in 18 games.

-D Garrett Brown (4th round, 2022): Brown is finally healthy after suffering a torn ACL last year after just eight games with the University of Denver. The 20-year-old son of former NHLer Curtis Brown has been held without a point through 18 games this year.

EUROPE:

-D Alfons Freij (2nd round, 2024): He’s the other piece from the Los Angeles Kings for Pierre-Luc Dubois (along with Gabe Vilardi, Alex Iafallo and Rasmus Kupari), and the 18-year-old defenceman has eight points (2G, 6A) in 28 games with Bjorkloven IF of the top Swedish men’s league.

-F Dmitry Rashevsky (5th round, 2021): It might be time for Winnipeg to take its best swing at getting him out of the KHL, where his role has been greatly reduced this year on a Moscow Dynamo team. After posting 43 points in 67 games last year, the 24-year-old has 18 points (11g, 7A) in 38 contests this year.

MANITOBA MOOSE:

The AHL club is languishing near the bottom of the league standings with a 7-19-2 record through 28 games prior to facing the Calgary Wranglers on Sunday night. They also recently terminated the contracts of two under-producing forwards — Daniel Torgersson (2nd round, 2020) and Henri Nikannen (4th round, 2019) — who have gone back to Europe to play.

-G Thomas Milic (5th round, 2023): A big sophomore slump for the young netminder, who is just 2-9-2 record, a 3.63 GAA and .865 SV%.

-F Brad Lambert (1st round, 2022): He got a brief look with the Jets (no points in four games) and currently leads the Moose in scoring with 14 points (3G, 11A) in 25 games. That’s a big projected drop from the 55 points (21G, 34A) in 64 games as an AHL rookie last year.

-D Elias Salomonsson (2nd round, 2022): Winnipeg’s top blue-line prospect has been out of the lineup since suffering a shoulder injury on Dec. 6 but is expected to return soon. He’s been a bright spot on the strugging squad, with 12 points (3G, 9A) through 17 games.

-F Danny Zhilkin (3rd round, 2022): He’s recently returned from an extended injury absence but has just one assist through 11 games.

-F Fabian Wagner (6th round, 2022): After going 16 games without a point for Linkopings HC in the top Swedish men’s league, the 20-year-old defensive forward recently joined the Moose and is still looking for his first point after nine AHL games.

-F Chaz Lucius (1st round, 2021): He’s finally healthy and playing a run of hockey, with six points (3G, 3A) through 14 games this year.

– F Nikita Chibrikov (2nd round, 2021): The young Russian had a nice stint with the Jets in December (2G, 1A in four games) but is now back on the farm where he has 13 points (5G, 8A) in 24 games.

-D Dmitry Kuzmin (3rd round, 2021): He spent some time in the ECHL last year after struggling at the AHL level but has shown some growth, with three points (1G, 3A) in 18 Moose games so far.

-D Tyrel Bauer (6th round, 2020): The rugged defenceman has one assist in 23 games this year to go along with 37 penalty minutes.

-D Simon Lundmark (2nd round, 2019): One of the final cuts from Jets camp has seven points (2G, 5A) in 25 games so far.

ECHL:

-G Dom DiVincentiis (7th round, 2022): He had impressive numbers this year as he began the season with the Moose — a 2-3-0 record, a 2.24 GAA and a .930 SV% — but was sent down to the ECHL affiliate (Norfolk Admirals) once the Jets reclaimed veteran Kaapo Kahkonen on waivers. The first-year pro has been terrific, with a 12-3-0 record, a 2.71 GAA and a .903 SV%. Given the struggles of Kahkonen and Milic with the Moose, perhaps a promotion will soon be in order.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg