Ice land local D-man Woo in Prospects Draft
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/12/2021 (1398 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The Winnipeg Ice now have a Woo factor.
Picking 18th overall in the first round of Thursday’s WHL Prospects Draft, the Ice nabbed Jonas Woo, a 5-9, 155-pound defenceman from the Winnipeg U18 AAA Bruins.
Woo was the third of four homegrown Manitobans chosen in the first round. Centre Clarke Caswell of Brandon and defenceman Josh Fluker of Boissevain were picked sixth and seventh, respectively, in the opening round by the Swift Current Broncos.

Meanwhile, Winnipeg’s Gavin Hodnett, a centre from the Rink Hockey Academy U18 Prep team, was chosen immediately after Woo by the Edmonton Oil Kings.
In total, 26 players from Manitoba were chosen. The Ice made 11 selections, including two from the home province.
Woo, a 15-year-old student at J.H. Bruns Collegiate, was the seventh of eight blue-liners chosen in the first round. His dazzling offensive skills and all-round game have long made him a contender for the first round and it didn’t hurt that he was following in a substantial family tradition.
His 21-year-old brother Jett, a defenceman with the Vancouver Canucks AHL affiliate in Abbotsford, B.C., was the fourth-overall pick in the 2015 WHL draft by the Moose Jaw Warriors. In addition, his dad Larry is an assistant coach with the WHL’s Ice.
Jonas Woo knows comparisons with his older brother will come up.
“We’re for sure two different players,” he said. “I mean, I watched his game a lot growing up. He’s a very (good) two-way defenceman. He’s very defensive. I think I’m more on the offensive side. I love to create offence; love to jump up in the play. We’re both very competitive players and I love his game, too.”
Jeff Sveinson, Jonas’ current coach with the Bruins, also coached Jett in the AAA Warriors system and was in good position to compare the brothers.
“(Jett’s) more of a power defenceman, he uses his body, size and girth well,” said Sveinson. “Jonas is certainly leaner… His mobility and puck-handling is exceptional. His edge work and is puck protection are exceptional. He’s one of those guys that doesn’t have to move to protect the puck — he just uses his body so well.”
When asked which players he tries to emulate, Jonas has lofty ambitions.
“(I) try to copy my game off (Colorado Avalanche star) Cale Makar,” said Woo. “Just his speed and how much he creates offence is huge. I mean, I love to jump up in the play and create scoring chances. I’d say a very two-way defender because I’m very solid on defence and I love to play any role I can.”
Thursday’s draft of 2006-born players, delayed since May by the pandemic, takes on additional significance this year. Each of the players selected would be eligible to play on a full-time basis in the WHL next fall. In theory, some of the could join their WHL teams as affiliate players almost immediately.
Woo’s main goal is being ready to make the Ice roster as a 16-year-old in 2022-23.
“Jonas puts a lot of time in so he’s certainly going to get stronger,” said Sveinson. “He does all the right things on and off the ice. He’s got to get stronger between now and next year — he’s certainly fast enough, he skates well enough and he handles the puck well enough. Does he have enough size and strength? That remains to be seen.”
mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @sawa14
History
Updated on Thursday, December 9, 2021 9:47 PM CST: Updates story