Sizzling start continues for Jets prospects

The Winnipeg Jets have taken a bit of an “out with the old, in with the new” approach this year, with young players such as Viggo Bjorck, Brayden Yager, Isak Rosen, Tyrel Bauer and Elias Salomonsson all on the current roster.

And there may be more where that came from.

Winnipeg has another dozen drafted and developing prospects getting valuable experience down on the farm with the Manitoba Moose right now, and 16 others skating in various junior, college and pro leagues around the globe.

The Free Press will check in on the kids every month. Here’s our latest installment, with all statistics updated through Sunday:

Manitoba Moose:

The good times keep rolling, where the mighty Moose are off to a 10-4-0 start to the season. That has them tied for third in points and fifth-overall in point percentage in the American Hockey League.

They’ve scored 53 goals, trailing only the Grand Rapids Griffins in that department, and are getting contributions from plenty of top prospects.

While the high-octane offence is fun, especially for a group that couldn’t buy a goal a year ago, the goaltending tandem of Dom DiVincentiis and Thomas Milic has been stellar.

DiVincentiis, the seventh-round pick from 2022, is 4-3-0 with a sparkling 2.01 goals-against average and .936 save percentage in his seven starts. Milic, a fifth-round pick from 2023, is 6-1-0 with a 2.97 GAA and .905 SV%.

The Jets have a crowded crease right now with Stuart Skinner, Nico Daws and Clay Stevenson, and you wonder how that’s going to resolve itself. If one of Stevenson or Daws were to be put on waivers and pass through — a rather unlikely scenario — the Moose situation could get a lot more muddy.

In terms of the offence, forward Danny Zhilkin (third round, 2022) leads the team in scoring with 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 14 games and is likely next in line for a promotion following the one Yager recently received.

Nikita Chibrikov (second round, 2021) is heating up, boasting 10 points (4G, 6A) in 14 games. Colby Barlow (first round, 2023), has three goals and three assists so far — as does rookie Kevin He (fourth round, 2024). Jacob Julien (fifth round, 2023) is right behind them with five points (1G, 4A), while defenceman Alfons Freij (second round, 2024) is off to a nice start with four points (2G, 2A).

Brad Lambert (first round, 2022) cleared waivers earlier this week after being sent down by the Jets and recorded an assist in his first two games with the Moose as he tries to build his game and his confidence.

Forward Fabian Wagner (sixth round, 2022) doesn’t have a point yet through six games and has been a healthy scratch at times, while forward Kieron Walton (sixth round, 2024) and defenceman Garrett Brown (fourth round, 2022) are both getting close to returning from injuries that have delayed their debuts this season.

Canadian Hockey League:

The organization is a little lean right now when it comes to junior hockey in this country. There are just four prospects — two in the Western Hockey League, one in the Ontario Hockey League and one in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.

That’s almost as many as the Jets currently have on their second line, with WHL grad Yager, OHL grad Cole Perfetti and QMJHL grad Dawson Mercer.

Starting in the ’Dub, Oakbank’s Owen Martin (third round, 2025) is off to a dynamic start with the Spokane Chiefs, where he set a career high last year with 56 points (26G, 30A) in 65 games. He’s already up to 11 goals through 12 games this year, along with five assists.

And defenceman Noa Ta’Amu (seventh round, 2026) already has five points (2G, 3A) through 10 games with the Edmonton Oil Kings after recording 12 points (3G, 9A) in 62 games last season.

Forward Jacob Cloutier (seventh round, 2025) has been steady for the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL, with 15 points (6G, 9A) through 17 games as he looks to build on the 47 points (22G, 25A) he had in 64 games with the club last year.

And speedy defenceman Alexandre Taillefer (fifth round, 2026) is up to 11 points (3G, 11A) in 16 games with the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL — just four off the career-best he set last year.

United States Hockey League:

The goalie pipeline might have another good one in Samuel Hrenak, who is dominating in his second year with the Fargo Force.

A third-round pick back in June, Hrenak has posted a 2.10 GAA and .934 SV% in 12 games so far this season, going 10-2-0.

College:

The Jets have their largest crop of college kids, with eight prospects currently combining hockey and a post-secondary education south of the border.

Starting with the forwards, Zach Nehring (third round, 2023) has four points (2G, 2A) through nine games with Western Michigan, where he totalled 17 points (5G, 12A) in 35 games last year. He’s turning into a true power forward who is expected to turn pro in the spring.

Connor Levis (seventh round, 2023) is tearing it up with Bowling Green State, registering nine points (2G, 7A) in his first seven games. To put that in perspective, he had just five points (4G, 1A) with the same club in 31 games last year

Markus Loponen (fifth round, 2024) has two goals in his first eight games with Lake Superior State after playing overseas last year.

Zach Wooten (fourth round, 2026) went without a point in his first game for the University of Wisconsin and has been sidelined with injury.

Landon Hafele (sixth round, 2026) has six points (1G, 5A) in nine games for Arizona State.

Turning to the blue line, Sascha Boumedienne (first round, 2025) is adjusting nicely to life at Ohio State with four points (1G, 3A) in eight games after playing the last two years at Boston University, where his career-high was 13 points in 40 games.

And Edison Engle (sixth round, 2025) — who is teammates with Nehring at Western Michigan — has a goal and an assist through three games this season.

Finally, in net, John Parsons (seventh round, 2026), is 5-2-0 through seven starts at Providence with a 1.85 GAA and .934 SV%.

Overseas:

The Jets have three players in international waters right now.

Centre Alexander Command (first round, 2026) is the new addition to the organization, coming over as part of the Connor Hellebuyck return. He has 13 points (7G, 6A) with Orebro HK in the top Swedish junior league, but no points in seven games with the top pro club.

Forward Viktor Klingsell (fifth round, 2025) has 12 points (4G, 8A) in his first 17 games with Kalmar of the Swedish first division, where he finished last year after dominating the junior league in that country.

Both Command and Klingsell played for Sweden in the Five Nations junior tournament that wrapped up on Sunday, which is a showcase of hopefuls on the World Junior radar.

And we continue to include Dmitri Rashevsky in this round-up, even though it seems unlikely he’s ever going to come to North America. The fifth-round pick from 2021 has started his seventh season in the KHL, with six points (2G, 4A) in 22 games with Omsk Avangard.

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