2025-26 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Winnipeg Jets’ Top 10

Aug 19, 2025, 11:00 EDTUpdated: Aug 19, 2025, 11:23 EDT

2025-26 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Winnipeg Jets’ Top 10

Credit: Steven Ellis

Welcome back.

It’s time for Daily Faceoff’s third annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses and so much more.

Here is the criteria for being labeled a prospect: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games or spent more time outside of the NHL than in it last year. Players over 23 years old are not included, and some prospects with fewer than 50 games, but played a full-time role for a long enough stretch, are left off. That’s more of a judgment call, though. Goaltenders are a bit more subjective, but they must be 25 or under, have played fewer than 15 games in the past season, or have not spent significant time in the NHL overall over a three-year period.

Today, we’re breaking down the Winnipeg Jets.

The Jets are fresh off their first Presidents’ Trophy in team history – and they’ve got a decent pipeline to boot.

Winnipeg still hasn’t won the Stanley Cup, but they continue to stay near the top of the standings. They haven’t converted many prospects into NHL stars in recent years. But if they were in a cap crunch and needed some immediate help, they have plenty of players listed below who could step up if needed.

The Jets don’t have a deep farm to choose from, and the Manitoba Moose were at the bottom of the AHL standings last year. But I actually don’t mind what they have. Compared to other top NHL teams, the Jets’ top prospects are above average. I feel like the good majority of the top 10 players listed below will become NHL players at some point. And that’s something many other pipelines can’t claim.

The TL;DR? This group isn’t anything special, but for where the Jets are, it’s not too shabby.

Biggest Strength

I like Winnipeg’s center depth. Brayden Yager is at the top – I think he could be the perfect No. 2 center option they’ve been craving for a while. There’s also Brad Lambert, although I wonder if there’s a better path forward for him as a winger. In terms of pure skill, he’s as good as it gets. Kieron Walton and Jacob Julien both have size, and I feel confident in their abilities to become NHLers. Having one or two notable centers in the pipeline is a good start, but nearly half the players on this list should become impact NHLers.

Biggest Weakness

The Jets are banking a lot of their defensive future on Elias Salmonsson and Sascha Boumedienne. Beyond that, I don’t like a single other defenseman in the system. I’ve given up on Ville Heinola (who is too old for this list, anyway), and they simply don’t have any other defenders worth getting excited about in waiting. I hope the Jets continue to use their draft resources to get help on the back end. They don’t have a second-round pick until 2028, but they at least have their next three firsts – for now.

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

*Brayden Yager (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

1. Brayden Yager, C, 20 (Manitoba Moose, AHL)

Acquired: Traded by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2024

I had a hard time deciding between Yager and Salomonsson at No. 1, but I elected to go with someone I’ve believed in heavily for more than half a decade. Yager has been productive everywhere he has gone, including playing a huge role in Moose Jaw’s Memorial Cup run in 2024. He was also one of Canada’s best players at the past two World Juniors, where he looked to be one of the few players who didn’t look overwhelmed by the competition. Yager is a two-way forward you can rely on at both ends of the ice, and he has an outstanding shot, too. It feels like he shoots more than your average two-way center, which I like. He’s not physically strong, but I doubt he’ll struggle with the physical challenges at the next level.

2. Elias Salomonsson, RHD, 20 (Manitoba Moose, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 55th overall, second round in 2022

Ask Jets fans who they’re most excited about and it’ll likely be Salomonsson. The 2022 second-rounder has come a long way over the past few years, and is finally starting to look like the star defensive prospect many thought he would be leading into the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s smart, physical and great with the puck, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him register 40 points this coming year in Manitoba. He’s a great skater with a big frame and he’s as defensively sound as you’ll find in this system. I hope to see him earn some NHL ice time this year before potentially going full time in 2026-27.

3. Brad Lambert, C/RW, 21 (Manitoba Moose, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 30th overall, first round in 2022

*Brad Lambert (Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images)*

Lambert’s stock dropped after a 20-point downturn this past year. On one hand, you still see the natural skill. On the other, his shot looked wildly ineffective and he just never looked at 100 percent. It’s not all Lambert’s fault – he had little to work with out there most nights. But for all the skill he has, there were far too many nights where Lambert just looked invisible, or he got stuck playing on the outside. I want to see him make a huge impression at training camp to potentially push his way into the lineup, but I’m not sure how that’ll possibly happen. I’m not giving up on Lambert, but we need to see some true development this year.

4. Colby Barlow, LW, 20 (Manitoba Moose, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 18th overall, first round in 2023

Barlow fell just short of a point per game and failed to register 40 goals for the first time in three years. But that doesn’t tell the whole story. For starters, he didn’t have to be “the guy” every single night for Oshawa like he was in Owen Sound. He also saved his best hockey for last, registering 33 points in 21 playoff games to finish third overall. Barlow works hard to hit everyone in sight, and while he’s not the world’s best skater, he makes up for it in pure effort. I have always wondered if Barlow could thrive outside of a scoring role and his increased tenacity makes me think he’ll be fine.

5. Sascha Boumedienne, LHD, 18 (Boston University, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 28th overall, first round in 2025

Boumedienne didn’t have explosive numbers in college, but he ended the year as one of the most interesting defensive prospects in the 2025 NHL Draft. Just based on his play from late February and onward, Boumedienne seems to have really honed in on his puck skills. You match that with his speed and his penchant for making high-risk, high-reward plays and there’s a ton to love. Boumedienne has high-end attributes that teams love, but he just needs to calm down and play at his own pace. If he can do that, he’ll be excellent. Expect him to have a big year at BU.

6. Nikita Chibrikov, LW, 22 (Manitoba Moose, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 50th overall, second round in 2021

*Nikita Chibrikov (Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images)*

Chibrikov missed a large chunk of time, but he still made it count. He put up solid numbers in Manitoba and even had three points in four games with Winnipeg. The undersized Russian winger loves to exploit open space and plays on the attack every time he hits the ice. He even likes to get physical, too. This season will all about building up consistency and staying healthy because he could be a legit middle-six scoring threat down the line. He’ll have a bit of catching up to do, but Chibrikov is a legit prospect.

7. Alfons Freij, LHD, 19, (Timra IK, SHL)

Acquired: Drafted 37th overall, second round in 2024

Freij is coming off his first year of pro hockey, putting up eight points in 29 games with Bjorkloven as part of an injury-impacted campaign. I also loved him internationally – he was the top defenseman in any of my U-19 national team viewings. Freij has the ability to be elusive with the puck and run a power play, but I do see some second-pairing potential while putting up 30ish points a year. With just some refinement, the 6-foot-1 defenseman could really take the next step in his development. His numbers have been solid, and I hope he continues to improve his defensive play in the SHL.

8. Kieron Walton, C, 19 (Sudbury Wolves, OHL)

Acquired: Drafted 187th overall, sixth round in 2024

Walton has gotten plenty of mentions on Daily Faceoff last season – and for good reason. He was one of the biggest risers throughout the season, living up to expectations some around the GTHL thought he’d meet in his U-16 AAA season. He’s a 6-foot-6 forward amid an absolutely monster year in Sudbury. Walton finished with 38 goals and 92 points – a 49-point improvement from the year before. A sixth-round pick in 2024, Walton has established himself as one of the most improved prospects. At the major junior level, he’s simply uncontainable. I can’t wait to watch how his game translates to the NHL.

9. Kevin He, LW, 19 (Niagara IceDogs, OHL)

Acquired: Drafted 109th overall, fourth round in 2024

Speaking of steals by Winnipeg, He was taken 109th overall in 2024 and already looks like a legit prospect. He finished with 75 points in 62 games – a solid 22-point increase from his draft year (although his pace quieted down in the second half of the season). He’s a speedy, hard-working winger who can play with anyone – few prospects move like he does. The Beijing-born forward is also an exceptional shooter, and 40 goals should be on tap for him in his third OHL campaign. Scouts were unsure of what type of player he’d become, but He has shown potential as a middle-six workhorse.

10. Jacob Julien, C, 20 (Manitoba Moose, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 146th overall, fifth round in 2023

Jacob Julian of the London Knights — *Jacob Julien (Natalie Shaver/OHL Images)*

Julien’s regular-season numbers took a bit of a dip last year, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. He’s a solid playmaker who makes it his mission to be difficult to play against. He never gives up on any shift, and he has the skating fluency you like from someone standing 6-foot-4. Julien will never be a point-producer at the next level, but his work ethic and tenacity make him a perfect candidate for a bottom-six position. The ceiling might not be high for Julien, but I expect him to be a solid NHLer.

The rest: Fabian Wagner, C (21), Danil Zhilkin, C (21), Owen Martin, C (18), Viktor Klingsell, RW (18), Jacob Cloutier, RW (18), Markus Loponen, C (19), Zach Nehring, RW (20), Garrett Brown, RHD (21), Edison Engle, LHD (18), Isaak Phillips, LHD (23), Thomas Milic, G (22), Domenic DiVincentiis, G (21), Isaac Poulter, G (23)

Top NHL Prospects for 2025-26

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