With their sixth round pick the Winnipeg Jets selected German defender Leon Gawanke from the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the QMJHL. Gawanke was playing for Berlin’s Under 19 club team before coming over last year. He recorded 32 points including eight goals in 54 games last year in his first year in North America.
Gawanke fits the profile of defencemen that the Jets have been taking this year: big. He is 6’1” and 181 pounds so he could stand to put on some weight. On the other hand, he is a strong power play defender for the Screaming Eagles. He is however, still growing defensively and needs more to focus on his positioning if he is to make it at a higher level.
In the fifth round it is unlikely that a player will be taken who will make the NHL and if they do it will take time for them to get there. This seems to be the case with Gawanke.
