Flight Training: Winnipeg Jets Prospect Report February 2018

If a player is currently up with the Winnipeg Jets, they are ineligible for this list. And I’m not saying Craig Button is wrong, buuuuutttt....

Top Ten Prospects

1. Kristian Vesalainen (18) - HPK Hameenlinna (SM-liiga) - 26 GP - 8G - 11A - 19PTS - 2PIM

Kristian Vesalainen is the Jets’ top prospect. He’s second on his pro team in points, despite being the youngest player on the roster. He is also 15th in Liiga scoring, and has 17 points in 13 games since returning from the World Junior Hockey Championship.

2. Sami Niku (21) - Manitoba Moose (AHL) - 39GP - 8G - 19A - 27PTS - 16PIM

Sitting in second in points among AHL defenders, and tied for fifth in AHL rookie points, Niku looks to have a spot on the left side of the Jets D Corps all lined up in the near future.

3. Mason Appleton (22) - Manitoba Moose (AHL) - 39GP - 12G - 23A - 35PTS - 20PIM

Tied for the AHL lead in points, Appleton has exploded onto the scene in his rookie season. A sixth rounder in 2015, he is one of a number of pieces (Kyle Connor, Jack Roslovic, Erik Foley, Sami Niku) from that draft that are panning out nicely.

4. Erik Foley (20) - Providence (NCAA) - 28 GP - 13G - 18A - 31PTS - 14PIM

Foley leads the Providence College Friars in scoring, and is third in Hockey East scoring. Foley will have one more year of eligibility after this season. He is majoring in business economics. Yay school!

5. Mikhail Berdin (19) - Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL) - 10GP - 10-5-1 - 2.76GAA - .924 SV% - 0 SO

It’s unfortunate he didn’t get into any games at the WJHC, especially with Russia crashing out earlier than usual.

6. Logan Stanley (19) - Kitchener Rangers (OHL) - 49 GP - 13G - 23A - 36PTS - 93PIM

Four points in his last 10 games is a slip in production, but he should get more chances in the playoffs with Kitchener.

7. Skyler McKenzie (20) - Portland Winterhawks (WHL)- 54GP - 40G - 33A - 73PTS - 39PIM

Forty goals is nothing to sneeze at in any league at any age, and the season isn’t over yet.

8. Dylan Samberg (19) - Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA)- 28GP - 0G - 6A - 6PTS - 33PIM

I guess Craig Button watched the World Junior Hockey Championship too, because Samberg’s a good player but his offensive game isn’t impressive enough to have him higher than this.

9. Jordy Stallard (20) - Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)- 53GP - 34G - 35A - 69PTS - 24PIM

Stallard is a player that I liked both last year and this year. He tore his labrum last year after joining the Raiders from the Calgary Hitmen and missed considerable time. He is proving that he has healed quite well.

10. Leon Gawanke (18) - Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)- 47GP - 4G - 23A - 27PTS - 37PIM

A fifth rounder in this year’s draft, this could be another diamond in the rough draft find for Chevy and Co. He played well for Germany in the Division I World Junior Championships, and is one of two 18-year-olds on this list.

Manitoba Moose - AHL

With a large amount of players (Roslovic, Petan, Lemieux, Hutchinson, Comrie) up with the NHL club, the AHL roster is a little depleted at the moment.

Nelson Nogier suffered an injured shoulder in the Jets’ first exhibition game and has not played this season. At the time of his injury, he was expected to miss 4-6 months. The most recent prognosis was “March or April” on a return.

CHL/NCAA/ECHL/EUROPE

Luke Green also suffered a shoulder injury in training camp that will keep him out a total of 4-5 months, which is why he has not played for Sherbrooke in the QMJHL this season.