Winnipeg Jets rank No. 19 in NHL Pipeline Rankings for 2023
The Jets organization has been stuck in the middle the last few years. Their roster has been good, not great, and as a result, they have acquired a lot of mid-first-round picks. Their system as a result is average. They have some very good players, but not high-echelon ones, and it’s mostly at the forward position.
Key addition: Colby Barlow
2022 ranking: No. 16
2023 NHL Draft grade: B-
Player Ranking
Drafted: No. 10 in 2020
Tier: Bubble top and middle of the lineup player
Skating: Below NHL averagePuck skills: Above NHL averageHockey sense: High-endCompete: NHL average
Shot: Below NHL average
Analysis: When healthy, Perfetti has been an impressive young NHL player for the Jets. His skill and especially his vision stand out at the NHL level. He has the patience and IQ to run an NHL power play and score a lot of points. His frame and skating are concerns, though. He’s not that fast, and at 5-foot-11 that is more pronounced. The multiple recent injuries are also a minor concern when discussing his frame. However, I do think Perfetti can be a good top six wing in the NHL and he’s still on track for that.
Drafted: No. 18 in 2023
Tier: Bubble top and middle of the lineup player
Skating: NHL averagePuck skills: NHL averageHockey sense: NHL averageCompete: Above NHL average
Shot: High-end
Analysis: Barlow is a well-rounded winger. He is a strong skater who can transport pucks through the neutral zone. He’s a hardworking forward who has some physicality, can kill penalties and is quite physically advanced for his age. Offensively he has excellent stick skills and a great shot. He’s a threat to score off the rush and from a standstill with his one-timer. Barlow’s playmaking isn’t his selling point, but it’s good enough, especially with how skilled he is at creating scoring opportunities for himself. He projects as a top-six wing who can play on both special teams in the NHL.
3. Rutger McGroarty, RW
Drafted: No. 14 in 2022
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: Below NHL averagePuck skills: NHL averageHockey sense: NHL averageCompete: High-end
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: McGroarty played a large role on a top NCAA club and for USA’s World Junior team. He’s not the flashiest player in the world, but McGroarty has NHL skill to go with excellent compete. He’s a gamer who wins a lot of battles, gives an honest effort every night and can be relied on in all tough situations. He can score goals, make plays and create around the net. His biggest issue is his skating, as he lacks NHL footspeed and has an awkward skating stride. I think the work ethic is good enough to compensate, and that he could be a second line wing.
4. Chaz Lucius, C
Drafted: No. 18 in 2021
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: Below NHL averagePuck skills: Above NHL averageHockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Analysis: Lucius is a tough evaluation case. He’s super skilled and a very talented goal scorer. He’s so good inside the dots in the offensive zone and has the skill to make highly difficult plays in small areas. He’s not hard to play against, but gets to the net and has courage. Lucius is often injured, though, and it is a concern how little hockey he’s played in the last few years. He’s also not a great skater. He’s played a lot of center and can be a good pro down the middle, but I’m not sold he’s a top six center. I still think he can be a top six forward.
5. Brad Lambert, C
Drafted: No. 30 in 2022
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: Above NHL averagePuck skills: NHL averageHockey sense: NHL averageCompete: Below NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Lambert has been very up and down as a prospect over the last few seasons. That was exemplified this season when after a tough start in the AHL and a brutal world juniors, he went to the WHL and tore it up in the second half, helping to lead Seattle to a WHL title. He has all the natural talent in the world. Lambert is a fantastic skater with clear NHL speed and edges. He can make highly skilled dekes at full flight. He’s a creative offensive player, who is better individually than as a passer but can make and finish plays. Lambert’s consistency is a major issue, though. He often disappears for long stretches and can frustrate coaches. I do think he has an NHL career as a middle six forward because the pure skill plus speed is too good.
6. Dmitri Rashevsky, RW
Drafted: No. 146 in 2021
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: Below NHL averagePuck skills: NHL averageHockey sense: NHL averageCompete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Rashevsky has developed into a quality KHL forward at a young age who looks like he will be a longtime pro. He’s shown he has the skill, IQ and shot to be an offensive threat at the KHL level. He can run a power play off the flank due to his variety of offensive gifts. His skating is just OK and while he has good enough compete, I wouldn’t call him a high-energy type. He’s a good player, who looks like an NHL talent, but he just extended for two more years with Dynamo Moscow so it remains to be seen when if ever he plays for the Jets. I don’t think he’s a lock to have an NHL career when he comes over, either.
7. Ville Heinola, D
Drafted: No. 20 in 2019
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: Below NHL averagePuck skills: NHL averageHockey sense: Above NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Analysis: Heinola has been a good AHL defenseman whose gotten some NHL games over the past few seasons but hasn’t been able to stick in the big leagues. He has NHL puck-moving ability. He’s very intelligent and poised and can make tough offensive plays. Whether Heinola can defend in the NHL is the question. He’s fine in the AHL, but he’s not that physically imposing and just an OK skater. For those reasons, I’m unsure that he has an NHL career.
8. Nikita Chibrikov, RW
Drafted: No. 50 in 2021
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: NHL averagePuck skills: Above NHL averageHockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Analysis: Chibrikov was traded from SKA to Spartak last summer. His time with Spartak went just OK and then he signed with the Jets. There is no doubting Chibrikov’s skill. He can break shifts open with his stick handling, and do so at a pro pace. He sees the ice well and can run a power play. He’s not the biggest winger and while he skates fine it’s not elite quickness even though I do see him get by pro defenders well at times. His consistency hasn’t been there as well versus men like it was as a junior. That part will need to improve if he’s going to have an NHL career.
Has a chance to play*
Drafted: No. 207 in 2022
Analysis: Divincentiis had an excellent season and was named OHL goalie of the year. He’s a highly intelligent goalie who squares up a lot of pucks and is quick enough to have a real chance to be an NHL goalie. His slightly below-average size is the only real knock and whether the quickness is high-end enough for the frame.
Dmitry Kuzmin, D
Drafted: No. 82 in 2021
Analysis: Kuzmin is an excellent skating defenseman with very good offensive skills and IQ. He competes well enough and can defend well in junior, but he’s a small defenseman and defending pros will be a question especially given I wouldn’t call him a true dynamo offensively to compensate.
Drafted: No. 210 in 2023
Analysis: Levis is a good-sized winger with strong puck skills and vision. Inside the offensive zone and on the power play he’s able to create for himself and his teammates because of his strong hands and vision. He has a decent shot but is more of a pass-first type of wing. Levis’ downsides are that he’s not a great skater and he’s an average-compete type. There is talent to bet on, but Levis will need to show significant improvements at one end of the ice to have a projected NHL role.
Simon Lundmark, D
Drafted: No. 51 in 2019
Analysis: Lundmark is a good-sized right-shot defenseman who can skate well and make some stops. His puck moving is just OK. It’s good enough to be a longshot to make it but that’s the question in his game.
Drafted: No. 82 in 2023
Analysis: Nehring is a big winger with good puck skills and scoring ability. He also plays hard and doesn’t shy from using his large frame in physical play. I think he has some offense, but I don’t think he’s the most instinctive forward and don’t see him making a ton of tough plays. His skating is also just OK for me. The physical tools are good enough even with the lack of footspeed to have a chance to make it if some offense translates to higher levels and he maintains that mean style of play.
Henri Nikkanen, C
Drafted: No. 113 in 2019
Analysis: Nikkanen is a big center with decent hockey sense and can kill penalties. His skating stride is quite heavy, though.
Elias Salomonsson, D
Drafted: No. 55 in 2022
Analysis: Salomonsson is a mobile defenseman with a high-end shot. I wouldn’t call either his offense or defending high-end, but he’s good enough at both ends to have a real chance to make it.
Daniel Torgersson, LW
Drafted: No. 40 in 2020
Analysis: Torgersson is a big, heavy winger who is good around the net, has some skill and can score goals. His skating is an issue that could keep him out of the league, though, and his offensive touch doesn’t truly stand out.
Danil Zhilkin, C
Drafted: No. 77 in 2022
Analysis: Zhilkin is a strong skating center with good skill who can shoot the puck well. His hockey sense is a question, though, and his offensive outputs over the last two seasons have been a disappointment.
*Listed in alphabetical order
Player Eligibility: All skaters who are 22 years old or younger as of Sept. 15, 2023, regardless of how many NHL games they’ve played, are eligible. Player heights and weights are taken from the NHL.
Tool grades: Tool grades are based on a scale with six separate levels, with an eye toward how this attribute would grade in the NHL (poor, below-average, average, above-average, high-end and elite). “Average” on this scale means the tool projects as NHL average, which is meant as a positive, not a criticism. Skating, puck skills, hockey sense and compete for every projected NHL player are graded. Shot grades are only included if a shot is notably good or poor.
Tier Definitions: Tiers are meant to show roughly where in an average NHL lineup a player projects to slot in.
