With the 2024-25 junior hockey regular season over we review how Winnipeg Jets prospects did this season

With the final games being played on Sunday in the Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League all seven Jets prospects playing in those two leagues will be getting ready for playoffs which start on Thursday in the OHL and Friday in the WHL. We usually see the prospects at Development Camp in late June as well as at training camp and then they head to their respective junior clubs for the year and they aren’t usually back in Winnipeg until their junior season concludes and they end up being added to the Moose to get a taste of pro hockey.

OHL:

1. Colby Barlow (2023 1st): It was an unusual start to the season for the 18th overall selection in 2023 who was rumoured to want out of Owen Sound when he was at Jets training camp. He was dealt to Oshawa where he had a slow start to his season (1G 2A in ten games). Eventually he started to put it together picking up 58 points in his next 52 games. He finished with 32G 29 for 61 points in 62 games. His points per game ended up at 0.98 which was down from the 1.16 he had with the Attack the previous season and the 1.34 he had in his draft year.

Most productive game of the season: He had 4G 1A in January against Peterborough.
Playoffs: He and the 4th place Generals will be taking on the 5th place Brampton Steelheads starting on Friday.

2. Jacob Julien (2023 5th): The London product was looking to build on a very good sophomore season with his hometown Knights. They were a powerhouse this season which may have curtailed his usage. His production dropped this season to 11G 43A for 54 points in 65 games. Last season he had 29G 49A for 78 points in 67 games. So his points per game dropped from 1.16 to 0.83. He did sign his three-year entry-level contract with Winnipeg in early March.

Most productive game of the season: Had 3A in a game twice, once in October and once in March.
Playoffs: He and the 1st place Knights will be taking on the 8th ranked Owen Sound Attack starting on Friday.

3. Kevin He (2024 4th): When He was selected by the Jets in June in the fourth round he became the highest-drafted Chinese-born player in NHL history. Not knowing the type of player he was we discovered one with a motor that doesn’t stop. He’s got a tenacity that is quite evident when you watch his highlights. He followed up a 53 points (31G 22A) in 64 game season with one where he scored 36G added 39A for 75 points in 62 games. His points per game jumped from 0.83 to 1.21. He also got a three-year ELC with the Jets back in December.

Most productive game of the season: Had a 3G 3A game against Brampton early in the season.
Playoffs: He and the 7th ranked Icedogs will be taking on the 2nd place Barrie Colts starting on Thursday.

4. Kieron Walton (2024 6th): No prospect has caught folks attention quite like the Toronto product has this season. He had 43 points in 65 games for Sudbury last season and this year he demolished those totals. He had 38G 54A for 92 points in 66 games. He saw his points per game jump from 0.66 to 1.39. He finished with the most points of any Jets prospect in the league ending up 9th overall in the OHL. He was also 3rd overall in shots taken.

Most productive game of the season: Had a 19 game points streak which produced 45 points.
Playoffs: He and the 6th ranked Wolves will be taking on the 3rd place Kingston Frontenacs starting on Friday.

Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)

WHL:

1. Brayden Yager (2023 1st): After the big trade last summer which sent him to Winnipeg from Pittsburgh for Rutger McGroarty he was sent back to Moose Jaw where he was named captain. With the Warriors not expecting to have a strong team he was dealt to Lethbridge in early December. Later that month he was named captain of Team Canada’s World Junior team. He wasn’t quite as productive this season as he had been the prior one but he still produced. He finished with 25G 57A for 82 points in 54 games which is 1.51 points per game (down from 1.67 in 2023-24).

Most productive game of the season: He had a 1G 4A night against Prince Albert.
Playoffs: He and the 4th ranked Hurricanes will be taking on the 5th place Brandon Wheat Kings starting on Friday.

2. Connor Levis (2023 7th): The Vancouver product played his first full season for his hometown team after being dealt there in 2023-24 by Kamloops. He had 23G 33A for 56 points in 64 games which was down from his production the seasons prior. With the NCAA changing eligibility rules Levis declared his intent to play for Bowling Green State University next season. The Jets have until June 1st, 2025 to sign him to a contract.

Most productive game of the season: He had a 4G game in mid December.
Playoffs: He and the 6th ranked Giants will be taking on the 3rd place Spokane Chiefs starting on Friday.

3. Markus Loponen (2024 5th): The expectation was he would be playing in Finland with Karpat but he asked his contract be terminated so he could play junior with Victoria who drafted him in the import draft. He put up 19G 25A for 44 points in 65 games.

Most productive game of the season: Had a pair of 3A games.
Playoffs: He and the 2nd ranked Royals will be taking on the 7th place Tri-City Americans starting on Friday.