Going into this season, the Winnipeg Jets are looking to get back on track as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, and some of that could come from fresh blood joining the roster full-time.
Toward the end of this past season, Brad Lambert became a fixture in the lineup, and as it stands now, both Elite Prospects and Daily Faceoff have the 22-year-old projected to make the roster. A pair of other prospects, though, remain bigger question marks heading into training camp: Brayden Yager and Elias Salomonsson.
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Salomonsson was a regular presence for the Jets over a portion of last season, but with the addition of Jack St. Ivany on the right side of the defense, along with Haydn Fleury also capable of playing that side, it’s not yet clear whether there’s a spot for him on this roster.
The former second-round pick from 2022 has finally grown into a defenseman ready to play at the NHL level, and last season he finally got the chance to show it, appearing in 32 games and recording a goal and four assists for five points with a minus-six rating.
The 21-year-old Swedish defender also spent 29 games with the Manitoba Moose at the AHL level, picking up a goal and eight assists for nine points and a minus-two rating. After returning from a concussion to help fuel the Moose’s playoff push, Salomonsson appeared in two games before sliding hard into the boards on a routine neutral-zone hit, an injury that ultimately required shoulder surgery and closed out his season.
Yager, also 21, may not be quite as ready to make the jump, but he’s making his own case. After playing his first full professional season with Manitoba, he produced 30 points in 68 games and closed things out strong with four points over seven playoff games. Some believe that next step is now Winnipeg.
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He did get a brief look at the NHL level late in the season, appearing in three games with the Jets. He didn’t record a point, but the taste of the top level, combined with an offseason of development, makes him a real candidate to push for a roster spot.
Yager and Salomonsson figure to be two of the more interesting names to watch once training camp opens, and either one could provide the kind of fresh look Winnipeg needs as it tries to move past its recent playoff disappointment.
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