Winnipeg Jets are no. 13 in 2023 Prospect Pool Rankings (Wheeler/the Athletic)

[https://theathletic.com/4119239/2023/01/28/jets-nhl-prospect-pool-rankings-2023/?source=emp\_shared\_article](https://theathletic.com/4119239/2023/01/28/jets-nhl-prospect-pool-rankings-2023/?source=emp_shared_article)

Tier 1

1. Chaz Lucius, C

>There are times when I’d like to see him create more of his own looks but with the right linemates and good health, I expect him to get back on track toward a top-six scorer projection.

2. Rutger McGroarty, LW/RW

>If he can get a little quicker from the jump, he’s got all of the other makings of a legitimate top-nine forward who can play up and down a lineup with a variety of player types.

3. Brad Lambert, C/RW

>There’s a boom or bust prognostication for him though because of some of the inconsistencies and the requirement that he’s going to have to play in a top-six role in the NHL. But I believe in his ability to do both of those things with the right development and I hope he can build more of an identity to his game down the stretch with the Thunderbirds

Tier 2

4. Ville Heinola, LD

>I’m confident he’s got more to offer at the NHL level than we’ve seen to date. He may well finish as a third-pairing guy in the end, but he’s capable of being more of a No. 4-5 than a No. 6-7 and I think he’ll get there once he builds more confidence.

Tier 3

5. Elias Salmonsson, RD

>His problem at times in the past has been that his actual tools are better than the way he utilizes them. That was something I was comfortable betting on when I ranked him 39th on my final draft board for 2022 (the Jets took him 55th). He’s capable of becoming a productive top-six NHL defenceman.

6. Dmitri Rashevsky, RW/LW

>Rashevsky is defined by his high-energy, decisive and quick attacking style. But he has shown me more skill as both a handler who can create for himself and a natural finisher … and I’m sure the Jets will do what they can to get him signed when the time comes.

7. Nikita Chibrikov, RW/LW

>When he’s engaged in the fight and keeping his feet moving, there’s a lot to like about his ability to impact a shift … in a variety of ways as an equal part finisher and playmaker. He projects as a middle-six winger with some skill if all goes well.

8. Dmitri Kuzmin, LD

>Though his game will always tilt toward offence, his play defensively has actually exceeded my expectations since making the move to North America… he’s strong for his size. I see an AHL offensive defenceman floor and offensively inclined third-pairing defenceman ceiling.

Tier 4

9. Danny Zhilkin, C

>The physical makeup is already there. His speed and quick hands both get really high grades and can catch your eye. His defensive game has become a real strength … \[But\] his production hasn’t found that next echelon like you’d hope it would for a player with his tools.

10. Anton Johannesson, LD

>When healthy, he’s as mesmerizing a defenceman as you’ll find in the 2002 age group. He plays the game exactly how it is designed to be played today, with an ease and fluidity that is uncommon in defencemen his age… whether or not he has a future with the Jets, I think he’s going to play his way into a trip to North America at some point… He’s too talented to be playing in \[SWE 3rd league\], to be sure.

11. Fabian Wagner, RW

>Wagner’s a straight-line, honest forward who plays hard, can skate, gets his shot off with great balance and leverage in motion, can play with good players, and always seems to find a way to be effective… he’s probably a long shot to reach \[NHL player\], but I liked him as a sixth-round pick.

12. Daniel Torgersson, LW/RW

>Torgersson is a big, strong, athletically and physically mature kid who can really shoot the puck. He’s tough to handle on the wall and at the net-front but he’s also got standout puck skill one-on-one… If he can put it all together and get back on track, there may be a complementary depth scorer with some size and surprising skill in there

13. Arvird Holm, G

>Holm’s the classic, cliched, “he gives you a chance to win” goalie. And while he has never struck me as more than that, those guys often make good No. 3 goalies and fine No. 2 goalies. Neither his tools nor his numbers have ever screamed “starter” but he has been consistently good over an extended period of time across multiple levels.

14. Jared Moe, G

>He’s a big (6-foot-4), heavy (220 pounds) goalie who tracks the play well, fights through traffic, and controls his movements through good habits… I’d sign him, give him some continuity, and see if you can get a No. 2/3 out of him.

15. Dom Divincentiis, G

>Divincentiis is a mobile and fairly athletic 6-foot-2 goaltender who moves to pucks to make his saves but doesn’t have to scramble as much as young goalies who play that style typically do … watch out for him to play his way into the conversation for Team Canada at the 2024 world juniors.

by etchiboi