The Winnipeg Jets could possibly be very effectively represented on the 2025 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship (WJC) in Ottawa this vacation season.
Right here, we’ll dive into the 4 candidates to signify their international locations on the thrilling and high-profile under-20 hockey occasion that begins Boxing Day and runs by Jan. 5.
Colby Barlow — Canada
Barlow received off to a sluggish begin after being dealt to the Oshawa Generals as the primary a part of a large commerce between the Generals and Owen Sound Assault, however continues to be a robust candidate to crack Canada’s roster.
Associated: Projecting Canada’s Roster for the 2025 World Junior Championship
The Jets’ first-round 2023 decide ought to have a chip on his shoulder to take action. Late final yr, he suffered a again harm that quashed his likelihood of taking part in for Canada on the 2024 WJC in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Barlow, who’s now 19 and hails from Orillia, Ontario, is as much as seven objectives and three assists for 10 factors in 19 video games after going pointless by his first six. Previous to being traded to the Generals, he captained the Assault for 2 seasons, posting 79 and 58 factors, respectively, and notching 40-plus objectives in every marketing campaign. He’s identified to own a depraved shot and for his bodily play.
Barlow is equally — if no more — well-known for his maturity and work ethic, two attributes that would act as stabilizing forces for Canada and provides him a leg up over his rivals, even when they’ve higher counting stats. Canada will enter the 2025 event in want of a rebound from a poor 2024 exhibiting the place they had been bounced by Czechia in a quarterfinal upset and didn’t look cohesive as a gaggle in any respect.
Barlow was invited to take part in Canada’s World Junior Summer time Showcase in late July and early August, that means crew brass definitely has their eyes on him.
Alfons Freij — Sweden
Freij, a smooth-skating defenseman and the Jets’ second-round 2024 choice, is in his first yr of WJC eligibility at 18 years outdated. Regardless of that. he ought to have a shot at making a Sweden membership that misplaced to the USA within the gold-medal recreation final yr and has not received gold since 2012.
Freij, at the moment taking part in for IF Björklöven within the second-tier Swedish skilled league HockeyAllsvenskan, is understood for having extremely well-developed pace, agility, and puck shifting abilities for somebody so younger. He has sturdy offensive upside — one thing even defenders have to have no less than a few of in a traditionally high-scoring event just like the WJC — and has been described as a “dynamic creator.” He put up 33 factors (14 objectives, 19 assists) in 40 video games final season for the Växjö Lakers J20 crew within the Swedish Hockey League.
Associated: Winnipeg Jets 2024 NHL Draft Recap
Freij beforehand represented Sweden on the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and on the 2024 U18 WJC. He additionally has first rate dimension at 6-foot-1, 196 kilos and is at the moment getting expertise taking part in in an expert league with no age restrict in Björklöven, the place he has one objective and three assists in 16 video games and a plus-2 ranking.
Markus Loponen — Finland
Loponen, a centre from Oulu, shouldn’t be a lock by any means to make Finland’s crew in his first yr of eligibility, however is within the dialog.
The Jets’ fifth-round 2024 choice, who performs for the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Victoria Royals, is in his first season of North American hockey. That could be a knock in opposition to him contemplating the event is in Canada this yr somewhat than in Europe, which has bigger ice surfaces he’s extra accustomed to.
Loponen, who previous to this season performed for U18 and U20 Oulun Karpat golf equipment in his hometown, has six objectives and 6 assists for 12 factors in 20 video games for the Royals.
At solely 18, he could also be a extra severe contender for the 2026 Finland WJC crew, as he’ll have had the possibility to develop and get a full season of North American hockey beneath his belt. He already has some management expertise, captaining Karpat’s U20 membership final season and placing up 25 objectives and and 29 assists for 54 factors in 49 video games.
He beforehand represented Finland on the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Brayden Yager — Canada
We opened with a participant with aspirations of taking part in for Canada in Barlow, and we’ll shut one set to return to the membership in a giant position in Brayden Yager.
Yager, who the Jets acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins in August in change for disgruntled prospect Rutger McGroarty, performed in final yr’s event, notching two objectives and three assists for 5 factors in 5 video games. He might simply be the crew’s first- or second-line centre this time round and can present his harmful launch, a veteran presence, and management to Canada’s quest to get again into the medal desk.
The Penguins’ first-round 2023 choice and Saskatoon product is in his fifth season with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors and was named captain in October. The 19 yr outdated, who will flip 20 on Jan. 3, sits second on the crew with 10 objectives and 14 assists for twenty-four factors in 17 video games.
Make sure you keep tuned to The Hockey Writers for in depth protection of each WJC crew main as much as and throughout the event.
