One Winnipeg Jets’ prospect is off to a scintillating begin to his Ontario Hockey League (OHL) season, whereas one other is off to a sluggish one.
He Dominating For IceDogs
Who leads the OHL in factors? He does.
No, this isn’t the beginning of a “Who’s on First?” kind comedy bit. It’s a reference to Kevin He — the Jets’ fourth-round choose within the most-recent NHL Entry Draft — who’s burning it up for the Niagara IceDogs early into his third season.
The very best-ever drafted participant born in China, He has potted 9 targets and added 9 assists for 18 factors in simply seven video games to guide his first-place staff and the league. The left winger has 5 multi-point video games below his belt already, and actually popped off with a six-point afternoon in opposition to the Brampton Beast on Oct. 6 that included his first OHL hat trick.
Jets common supervisor Kevin Cheveldayoff traded up on the draft desk to pick He 109th general, dealing his personal fourth-rounder (the 123rd-overall choice) and a seventh-rounder to the Buffalo Sabres to accumulate the 109th. The 109th initially belonged to the Philadelphia Flyers, however the Sabres acquired it in a March, 2024 commerce.
“We had been gazing our listing and when He was nonetheless sitting there, we simply felt we needed to be decisive there — we didn’t suppose he was going to be round that for much longer,” Cheveldayoff mentioned on the draft in Las Vegas.
The 18-year-old had 31 targets and 53 factors for the IceDogs final season and can shatter these numbers if he maintains his present tempo or something near it. Whereas He — who Cheveldayoff described as a “very severe particular person” and “articulate kind of individual” — remains to be some time away from turning professional full time, the group must be pleased with what they’re seeing. His early-season success comes after having fun with a robust coaching camp and taking part within the Younger Stars Traditional in Penticton, B.C. in September.
Barlow Struggling In New Environment
Barlow, in the meantime, has not had fun to this point with the Oshawa Generals membership he was dealt to because the centrepiece of an enormous commerce earlier this month. The 18th-overall 2023 choice is pointless in six video games and has a minus-5 score.
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For the previous two seasons, Barlow captained the Owen Sound Assault, posting 79 and 58 factors, respectively, and notching 40-plus targets in every marketing campaign. His ability and depraved shot usually are not in query, nevertheless it seems it’s taking him a while to get adjusted to his new teammates and a brand new teaching employees.
Barlow is well-known for his maturity and work ethic and the group is excessive on him as a possible future chief. They doubtless aren’t panicking about struggles by a six-game pattern measurement — particularly given his monitor file and that he’s fired 29 photographs on objective this season — however Barlow is probably going feeling some strain to begin producing prior to later.
In late 2023, Barlow suffered a again damage that quashed his probability of taking part in for Canada on the 2024 World Junior Championship (WJC.) The Orillia, Ontario product had an opportunity to showcase his stuff at Canada’s World Junior Summer time Showcase in late July and early August, however definitely gained’t need an prolonged early-season hunch to solid any doubt on his worthiness to hitch Canada of their quest for gold in Ottawa on the 2025 WJC over the vacations.
Barlow, who made his skilled debut final spring by taking part in three video games for the Manitoba Moose after the OHL season ended, could have been higher off within the American Hockey League than the OHL this season, however he was not eligible to hitch the Moose. Any Canadian Hockey League participant who is just not 20 by the tip of a calendar yr can’t be a part of an AHL staff full time (he doesn’t flip 20 till February, 2025.)
He & Barlow Proceed OHL Season This Weekend
Barlow and the Generals (3-5-1) play subsequent on Friday night time (Oct. 18) at house in opposition to the Peterborough Petes. Kevin He and the IceDogs (6-1-0) don’t play once more till Sunday (Oct. 20) after they host the Kingston Frontenacs. He’ll try to hold the nice instances rolling whereas Barlow will look to get off the schneid.
