The Winnipeg Jets announced today that they have signed forward Fabian Wagner to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal runs through the 2025-26 season and carries a cap hit of $858,333. Wagner was Winnipeg’s sixth-round selection in the 2022 NHL entry draft and is currently scheduled to take part in the Jets development camp in early July.
The Nykoping, Sweden native spent this past season back home playing with Linkoping’s junior and SHL teams. In the SHL he was held pointless in 22 games, however for their under-20 squad he put up 11 goals and 22 assists in 33 games. He found less success in the playoffs putting up just a single assist in four games.
At 6’0” and 176 pounds, Wagner is a bit undersized, however he is regarded as an excellent passer and a bit of a playmaker. Scouts also consider him to be patient with the puck and not a player who will try and force a play that isn’t there. He does have some playmaking to his game evidenced by his production as he has averaged around a point a game in the J20 Nationell as well as the World Juniors where he had two goals in four assists in seven games while representing Sweden.
Winnipeg has a lot of veteran forwards in front of Wagner on the depth charts, however depending on how their summer shakes out they could be entering a rebuild which would leave a lot of opportunities for him to make his mark in both the AHL and NHL. Wagner is likely a longshot to make it to the NHL, but if he can continue to develop his game in the Jets system, he may be able to breakthrough and play a role in Winnipeg’s bottom six. This contract indicates that the Jets are encouraged by the development of one of their late picks from last year’s draft and should give the 19-year-old some confidence when he comes over to North America to begin his professional career.
Hope he gets Rutger McGroarty’s skating coach as his skating speed and acceleration are his biggest liabilities.