Big Hype Prospects: Zharovsky, Barlow, Nestrasil, Zajicek
Welcome to PHR’s Big Hype Prospects series. Like the MLB Trade Rumors series of the same name, we’re taking a look at the performances of top prospects from across the hockey world. We’ll look at drafted prospects who are rising, others who are struggling, and prospects for the upcoming draft who are notable.
Four Big Hype Prospects
Alexander Zharovsky, RW, Montreal Canadiens (Ufa Salavat Yulayev, KHL)
31 GP 11G 17A 28pts
The Montreal Canadiens are currently benefiting greatly from the nightly performances of star rookie Ivan Demidov, a hugely talented Russian winger with the kind of offensive ability that can dazzle fans on a nightly basis. Demidov’s excellent rookie season does not come as a huge surprise to most, as just last season he managed to lead his KHL team in scoring — a hugely impressive feat for an 18-year-old player.
And yet Demidov may not be the only Canadiens prospect to accomplish that feat. Zharovsky, the club’s top selection at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, currently leads the KHL’s Ufa Salavat Yulayev in scoring with 28 points in 31 games. The next-highest scorer, veteran Jack Rodewald, has 25 points in 39 games. Just one other player on the team has reached the 20-point mark.
The fact that Demidov led SKA in scoring last season threatens to leave Canadiens fans somewhat jaded at the prospect of another youngster leading his KHL team in scoring. But they should be reminded that the KHL, Russia’s top professional league, is a circuit with a longstanding reputation of being notoriously difficult for teenage players to gain a foothold in. Demidov himself had to contend with this, sometimes finding himself in an extremely limited role in SKA’s lineup despite his obvious talent.
Zharovsky’s brilliant 2025-26 campaign thus far has served as a clear indication that the Canadiens likely nabbed a first-round caliber talent in the early portion of the second round of the draft. Zharovsky was one of the fastest-rising players of last year’s draft process. He barely registered on scouting radars early last season. NHL Central Scouting did not include him on their preliminary watch list last October, nor was he ranked in the midterm rankings in January. Central Scouting caught onto Zharovsky by the end of the season, ranking him No. 5 among international skaters in their final rankings.
Most public-facing outlets had Zharovsky ranked in the early to middle portion of the second round of the draft, as high as No. 35 (TSN’s Bob McKenzie) and as low as No. 49 (Corey Pronman of The Athletic). In his ranking, Pronman wrote that while Zharovsky’s MHL production “needs to be looked at with a grain of salt,” due to the fact that he managed those numbers “in the clear worst division in that league.” He finished writing Zharovsky “could be a bottom six wing,” but it’s clear the Canadiens disagreed.
In their media availability following the draft, the Canadiens’ co-directors of amateur scouting Nick Bobrov and Martin Lapointe indicated to the media that not only did they project Zharovsky as a future top-six winger, but they also had him ranked on their draft board inside the first round, right around the slot of the two first-round picks they ultimately dealt to the New York Islanders in the Noah Dobson trade.
While it’s still far too early to tell whether Zharovsky will live up to the Canadiens’ expectations or fall more in line with Pronman’s projection, the early returns have been extremely promising for Montreal. Just as he did in the MHL, Zharovsky’s KHL performance will likely be met with some skepticism due to the fact that the division Zharovsky plays in, the Chernyshev Division, is arguably the league’s weakest.
But it is nonetheless extremely impressive to see a winger of Zharovsky’s age lead his team in scoring in his rookie KHL campaign. Zharovsky was named a KHL All-Star and the league’s rookie of the month for October and November. He ranks second in scoring in the KHL among all players aged 22 and younger, behind only Chicago Blackhawks prospect Roman Kantserov, who is 21 years old. While we won’t know for some time whether Zharovsky will truly end up as the top-six offensive talent the Canadiens believe he can be, his progression at the moment has been highly encouraging.
Colby Barlow, RW, Winnipeg Jets (Manitoba Moose, AHL)
25 GP 2G 3A 5pts
Of the first 20 picks of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, just four selected players have yet to make their NHL debut: No. 5 pick David Reinbacher (MTL), No. 14 pick Brayden Yager (PIT, traded to WPG), No. 18 pick Barlow (WPG), and No. 20 pick Eduard Sale (SEA). While the pace of a prospect’s development is no sure indicator of that player’s future NHL success, and it must be repeatedly emphasized that player development is not a linear process, it is still notable when a highly-drafted prospect begins to fall behind his peers.
In Barlow’s case, he appears to have fallen behind quite considerably. This is actually not the first time Barlow has appeared in the Big Hype Prospects series, as he also was covered in a September 2024 article written by colleague Gabe Foley. Foley correctly noted that Barlow was a lock to be traded from his OHL team at the time (the Owen Sound Attack) and expressed some hope that the expected OHL trade would provide Barlow with some much-needed momentum in his final year before turning pro.
While OHL trades provided a spark for other CHL first-rounders to have hugely productive final campaigns in junior hockey (Conor Geekie and Matthew Savoie were two names specifically referenced by Foley) that didn’t happen for Barlow, who scored 32 goals and 61 points in 62 games as a member of the Oshawa Generals.
While Barlow did score at a higher rate in the second half of the year, and did follow up the regular season with a stellar postseason run (33 points in just 21 games), it appears he hasn’t been able to translate that momentum into tangible production to start his pro career.
Barlow is now 25 games into his first full season in the AHL, and he’s managed just five points.
The 20-year-old has long been viewed as a potential NHL sniper, with his shot credited as one of his standout tools. Pronman wrote in August that “Barlow’s calling card is his shot” but noted that “his offensive inconsistency is a concern.”
Elite Prospects’ Lauren Kelly wrote around the same time that Barlow’s “playmaking showed significant growth” in Oshawa, and that the development “bodes well for his move to the AHL.”
Breaking down exactly why Barlow’s offensive momentum appears to have stalled at the AHL level isn’t a simple task. He does get to play with some talented linemates, currently skating alongside 2022 first-rounder Brad Lambert and 2021 second-rounder Nikita Chibrikov.
But neither Lambert nor Chibrikov have been particularly productive this season. Despite having linemates that are, on paper, of high quality, Barlow hasn’t had the chance to play all that much this season. He ranks last in average ice time per game among all Moose skaters with at least 20 games played this season.
Given Barlow’s struggles in his rookie AHL campaign and the Moose’s apparent reluctance to play him higher in the lineup on a regular basis, it could be that a change of scenery ends up the best outcome for both Barlow and Winnipeg.
Barlow has, without question, thus far failed to live up to the Jets’ investment of a first-round pick in him. And Barlow could argue that the Jets have similarly failed to give him the kind of high-minute AHL role that would allow him to build momentum early in his pro career.
As the Jets look to plot their way forward amidst a deeply disappointing 2025-26 NHL campaign, they could seek to acquire reinforcements for their NHL roster via trade. If they end up doing so, Barlow could be one of the top prospects the Jets elect to trade in one of those transactions.
Vaclav Nestrasil, RW, Chicago Blackhawks (UMass Amherst, NCAA)
18 GP 10G 10A 20pts
If there’s one single player archetype that is most widely coveted across the NHL, a strong argument could be made that it’s a forward who combines devastating size and physicality with a high level of offensive skill. Those players come few and far between, and when one manages to establish himself at the NHL level, there’s usually no shortage of teams trying to line up to acquire his services.
Selected No. 25 overall at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, Nestrasil has a very real chance of becoming that kind of player at the NHL level. The 6’5″, 190-pound winger still has a ways to go in terms of his physical development to reach that point, but the start to his collegiate career has been extremely impressive.
The Blackhawks’ selection of Nestrasil No. 25 overall was met with some skepticism. The player managed only 42 points in 61 USHL contests as a member of the Muskegon Lumberjacks, which is below the typically expected level of production for a first-round pick.
Though Nestrasil’s 13 points in 14 playoff games did help Muskegon win the Clark Cup Championship, his eventual draft ranking varied wildly in the public sphere. The team at Elite Prospects ranked him No. 26 on their board, but most other outlets ranked him somewhere in the 35-45 range. He was even ranked as low as No. 65, by TSN’s Craig Button.
While most scouts commended Nestrasil’s energy level, non-stop motor, and ability to impact a game even when he couldn’t score, many questioned whether he’d be able to bring a level of consistent production that would justify the investment of a first-round draft choice.
Nestrasil’s first 18 games of college hockey have gone a long way towards addressing — but not permanently silencing — those skeptics. He has managed 10 goals and 18 points, good for second on the team behind undrafted 22-year-old Jack Musa.
Because other freshmen players are also having an incredible start to their NCAA career (Pittsburgh Penguins 2025 first-rounder Will Horcoff has 19 goals in his first 20 games, for example), Nestrasil’s sharp improvement in offensive production over last season has flown more under the radar than it perhaps deserves to. But if any Blackhawks fans decide to tune into Amherst games this season, it’s possible they could be watching a long-term linemate for franchise face Connor Bedard.
The team is still searching for long-term pieces to pair Bedard with, and Nestrasil’s compete level, size, physicality, and offensive touch could complement the star center quite well. There’s still a ways to go before Nestrasil reaches that point, but so far in his NCAA career, Nestrasil’s stock appears to be rapidly rising.
Simon Zajicek, G, Boston Bruins (Providence Bruins, AHL)
12 GP 10-1-1, .934 sv% /1.93 GAA
The history of free agent imports from European professional leagues is a spotty one. Where there have been teams that have found considerable success bringing over star players from top European pro circuits, others have seen their investments flame out and quickly return to the other side of the Atlantic. For every Karel Vejmelka or Alexander Radulov there appears to be five Jan Kovar‘s or Jakub Jerabek‘s.
The Bruins have traded away a considerable number of draft picks over the last half-decade as a result of the organization’s push to win the Stanley Cup within that time frame. Those moves have depleted the Bruins’ prospect pool, and left their scouts with fewer resources at their disposal to replenish that pool of prospects.
One route organizations in that sort of a position often take to try to maintain a pipeline of young players despite having fewer draft picks is signing free agent players from the NCAA, the CHL, or the European pro circuit. Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman is an example of a hockey operations executive that has been aggressive in his targeting of European free agents, and he had some success doing so with the Chicago Blackhawks, landing long-term NHL players such as Antti Raanta, Erik Gustafsson, and most notably, Artemi Panarin.
The Bruins appeared to try to replicate his approach this past summer when they signed Zajicek, a netminder from the Czech Extraliga. In his age-23 season, Zajicek led the Extraliga in save percentage, putting up a .930 mark across 29 games played. The year prior, he posted a .909 save percentage across 20 games for HC Litvínov.
Zajicek was signed to form a tandem with AHL star Michael DiPietro, and despite his inexperience in North American pro hockey, Zajicek has been stellar to start his AHL career. Through 12 games, Zajicek has gone 10-1-1 with a .934 save percentage. His performance, along with the strong performances of DiPietro, have helped Providence rank No. 2 in the AHL in fewest goals surrendered so far in 2025-26.
While it’s too early to tell whether Zajicek’s performance is truly a reflection of a promising NHL future or more of a product of a high-quality defensive environment around him, his stellar form to start the year does suggest that he may end up making a push for an NHL role in Boston or somewhere where there is more of a pressing need for goaltending.
Photos courtesy of Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
Islanders, Jets Explored Brock Nelson Trade At Deadline
The New York Islanders landed a Trade Deadline steal when they sent aging veteran Brock Nelson to the Colorado Avalanche for top prospect Calum Ritchie, defenseman Oliver Kylington, and draft picks in the 2026 first-round and 2028 third-round. But new reports have shared that New York could’ve found a jackpot return even if their offer with Colorado fell through. Marco D’Amico of Responsible Gaming reports that the Winnipeg Jets were also aggressive in their pursuit of acquiring Nelson – and were ready to offer a package very similar to Colorado’s. D’Amico specifies that Winnipeg would have offered up one of Brad Lambert, Brayden Yager, or Colby Barlow in the return, in addition to future draft capital.
New York can rest happy with how things ended up, but acquiring one of Winnipeg’s top names would have been just as lucrative. All three prospects offer their own upside, led by 2023 14th-overall pick Brayden Yager, who scored 82 points in just 54 WHL games this season. He also chipped in 14 points in 16 playoff games – but fell short of the championship run he went on with the Moose Jaw Warriors last season. Yager is likely headed for the pros next season, and could rapidly rise up Winnipeg’s depth chart with a hot start to his career.
Lambert is another top prospect, though expectations around him have cooled slightly after he scored 35 points in 61 AHL games this season – 20 fewer than he managed in 64 games last year. Lambert’s a dynamic and skilled forward, but is still a bit small for pro competition. He offers plenty of upside, but will need to first rediscover the scoring he posted last year.
Barlow is perhaps the most unheralded of the bunch after wrapping up his age-20 season in the OHL. He scored 32 goals and 61 points in 62 games this year. That mark continued his quiet slide down the OHL leaderboard – after he posted 40 goals and 58 points in 50 games last year, and 46 goals and 79 points in 59 games of his draft year in 2022-23. But Barlow intercut that with three points in three AHL games at the end of last season, and could translate as a hard-nosed scorer with pro-level physicality.
But while all three prospects carry reason for upside and reason for question, D’Amico specified that a deal with the Jets fell through because Nelson was unwilling to waive his no-trade clause to head to Canada. He instead waived it to land in Colorado, earning the Islanders the rights to Ritchie just a few months after he made the NHL roster directly out of training camp. Ritchie played in seven games and scored his first NHL goal before returning to the OHL for a dominant season. He posted 70 points in 47 regular season games, and 25 points in 21 playoff games, while serving as the clear-cut top center on an Oshawa Generals lineup that made it all the way to the OHL Championship.
Snapshots: Knies, Brossoit, Barlow, Gustafsson
While the Maple Leafs have been working on (and might be nearing) an extension with pending UFA defenseman Jake McCabe, meaningful talks haven’t started with another one of their 2025 free agents. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports in their latest Insider Trading segment that there hasn’t been any meaningful dialogue regarding a new deal for winger Matthew Knies, who will be a restricted free agent next summer. The 21-year-old had a solid rookie season in 2023-24, collecting 15 goals and 20 assists in 80 games and appears to be one of their younger building blocks up front. That said, it wouldn’t be surprising if at least one of the two sides has indicated that they’d rather wait to see how things go this season to get a better sense of his value before kickstarting talks later on.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- While the Blackhawks won’t have their newest goaltender available for the start of the season, it appears he won’t be out for too long. Head coach Luke Richardson told reporters including Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link) that Laurent Brossoit is on track to return roughly midway through their season-opening four-game road trip to start the season, meaning he might only miss a couple of games. The 31-year-old posted a 2.00 GAA with a .927 SV% in 23 games for Winnipeg last season, earning Brossoit a two-year, $6.6MM contract on the opening day of free agency this past summer.
- After requesting a trade earlier in the week, Jets prospect Colby Barlow is indeed on the move. OHL Oshawa announced that they have acquired the 19-year-old forward from Owen Sound in exchange for two players and six draft picks. Barlow was the 18th overall selection in 2023 following a 46-goal campaign with the Attack. However, his offensive numbers dipped last season although he still managed 40 goals and 58 points in 50 games before getting into three AHL contests. Barlow is too young to play there full-time this season but will be AHL-eligible next year, making this a pure one-year rental for the Generals.
- Still with the Jets, Murat Ates of The Athletic relays (Twitter link) that forward David Gustafsson is listed as day-to-day due to a lower-body injury sustained in Wednesday’s game against Calgary. The 24-year-old played in 39 games with Winnipeg last season, notching three goals and four assists. He inked a two-year, $1.67MM one-way contract with the Jets back in July.
Central Notes: Boldy, Middleton, Marino, Bjugstad, Kaiser, Barlow
The Wild have upgraded winger Matt Boldy‘s status from week-to-week to day-to-day, head coach John Hynes said Tuesday (via NHL.com’s Jessi Pierce). He hasn’t been ruled out of Friday’s preseason game against the Blackhawks, a strong sign he’ll be available when Minnesota opens its regular season against the Blue Jackets on Oct. 10.
Boldy was initially termed week-to-week on Sep. 23 with a lower-body ailment, but the team wasn’t concerned he’d miss any regular-season action. That appears to be the case. He’s been skating since Saturday.
His presence is crucial for the Wild. The 23-year-old set career highs last season with 40 assists and 69 points in 75 games, finishing second on the Wild’s 21st-ranked offense in scoring. With most of their bottom six either declining or overtaxed in offensive roles, he’s an irreplaceable source of secondary scoring behind Kirill Kaprizov, at least until Minnesota’s next wave of prospects hits their stride.
It’s not all good injury news for the Wild today, though. Defenseman Jacob Middleton is now day-to-day with bruising, Hynes added, but isn’t expected to miss their season opener, which is still nine days away.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- The Utah Hockey Club may be without a top-four stalwart on defense for its first-ever game. John Marino‘s availability for the season opener is now in doubt after missing all of training camp to date with an upper-body injury, per ALL Utah Hockey’s Craig Morgan. The team will know more about his timeline for a return next week, Morgan added, but for now, he hasn’t been ruled out of any action past then and is still day-to-day. They’re also not expecting center Nick Bjugstad back until Nov. 1, per Morgan. He’s out with an upper-body injury, but his absence isn’t new. He was already ruled doubtful for the start of the season last week.
- Defenseman Wyatt Kaiser has been mysteriously absent from Blackhawks camp thus far, but that’ll end soon. The Blackhawks told the Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope that an undisclosed concern popped up during his pre-camp physical that required “some invasive testing.” He’s passed all of them, though, and will begin ramping up to game speed. The 22-year-old is a strong candidate to land on the opening night roster after posting seven assists and an even rating in 32 games with Chicago last year.
- Jets prospect Colby Barlow has officially requested a trade in the OHL from the Owen Sound Attack, Postmedia’s Greg Cowan reports. Winnipeg returned Barlow, the No. 18 overall pick in 2023, to Owen Sound on Sunday. The 19-year-old left winger had 40 goals in 50 games last year but recorded only 18 assists for 58 points, placing him fourth on the team in scoring overall. He won’t be reporting to Owen Sound’s camp at all, Cowan adds, so expect him to be on the move before the start of the OHL regular season.
Big Hype Prospects: Benak, Demidov, Barlow, Eliasson
The hockey world has one final hurdle to get through before the hustle-and-bustle of the regular season – presently shrouded by the start of the college football and NFL seasons. To cut through that cloud, we’ll once again borrow the Big Hype Prospects series from MLB Trade Rumors and break down some of the prospects getting attention heading into the 2024-25 season.
Four Big Hype Prospects
F Adam Benak, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
2024 USHL Preseason: 6 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 TP
The USHL Pre-Season was bound to be headlined by Youngstown Phantoms tender Adam Benak – a starring Czech prospect and client of prolific NHL agent Allan Walsh. He brings a wealth of experience, most notably scoring eight points in eight games at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and 24 points in 26 games with the Czech U18 team through friendlies and tourney play. But even knowing that precedent, his start in the USHL has been shocking. Benak got the primary assist on the first goal of Youngstown’s pre-season – and while it was his only point of game one, he managed five points (1 G, 4 A) in Youngstown’s second pre-season game. Granted it was against a Green Bay lineup clearly not at full strength, but Benak nonetheless played at a step above everyone else, showing power in his strides and confidence on the puck. He worked best with winger Jack Hextall – Youngstown’s starring tender from the 2008 birth year. Hextall is still adjusting to junior-level physicality, but thrived in the tempo and space that Benak was able to create. His next game will be Youngstown’s season opener on September 18th, but Benak’s ability to control possession shined through in his pre-season action. There’s no telling how high on 2025 Draft boards the undersized, but highly-skilled centerman could climb if he carries that momentum into the regular season.
F Ivan Demidov, SKA (KHL)
2024 KHL Regular Season: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 TP
The start of the KHL season has brought the first look at Ivan Demidov, now the Montreal Canadiens’ newest top prospect. He’s served that title well, making SKA’s KHL roster with dominant pre-season performances, and – perhaps more impressively – admirably filling a third-line role through the year’s first two games. SKA has gained notoriety for how they’ve deploy their star teenagers over the last few years, though it seems Demidov is playing above that ire through the early going. There’s no denying Demidov’s prowess. He’s dominant on the puck, showing control at top speeds and using his body to defend possession while driving the net. He’ll be near the top of the shortlist when it comes to exciting prospects to follow this season – especially if he continues earning routine ice time in SKA’s lineup.
F Colby Barlow, OHL
2023 OHL Regular Season (Owen Sound): 50 GP, 40 G, 18 A, 58 TP
Early year speculation has Colby Barlow as near-certainly bound for a trade away from the Owen Sound Attack. Where he’s headed hasn’t yet come clear, but it seems the Winnipeg Jets first-round pick will have a chance to join a stronger roster after scoring six fewer goals and 15 fewer assists last season, compared to the 2022-23 season. He still managed a 40-goal season, speaking to his assured scoring and offering intriguing upside for the winners of Barlow’s trade sweepstakes. Pre-season trades led other top NHL prospects like Matthew Savoie and Conor Geekie to bountiful seasons last year, with both players turning pro this summer. Now, it could be the precedent to a big year for Barlow, hopefully providing momentum into his transition into Winnipeg’s pro flanks.
D Gabriel Eliasson, OHL
2023 J20 Nationell Regular Season: 36 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 TP
Gabriel Eliasson is hard to ignore. Literally – he’s 6-foot-7, 216-pounds. But he caught scouts attention for more than just his size – also flashing impressively fluid skating, strong puck control, and – above all else – an old-school style of headhunting. Eliasson seemed to study at the Jacob Trouba school of hitting-defensemen, earning a total of 200 penalty minutes through 65 total games last season, split between league and international play. He’s a high upside bet – with the size and control to play high levels, but lacking poise. Still, the Ottawa Senators were willing to gamble on Eliasson early, taking him 39th-overall in the 2024 NHL Draft. Now, reports claim that Eliasson is headed to the OHL, rather than making his expected move to the USHL’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and the Big Ten’s University of Michigan. Eliasson was selected by the Niagara IceDogs in the most recent CHL Import Draft, though additional info suggests he could be traded when Import trades open on September 25th. Fans will have to wait in anticipation for that move, though the thought of Eliasson in the OHL is certainly an interesting one. His reckless abandon would have been well-matched in Cedar Rapids, while the OHL could better encourage the fluid play-driving that makes his skillset so unique. While Eliasson may not be a star at the heights of his peers on this list, his unique frame and heavy hitting will make him an exciting name to follow – whether it be in the OHL or USHL.
Winnipeg Jets Reassign Colby Barlow To AHL
After being eliminated by the Saginaw Spirit in the First Round of the 2024 OHL playoffs, the Owen Sound Attack will be losing one of their best players over the last three seasons. Earlier, the Winnipeg Jets announced they have reassigned forward Colby Barlow to their AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, ending his career in the OHL.
Barlow originally came to the Jets organization by way of the 2023 NHL Draft, as the team selected him with the 18th overall pick in the first round. Shortly before the beginning of the 2023-24 NHL season, Barlow signed a three-year, $3.6MM entry-level contract in Winnipeg, with the contract likely starting next season.
Over three years in Owen Sound, Barlow played in a total of 168 games, scoring 116 goals and 184 points while also chipping in nine goals and 12 points in 15 total postseason contests. As advertised, Barlow has a tremendous ability to put the puck on the net from nearly any angle of the offensive zone.
With only six games remaining in the regular season for the Moose, they will need to win between three and four of those contests to qualify for the 2024 Calder Cup playoffs. Since the team is still effectively in the playoff hunt, it will allow Barlow to play in meaningful games to end his season.
Central Notes: Barrie, Barlow, Spurgeon
The Nashville Predators announced today that defenseman Tyson Barrie has suffered an upper-body injury and is out on a day-to-day timeline. Barrie did not play in the team’s loss last night against the Carolina Hurricanes.
It’s been a difficult season for Barrie, who has not performed up to expectations under the new regime in Nashville. The Predators have reportedly given Barrie permission to seek a trade. Seeing as the 32-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent, Barrie’s performance this season is of heightened long-term importance to the player, so it makes sense that he would look elsewhere for a more advantageous situation in order to enter the open market on the strongest footing possible. But before he can even consider that, he’ll now need to focus on getting back to full health.
Some other notes from the Central Division:
- One of the Winnipeg Jets’ top prospects, Colby Barlow, is returning to the lineup of his OHL team the Owen Sound Attack. (News via Jets reporter Jamie Thomas) Barlow was selected 18th overall by the Jets at this past summer’s draft and is in the midst of a crucial development season with Owen Sound. He has not played since November 8th, but when healthy scored nine goals and 14 points in 14 games.
- Minnesota Wild captain Jared Spurgeon has a “decent chance” of returning from injury to play in the team’s game Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets, according to The Athletic’s Michael Russo. That would be a big add for the Wild, as Spurgeon has not played since December 10th. The Wild have fared well in his absence but they surely miss the heavy minutes he plays. If nothing else, his return could help lessen the workload placed on the shoulders of rookie Brock Faber, who has gotten close to 30 minutes in several games since Spurgeon got hurt.
Winnipeg Jets Injury Notes: Ehlers, Capobianco, Barlow
Unable to play in either contest against the Edmonton Oilers earlier in the week, Nikolaj Ehlers appears to be out even longer. Still dealing with the lingering effects of neck spasms, Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press reports that Ehlers will miss tonight’s game against the Calgary Flames, as well as Friday’s game against the Ottawa Senators.
Missing a handful of regular season games from 2020-2022, Ehlers spent one of his longest bouts on the injured reserve last season, missing six weeks of action due to a hernia. Only suiting up in 45 games, the Winnipeg Jets are hoping this injury does not continue to linger.
There is reason for optimism, as Wiebe notes that Ehlers is progressing nicely through the injury, but without being able to play a single game in the preseason, Ehlers may need a bit longer to acclimate himself than other players on the opening night roster. Although this is positive news in terms of his eventual return to the ice for Winnipeg, there is no specific timetable set for Ehlers’ return.
Other Winnipeg injury notes:
- In the same report, Wiebe writes that Jets’ depth defenseman, Kyle Capobianco, will be left off the roster for tonight’s game against the Flames due to a groin injury. Instead, the 164th overall selection of the 2020 NHL Draft, Tyrel Bauer, will take his place in the lineup. After agreeing to a deal with defenseman Logan Stanley in mid-August for the 2023-24 NHL season, Capobianco will be hard-pressed to find a spot on the Jets’ blue line to start the season, even after playing in 14 games for the team last year.
- Lastly, in his return from an illness that kept him out a few days, Winnipeg’s first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, Colby Barlow, will return to the ice with the team. Unable to find himself in the lineup for a preseason game up to this point, Barlow could see his first taste of professional action as early as tonight against Calgary.