NNH.com offers an in-depth analysis of each of the 32 teams from August 1 to September 1. Today, the top five hopes of the Winnipeg Jets according to lnH.com.
1. Brad Lambert, C
How acquired: Selected in the 30th round of the 2022 draft
Last season: Winnipeg (NHL): 5 GP, 0-1-1; Manitoba (AHL): 61 GP, 7-28-35
Lambert is expected to play in the NHL full-time this season after spending the last two seasons in the American Hockey League.The 21-year-old center is a quick and talented attacker who will continue to work on his defensive game.
“His strength will be his speed and his ability to put the opponent on their heels,” noted Jimmy Roy, director of player development for the jets. “It’s not exactly the speed of [Nikolaj] Ehlers, but it’s close. And with this ability to make plays in transition and to exploit his speed, I believe that last season, he understood how to direct more pucks towards the net and beat the defender.”
Lambert (6 feet 1 inch, 173 pounds) got a taste of the NHL last season, and the Jets hope that he can help fill the void left by the departure of Ehlers, who joined the carolina Hurricanes as a free agent.
“His biggest challenge in order to make this jump was to become stronger, from the legs to the upper body,” said Roy. “I believe he got there this summer.”
Expected NHL Arrival: This season
2. Elias Salomonsson, D
how acquired: Selected 55th round of the 2022 draft
Last season: Manitoba (AHL): 53 GP, 5-22-27
Salomonsson (6-0, 172) won a championship with Skelleftea AIK from the Swedish Hockey League in 2024 before having a fruitful first season with the Manitoba moose in the American Hockey League last year. Salomonsson,21,is a talented defenseman at both ends of the ice,and Winnipeg would like him to develop to occupy a spot within the Top-4.
“The thing I like the most about his game is his ability to backpedal to recover the puck and make a good first pass,” noted Roy. “He is so consistent in this regard. When he was with the Moose last season, we could see how much our