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We are six weeks away from the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. Now that we know that the Winnipeg Jets hold the eighth overall selection, we can start looking at what prospects may be available for them to select when their turn arises. This assumes, of course, that Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff does not trade away the pick.
Off the board
Barring any surprises, the following players should already be off the board when it’s time for the Jets to make the eighth selection:
- Gavin McKenna
- Ivar Stenberg
- Caleb Malhotra
- Chase Reid
- Keaton Verhoeff
If any of these players surprisingly slip in the Draft, they would be great options for the Jets management to swoop in and select.
Realistic options
Carson Carels
Carels is a 6’2 left-handed defenceman who was born and raised in Cypress River, Manitoba. It would be quite the story for the Jets to draft the local prospect. In 58 games with the Prince George Cougars this year, Carels put up 73 points (20G, 53A). He projects as a top pairing, all
situations defenceman. The only downside is that the Jets are already very deep on the left side of their defence. Josh Morrissey, Dylan Samberg, Alfons Friej and Sascha Bouwmedienne are all left-handed defenceman in the Jets organization. If the Jets were to draft Carels, their
management should strongly consider trading one of their other left-handed defenceman once Carels is ready for the big club.
Daxton Rudolph
Rudolph is a six-foot-two right-handed defenceman who just finished an incredible season with the WHL Prince Albert Raiders. Throughout the regular season and the playoffs, Rudolph was among the league leaders in points by a defenceman. Unlike the left side of their defence, the Jets are relatively thin when it comes to depth on the right side of their blueline. With the exception of Elias Salomonsson, and perhaps Garrett Brown, there are no other high-end right-side defenceman in the Jets farm system. Drafting Rudolph would really solidify the right side of the Jets’ blueline for years to come.
Tynan Lawrence
Lawrence is a six-foot-1 centreman that split his 2025-2026 season between the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL and Boston University in the NCAA. He is committed to playing with Boston University for the 2026-2027 season. Drafting Lawrence would allow the Jets to take another swing at finding another long-term centre for the organization. If he has a good season with BU, Lawrence could potentially turn pro and sign his entry-level contract with the Jets in early 2027.
Viggo Bjork
Bjork is a small (five-foot-10 officially) centreman that had a great season playing against men in the Swedish Hockey League. He also had a good showing with Team Sweden in the most recent World Junior tournament. On that gold medal Swedish team, Bjork tallied 9 points in 7 games (3G, 6A). His skillset closely mimics that of long-time Jets fan favourite Nikolaj Ehlers. Bjork is committed to play in the SHL for one more season.
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