NOAH KING #7
DEFENCEMAN // SHOOTS LEFT // 6’4” 215 LBS
BORN: JULY 2, 1999 // WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
10 GOALS | 18 ASSISTS | 28 POINTS
ABOUT ME
I was a typical Canadian kid. I played up the ranks from Bantam to Midget in Winnipeg and was drafted by Swift Current in the WHL. I didn’t sign there until my 16-year-old year and didn’t go there and play until 17 but then got sent back to the MJHL to the Winnipeg Blues. At 18, I went to Swift Current. In my 19-year-old year, I got traded to Spokane and finished my 19- and 20-year-old years in Spokane. After that, I signed a pro contract with the Stockton Heat (AHL). Because of COVID, it was a shortened year with no playoffs in the AHL, but I also got loaned to the Manitoba Moose for about a month that season. After that, I came to the Dinos.
LAST HIGHLIGHT
Definitely winning the WHL in 2018 with Swift Current was pretty special. Also, playing my first pro game was pretty special as well.
THE FUTURE ME
I’m majoring in economics at the U of C, but I’m looking at switching to psychology. If hockey didn’t work out after university, I could go into a Master’s program in psychology (or) law. I wouldn’t mind exploring the European side of hockey, but I would want to get my degree first.

AVANTI HOMES USPORTS PLAYER OF THE MONTH NOAH KING

There are mixed feelings around the Jets’ fan base about what this “evolving” Winnipeg team can accomplish this season. Blake Wheeler and Pierre-Luc Dubois are gone, a trio of ex-Kings are now Jets, and Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck remain surrounded in a haze of uncertainty. But let's not dismiss the fact that this new version of the Jets still has a talented lineup capable of winning games. Especially against their own division; the Central is wide open.So really, the formula for the Jets to make the playoffs is quite simple. Perform well against your own division. This is why inter-divisional games are often referred to as having a “four-point” significance. Win, and not only do you collect two points, but the team you defeat loses the opportunity to bank their own two points — the net result equaling four points. Last season, the Jets landed the final wildcard position to qualify for the playoffs, thanks in large part to an 18-8 record against their own (Central) division in which they collected 36 of their 95 points. On the flip side, they combined for a 15-17 record against the Eastern Conference’s Metro and Atlantic division teams. Not great. So, while I don’t anticipate Winnipeg’s record against the East improving, due in part to the grind of travel and the overall strength of the conference, the Jets still have a viable path to replicating a strong performance against their own division in order to earn another playoff berth — and ideally that all-important third place Central finish.However, this success might very well come down to how Winnipeg matches up against three key divisional opponents. Let’s play a game of elimination. At the top of the Central are the Colorado Avalanche, once again primed to take a run at the Cup, and the Dallas Stars, a roster quickly developing into one of the League’s most complete. So let's assume — barring major injuries or any other unforeseen developments — that the Aves and Stars earn the two top spots in the Central. Sure, the Jets still need to pick up some wins against these teams, but a season-series result close to .500, such as the 2-2 record the Jets managed versus Colorado last season, should be all that can be realistically expected. At the other end of the spectrum are the Arizona Coyotes and Chicago Blackhawks who are still in rebuild mode and teams the Jets need to — and should — dominate in order to make the playoffs. Last season, the Jets combined for a record of 7-0 against these basement dwellers (*not a big deal). But is that repeatable? Arizona’s roster looks deeper, and Chicago will be boosted by the “Traveling Bedard Show.” Winnipeg would be foolish not to fully prepare for these “expected-to-win” matchups. It's the NHL after all. The level of parody is much higher than most other major sports leagues. Just ask my PlayNow account.So this leaves us with the teams in the Central that, depending on how the Jets perform against them, will ultimately decide Winnipeg’s playoff fate. Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, Minnesota Wild. Last season, Nashville finished with 42 wins — only three points behind Winnipeg for the final playoff spot. So, as you can see, the Jets’ 3-1 season-series record against the Preds was critical to stay ahead of Nashville in earning that final playoff spot. But, like Winnipeg, Nashville’s roster went through significant change this offseason. Subtractions of Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen gave way to the signings of Ryan O’Reilly, Luke Schenn, and Gustav Nyquist. However, the real X-factor this upcoming season in “Smashville” will be the continued development of their young, homegrown forward group. Last season, the Preds ranked a dismal 27th overall in goals-for. Not exactly filling the net. Subsequently, this weakness was something the Jets exposed in head-to-head matchups against Nashville, allowing only five goals over four games. But the progression of Luke Evangelista, Thomas Novak, and Juuso Parssinen, combining for 83 points in 120 games across much of their first taste of NHL action last season, should be enough to help rejuvenate Nashville’s finishing ability alongside perennial top scorers Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg. Simply put, this Nashville offense may be equally as dangerous as Winnipeg’s this season. Defensively, however, is where the Jets have an edge. While both teams deploy a potential Vezina winning goaltender — Juuse Saros ranked fourth in voting last season, one spot behind Hellebuyck — Winnipeg’s top-six defensive-unit should be a difference maker. Sure, the Preds have Roman Josi, one year removed from his 96-point campaign and always a threat to take over a game on his own, but questions surround much of the remaining defensive core that struggled at times in their own end last season. However, with new head coach Andrew Brunette on board and the legend himself Barry Trotz at the helm upstairs, looking to put his own stamp on this team, you can bet Nashville isn’t quite ready to call it a rebuild. Look for the Jets to play close, critical games against the Preds this season in which a win or loss may be the difference between making the playoffs or not. The St Louis Blues’ 2022-23 season was their worst in 15 years. It was a significant backstep for an organization that hasn't missed the playoffs since winning the Stanley Cup in 2018-19. There’s no way to sugar-coat it. Starting goaltender Jordan Binnington tantrumed his way to a 3.31 GAA and .894 SV% on the season (as well as a two-game suspension for an incident against Minnesota), and leading scorer Jordan Kyrou’s -38 plus/minus would have set a PGA Tour four-round scoring record.On par with taking advantage of the Blues’ struggles like much of the rest of the league did, the Jets finished the season-series matchup vs. St. Louis with a 3-1 record, scoring 13 goals along the way. So, how do the Jets project against the 2023-24 version of the Blues? Well, St. Louis’ organizational direction is a bit of a head-scratcher. Although GM Doug Armstrong shipped out Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko for picks and prospects — evidently sensing a lost season — he also added NHL veteran forwards with upside in Kevin Hayes, Kasperi Kapanen, and Jakub Vrana. I guess, similar to the Jets, this iteration of the Blues is still hoping to be competitive. The messaging being “retooling not rebuilding.”On paper, the Jets and Blues match up fairly closely. Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou are similar offensive weapons to Ehlers and Connor, and, sure, maybe we can say Mark Scheifele edges out Brayden Schenn slightly as a higher-ceiling-centre on the plus side of 30. But while the Jets’ top-six defensive unit has only three players over 30, the Blues’ D-core is truly an elderly bunch — for NHL standards at least. In fact, the Blues’ top five defensemen — Nick Leddy, Torey Krug, Justin Faulk, Colton Parayko, and Marco Scandella — are all between the ages of 30 and 33. The verdict? If Connor Hellebuyck can continue to substantially outperform Jordan Binnington in goal (as he's done) and the Jets continue to expose the Blue’s aging defensemen (as they did), this Central matchup could be one more well-placed Jenga cube at the top of Winnipeg’s hopes for a top-three divisional finish. So far so good. Oh, but what about the Wild… Okay. So, If a winning record against middling Nashville and St. Louis is part of the key for the Jets making the playoffs next season, doing the same against the Minnesota Wild is the big ask. Last season, the Wild qualified for the playoffs eight points clear of the Jets (in that coveted Central Division third-place position) before bowing out in the first round to Dallas. Head-to-head, the Jets mustered just one win in four games against the Wild, not to mention a minus-eight goal differential. But, because the Jets can't rely on repeating another 7-0 record against the Coyotes and Hawks this season, let's entertain the expectation that it's simply imperative Winnipeg finds a way to at least split the season series against Minnesota if they want a realistic shot at the postseason. The biggest offseason subtraction for the Wild was veteran defenseman Matt Dumba. However, this impact should be blunted by top defensive prospect Brock Faber, likely stepping right into a top-four role on the backend.So, how does Winnipeg steal wins from a team that dominated them a year ago and is basically unchanged? Answer: Improved forward depth that is willing to sacrifice offense for a defensive structure that limits chances against. This is the strategy that will be especially crucial against a Wild team that boasts a couple of the most dangerous young forwards in the game — Kirill Kaprizov and Matthew Boldy. In other words, Don’t. Trade. Chances. First off, Winnipeg’s third line, featuring Adam Lowry down the middle, will need to be borderline elite at shutting down offense (all hail the Lowry Work Ethic — hopefully, it rubs off on the rest of the Jets’ lineup). Secondly, the newcomers from LA will need to add a layer of two-way defensive play to the lineup that Jets fans haven’t seen much of in recent years. Newcomer Gabe Vilardi is coming off a season where he received Selke consideration among certain analysts due to his preventing scoring chances better than any other Kings forward. Then there’s the addition of Alex Iafallo. Another responsible forward pickup by Cheveldayoff has historically prevented chances against and regularly contributed to the penalty kill throughout his career with LA. And, lastly, the re-signing of Vladislav Namestnikov — a solid bottom-six forward who’s been a net positive when asked to play defensive situations. One thing’s for certain though: the Jets/Wild games will no doubt have playoff implications. And if Hellebuyck, granted he’s a Jet for the whole season, can out-duel Minnesota's goaltender tandem of Filip Gustavsson and the ever-aging Marc-Andre Fleury, Winnipeg has a foreseeable path to a third-place finish in the Central, or at the very least, another shot at getting by the first round.

Season Preview: Jets path to the playoffs

<h2>Jets beat oilers 5-0 in pre-season home opener</h2>RECAP:No, it didn't count for any points in the standings, and it certainly didn't mean much without Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in the lineup, but the Winnipeg Jets swept the Edmonton Oilers in the pre-season for the first time since returning to Manitoba from Atlanta in 2011. A sluggish opening two periods paved the way for a four-goal, third period outburst, as the Jets piled it on in the late stages of a 5-0 Monday night victory at Canada Life Centre.The Jets got things going early on a power play strike from Kyle Connor 15:06 into the opening period, as he picked up a sweet cross-crease feed from offseason acquisition Gabe Vilardi and fired home his patented snap shot.The 1-0 score would hold through the second period, before Winnipeg added four more goals in the final stanza. Neal Pionk hammered home a one-timer early in the third period to make it 2-0, before the offence exploded before time could tick off the Oilers' clock.David Gustafsson, Morgan Barron and Kyle Capobianco put the icing on the cake with back-to-back-to-back late-game strikes, finishing off what was an uber-successful 're-debut' for Jets' goaltender Laurent Brossoit. He finished with 26 saves for 5-0 the preseason shutout. HIGHLIGHTS:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://twitter.com/CBrooksie84/status/1706471630224933264">https://twitter.com/CBrooksie84/status/1706471630224933264</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://twitter.com/CBrooksie84/status/1706489475436622076">https://twitter.com/CBrooksie84/status/1706489475436622076</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://twitter.com/CBrooksie84/status/1706493457592692760">https://twitter.com/CBrooksie84/status/1706493457592692760</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://twitter.com/NHLJets/status/1706495636923629922">https://twitter.com/NHLJets/status/1706495636923629922</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://twitter.com/NHLJets/status/1706496460928242077">https://twitter.com/NHLJets/status/1706496460928242077</a> PHOTOS:Photos from Monday’s game vs. Edmonton are courtesy of James Carey Lauder:<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/go_13i9136-copy.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/go_13i0013-copy.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/go_13i0132.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/go_13i0827.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/go_13i0625.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/go_13i1229.jpg"><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/go_13i1127-.jpg">QUOTEABLE:Jets forward Gabe Vilardi on his debut at Canada Life Centre: “It was really cool having them cheering for me for a change. It’s always been loud whenever I come to this building, and it’s fun to play in.”WHAT’S NEXT:Next up for the Jets is a Wednesday night tilt with the Calgary Flames from Canada Life Centre. That game will also start at 7:00 PM central and can be viewed on TSN. Following that home game, Winnipeg heads on the road for two contests against the Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators.

Game Recap: Winnipeg Jets 5 Edmonton Oilers 0

They say “Good things come to those who wait,” the Winnipeg Jets are hopeful to see this come true with Rutger McGroarty.&nbsp;McGroarty was selected by the Jets 14th overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and is yet to make his professional hockey debut.&nbsp;The 19-year-old forward is set to play in his second season of action at the University of Michigan in the upcoming 2023-24 season. Last year, McGroarty scored 18 goals and averaged a point per game with 39 points in as many games played.&nbsp;As with most first-round selections, expectations are high for McGroarty in Winnipeg. However, Jets fans will need to wait to see what they have in the young prospect as he continues his development in the NCAA.&nbsp;The expectation for the six-foot-one, 200-pound forward is that he’ll play out the 2023-24 season in Michigan before making the jump to the NHL. This could see McGroarty make the leap to professional hockey as soon as April or next season. That’s dependent on multiple factors and remains to be seen.&nbsp;2023-24 presents a fantastic opportunity for the young forward to make strides in his continued development. He’ll have the opportunity to contribute to his school's success and should be a member of the USA’s World Juniors team this Winter.&nbsp;We’ve seen many exciting young players jump from NCAA hockey to the NHL and have an instant impact. The most recent example is Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs - and the Jets are hopeful McGroarty is next up.&nbsp;Another season of development can benefit Rutger McGroarty's success as he looks to become an impactful player at the highest level of hockey.&nbsp;

Patience could pay off for Jets, McGroarty

The Jets Young Stars finished the annual rookie camp classic that took place in Penticton over the weekend with a record of 1-2.The team — that featured recent first round selections Chaz Lucius, Brad Lambert, and Colby Barlow — struggled out of the gate Friday night during their first game versus Edmonton. Danny Zhilkin (3rd round, 2022) opened the scoring in the first period, but the Jets only mustered 14 shots total in the game (with few significant scoring chances) and took an unsustainable eight minor penalties. The lone bright spot for the Jets was easily Domenic DiVincentiis (7th round, 2022), who made 33 saves in goal.The Jets’ sleepy start to the tournament carried over to the first 40 minutes of game two against Vancouver when they found themselves down 2-0 going into the third and being outshot to that point 36-13. Eventually, the Jets received scoring from Jacob Julien (5th round, 2023) and Colby Barlow (1st round, 2023) to extend the contest to overtime. The game was ultimately decided in the shootout on goals by Barlow and Zhilkin, while Jets goaltender Thomas Milic (5th round, 2023) shut down two of three Vancouver attempts against. Once again, it was the Jets goaltender, this time Milic, who stood out. The Seattle Thunderbird stopped a whopping 39 shots against.&nbsp;The Jets concluded the tournament with a 4-2 loss on Monday morning versus Calgary. Nikita Chibrikov (2nd round, 2021) was far and away the Jets' best skater in the game, assisting on an Elias Salomonsson (5th round, 2022) power-play goal and scoring a beauty of his own in the second period. DiVincetiis and Milic split duties in net during the loss.&nbsp;While it’s difficult – and maybe unfair — to assess young players during such a short three game sample size, there were still players that stood out and those who should have but didn't.&nbsp;Chaz Lucius was one player that was expected to be a little more dominant this weekend than he was. Although he received plenty of ice time and power play opportunities, Lucius wasn't able to break through offensively and was even difficult to notice during portions of games. As a returning player to the tournament, it was disappointing not to see him be more of a difference-maker.Brad Lambert, another Jets’ blue chip prospect, had a similarly low-impact weekend. He looked a little out of place at the centre position and struggled on faceoffs. But, although he was left off the scoresheet, Lambert showed off relatively effective puck-carrying and zone-entry ability. I’d look for Lambert to return to the wing position with the Manitoba Moose this season.It wasn't all doom and gloom for the Jets youngsters. Colby Barlow came on during the Jets’ final two games and ended up having a decent weekend for himself, scoring a couple of points along with a shootout goal. Defensemen Elias Salomonsson was easily the Jets' most impactful skater on the backend, showing confidence breaking the puck out and joining the rush. The smooth skating Swede even cashed in with a power play goal.&nbsp;Overall, it was also an encouraging weekend between the pipes for the Jets. The duo of the franchise’s top goaltending prospects Thomas Milic and Domenic DiVincentiis stood out and gave their team a chance to win even when being outplayed.&nbsp;However, the Jet that stood out the most was forward Nikita Chibrikov. Although quiet in game one, he consistently improved over the rest of the tournament and finished with a monster game versus Calgary. Every time Chibrikov touched the ice on Monday, he was dangerous, easily reaching double digits in shot attempts — most of which got through, including a couple of crossbars. He also facilitated the Jets' power play by being both a shooting threat and distributor. But Chibrikov’s overall compete level really rounded out his game. He showed he isn't afraid to initiate physically with bigger players or go to difficult areas to retrieve pucks. Watching how the Russian winger established himself in the AHL this season will be interesting.

Young Stars Tournament wrap up

The Winnipeg Jets were poised to be a team active over the summer, with the franchise seemingly being in limbo between contending and rebuilding. With the 2023-2024 season quickly approaching, is lack of action a cause for concern?Talking about a team that traded one of its key pieces in Pierre-Luc Dubois as inactive may seem strange on the surface level, but the Jets were in a position to be leading the transaction charge. Hellebuyck and Scheifele are both in the last year of their deal; the team failed to secure an extension or trade with either. Sparse news has come out from either party discussing the situation, but the lack of security is dangerous for a team trying to succeed long term.The Jets are also nearing the salary cap, with roughly 79 of their 81 million allotment spent. This doesn’t leave much flexibility to improve the team, and paying players like Nate Schmidt making 6 million dollars a year makes it even more difficult to create cap room.These factors all make the Winnipeg Jets a huge boom or bust candidate this season. The team undeniably has swathes of talent, and their top 6 forwards can compete with any other squad league wide. Players like Gabriel Valardi and Cole Perfetti have massive upsides, but history has shown both could end up watching more of the season than they play.Not only is the upcoming season a gamble, it will likely determine the direction of the franchise. With a successful run to the playoffs, the expiring veterans may be enticed into staying in Winnipeg. Young guns like Colby Barlow and the previously mentioned Perfetti have the potential to make this Jets squad a powerhouse. There’s only one way to find out: and that process begins with preseason, beginning on September 24th.

The 2023-24 Season Will Be Pivotal for the Jets’ Franchise

For the first time in 12 months, the Jets have a captain. Thirty-year-old Adam Lowry will wear the “C” for Winnipeg to start the 2023-24 NHL season after the team went without one last year. Lowry will be taking on a Jets leadership role during a time of significant transition and uncertainty for the franchise. After being bounced from the first round of the playoffs last spring in five games to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, Winnipeg has had an offseason of change. The departure of Blake Wheeler and Pierre-Luc Dubois not only made room for new players, but new leadership. Still, the task at hand for Lowry and the remaining leadership core remains the same. Win now. “You work hard to get into the playoffs and anything can happen,” Lowry told reporters during a post game interview after the game five loss to Vegas. Last season, Lowry was an integral part of the Jets making the playoffs (albeit stumbling in) by having a career year of his own. After being named an alternate captain for the first time by the franchise that selected him 67th overall in the 2011 NHL Draft, Lowry put up 36 points over a full 82-game season — all while being tasked with a shut-down defensive role. But, unfortunately, for the Jets, even though they made the playoffs, the “anything can happen” scenario was not to be. In fact, after their early exit, the negativity surrounding being eliminated was only exacerbated when head coach Rick Bowness called out much of the Jets’ leadership group, saying he was “disappointed and disgusted.” "There has to be pride," Bowness said. "You have to be able to push back when things aren’t going your way. We had no pushback.”But Lowry, however, wasn’t one of the players that Bowness was indirectly referring to. That’s because, to anyone even passively watching the series, it was evident that big number 17 was at least one Jet who was willing to go through a wall during that series. Not only did Lowry consistently bring an element of physicality that’s so vital to competing in the playoffs, he also stepped up offensively throughout, especially when the team needed a difference-maker. In game one against Vegas, Lowry scored two goals to propel the Jets to a (short-lived) series lead. And in game three, he tied the contest in the third period with only seconds remaining to send it to overtime. Although at the end of the series, it wasn't enough for the Jets to advance, Lowry finished the playoffs with a team-leading four goals and added an assist in a third-line role. In short, he left it all on the ice. “He puts his heart and his soul into every shift and it shows,” Bowness told the Winnipeg Free Press. “He’s a big, mean, physical guy out there. He’s one tough guy to play against. He does so many little things to help this team win that he’s invaluable to this team.”<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/jk2_1138-(1).jpg">But still, even given Lowry’s overall importance to the Winnipeg Jets, it’s interesting to note that he doesn't resemble much of the current crop of captains around the league. He isn't a superstar like Sidney Crosby or Connor McDavid, or even a first-line player like Dylan Larkin or Logan Couture. And he doesn't produce offense like Mark Stone or Nico Hischier. But maybe that’s not what the Jets need right now in a leader. And admittedly so, there are teams that view the role of a captain as necessitating qualities other than being the top scorer. *See Carolina’s Jordan Stall or Columbus’s Boone Jenner. So, after reflecting on last season in which the Jets locker room was widely reported as being shrouded in negativity and division, it’s perfectly reasonable to see why someone like Lowry — whose M.O revolves around high character, accountability, and a team-first attitude — is exactly what this team needs.Similar to his father Dave Lowry who played over 1,000 games in the NHL, Adam has the tireless work ethic — on and off the ice — of a consummate pro. Being brought up around the game clearly instilled a deep understanding of the intangibles that a hockey club needs, especially within its locker room, to gel as a competitive unit. And, although we’re going back to his junior days here, Lowry’s worn the C before. In 2012-13, he put up 88 points in 72 games as the Swift Current Broncos’ captain. Worth mentioning, no?Anyway, although the offensive flashiness may not be there for the NHL version of Adam Lowry, Jets fans know exactly what to expect from him game to game. Heavily and consistently, he sets the tone of games early on with his aggressiveness on the forecheck. According to allthreezones.com, Lowry registered the 14th-most forecheck pressures per 60 minutes during 5-on-5 last season league-wide. He also ranked second on the Jets in hits with 161. But even though he plays a physical brand of hockey, Lowry doesn't run around undisciplined to do so. In fact, would you believe he only took nine minor penalties in 82 games last year? But, that being said, if the situation calls for it, the 6 foot 5-inch centermen definitely isn't afraid to step up for teammates. Last season, Lowry had more than one notable scrap against legitimate NHL heavyweights. For example, after Tanner Jeannot injured Nate Schmidt on a hit in a December game, Lowry held him accountable. He did the same in April against the formidable Ryan Reaves after the Wild enforcer buried Dylan DeMelo from behind. But Lowry’s true value to the Jets will always be his elite defensive awareness. A trait that, now after being named captain, the Jets hope will trickle down throughout their lineup and begin to shape their team identity. Last season, although Lowry garnered the toughest matchups against the opposing team's top lines, he still held a net-positive Corsi For rating (meaning the Jets controlled the puck more often than not when he was on the ice). And moreover, his most regular line, featuring Morgan Barron and Mason Appleton flanking his wings, boasted a higher xGoals For Per 60 (2.98) than xGoals Against Per 60 (2.13). Another net-positive. Looking forward to this season the Jets' new-look roster could have an intriguing variety of line possibilities. While Lowry still realistically remains a staple on the third line and penalty kill, as he has in the past, there’s a chance he could be deployed regularly at even-strength with Nino Niederreiter and newcomer Alex Iafallo, both of whom have shown offensive upside throughout their career. If Lowry can improve even minorly on his shooting percentage and maybe even receive spot duty as a net-front-presence on the powerplay, it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility for the ten-year vet to push upwards of 40 to 45 points. But, let's not get carried away for now. The point is, the Jets made a commendable, albeit safe, call, naming Lowry captain. He still has three seasons remaining on a five-year, $3.25 million annual average contract, there’s no questioning his character, and, let's be honest, if there’s any Jet capable of giving a William Wallace-esque speech, it’s gotta be Adam Lowry, right?

Adam Lowry: The right choice for the Jets' new captain?

This weekend marches another week closer to the start of the NHL season and marks an important time in a few teams' off-season: the B.C. Young Stars tournament. Youngsters from the Canucks, Flames, Oilers and Jets all make their way to Penticton, battling for roster spots on their respective teams. The Jets have several of these cut line guys, some with clearer paths to the team than others.Goalie Dom Divincentiis may have the most interesting path to a roster spot out of the fringe players. With uncertainty surrounding starter Connor Hellebuyck, and an average backup in Laurent Brossoit, an 18-year-old gathering experience behind these two veterans could be crucial down the line. With Divincentiis proving himself as one of the best goalies in the Ontario Hockey League last season, there’s an outside shot he finds himself wearing a Jets jersey in the near future.Declan Chisholm just inked a one-year extension to stay with the franchise, the contract being set as a two-way deal. But with his waiver exemption gone, another suitor will likely snatch him up if he is sent back to the minors this season. With a deep defensive line, especially on the left side, the lineup will be difficult for Chisholm to crack.Chaz Lucius is a name on the back burner for some fans, but the former first-round pick is looking to establish a spot for himself on the team. Lucius won bronze with the U.S. at the 2023 World Juniors early this year before suffering a shoulder injury that required surgery. Lucius suffered a major injury in the third consecutive season, casting doubts on the player's durability. On the flip side, the 20-year-old has faced major adversity at a young age and has the potential to come back stronger and more mature as a slightly older version.Training camp as a whole will be vital for a Winnipeg Jets team seeking new blood, and the young stars tournament is a big step in discovering who will take the reins.

The Young Stars Tournament in Penticton, B.C.

The Winnipeg Jets have found their guy to fill the previously vacant captaincy role, naming Adam Lowry captain on Tuesday morning.Lowry is a 30-year-old forward who is heading into his tenth season in Winnipeg and is set to become the third captain in franchise history since the team moved from Atlanta. He made his NHL debut with the Jets in 2014-15 and was selected by the team 67th overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.Over his time in the NHL, he’s played all 621 of his regular season games with Winnipeg, recording 93 goals with 204 points over his tenure with the team. The two-way forward has also been a valuable asset on the penalty kill and took on a leadership role last season when he was named an alternate captain.In 2022-23, the veteran left-winger posted 13 goals with a career-best 36 points in 82 games played, contributing to his end with 46 blocked shots, 161 hits and 28 takeaways. The six-foot-five, 210-pound forward is able to use his size to his advantage, generating extra opportunities by generating takeaways.He’s in the midst of a five-year contract extension worth $16,250,000 that he signed ahead of the 2021-22 regular season. Lowry’s contract has three seasons remaining and ends at the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign. The pact also has a modified no-trade clause in place, locking him in with the Jets until he becomes an unrestricted free agent.The captain role in Winnipeg has been vacant since September 16, 2022, when Blake Wheeler was stripped of the captaincy, after spending six seasons with the honour. Wheeler was bought out by the Jets this offseason and is now a member of the New York Rangers.With the departure of Wheeler and Pierre-Luc Dubois, question marks have arisen about who would step up as the next captain of the Jets. We now have an answer to that question, as Adam Lowry has been named the team's third captain since their return to Winnipeg.

Adam Lowry Named Winnipeg Jets Captain

On Wednesday, a selected collection of Winnipeg Jets rookies will hit the ice at the Hockey For All Centre in Winnipeg in preparation for the upcoming 2023 Young Stars Classic in Penticton, B.C. This season marks the eighth time that Winnipeg has taken part in the tournament, which helps the Jets — along with the Oilers, Flames, and Canucks — evaluate the talent in each of their respective prospect systems. The tournament will run from Sept. 15 – 18.&nbsp;The Jets Young Stars roster will be led primarily by first round selections Brad Lambert (2022) and Chaz Lucius (2021) who return after taking part in the tournament last year. However, Jets fans will also get the chance to see several other notable prospects — suiting up in Jets blue for the very first time — when the team squares off on Sept. 15 against Edmonton.&nbsp;Each Jets game will be available to stream on the Winnipeg Jets official website.<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/picture1.png">Among the Winnipeg prospects making their Young Stars debut will be notables Colby Barlow, Nikita Chibrikov, Elias Salomonsson, and Thomas Milic.&nbsp;All eyes will no doubt be on Barlow who was selected 18th overall by the Jets in June after scoring an eye-popping 46 goals in just 59 games with the Owen Sound Attack. Look for Barlow to frequently use his biggest weapon at the tournament — his shot — off the rush or as a one-timer.&nbsp;Chibrikov, who played last season in various Russian men's and junior leagues, will suit up for the Manitoba Moose in 2023-24 and should be able to showcase some of his high-end offensive skill against players of his own age at the Young Stars Classic. The Jets are looking forward to taking more of an active role in his development now that Chibrikov is in North America.&nbsp;During his 18-year-old season, Salomonsson played almost a full season against men in the SHL, and is quickly becoming one of the Jets most promising defenseman prospects. He’ll be headed back to Sweden to take on an even bigger role for Skelleftea AIK and further develop his overall defensive game.&nbsp;Milic was selected as a 20-year-old by the Jets in the fifth round of this year’s NHL draft after backstopping the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds all the way to the final game of the Memorial Cup final. Continuing his path of success and development would be huge for a Jets prospect system that is relatively thin in goal. Milic will be sharing goaltending duties at the Young Stars with Domenic DiVincentiis who played in the tournament last year before winning OHL Goaltender of the Year for the North Bay Battalion. Both goaltenders could return for another CHL season in 2023-24.&nbsp;<img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/picture2.png">

Jets rookies gear up for Young Stars Classic

<h2>OLIVIA CVAR #9</h2><h3>FORWARD // SHOOTS LEFT // BH BLAZERS ‘19 // BORN FEB. 23, 2001 // STONEWALL, MANITOBA</h3><h3>4 GOALS | 6 ASSISTS | 10 POINTS</h3><img src="https://game-on-hockey.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/cvar-3.jpg"><h3>ABOUT ME</h3>Attending Balmoral Hall School for grades 10 through 12 helped prepare me to handle the rigorous demands of post-secondary education and playing NCAA Division I hockey. In 2019, I was fortunate to be captain of the Junior Women’s Hockey League (JWHL) champions, defeating NAHA 3-2 in overtime. I had 25 goals and 23 assists in 28 games during that final season. Enrolling at St. Cloud State University in the fall of 2019, I have just graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of science in elementary education.<h3>LATEST HIGHLIGHTS</h3>I was nominated by St. Cloud State for the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Outstanding Student-Athlete Award.<h3>THE FUTURE ME</h3>I have decided to attend Mercyhurst University as a graduate student to pursue a post-baccalaureate certificate in public health and wellness. This summer, I travelled to Sweden with Mercyhurst to play a series of games against the Swedish national and development teams. After my fifth year, I would like to play professionally in North America or Europe, and eventually, I would welcome the opportunity to come back home to teach elementary students and/or coach at the prep or collegiate levels.

AVANTI HOMES USPORTS PLAYER OF THE MONTH NOAH KING

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