2020 Winnipeg Jets draft review

Seth Jarvis, RW-C (14^th overall)

A native of Winnipeg, Jarvis led the Winterhawks in scoring this year and finished second to Adam Beckman in the WHL scoring race with 98 points. Seth Jarvis is a highly-skilled winger who plays a high-tempo, brave game despite his size. He is at his best with the puck on the rush where he can beat defenders and/or goaltenders in a variety of ways. His explosiveness, puck skill, finishing ability, tenaciousness, and high IQ make him a potential impact first line winger and the type of forward who could find himself near the top of scoring races.

Jake Neighbours, LW (22^nd overall)

One of the steadiest scorers in the WHL, he never went more than two consecutive games without appearing on the box score and that only happened twice. And even if he lacked the flash of some of the other draft eligibles in the WHL, he was also one of the leagues steadiest play drivers. His ability to read the opposition and the game situation is incredibly advanced for his age and he should be able to reach his level in less time than many of his draft-class peers. There is a middle six winger there with the potential to contribute some secondary scoring.

Mavrik Bourque, C (40^th overall)

Bourque looks unimposing. Neither tall, nor broad. He is not a kamikaze throwing his body all around the ice. He isn’t generally the fastest skater either. But once the Cataractes gain the offensive zone, Bourque takes over. The puck is glued to his stick. He finds a way to create operating room for himself with great body control and edge work. He is a natural power play driver, finding options from the half wall and the far side of the faceoff dot and creating a scoring chance with a pass through a sea of legs. Bourque is a player who not only brings a high skill, high compete game, but a player who brings a consistency of effort pretty much every game, who can succeed even without playing with high-end linemates and can make those around him better.

Jean-Luc Foudy, C (79^th overall)

Speed is the name of the game here. Like his brother Liam, a Columbus Blue Jackets first round pick in 2018, Jean-Luc is an elite level skater. Jean-Luc carves up open ice with his explosiveness and agility. Not only is he quick, but his lateral explosiveness and fluidity is equally good, allowing him to change direction smoothly even when at top speed. In Windsor, he is utilized as the focal point of their attack and is responsible for zone entry when on the ice, even circling back to the defensive end to start from behind his own blueline. Originally thought to be a surefire first round selection for this draft, Foudy’s season did leave some to be desired. However, with his high-end athleticism, skating ability, and playmaking potential, he still projects as a potential impact forward.

Martin Chromiak, LW-RW (84^th overall)

Although he only arrived later into the season, Martin Chromiak's seamless transition to the CHL has been impressive. It is likely that his chemistry with the exceptional Shane Wright will continue to blossom over the next two years, during which time expect Chromiak to be among the highest scoring wingers in the league. This will be a great environment for his development. His ability to operate as a complimentary offensive winger who shows a well rounded game, high IQ, and finishing ability makes him a potential middle six winger at the next level.

Eamon Powell, D (146^th overall)

Powell is not just fast, he is effortlessly fast. Even skating alongside Jake Sanderson, as he did for much of the year, his skating stood out. He gets blueline to blueline in a flash and has agility and edges to help him get through the defense as well. Furthermore, he does not save his wheels only to get to the offensive zone, but churns at the same high rate when he needs to return to the defensive end.There are still raw elements of his game, and it is reasonable to question if physical maturity will negatively impact his speed, but the overall package is very enticing.