The director of amateur scouting for the Winnipeg Jets was able to make seven picks in the 2022 NHL Draft inside the Bell Center, and those picks included four forwards, two right-handed offensive defensemen and a late-round goaltender. After being limited to a combined eight picks during the previous two mock drafts, it was clear that one of the primary goals for an organization that has always prided itself on draft, development and retention was that it was time to replenish the prospect pool. That process for Hillier and the scouting staff involved trusting their judgment in a pair of champions, one of whom openly needs to improve his skating (Rutger McGroarty) and another in a guy who was once projected to be a surefire Top-5 pick that eventually became available at 30th overall (Brad Lambert). “I don’t know if careful is the right word, but we do our homework, right? We’re doing everything we can in the background,” said Hillier, who hopes to unplug a little bit before work heats up for the 2023 draft class. “What are the different scenarios, what happened to him last year, what’s coming in. At the end of the day, if you’re comfortable, there’s always a little risk, but there’s always a reward, right? So we believe the reward outweighs the risk and make the choice. “Yes, it was nice to have a full range of options. You know, there were all kinds of discussions about different lists or opinions that were very different from other groups and so on. We had a pretty tight list. Things went very well together. And we have seven good players that we’re excited about.” Between the three teams he suited up for last season, McGroarty managed to score 58 goals and record 111 points in 85 games, and Hillier made it clear the pick wouldn’t be made if the Jets had long-term concerns about his skating. “A better skater with the puck on his stick and is a determined kid with a great work ethic. He’s going to put in the work to get better,” Hillier said. “He had the plan laid out when we talked to him at the combine. Nothing to my eye is technically wrong with his pacing. It just needs to be done a little faster. I’m sure he will. We have a tough, competitive kid here who I hope is a Winnipeg Jet for a long time. He’s the type of player everyone wants on their depth chart. It’s a dying breed. To get a legit power forward, I’m excited about it. “The smile hasn’t gone off his face, it’s from ear to ear. Everyone says how high his character is, his courage and determination. But again this year he scored 50 goals in combined seasons and competitions. Really pleased with the addition of a guy of his taste and character with his combined skill level and ability to score. He scores a lot of dirty goals from the corners to the net, high up. He plays the half-wall offside on the power play, he has a good shot, a good one-meter. A lot of fat goals (from) the color blue around the net.” As for Lambert, Hillier is excited to see what he can do next season, when he is expected to suit up for the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League with fellow Jets draft pick Tyrel Bauer (who is the captain of the Thunderbirds and was selected in the sixth round in 2020). “I think he’s the best skater with the best speed,” Hillier said. “He didn’t have a good year, that’s no secret. We told the kid not to worry about what happened last year, we believe you, we got you. You will start here and hopefully have a great year of growth. “I think he’s hard on himself for going down. He didn’t have a good year, a lot of factors went into that. It was not in a good state of growth. He takes some responsibility for that. Going forward I think he will be in a better position this year. Just look for better things and a high ceiling.” Day 2 of the NHL Draft saw the Jets end up with a pair of left-handed shooting two-way centers, a pair of right-handed shooting defensemen and a goaltender with personality who got a huge roar from a group of family members and supporters who stuck around until the seventh. and last round. Guelph Storm’s Danny Zhilkin moved to Canada from Russia when he was nine years old after attending a hockey camp in the Toronto area, eventually ending up with the Toronto Junior Canadiens. “In 2013 I was nine years old and I was here (in Canada) for two weeks. First, we just came to camp for two weeks and didn’t expect much. My family brought me here and the coach saw me and asked me to play for the team next year. We came back, packed up and moved here,” said Zhilkin, who had 23 goals and 55 points in 66 games last season and trains with fitness guru and longtime NHLer Gary Roberts. “At that age, I don’t remember much. It was hard to speak English at first. I think it probably took me two or three years to learn because I knew zero English when I came here. Incredible experience and obviously this is a step in the right direction. “Two or three years ago, I would never have thought this was possible. It is incredible. I am very grateful.” The other responsible center is sixth-former Fabian Wagner, who suited up for Linkoping HC in the Swedish junior league last season. In the second round, the Jets took Swedish defender Elias Salomonson, who won a gold medal at the men’s U18 world championships and recently signed a two-year deal to play for Skelleftea. Salomonson cited Seattle Kraken blue-liner and compatriot Adam Larsson as a guy who follows his game. “I would almost call him a top skater, a defenseman who moves with a spell,” Hillier said. “He plays with an edge and a bit of sandpaper on him. Difficult player, not high in skill, but decent stats. He has a good shot. I think he’s going to be a guy who takes care of his own end first, moves the puck and plays hard.” The second D-man the Jets selected was Garrett Brown, who won a USHL championship with the Sioux City Musketeers last season. Brown, whose father Curtis suited up for 736 regular-season games for the Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks, plans to return to the Musketeers before joining the University of Denver Pioneers for the 2023-24 campaign. The Jets haven’t drafted a goaltender since Logan Neaton in 2019, and Domenic DiVincentiis just completed his first full season with the Ontario Hockey League’s North Bay Battalion. DiVicentiis is related to McGroarty, having played on a few youth hockey tournament teams together and lived and trained together for an extended period during the pandemic. “Until the draft, you don’t know where the goalies are going to land. Obviously, having a COVID year where there was no hockey in the OHL affected being a goaltender, being a player in this league. So, for me, there was a lot of thinking about doing it, but, you know what… I couldn’t pass up my opportunity to be here,” DiVicentiis said when asked about whether or not he would attend the draft in Montreal. . “Obviously, there are times in the back of your head, you think you might not get drafted, but … that doesn’t stop me. If I didn’t get drafted, I would continue to push even harder and continue to push to get drafted next year or sign as a free agent. So for me, it didn’t bother me too much if I wasn’t going to get drafted because of the fact that it was my dream to get drafted and be here. “I know my dad just finished whispering to me that if you don’t get drafted, the hard work goes on and you leave this place with a chip on your shoulder, and your chin up, and you say thank you to everyone who helped get me here. You just go right back to work. But obviously, when they called my name, I’m still a little bit shocked right now, I’m a little bit shaking. Like I said, it’s really an honor to be a Jet and I can’t wait to get started.” With the slump in the rearview mirror, the Jets’ focus quickly turns to upgrading the personnel. In the days leading up to the opening of free agency on Wednesday, you can expect the Jets to be active in looking to sign an experienced defenseman, and many eyes are on what will happen with captain Blake Wheeler. Wheeler, who has spent the past 12 seasons with the organization going back to the 2010 trade with the Atlanta Thrashers, has two more years left on his five-year deal that has an average annual value of $8.25 million and is strongly believed to be So both player and team are ready to move on from each other — provided the right fit can be found. Another situation to keep a close eye on involves the backup goalie position. Although the Jets have made an offer to keep Eric Comrie, the deal hasn’t been finalized, so you’d expect the 2013 second-round pick to at least wait until free agency opens to see what other offers are out there before make his final decision. Comrie is coming off his best season as a pro (10-5-1 record, .920 save percentage and 2.58 goals-against average in 19 games) and could end up on the radar of many teams looking for a capable backup.
