Jets prospects battled intensely. Garrett Brown's Denver advanced to the Frozen Four, while Zachary Nehring's season concluded, leaving contract decisions looming.
Two prospects from the Winnipeg Jets organization went head-to-head Sunday afternoon with a trip to the Frozen Four semifinals on the line, delivering an intense matchup between two rising talents.
The Denver Pioneers punched their ticket to the Frozen Four with help from Winnipeg's 2022 fourth-round pick, Garrett Brown. The six-foot-three defenseman played a key role in a strong defensive effort, helping Denver limit the defending national champion Western Michigan Broncos to just one goal en route to securing their place in the Frozen Four.
Brown, known more for his steady presence on the blue line than offensive production, continues to build an impressive collegiate résumé. Since joining Denver, he has already captured a national championship during the 2023–24 season and now finds himself one step closer to another title.
On the losing side playing for the Western Michigan Broncos was fellow Jets prospect Zachary Nehring, a 2023 third-round selection. The six-foot-five winger has developed into a reliable depth scorer for the Broncos, posting 17 points in 34 games this season. Nehring is also no stranger to championship success, having won a national title with Western Michigan, the following year after Brown’s triumph.
Over his two seasons with the Broncos, Nehring recorded 18 goals and 29 assists for 47 points in 76 games, showing steady offensive growth. Brown, meanwhile, has accumulated four goals and 19 assists for 23 points along with a strong plus-21 rating across 81 games over three seasons with Denver, highlighting his defensive reliability.
Both players are 21 years old and could make the jump to the pros in the near future and with Western Michigan now eliminated, attention turns to whether Nehring will take the next step and sign his entry-level contract or not.
For Jets fans, the focus now shifts back to Denver’s continued run as the Pioneers will face the winner of the matchup between top overall seed in the Michigan Wolverines and Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, as Brown and his team look to carry their momentum into a National Championship apperance.
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