Top prospect Colby Barlow headlines a wave of cuts as Winnipeg shifts focus to the Manitoba Moose, narrowing the roster before Friday's preseason finale against the Avalanche.
On Wednesday, the Winnipeg Jets made another round of roster cuts Wednesday following their second preseason game, sending down a group of 12 players as the team heads into the final two games of its exhibition schedule.
The most notable name among the group was former 2023 first-round pick Colby Barlow, who was reassigned along with Isaac Poulter, Alfons Freij, Kevin He, Jacob Julien, Fabian Wagner, Lucas Wahlin and Kieron Walton. Winnipeg also released four players from professional tryouts, cutting Lukas Gustafsson, Dysin Mayo, Ashton Sautner and Davis Burnside.
None of the 12 players moved Wednesday were considered realistic candidates to push for a main roster spot, and the group will instead make up a significant portion of the young talent heading to the Manitoba Moose this season.
Several of the players are already familiar faces in Manitoba in Barlow, Poulter, Julien and Wagner all returning to play with the Moose. Freij also got a brief look at North American pro hockey with the Moose down the stretch, picking up one assist in five games after his season in the Swedish Hockey League wrapped up.
The rest of the group will be making its professional debut this season. Kevin He and Kieron Walton both arrive off standout OHL campaigns, with He posting 77 points in 62 games between Niagara and Flint and Walton scoring 52 goals and 88 points in 62 games between Sudbury and Peterborough. Lucas Wahlin and Davis Burnside round out the group, headlining a pair of NCAA products expected to make full-time jumps to the Moose this season.
The cuts come ahead of Winnipeg's final preseason game Friday, when the Jets travel to Colorado to face the Avalanche.
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