One of the fastest-rising names in the Winnipeg Jets' prospect pipeline this past season was 2024 sixth-round pick Kieron Walton. Selected without the highest expectations attached, Walton has quickly become one of Canadian junior hockey's most dynamic offensive threats.

This past season, Walton finished with 52 goals and 36 assists for 88 points in just 62 games, a career high and good for eighth in OHL scoring. He started the year with the Sudbury Wolves before being dealt to the Peterborough Petes at the midseason trade deadline in a blockbuster that saw Sudbury bring back five draft picks and a defenseman in return.

Walton was rumored to be in line for a look at the AHL level toward the end of the season, but he ultimately didn't play a game with the Manitoba Moose, spending the entirety of the campaign in the OHL between his two stops. 

It marked a shift from the year prior, when he appeared in four AHL games with Manitoba on an amateur tryout agreement following the conclusion of his 2024-25 junior season.

Next season, Walton is expected to make the full-time jump to the professional ranks, with Elite Prospects already penciling him in for the Moose's roster. It'll be worth watching how an offensively gifted player like Walton adjusts to the pro game, especially given he already carries a pro-ready frame at 6-foot-6 and 212 pounds. 

The hope is that he can learn to use that size to his advantage against bigger, faster professional competition while continuing to be the offensive threat he's shown himself to be at the junior level.

After modest rookie and sophomore seasons with Sudbury, Walton broke out in 2024-25 with 92 points in 68 games, a performance that helped validate Winnipeg's sixth-round bet on him in 2024. He carried that momentum into this past season before the trade to Peterborough, and he signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Jets in April 2025.

For a late-round selection, the hope is simply that Walton can develop into a serviceable NHL player down the road. Even carving out a bottom-six role at the NHL level would represent a significant return on investment and a real draft gem for a Jets organization that has leaned on finding value outside the early rounds.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.