Jets Recent Draft Pick Already Showing Gem Status Months After Selection

Just a few months after the 2026 NHL Draft, many Winnipeg Jets fans were focused on the team's selection of Swedish sensation Viggo Björck at eighth overall. Another pick by the club, however, has quietly flown under the radar.

In the third round, the Jets drafted Slovakian netminder Samuel Hrenak with the 71st overall pick. The selection came with Connor Hellebuyck still on the roster, before it was known that he had requested a trade.

The six-foot-three goaltender is just 18 years old and likely has many years of development ahead of him before making the jump to pro hockey but has still shown early signs that he could be a gem.

Hrenak is playing in the USHL, and his numbers will need to be tested against tougher competition before their validity is clear. For now, though, he has been sensational and fun to watch. 

With the Fargo Force at the end of last season, he was nearly perfect, posting a 7-1-1 record, a 2.20 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage in nine starts. He has looked even better since returning to the Force this season, with a 5-2-0 record, a 1.88 goals-against average and a .944 save percentage in seven starts.

It is still very early in his development, and Hrenak will need to clear plenty of hurdles, including potential moves up in competition to Canadian junior hockey or the NCAA, where he can sharpen his skills against stronger opposition. As of right now, though, it is a promising start.

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