On Sunday, the Winnipeg Jets trimmed their active training camp roster to 34 players. This figure does not include injured defencemen Ville Heinola and Logan Stanley, who underwent ankle and meniscus surgeries earlier in the week and are expected to be out for at least a month, according to head coach Scott Arniel.
Goalkeeper Dominic DiVincentiis and forwards Daniel Torgersson and Parker Ford have been assigned to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, who begin their training camp on Monday at the Hockey For All Centre in Headingley.
Underage forwards Colby Barlow and Brayden Yager, both of whom played in Friday’s 8-5 defeat to the Minnesota Wild in St. Paul, have been loaned to their junior teams. Barlow remains with the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack, while Yager will join Moose Jaw after helping lead the Warriors to their first WHL title in the 2023-24 season.
Arniel stated that the exit interviews with both players conveyed a similar message: return to junior hockey and dominate, aiming to perform well enough to earn a place on Team Canada for the 2025 U20 Men’s World Junior Tournament in Ottawa. Yager represented Canada in the 2024 tournament and is expected to be part of the National Junior Team’s leadership group this winter.
Arniel noted that this was essentially Barlow’s first “real” professional training camp, as the Jets’ first-round draft pick in 2023 missed last year due to COVID. “He missed all of last year after falling ill in training camp and didn’t get the chance to play in exhibition matches,” he explained.
Barlow mentioned he felt improved during the second game against Minnesota compared to the preseason opener against the Wild six days earlier at Canada Life Centre. “He recognised the pace of the game, how little he had the puck, and that there’s a whole different level to playing, whether it’s adhering to the system or finding offensive positions.”
Barlow gained some professional experience this past April when he joined the Moose following Owen Sound’s early exit against eventual Memorial Cup champions Saginaw in the OHL playoffs. Arniel emphasised the importance of Barlow applying the lessons learned in the American Hockey League and at this training camp to what is likely to be his final junior season.
“The challenge is not to relax when you return. He must ensure that every day is a learning day, a growth day,” Arniel explained. “Whether that’s in the gym or on the ice, he must avoid lengthy shifts at half-speed. Maintaining a mentality of 45-50 second shifts at full effort is crucial. He should aim to learn as much as possible this season, so that when we see him next year, he will be older and more experienced.”
Arniel expressed his admiration for Yager’s performance at camp following his trade from Pittsburgh on 22 August in exchange for Rutger McGroarty. The 19-year-old from Saskatoon also featured in both exhibition matches against Minnesota, scoring once in the loss on Friday night.