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![\"Tim](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4307755_web1_260224WKings01TS.JPG\")
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Tim Smith \/ BRANDON SUN FILES<\/p>\n
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Cypress River\u2019s Carson Carels <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Hometown: Cypress River<\/p>\n
NHL Central Scouting ranking (among North American skaters): 3<\/p>\n
2025-26 season: Prince George Cougars (WHL); 73 points (20G, 53A) in 58 regular-season games; 10 points (1G, 9A) in 10 playoff games.<\/p>\n
Size: 6-2, 198 pounds<\/p>\n
The skinny: Carels, who will turn 18 just three days before the draft, has the chance to be the highest drafted Manitoban since Winnipeggers Nolan Patrick (second) and Cody Glass (sixth) were selected by Philadelphia and Vegas, respectively, in 2017.<\/p>\n
There have been some mocks this spring which have him going as high as second-overall to San Jose, but the most likely range is either four, five or six to one of the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers or Calgary Flames.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately for the Winnipeg Jets, who will select eighth barring a trade, that means he will likely be gone. What a fun story that would be.<\/p>\n
Carels brings plenty of tools to the table, including a potent mix of offensive flair and defensive snarl. He\u2019s been compared to Ottawa\u2019s Jake Sanderson \u2014 a player he\u2019s studied closely and tried to model his game after.<\/p>\n
The youngest player from Canada\u2019s world juniors team is committed to go to the University of North Dakota this fall, unless the team that selects him decides he\u2019s ready to make the immediate jump to the NHL.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
D BREK LISKE<\/p>\n
Hometown: Beausejour<\/p>\n
NHL Central Scouting ranking (among North American skaters): 44<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Darryl Dyck \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Beausejour\u2019s Brek Liske (42)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n 2025-26 season: Everett Silvertips (WHL); 24 points (7G, 17A) in 52 regular-season games; 17 points (4G, 13A) in 18 playoff games.<\/p>\n Size: 6-2, 190 pounds<\/p>\n The skinny: There\u2019s no question his stock rose significantly with a tremendous WHL playoff run, which included helping guide his team to the Memorial Cup where they finished runner-up to the Kitchener Rangers.<\/p>\n Liske, 18, ticks off plenty of boxes for the modern-day defenceman: He\u2019s got good size and great mobility and isn\u2019t afraid to jump in the rush or even lead the attack. He was often paired this season with Landon DuPont, who many project as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 draft.<\/p>\n A selection in the second or third round is expected.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n RW ZACHARY LANSARD<\/p>\n Hometown: Ste. Anne<\/p>\n NHL Central Scouting ranking (among North American skaters): 70<\/p>\n 2025-26 season: Regina Pats (WHL); 56 points (24G, 32A) in 68 regular-season games; three points (3G, 0A) in five playoff games.<\/p>\n Size: 6-0, 173 pounds<\/p>\n The skinny: The 17-year-old former Rink Academy standout had a massive jump in production after posting just 19 points (7G, 12A) as a WHL rookie. That led to a spot on Team Canada for the U18 World Championship and certainly has him on an upward trend.<\/p>\n Lansard has been described by scouts as a consistently hard-working, high-effort player who has turned into an elite skater. He projects as a potential middle-six, strong two-way forward in the professional ranks.<\/p>\n It\u2019s possible he could go as early as the second round or as late as the fourth round.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n D JONAS WOO<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Christopher Katsarov \/ THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Winnipeg\u2019s Jonas Woo (18) <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Hometown: Winnipeg<\/p>\n NHL Central Scouting ranking (among North American skaters): 177<\/p>\n 2025-26 season: Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL); 86 points (29G, 57A) in 56 regular season games; 17 points (8G, 9A) in 13 playoff games.<\/p>\n Size: 5-9, 175 pounds<\/p>\n The skinny: The 19-year-old was passed over during last year\u2019s draft, but that isn\u2019t likely to happen again this time around after a massive season in which he led all WHL defencemen in scoring and finished tied for 10th overall.<\/p>\n His older brother, Jett, was picked by the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the 2018 draft but has yet to make his NHL debut, spending his first six pro seasons at the AHL level.<\/p>\n Woo\u2019s size is obviously held against him and the reason he might not go until one of the later rounds. But we\u2019ve seen a rise of smaller, mobile blue-liners make their mark in the big leagues as the game gets faster than ever.<\/p>\n He\u2019s the type of player that is worth taking a gamble on. Woo has committed to Arizona State University starting this fall.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\tThe Warm-Up<\/p>\n Winnipeg Jets Game Days<\/p>\n On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.<\/p>\n \t\t\tSign up for The Warm-Up<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t LW NATHAN BROWN<\/p>\n Hometown: Winnipeg<\/p>\n NHL Central Scouting ranking (among North American skaters): 224<\/p>\n 2025-26 season: Portland Winterhawks (WHL); 39 points (16G, 23A) in 55 regular season games; one point (1G, 0A) in four playoff games.<\/p>\n Size: 6-1, 163 pounds<\/p>\n The skinny: He is what is commonly referred to as a \u201clate bloomer.\u201d<\/p>\n Brown spent the 2023-24 season with the Niverville Nighthawks of the MJHL, moved up to the Brooks Bandits of the BCHL the following year and now just had his rookie campaign in the WHL.<\/p>\n Brown brings plenty of grit, as evident by his 115 penalty minutes this year during the regular season and playoffs. He even made his pro debut this past spring, signing an amateur tryout with the Belleville Senators of the AHL after his junior season wrapped up and getting in one game.<\/p>\n The 20-year-old has been overlooked in two drafts and may be a longshot to get picked this time around. A more likely scenario could see a team simply sign him as a free agent. He is committed to attend St. Cloud State University this coming fall.<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/mikemcintyre<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Mike McIntyre Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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