This is, and always was, a given. McKenna was one of the top stars in college hockey and has been extremely productive at every level. Toronto needed someone with his hockey IQ and pure talent in the top six, and the young winger hits all the notes. The hands, the mobility, the ability to get himself into scoring lanes consistently, you name it.<\/p>\n
McKenna is stepping into an ideal situation <\/a>where he\u2019ll get to rely on some quality centers early on in his career. He\u2019ll likely skate alongside either Auston Matthews or John Tavares out of the gate. Not only are both high-end forwards, but they\u2019ve both weathered the storm dealing with the pressure of being first overall picks in the NHL. Matthew Knies might have the inside track as the team\u2019s No. 1 left winger, but it won\u2019t be long until McKenna pushes the envelope and steals ice time away.<\/p>\n Stenberg\u2019s floor is very, very high. He\u2019s dynamic in possession, wields a lethal shot and flashes high-end hockey sense. Even though his point production tapered off slightly down the stretch, he still authored one of the most impressive U-19 seasons in recent SHL history and was excellent at the Worlds. Add a stellar gold-medal run with Sweden at the World Juniors to his resume, and it was hard to not fall in love with his raw talent.<\/p>\n Stenberg will have some depth to contend with on the left side this year, but I fully expect him to leave Sharks\u2019 camp as a middle-six winger and challenge for rookie of the year honors. That pro experience definitely doesn\u2019t hurt, either. If he ends up with Macklin Celebrini, he could ultimately be the top contender for the Calder<\/a>. <\/p>\n Winnipeg JetsTeam Cap Summary<\/p>\n Cap Summary<\/p>\n Projected Cap Hit<\/p>\n $99,518,332<\/p>\n $86,266,666<\/p>\n Projected Cap Space<\/p>\n $4,481,668<\/p>\n $27,233,334<\/p>\n Current Cap Space<\/p>\n $4,481,668<\/p>\n $27,233,334<\/p>\n View cap summary for:Vancouver Canucks<\/p>\n When the Rangers selected \u0160mits fifth overall, they knew there was a strong chance he\u2019d immediately make the big club. Jukurit definitely hopes that isn\u2019t the case, but it\u2019s going to be hard to keep \u0160mits out of Madison Square Garden. \u0160mits was a big part of Latvia\u2019s World Junior, World Championship and Olympic teams last season. The 6-foot-3 blueliner moves well for his size and makes so much happen with the puck. <\/p>\n It\u2019s always nice seeing an 18-year-old who plays with a ton of confidence on the power play. He also has plenty of pro experience under his belt, which can be challenging to find out of European defenders. \u0160mits should absolutely have a chance at taking the third-pair left defenseman spot over Matthew Robertson out of training camp<\/a>. If things fall flat, \u0160mits can chase big minutes back in Finland. Regardless, I think he\u2019ll be a top-four defenseman sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n Bj\u00f6rck is easily the best prospect the Jets have had in a very long time. The fearless center is so fascinating; nobody seems to know how to contain him. At the World Championship, we saw Bj\u00f6rck win battles against just about everyone. Bj\u00f6rck\u2019s shot is incredibly deceptive, especially on the power play. He doesn\u2019t give you much to work with if you\u2019re a goalie \u2013 and it\u2019s because he doesn\u2019t need to. Bj\u00f6rck is quick, accurate and always in a dangerous spot, and there\u2019s legitimate No. 1 center potential here. <\/p>\n Bj\u00f6rck already left Djurg\u00e5rden IF<\/a>, meaning he\u2019ll either play with Winnipeg or its AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose. It\u2019s typical for European players to return home if they miss out on the NHL (as opposed to going down to the AHL), so the Jets must think he has a legitimate shot to stay full-time with the big club. For now, he\u2019ll have to outmuscle some veterans to earn ice time, but many scouts believe he\u2019s ready.<\/p>\n Klepov was a great pick in the first round back in June \u2013 and I think he has top-six potential. The winger is a tremendous playmaker and finished the year as the OHL\u2019s top scorer with 97 points. But he\u2019s also a stout shooter and wasn\u2019t far from reaching the 40-goal barrier. Klepov had committed to Michigan State University but later changed his mind and signed an entry-level contract with the Ducks. That means he\u2019ll either play with Anaheim or head back to Saginaw \u2013 but the timing of the deal makes it feel like both the Ducks and Klepov think he can start the year with the big club.<\/p>\n And, hey, why not? They may need to fill some offensive gaps if they\u2019re going to move out veterans to sign Cutter Gauthier, anyway. Klepov plays with a ton of finesse, but he\u2019s physically strong, too. He\u2019s just an OK skater, but Klepov tends to make things happen when he\u2019s in control of the puck on the attack. If Klepov makes the big club, look for him to challenge for a top-six role.<\/p>\n Novotn\u00fd has the lowest chance of the bunch to make the NHL, but it\u2019s definitely a possibility after he signed his ELC a few weeks back.<\/a> Novotn\u00fd is a rugged, heavy-playing forward equipped with a solid shot release. While his lack of raw production at the World Juniors was initially surprising, the underlying process was stellar; he consistently navigated into high-danger areas and generated quality chances.<\/p>\n Any concerns about his transition to North American ice were quickly erased during a 30-goal rookie campaign, where he easily paced the Peterborough Petes\u2019 offense. Combine that offensive drive with a highly committed, responsible two-way game, and he projects strongly as a high-impact, top-six power forward at the NHL level \u2013 someone in more of the 40-50-point range. Novotn\u00fd is currently with the Petes in training camp and should spend the majority of the season there. But could he force his way into the NHL lineup, just like Braeden Cootes did a year ago? That would be fun.<\/p>\n DAILY FACEOFF NEWSLETTER<\/p>\n![\"winnipeg-jets\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1788809890_108_image.png\"\/)
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