Four players the Jets should target if they select 7th overall in the 2026 NHL Draft
The Jets off-season has officially begun after their exit interviews following a disappointing season where they missed the playoffs. Five Jets players will be off to Switzerland soon for the upcoming IIHF World Championship, while the rest of the team and staff are off to begin their off-season routines.
Although the NHL Draft is still two months away, the NHL Draft Lottery is coming up on May 5th. The Jets are currently slotted in at the 7th overall pick, but with some luck they could be selecting 1st or 2nd overall. Assuming luck isn’t on their side in the lottery, here are four players that the Jets should target at 7th overall in the 2026 NHL Draft. Apart from Gavin McKenna going 1st overall and Ivar Stenberg going 2nd overall, it’s tough to shake out who will be selected from 3-10, leaving the Jets with good odds of selecting their next likely top prospect.
Viggo Bjork
Bjork is a versatile right handed shooting forward that has experience playing both at centre and right wing. Most mock drafts have Bjork being selected in the 6 to 9 range, meaning there’s a good chance he’ll be available for the Jets at seven. The 18-year old forward is on the smaller side, listed at 5’9″ and 177 lbs, but he makes up for the lack of size with his skill and hockey IQ. In 42 games with Djurgardens IF in the Swedish Hockey League, Bjork scored 6 goals and 9 assists for 15 points.
Carson Carels
If the Jets decide to target a defenceman in the upcoming draft, Carels should be at the top of their list. Carels is one of the three or four defencemen expected to be selected between 4th and 10th overall. Carels is notable for his offensive talent as a mobile right shot defenceman. The 17-year old defenceman is listed at 6’2″‘ and 198 lbs. With the Prince George Cougars in the WHL, Carels put up 20 goals and 53 assists for 73 points in 58 games.
Albert Smits
Another defenceman the Jets could (and should) target if they pick 7th overall is the 6’3″ 205 lbs Latvian defender. I’m assuming that Chase Reid and Keaton Verhoeff will be off the board by pick seven, leaving the Jets with a good chance to pick Carels or Smits at 7th if they decide to focus on improving their blue line. The 18-year old left handed defenceman played with Jukurit Mikkeli and Munich EHC this season, and he’s an aggressive two-way defender who will be ready to jump into the NHL early in his development.
Tynan Lawrence
A final option that the Jets should target at 7th overall is one of the top centres available in Tynan Lawrence. Like many players projected to go in the 4-10 range, it’s possible Lawrence is already selected by the time the Jets are on the clock if teams ahead of them prioritize the centre position. The 17-year old left handed centre spent time with the Muskegon Lumberjacks and Boston University this season. Lawrence is noted for his elite skating ability while being able to play a controlled game in various situations.
Up Next
With the NHL draft still two months away, they’ll be plenty of time to brainstorm who the Jets will target with the 7th overall pick. As round one gets closer, the final draft rankings should become a little more clearer, which will hopefully narrow down the Jets options. The 7th overall pick in a draft like this years is a good position to have, as they’ll have a chance to very likely pick a top 2 or 3 talent in that players primary position. The NHL Draft Lottery will take place on May 5th, where the Winnipeg Jets will have a 6.5% chance of winning the draw for the 1st overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
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