Danny Zhilkin Gets First NHL Call Up

The Winnipeg Jets announced today that they’ve recalled forward Danny Zhilkin from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Manitoba Moose. In a corresponding move, Haydn Fleury was placed on injured reserve as he’s out with a broken nose and bruised back following an incident in last night’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

While it’s unlikely that Zhilkin makes his NHL debut against the Edmonton Oilers, it’s a never-say-never scenario. The 2022 third-round pick (77th overall) has been a force for the Manitoba Moose this season, and was my top bounce-back candidate for the Moose given his slow starts and injuries suffered in his first two pro seasons.

The Moscow, Russian-born center was drafted when he played for the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League. He found himself as a steady 55-point player in his final two seasons, split between the Storm and the Kitchener Rangers.

Speaking purely of Zhilkin’s presence with the Moose, he is a massive reason why the Moose can comfortably roll four lines. He’s got a unique hockey sense and great puck-handling skills that make him a threat whenever he’s on the ice. Given the opportunity presented, he’ll aim to make the absolute most out of it.

Anytime Zhilkin’s name is brought up to one of his coaches in a post-game media scrum, it’s always high praise.

“Danny does the same thing, game in and game out, every night he comes to play hard,” Manitoba Moose head coach Mark Morrison on Danny Zhilkin’s two-point effort in a 5-2 loss on New Year’s Eve.

Morrison later joked in the same media scrum that he says the same thing about Zhilkin all the time, and continued the praise about Zhilkin’s strong presence as a two-way centerman evolving in the AHL.

This is a massive confidence boost not only for Zhilkin but for the Jets’ coaching staff as they evaluate their options for potential call-ups amidst a 10-game losing streak, a stretch in which Winnipeg has won just three of its last 22 games. Given the Jets’ current lineup, giving Zhilkin some runway with another young forward wouldn’t hurt.

Zhilkin’s recall could potentially check off another big item that isn’t secondary scoring, and that’s the fact that he’s a centre. The 6-foot-2 centre is defensively responsible and is detail-oriented; he does exactly what a strong two-way centre should do, and if he can add some scoring to that, the Jets have a major answer.

Part of Zhilkin’s strong play this year has been his drive to earn more minutes with special teams and get into Manitoba’s top six. He’s grown with the team as they’ve gone from one of the league’s worst teams to a fairly competitive team.

Across 30 games, Zhilkin has a career-high 14 points (7G, 7A) and given more runway in the Moose’s top-six, he’s bound to get his career high to greater numbers. His assist total this season matches his in the 2024-25 season of seven, a mark he took 53 games to reach.

Time will only tell when Danny Zhilkin gets to make his NHL debut, but the Winnipeg Jets are at home for another four straight games, and he’ll likely make his debut before the end of the Jets’ current home stand.