Meet the Jets’ 2025 NHL Entry Draft Class

“Boumedienne is touted as an offensive defenseman who projects as a top power-play option in the very near future,” THW’s William Espy wrote in a prospect profile. 

Boumedienne represented Sweden at the 2025 U18 World Junior Championships (WJC) and broke the single-tournament scoring record for a defenseman by racking up 14 points in six games en route to being named the tournament’s best defenseman. His eye-popping six-point performance against Switzerland showcases his heady skillset that could be perfect for a team like the Jets, who stress the importance of getting offensive production from the back end.

“Boumedienne’s skating is one of his greatest strengths, however, he still needs to improve in a few areas,” Espy continued. “His mix of speed and size allows him to be a key player in transition, however, he needs to use his frame to his advantage more consistently at the collegiate level. He’s improving defensively, but if he’s going to become a reliable 200-foot player rather than a power play specialist, he’ll need to continue improving considerably.”

“You just watch his progression over the course of the year. His best plays were in the toughest moments. He played big minutes down the stretch in all situations,” Cheveldayoff said on Zoom from Winnipeg after the first round ended. “Yeah, certainly that (his skating) is an attribute that jumps out at you. He transports the puck, he can beat pressure with his skating. Good two-way game. Comes from a family that obviously has been in the game, so he’s been around it his whole life. It’s an exciting time for us to be able to add that kind of quality of a player picking at 28.”

“I describe myself as a two-way defenseman who plays really hard all over the ice and uses his skating to my advantage,” Boumedienne said. “I like to join the rush and create offense and kind of make quick plays and a quick shot and kind of create offence from there. So, a defenceman who will play hard all over the ice and kind of do a little bit of everything.”

Boumedienne will return to BU for next season.

Owen Martin: 3rd Round, 92nd Overall, Centre

With his first pick of day two, Cheveldayoff selected a local talent in centre Owen Martin.

The Oakbank, Manitoba product just wrapped up his second full season with the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Spokane Chiefs, recording 13 goals and and 21 assists for 34 points in 39 games, and six goals and six assists for 12 points in 20 games in the Chiefs’ run to the WHL Final. The right-shooting 18 year old missed two months from late November to late January with a leg injury he sustained blocking a shot.

“Martin is a skilled all-around center who does good work in all three zones,” THW’s Alex Hutton wrote in a prospect profile. “Offensively, he won’t blow people away with high scoring figures, but he’s a steady and consistent player who doesn’t make many mistakes with the puck, even to the point of playing too safe and not taking enough risks.”

“His confidence on the puck and strong decision-making earned him a spot on Spokane’s second power-play unit. He went from 24 points in 2023-24 to 34 points in 2024-25 — driven in part by his eagerness to crash the net — despite playing 15 fewer games in the latter due to injuries. His plus/minus jumped from minus-12 in his first season to plus-16 in his second, indicating tremendous growth and maturity that NHL teams hope will develop even further,” Hutton continued.

Martin played under Brad Lauer in Spokane, a former Jets’ assistant coach. He is only the third Manitoban Cheveldayoff has ever drafted and first since 2016.

“It’s just super cool to be drafted by the hometown team,” Martin said during a Zoom interview. “I’ve grown up always going to (Jets) games… This is super cool for me, my family and all my friends. It’s just unbelievable.”

Victor Klingsell: 5th Round, 156th Overall, Forward

With his fifth rounder, Cheveldayoff went back across the pond to select Swedish forward Victor Klingsell.

The 18 year old left-shot winger spent 2024-25 in the Swedish Hockey League’s Skelleftea organization, mainly with the U20 team where he recorded 17 goals and 22 assists for 39 points in 43 games. He also made his professional debut with Skelleftea AIK, playing three regular-season games and one playoff game with them.

internationally, the Järfälla product was the leading scorer at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup with four goals and eight assists for 12 points. He followed that up with another solid international tournament, recording eight points in seven games to help Sweden win the silver medal at the U18 WJC.

“Klingsell is a smooth pass-first playmaker who has a knack for finding his teammates in advantageous positions,” THW’s Jim Bay wrote in a prospect profile. “However, that is a concern with Klingsell as he sometimes hangs out on the perimeter too much, instead of using his speed to drive the net and expose defences, especially off the rush.”

“His playmaking was also on display at the Five Nations tournament last February, impressing everyone with his prowess of passing the puck and setting up teammates. Even though he only had four points in four games, his playmaking skills helped out his teammates frequently, even if his efforts do not show up on the scoresheet. Those skills give him a high ceiling for success in the NHL,” Bay continued.

Edison Engle: 6th Round, 188th Overall, Defence

Cheveldayoff went back to North America for his sixth-round pick, selecting American left-handed defenceman Edison Engle.

The 6-foot-2, 174-pound Illinois product split his season between the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers and Dubuque Fighting Saints, being traded to Dubuque in late December. He recorded two goals and 15 assists for 17 points in 54 games between the teams, and four assists in seven Clark Cup Playoff games for the Fighting Saints. Engle also skated for the United States at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the World Junior A Challenge.

The 18 year old will head to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) next season to play for the Brantford Bulldogs before heading to Ohio State for 2026-27.

“An agile skater with speed-retaining transitions, Engle has the mobility to keep up with – and eliminate – high-skill puck carriers,” Elite Prospects writes. “He lands pokes just as opponents expose the puck, pressures early to guide opponents to the outside, and has the speed to make up ground on opponents. Once Engle gets the puck, he’s always looking to create. He fakes one pass before finding another, uses the middle and cross-ice options, and shows a lot of patience to wait for lanes to open.”

Jacob Cloutier: 7th Round, 220th Overall, Right Wing

With his final pick, Cheveldayoff selected right winger Jacob Cloutier.

The 5-foot-10, 170-pound Ottawa product had a nice rookie season with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit in 2024-25, scoring 23 goals and adding 24 assists for 47 points in 67 games. The 18 year old had one goal and two assists in three playoff games and was also named to the OHL’s Second All-Rookie Team.

“Cloutier plays a fast, intense style, combining energy, physicality, and diverse rush patterns to consistently attack the offensive zone,” Elite Prospects writes. “He also thrives on the cycle, protecting pucks along the wall after winning them from defenders off the forecheck, cutting back and escaping pressure, and taking pucks off the wall to the middle of the ice.”

Focus Shifts to Free Agency

With the draft complete, Cheveldayoff and company’s focus can shift to 2025 free agency, which opens July 1, and their 2025 Development Camp, which opens June 30. Development Camp will give the organization’s coaches a quick look at all five of their new picks.

Be sure to keep following The Hockey Writers for extensive coverage and analysis this offseason.