Kevin He’s rise is moving fast, and the Winnipeg Jets prospect is on the verge of his first real test in pro hockey.
The Chinese-born winger is expected to take the next step next season with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose after a huge year in junior. He finished the OHL season with 39 goals and 38 assists for 77 points in 62 games, splitting time between the Niagara IceDogs and the Flint Firebirds after a midseason trade. He didn’t cool off when the playoffs arrived, either, posting three goals and six assists for nine points in six games.
At 20, He is already one of the Jets’ quickest-rising prospects, and one of the sport’s most culturally historic ones as well. Elite Prospects has him making the jump to the Moose, where the six-foot, 181-pound left winger will be facing grown men for the first time.
What makes He stand out is his motor. He plays with a pace and energy that separate him from a lot of other prospects, though his physical game is the area that will likely need the most adjustment early on.
There’s no guarantee a player’s first season in the AHL goes smoothly. Winnipeg’s 2023 first-round pick Colby Barlow learned that last year, putting up 16 points in 65 games in his first full pro campaign.
He’s path is different. He was a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, which leaves his ceiling wide open.
That’s part of what makes this next season so important. If he can carry his junior production and competitive edge into the pro game, the Jets may have found a real steal.
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