Winnipeg Jets Draft Alfons Freij 37th Overall – The Hockey Writers – Jets Prospects

With the 37th pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Winnipeg Jets have selected Alfons Freij from the Vaxjo Lakers HC J20 (J20 Nationell)

About Alfons Freij

Alfons Freij is an offensively gifted left-handed defenseman from Sweden. He is a phenomenal skater with serious playmaking potential, so he can be valuable as a zone player, but also as a rusher. His offensive game is where most of his talent lies, but some development on the defensive front could help him become an impactful NHL player in the future.

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With 14 goals and 19 assists for 33 points in 40 games, Freij had one of the all-time highest scoring seasons for a defenseman his age in J20 Nationell history. Among 17-year-old defenders, he achieved a shared eleventh highest point total ever. For reference, Erik Karlsson, who had a 101-point season in the NHL in the 2022-2023 season, had 37 points in 38 games in the 2007-08 season. The production is definitely there, but can he take it to the next level?

Extract from the THW prospect profile

“Freij is a great skater and playmaker from the blue line who should be able to quarterback the power play with ease. Defensively, he is a bit of a project, as he often finds himself out of position playing too aggressively in the offensive zone. That said, he has a great knowledge of the game and tends to make the right decisions more often than not.

“Despite his rather large build, Freij doesn’t often use his size to his advantage. He tends to shy away from the physical side of the game more often than not. Once he comes to North America, that will certainly be one of the key aspects most teams want to improve. Adding some physicality would certainly benefit his defensive game as a whole, and he has the length to play that style of play.

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“His awareness in the offensive zone is phenomenal, he always seems to be in the right place at the right time, but sometimes he makes mistakes that cost him in his own zone. Whether it’s a risky play that results in a turnover, or he gets caught chasing the puck, he’s going to make some judgment calls at times.

The full player profile can be found here.

How this affects the Jets’ plans

The Jets, with a promising prospect pool and some great young players on the roster, are getting some skill on their defense with Freij. Some offensive upside on their back end should help them in the future, especially if Freij develops into an NHL player. It could be a while before he makes an impact at the NHL level, that’s for sure, but Winnipeg is a team with a decent window. If and when he’s ready to be an impact player, he could slot into their power play and perhaps take on a second pair of workloads as he progresses.