Lauris Prikulis was drafted 11th overall in the S13 SHL Entry Draft. He put up good numbers in the NWJHL with the Whalers and was part of the top 3 goalie prospects this year. Maybe not as well-known as the other two, Prikulis has shown great development and skill. In the draft, Prikulis saw the two goalies get drafted before him, until GM Littleton called his name. Littleton says that he had his eyes on Prikulis after Whalers GM Jordan Hall gave him a rave review and claimed he has the potential to become the best goalie in the draft. With the retirement of future Hall of Famer John McBride, Prikulis will have the chance to become the new face of the franchise in Winnipeg. Talking to Prikulis, Littleton decided the best course of action was to give Prikulis some games in the SHL to get him acquainted with the talent level, but then send him down to the Kelowna Knights of the NWJHL for further development. This season will be an important one for young Lauris. This is where he has to shown dedication and train hard to be ready for full-time duty in the SHL. There is one thing that Lauris has that other goalies may not, and that’s the mentorship of John McBride. McBride has already gives some words of advice on how to play the goalie position and that should continue all season, especially in Kelowna where McBride is the GM. If Prikulis takes what McBride is teaching him, we could be seeing a future star in the SHL. Continues activity will be very beneficial for Lauris and if he can keep it up, the Jets may have just found another legendary goaltender. It will definitely be exciting to watch this young goaltender develop and thrive in the SHL.
Erik Lidstrom – Defenseman
The Texas Renegades, in the second round of the S13 SHL Entry Draft, originally drafted Erik Lidstrom. The Jets did not have any second round picks, but knew they needed to add a young defenseman to the roster. When the draft ended, former Jets defenseman Giovanni Mortellaro II came to GM Littleton and asked for a trade. It was a big blow to the defense of the Jets because Mortellaro II was a young, stud player with a lot of skill. There was a hole now on the blue line, but the Renegades came calling. They were offering a replacement for Giovanni in Onoprienko and the rookie defenseman Erik Lidstrom. Damian Littleton decided that bringing in a young defenseman in Lidstrom who can develop into another stud blue liner was a good return for an unhappy player. Lidstrom was happy to come to Winnipeg and will play in the NWJHL this season. He will go and get some more seasoning and hone his skills before making the jump to the SHL next season. He’s a dedicated player with a lot to prove after being traded without having played any games. He wants to show the Renegades that they made a mistake and the Jets are definitely happy to have a motivated player in their system. The Kelowna Knights GMs will help Lidstrom along in his development and make sure that he’s ready to make an impact in the SHL. Lidstrom will also gain some chemistry with his future goaltender in Lauris Prikulis. There are high hopes for Lidstrom in Winnipeg and if he continues to show dedication to improving himself, he will make a great fit on the blue line in Winnipeg. For now, though, the Jets brass will enjoy watching Lidstrom play in the NWJHL and take his first steps towards stardom.
Beast – Forward
The man simply named Beast had high hopes when he was drafted into the NWJHL. He had some raw skill offensively and looked to take the league by storm. However, there was a bump in his development, as he didn’t show the same drive as other players in the NWJHL. He was rarely seen training in the gym or on the ice and seemed to just coast by. His numbers weren’t great and he didn’t really live up to the hype he put on himself. He quickly became an afterthought in the SHL Entry Draft, but the Jets used a third round pick on Beast. They didn’t expect anything from him, except for another body that could be sent down to the Kelowna Knights. Unless Beast comes back and starts his development again, it’s very likely that he will be destined for a career in the Juniors. Players have surprised teams before and come back better than ever, so there is hope for the Jets, but right now Beast becomes just another depth player in the system. Littleton spoke about Beast and said he hopes he comes back and if he does, will definitely help him improve and make up for lost time. He will be a reclamation project if that does happen, which doesn’t bother the Jets GM. Right now, he’s in Kelowna waiting for the NWJHL season to start and no one knows what the future will bring. Will Beast come back to the SHL and regain the hype that he brought, or will Beast forever be another name that has come and gone without a whimper? The Jets certainly hope for the first option and they’ll be waiting for him, but right now they know the situation and can’t hold their breath on the player they call Beast.
Leafs4ever![[Image: ERs3IrD.png]](https://i.imgur.com/ERs3IrD.png)
