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

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

About Alfons Freij

Alfons Freij is a left defender from Sweden. He’s an amazing skater with great play, so he can be valuable as a zone player and chaser. His offensive game is where most of his talent lies, but some improvement on the defensive end could help him become an impact NHLer in the future.

Related: 2024 NHL Draft: Live Tracker

With 14 goals and 19 assists for 33 points in 40 games, Freij had the single highest scoring season for a defenseman of his age in J20 Nationell history. Among 17-year defensemen, he is tied for the 11th most points ever recorded. For reference, Erik Karlsson, who had a 101-point season in the NHL back in 2022-23, had 37 points in 38 games back in 2007-08. The production is absolutely there, but can he take it to the next level?

Excerpt from THW’s profile

“Freij is a great skater and playmaker who will be able to turn down the power play with ease. Defensively, he is a bit of a project as he often finds himself out of position due to overplaying in the attacking position. That being said, he has a great knowledge of the game and tends to make the right decisions more often than not.

“Despite having a large frame, Freij does not always use his size to his advantage. He tends to shy away from the physical side of the game more often than not. Once he arrives in North America, that will be one of the key features that many teams will look to improve. Adding physicality would help his overall defensive game, and he has the size to play that style of game.

Related: 2024 NHL Draft Guide

“His ability in the attacking area is amazing, he seems to be in the right place at the right time, however, sometimes he makes mistakes that cost him his place. Whether it’s a dangerous play that leads to a turnover, or when he’s caught chasing the puck, he’s going to occasionally make some judgmental errors.

A full player profile can be found here.

How This Affects the Jets’ Plans

The Jets, with a promising pool and some good young players on the roster, are getting defensive talent with Freij. Having an offensive head in the back should help them in the future, especially if Freij becomes an NHL player. It may be a while before he makes an impact at the NHL level, sure, but Winnipeg is a team with a very long window. If and when he’s ready to be an impact player, he can fit into their power play and perhaps take over the second pairing job if he develops.