Breaking down the early takeaways of Winnipeg Jets Training Camp including storylines from each group, position battles to watch and prospects to keep an eye on.
The Winnipeg Jets opened Training Camp on Thursday, sparking plenty of conversation with how they’ve divided their roster into three groups. The first on-ice sessions began at 9:30 AM Central Time at the Hockey For All Centre.
Jets Training Camp Groups - Sept. 18 pic.twitter.com/tkCeSNalsO
— Winnipeg Jets PR (@WpgJetsPR) September 17, 2025
As camp gets underway, we're taking a closer look at the groupings to see what insight they might offer, whether it's coaching strategy, potential line combinations, or intriguing pairings between seasoned veterans and up-and-coming prospects. These early decisions could shape key storylines, open doors for player development, and give certain players a real shot at earning a spot on the final roster.
Jets Announce Training Camp Roster and ScheduleThe Winnipeg Jets have announced their training camp roster and schedule for the upcoming week's training camp.
Is Domenic DiVincentiis the Jets Third Goalie?
From the crease, we see Domenic DiVincentiis jump to the first group alongside reigning league MVP Connor Hellebuyck and could signal that he has become the team's new third or fourth goalie option. The 21-year-old Bolton native did quite well in his first pro season with a 13-12-3 record, a 2.84 goals against average and a .906 save percentage in 28 starts with the Manitoba Moose last season. He started off his pre-season on a very strong note, shutting down some of the Montreal Canadiens top prospects with 38 saves.
Domenic DiVincentiis with a few impressive stops on a penalty kill for the #NHLJets. pic.twitter.com/I8FNk2TkJX
— Connor Hrabchak (@ConnorHrabchak1) September 13, 2025
In an exclusive interview during the off-season, DiVincentiis revealed his goal for the season is to make his NHL debut and earning time in Training Camp with Hellebuyck and learning from the league's best could be a good sign that his goal is within reach.
Exclusive: Jets Goalie Prospect Domenic DiVincentiis Eyes NHL Debut in 2025Winnipeg Jets prospect Domenic DiVincentiis talks season goals with AHL All-Star Game, Calder Cup and NHL Debut in new exclusive interview with The Hockey News.
Will Danny Zhilkin Stay Hot?
After an impressive showing during the Prospect Showcase, 21-year-old forward Danny Zhilkin finds himself mixed in with names like Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Gabe Vilardi. Being able to learn a thing or two from the trio that produces one of the most lethal lines in the NHL will be a very good thing for Zhilkin's development. The Russian product will also be put together with veteran Tanner Pearson and could see minutes on a line with him. Being given top opportunities and showcasing he has what it takes to stand out in such a star-studded group could help Zhilkin rise up the rankings quickly.
Isaak Phillips to Learn From More NHL Talent
One of the quietest rising prospects in the Jets system is Isaak Phillips, the former Chicago Blackhawks fifth round pick back in 2020. The 23-year-old Barrie native has been making a name for himself in the off-season, practicing with names like Mitch Marner, John Tavares, Sam Bennett, Robert Thomas and many other big names with longtime NHLer Kevin Bieksa coaching and leading drills.
He finds himself in his group alongside Josh Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo, who can both help continue Phillips's development and like Zhilkin, if he can standout with other big names around him, especially blueliners, it could lead to better opportunities for Phillips this upcoming season.
Group 2 and 3 Poised For Position Battle Fireworks
The second group appears to be a classroom for veterans Jonathan Toews and Gustav Nyquist as they will be paired up with four young players that will be looking to leave their mark. The first is Cole Perfetti, who will likely play alongside Toews and Nyquist on the second line, followed by three high-end prospects in Parker Ford, Colby Barlow and Brad Lambert.
While being mixed in with some bottom-six regulars like Jaret Anderson-Dolan and David Gustafsson, this group could provide the most pop as the trio of young talents could look to learn a few things from the veterans and quickly use it to their advantage in trying to get a leg up in the depth chart. This group will include the most real position battles out of them all as Anderson-Dolan and Gustafsson to keep their spots at the bottom of the main roster while fending off the young Jets fighting for a chance at the NHL.
This is the same story in the third group as youngsters like Kevin He, Brayden Yager, Jacob Cloutier and Nikita Chibrikov will all be looking to leave their mark and will force names around them to pick up the pace if they want to keep their main roster spots like Alex Iafallo, Nino Niederreiter and Philip Di Giuseppe.
Should Winnipeg Consider Bringing In Dillon Dube?The Winnipeg Jets could look to add another bottom-six forward with Dillon Dube available following the controversial Hockey Canada legal cases.