The Winnipeg Jets made only four selections in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and were absent from the first round. However, two of their selections came from the OHL, and boy do their scouting staff look like they know what they are doing with those two picks.
The Jets called out Kevin He’s name in the fourth round, 109th overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Fresh off a 31-goal, 53-point 2023-24 campaign, and impressing the Jets scouts with his blazing speed in transition and tenacious puck pursuit, the organization signed him to an entry-level contract.
He made history as the first Chinese-born player to sign an NHL contract.
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Little did Kevin know that two rounds later, Winnipeg called out his minor hockey teammate, drafting Sudbury Wolves forward Kieron Walton.
Walton and He played together in the GTHL for the North York Rangers. It was impossible not to notice Kieron on a nightly basis in the U16 division in his OHL draft year. He was already 6-foot-5 and could skate like the wind with the puck.
Winnipeg could not pass up on the raw upside in the now 6-foot-6 winger, drafting him 187th overall in the sixth round this past summer. And Kieron’s elite skating ability has produced some highlight reel goals this season.
And this incredible assist that broke the ankles of the Windsor Spitfires defenseman.
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What makes Walton so special is how quickly he can reach top speed. He gallops through his crossovers to create separation and uses his incredibly soft hands to attack defenders one-on-one.
He loves to attack defenders’ triangles while they back-pedal against his speed. Look at how he attacks the defender’s triangle, getting him turned around while playing the puck through his stick.
When speaking with the Winnipeg Jets prospect, he said he put a big emphasis on working on his speed over the summer, along with his shot.
“I put a lot of work into improving my speed. You know for a big guy that was a big focus. I also really dialed in on my shot and worked to improve it in all areas including off the rush,” said Walton.
His shot has improved immensely this season, and that’s clear through his career-high 28 goals.
Out of the 28 goals he has scored, 10 have been one-timer blasts. His NHL-level skill lies in maintaining accuracy and power with his one-timers without needing to be stationary.
When you watch the way he shoots and skates, it comes as no surprise that NHL stars Tage Thompson and Auston Matthews are two players he likes to model his game after.
“Tage Thompson for sure, I like his patience with the puck and how he can slow things down whenever he wants. Also, I like watching Auston Matthews a lot.”
His one-timer from along the right-side of the ice on the powerplay looks almost identical to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ superstar.
There’s a future for Walton operating on the powerplay down the right-side boards as a one-timer threat.
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The Winnipeg Jets prospect is sixth in OHL scoring with 72 points in 46 games. Outside of Easton Cowan’s incredible regular season point streak, Walton has the longest point streak this season at 19 games, collecting 45 points during that stretch.
He sits in a tie for second in the league in powerplay points with his fellow Sudbury teammate Henry Mews with 32.
We’ve shown his ability to finish on the powerplay with that deadly one-timer, but his passing and playmaking have been outright elite this year in the OHL.
Kieron has been a master at finding those tight seam passes and threading the needle to his teammates. His passes are firm but always in a controllable state for his recipient.
As showcased all season long, Walton brings the dual-threat offensive element of a sharpshooter and playmaker, a deadly combination that should give him success at the professional level.
Kieron is one of the most improved players this season in the OHL. He’s on pace for a 100-point season, which would smash his season totals from a year before (43).
Sudbury needed him to step up big time this year after losing Dalibor Dvorsky and David Goyette. He knew he’d have to start contributing more.
“100%, next man up mentality. We had a deep team last year so at times it was tough to get minutes. But this year I just wanted to kind of prove that I can be the guy and can help lead the team and I’ve been given a lot of opportunities this season to showcase my skills.”
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Walton mentioned that during his time in Winnipeg before coming back to start his third year in the OHL, he took inspiration from seeing how the top players on the Jets treated their bodies and their off-ice habits.
The Toronto, Ontario native has developed into a prospect who shows to have middle-six potential at the NHL level. However, he understands there’s still work to be done and areas of his game he can improve on.
“My stops and starts. I like to swing a lot so having more stops and starts in my game. And with being such a big body, just using my body to advantage and learning how to use it and be more physical,” are areas of his game that Walton wants to improve in.
The Wolves and Walton are in a bit of a rough stretch lately having gone 3-7 in their last ten games. Kieron has just three points in his last seven games and will need to get going again as the playoffs loom.
But the 6-foot-6 winger believes his team could be a dark horse in the playoffs.
“Yeah you know no one really gave us a chance at the start of the year and I really like the trade deadline acquisitions we made, including bringing Jack Ziliotto from the BCHL. Also, we have four incredible coaches who played the game their whole lives so yeah I think we could do some damage,” Walton said when asked if the Wolves could be a sleeper team in the playoffs.
Between Kevin He and Kieron Walton, the Winnipeg Jets have acquired two solid prospects who have shown amazing progression and development this year.
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