Winnipeg Jets sign defenceman Alfons Freij to entry-level contract

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The Winnipeg Jets have signed Swedish defenceman Alfons Freij to a three-year, entry-level contract with a mean annual worth of $975,000, the crew introduced Saturday.

First contract for Freij! ✍️ pic.twitter.com/mdMg0fTvqE

— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) June 14, 2025

Freij, 19, appeared in 29 video games this previous season for IF Björklöven in HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s second-tier league, ending with two targets and eight factors. Whereas the numbers are modest on paper, they’re strong for a rookie blueliner making the soar to professional hockey — particularly one adjusting to the tempo and physicality of the professional sport.

Winnipeg made Freij their first number of the 2024 NHL Draft, taking him thirty seventh general. At 6-foot-1 and 196 kilos, he brings a sturdy body and high-end skating potential to the backend. His edgework and stability assist him keep composed below strain, typically enabling clean breakouts and assured transition play.

Offensively, Freij is thought for his crisp passing and skill to push the tempo from the again finish. Defensively, he’s nonetheless a piece in progress, however there are indicators of development.

“A mean-sized defenseman who can create offence with an above-average shot and pro-ready one-timer. Has NHL ability and mobility however lacks hockey sense. Must develop on either side of the puck; the offence is forward of the defence,” reads a scouting report from DobberProspects.

Subsequent season, Freij is about to maneuver as much as the SHL with Timrå IK, a major step in his improvement. The SHL’s quicker tempo and more durable competitors will problem his decision-making and assist refine either side of his sport.

Freij didn’t crack Sweden’s World Junior roster final yr, however with a number of key gamers growing old out, he’s a powerful candidate to make the crew this time round.

Whereas he’s nonetheless possible a few years away from competing for a roster spot in Winnipeg, the trail ahead is evident: a season or two within the SHL, adopted by a possible transition to the AHL with the Manitoba Moose. If he continues to verify packing containers the best way he did this yr, he might arrive in Winnipeg before anticipated.

PRESENTED BY PRAIRIE TOYOTA DEALERS 

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