31 Teams in 31 Days - Winnipeg Jets

This is the end, my only friend...the end!

1. Declan Chisholm - Peterborough Petes
It was a very strong final season for Chisholm in the OHL that allowed him to earn his ELC with Winnipeg. Pretty much every area that he needed to improve on (consistency, physicality, offensive aggressiveness/assertiveness, point shot/PP confidence), showed massive growth. His bread and butter is certainly his ability to use his speed to start the breakout and create in transition. However, his defensive game really improved. He appeared so much more confident and assertive in attacking puck carriers or engaging physically down low; that physicality that he flashed last year was more consistently on display this year. His overall engagement and awareness in zone coverage looked much better. If you're a fan of advanced stats, you'll love seeing some of Chisholm's metrics according to InStat Hockey. His challenges won percentage of 62.6 was better than the likes of Bahl, Vukojevic, Kolyachonok, Regula, among others. And his 9 takeaways a game were also right near the top of NHL prospect defenders in the OHL. When he's able to win these battles, he's also able to use his speed to push up in the play and create odd man rushes and significant scoring chances. Back to his offense, Chisholm gained greater confidence in his shot and was looking to use it more consistently to keep defenders honest, especially on the powerplay. He did a better job of using his quickness to create those lanes or jump up in the play when needed. He's still not the world's most aggressive offensive defender; you won't see him extending his pushes too far into the offensive zone consistently, but he is effective. Additionally, at times, turnovers can be an issue upon entry as he tries to force plays or passes to create in transition before his team is set up. A bit more reserve or patience could be helpful to him there. However, no question, Chisholm is ready for the next challenge of pro hockey. In the AHL next year, I would expect Chisholm to have some success as his mobility will play right away. But he may need a year to really gain confidence with the puck, as we saw across his OHL career. A 20-25 point first season would be great for him IMO and a terrific target.