The Winnipeg Jets have two drafted goaltender prospects at the NCAA level, who have not seen a lot of game action so far this year.
One thing is for certain, the Winnipeg Jets have some great goaltending prospects. Behind Connor Hellebuyck, the Jets have the likes of Eric Comrie and Laurent Brossoit. They also have Europeans Arvid Holm and Mikhail Berdin, who are climbing up their ranks.
This offseason the Jets sent both Holm and Berdin on loan, back to clubs in their home countries, to get some much-needed game time before the Jets and Manitoba Moose start their 2021 seasons. Both of these goalies have been performing extremely well on loan and many people have taken note of this.
But what about the goalies that were drafted by the Jets that play at the collegiate level? Those two goalies are Logan Neaton and Jared Moe. Neaton plays for the University of Massachusetts Lowell and Moe applies his trade for the University of Minnesota.
Logan Neaton
Neaton, the Jets fifth-round pick of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, got his season started last Sunday against the Providence College Friars. UMass-Lowell was supposed to start their season a week earlier against Boston College, but those games were postponed.
Unfortunately, UMass-Lowell and Neaton came up short in a game they got dominated in and lost 4-2. Neaton got the start but allowed three goals on 25 shots faced and did not have much help in front of him. The River Hawks only had 12 shots on target the whole game. Very rarely is a team going to win with such a low number of shots on net.
It is a positive sign that Neaton got the first start for his school and could be seen as their number one netminder this year. Last year Neaton was low on the depth chart and only appeared in three games.
UMass-Lowell is scheduled to play two games each weekend over the next month and it will be interesting to take note of Neaton’s performances over these games
Jared Moe
Winnipeg’s sixth-round draft pick in the 2018 draft, Jared Moe had an outstanding season in 2019-2020. He was named to the BigTen All-Freshman Team and posted terrific numbers. He had a 7-5-1 record with a 2.46 goals against average and a .915 save percentage.
Moe was looking to build on his performances, but unfortunately for him, he has not gotten the chance to play this year.
The Golden Gophers gave their senior goalie, Jack LaFontaine, the start on opening night. He got the win and Minnesota decided to go with the hot goalie. In the first eight games of their season, Minnesota has gone 8-0-0, and LaFontaine has started and won each game.
Minnesota’s undefeated record has propelled them to being ranked as the number one team in the nation. Unless the Golden Gophers lose or LaFontaine picks up an injury, do not expect Moe to play anytime soon.
Although both Jared Moe and Logan Neaton have not gotten off to a hot start in 2020-2021, the college season is still young and both of these prospects have an immense amount of potential to have a great rest of the year.
Winnipeg Jets Fans: Do you think that either Neaton or Moe will be the goaltender of the future for the Winnipeg Jets? Leave your comments below!
*All Stats Provided by Elite Prospects*