Antoine Waked to join Jets at Young Stars Tournament

According to the Versants, the Winnipeg Jets have invited Antoine Waked to their rookie training camp. Also known as the Young Stars Tournament, Waked will play a depth role as a winger for the Jets’ rookie team in Penticton that will carry the Jets’ top prospects, like Brendan Lemieux, Nic Petan, Josh Morrissey, and Jack Roslovic.

Waked has never eclipsed a point per game, despite playing for high octane offense teams in the QMJHL. After three years of major junior with a personal best of 38 points in 48 games as a 19-year-old, the offensive upside to Waked is likely extremely limited.

At 6 feet and 194 pounds, Waked doesn’t have a physically imposing size, nor does he have much frame to grow into. That said, the right winger does have a physical edge to his game and plays responsibly in the defensive zone.

The Jets’ scouts according to some sources are actually fairly high on Waked, with some suggestions that the Jets actually came close to drafting him in the past. They like his 

If Waked hopes to earn an Entry Level Contract out of camp as a try out, much like Axel Blomqvist did in 2013, he will have to show that his gritty defensive game is one that can appreciably tilt the ice in the Jets favour enough to be deserving of a NHL contract.