Today’s finally the day. The 2020 NHL Entry Draft is happening tonight as the general managers virtually get together and draft the next wave of young talent. The first round is going on tonight, while rounds two through seven are happening throughout the day tomorrow. If you haven’t had to think about the draft this summer we’ve got you covered with everything you need to know.

The most important thing to know is when the Jets actually pick. While there was a chance of winning the first overall selection, the ping pong balls did not go Winnipeg’s way as the Rangers lucked out with the top pick. Winnipeg settled for 10th, which is two spots better than they should be based on their points percentage during the season. Here are the results of the draft lottery with the order of the top ten picks.

Once the first round is over, the Jets pick only three more times during the entire draft. The Jets get the 40 pick (round two), the 133 pick (round 5) and the 164 pick (round 6).

Wait, the Jets only pick four times in a seven-round draft? Unfortunately, it’s true.

The cost of previous deals are finally being realized as the Jets traded away their third, fourth, and seventh-round picks in the last few seasons. The worst part about not having these picks is that the Jets don’t have anything to show for it.

The Jets lost their third-round pick in a deal with Ottawa this past season for Demelo. There’s a chance Winnipeg re-signs Demelo, but time is running out before free agency begins. The fourth-round pick went to Montreal two years ago as the Jets unloaded Steve Mason’s contract along with Joel Armia for Simon Bourque. Lastly, the seventh-round pick was for superstar Matt Hendricks at the 2019 trade deadline. It was one deal each year, but they equal one massive headache for Cheveldayoff who has a dwindling prospect pool and not much opportunity to restock.

To summarize, Winnipeg has a  pick in round 1, 2, 5, and 6 because they traded away rounds 3, 4, and 7.

The natural question when it comes to the draft is who to pick. While it’s extremely tough to project the later rounds of a draft, we should have a decent sense of players available in the first round that the Jets should target.

The interesting thing about Winnipeg this season is their team needs. The roster is desperate for a second-line centre and a few extra defencemen. Does that mean Cheveldayoff should scratch off all wingers just because of their position? Certainly not, as a well-rounded prospect pool comes from a multitude of positions and player types. The best way to draft is to pick the best player available no matter the position (unless it’s a goalie because goalies don’t count)

Most people would agree that the Jets should pick the best player available at number 10, the only problem is that every scout has their own opinion of who that player is. There are plenty of mock drafts out there and they feature many different players being picked in the top 10. The Jets need to find someone they are comfortable with and who they believe will turn into the best possible player.

Speaking of mock drafts, let’s look at a few to get a sense of what some of the experts are saying. Out of the handful of mock drafts I found, there were a number of different players that Winnipeg picked.

TSN’s mock draft has the Jets picking hometown kid Seth Jarvis as the 10th overall pick. Jarvis is from Winnipeg originally which would make for an excellent story. The Jets haven’t had much homegrown talent since coming back to Winnipeg but Jarvis would be an interesting selection given that he’s also a natural center. The Jets could use more depth at center, especially a player with the high-end skill of Jarvis who had 98 points in 58 games this season with Portland. Despite being a little undersized, Jarvis projects to be a strong top-six player with excellent offensive upside.

ESPN also had the Jets picking a center, but they went with Anton Lundell, the Finnish player out of Liiga. Lundell has already completed two seasons in Finland’s top league and he recorded an impressive 28 points in 44 games this past season. For some reference, Patrik Laine had 33 points in 46 games during the season of Liiga that he played before getting drafted. Lundell is intriguing because of his Finnish roots and he could help Winnipeg’s depth at center. The Jets also might choose Lundell with the hopes of solidifying Laine’s centerman for the foreseeable future with the Finnish connection.

Lastly, NHL.com did their own mock draft and had the Jets picking Jake Sanderson in the first round. Sanderson is a smooth-skating defenseman who can play in all situations. He’s committed to play at the University of North Dakota in 2020-2021 and the Jets have a history of players working their way through the US college hockey system.

It’s unclear what will happen with the first round player once getting drafted. While it’s not unreasonable to think they might have a shot to play with the club next season, the Jets have historically been very methodical in developing their prospects. The player will certainly get a shot to make the team, but the long-term interests far outweigh the short-term aspect of having the newest draft pick in the lineup.

As for the rest of the draft, Cheveldayoff will need to do his best to work with his depleted picks. It’s not going to be easy, but he will need to refill the prospect pool with very little room for error. There is a chance that he makes a move or two in an effort to get a few picks later in the draft, but don’t expect any massive deals to be done involving first-round picks or important roster players.