Latest news with #SaschaBoumedienne
Winnipeg Free Press
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Boumedienne always rises to the occasion
Hockey is me. Three simple words were all Sascha Boumedienne needed to wrap up a thoughtful answer about how the sport became his passion. The Winnipeg Jets 2025 first-rounder was holding court after an on-ice session at development camp on Thursday afternoon and it was easy to see the smooth-skating defenceman was in his element. Gregory Payan / The Associated Press files Jets prospect Sacha Boumedienne will return to the Boston University Terriers this fall to develop his game. As someone who has been living a nomadic lifestyle for the better part of his 18 years, Boumedienne has a bubbly and engaging personality — which was evident when he held a Zoom call with reporters last Friday after he was chosen 28th overall by the Jets in the NHL Draft. With a father, Josef, who played professional hockey for nearly two decades – including 47 games in the NHL with the New Jersey Devils, Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals — Boumedienne has embraced the bouncing around and it's safe to say it hasn't stunted his development as a top prospect. 'It mostly comes from my dad,' said Boumedienne, who was born in Oulu, Finland, but raised in Stockholm, Sweden. 'My dad played professional hockey and I just fell in love with it. I was around it, 24/7. We were with him everywhere he played and I was able to be in the locker rooms, wherever he was. It was just kind of natural. Since I remember, I've always been in a hockey locker room and that's just been second nature.' That's when he inserted the exclamation point — hockey is me. Hockey doesn't define Boumedienne, who has lived in six countries and speaks two languages (English and Swedish), but you can tell it's a driving force in his life. 'I moved around to a lot of different places and I've had a blast everywhere that I've been,' said Boumedienne. 'We moved around quite a bit when I was younger, so I was used to it. But yeah, maybe my outgoing personality helps a little bit.' Boumedienne wasn't drafted for his personality, though the confidence he exudes — in a positive way — is part of the reason his play stood out over the course of the past year, first at Boston University for a Terriers squad that reached the Frozen Four championship final and then for Sweden at the U18 World Championship in Texas. Thanks to his elite skating ability, Boumedienne adapted well to the college game and then was named top defenceman at the U18 event when he went back to playing for his peer group and set a tournament record for assists (13) and points (14) by a defenceman. Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff pointed out last week one of the impressive things about Boumedienne was his ability to play his best hockey in the biggest moments. The stage doesn't get too big for him, no matter what his birth certificate might say. Boumedienne got plenty of encouragement from his parents to pursue hockey, but the internal drive is what fuelled his passion. Rollerblading to the local rink was a common exercise for Boumedienne and his brother. 'Whenever there wasn't snow outside or ice or whatever on the sidewalks, me and my little brother, we'd get fully dressed and put our helmets and gloves and hold our sticks in our hands,' said Boumedienne. 'We'd put our skates in our backpack and put the backpack on. The rollerblade down took 10 or 15 minutes, and then, we'd go on the bench and put our real skates on. So that was a good childhood memory, but yeah, fortunate that I got to live so close to the rink.' Earlier this week, fellow 2025 Jets' draft pick Viktor Klingsell mentioned Boumedienne was a skilled centre long before he made the switch to playing defence and his childhood friend corroborated the story. 'I was a centre until I was about 13 or 14 probably,' said Boumedienne. 'I liked being up there, but then I tried D once, because I wanted to be like my dad and my dad was a D. I thought it was a blast playing D and setting up plays from the back end and being able to defend.' When asked who he patterns his game after, Boumedienne mentions a Dallas Stars blue-liner who Jets fans are quite familiar with from his time with the Central Division rival. 'I love to watch Miro Heiskanen,' said Boumedienne. 'A guy who skates like the wind. A big, left-shot defenceman. He's out there against the other teams' top line and able to shut them down and kind of make it hard on them with his skating all over the ice — and then, he's obviously really good offensively. 'He's on his team's first power play and is really good both ways. Really strong on the puck and really hard to play against. Someone I like to model my game after.' The aforementioned qualities are what Boumedienne plans to refine during his sophomore season at BU, where he followed a detailed plan to improve in Year 1 with the program. 'We obviously had a lot of talks about me going in a year early and it's a pretty big decision. We had a lot of phone calls and talks with them and really set up a plan for me to develop in every aspect of the game,' said Boumedienne. 'To get bigger and stronger and grow my defensive game — and all areas of the game. We sat down and had a plan for every week. I had a detail for every practice and meaning with every rep. Something to focus on every day to really get better.' Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. He'd love to get back to the Frozen Four final, while changing the end result. Boumedienne is also hoping to suit up for his country at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship and it's possible one of his teammates could be Jets' 2024 second-rounder Alfons Freij. 'We didn't even know each other before this,' said Freij. 'We've become good friends in a short time. He's a stud.' X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld Ken WiebeReporter Ken Wiebe is a sports reporter for the Free Press, with an emphasis on the Winnipeg Jets. He has covered hockey and provided analysis in this market since 2000 for the Winnipeg Sun, The Athletic, and TSN. Ken was a summer intern at the Free Press in 1999 and returned to the Free Press in a full-time capacity in September of 2023. Read more about Ken. Every piece of reporting Ken produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Global News
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Global News
Top Jets prospects in Winnipeg for week-long development camp
Winnipeg Jets fans will have an opportunity to see the next generation of star players up close and personal at the club's 2025 development camp, slated to run from Monday through Friday. With the NHL entry draft in the rearview mirror, the Jets' selections from this past weekend — including first-rounder Sascha Boumedienne — will join prospects drafted in previous years, including some who are already spending time with the team's AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose. Among the participants scheduled to hit the ice at the Hockey For All Centre this week are goalie Dominic DiVincentiis (drafted in 2022), Swedish defenceman Alfons Frej (2024), and forwards Colby Barlow (first-round pick in 2023), Kevin He (2024) and Braden Yager (traded to the Jets in 2024). Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy All four of the Jets' other selections from this year's draft are also set to make an appearance, including Owen Martin, Viktor Kingsell, Edison Engle and Jacob Cloutier. Story continues below advertisement Martin, from Oakbank, is one of two Manitobans at Jets development camp, alongside free agent invitee Avery Laliberte of Lorette. Open-to-the-public practice sessions start Canada Day at 9:30 a.m. Monday is an off-ice testing day for the players.
CTV News
29-06-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Winnipeg Jets ‘happy with our haul' after five players selected in NHL entry draft
Sascha Boumedienne, left, stands with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman after being drafted by the Winnipeg Jets during the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 27, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) The Winnipeg Jets have selected five players during the NHL entry draft. 'We were happy with our haul,' said Mark Hillier, Winnipeg Jets director of amateur scouting. 'We've got five players that can all skate and have some skill.' The entry draft resulted in the Jets selecting defenceman Sascha Boumedienne in the first round, forward Owen Martin in the third round, forward Viktor Klingsell in the fifth round, defenceman Edison Engle in the sixth round and forward Jacob Cloutier in the seventh round. The draft was held on Friday and Saturday in Los Angeles, U.S., with Boumedienne being the only player selected by the Jets on the first day. He was the 28th overall pick in the first round. 'Boumedienne is a really, really good skater, puck-moving defenceman who gets back to pucks quickly, beats pressure and moves the puck,' said Hillier. Sascha Boumedienne is a Winnipeg Jet ✈️ — Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) June 28, 2025 The 6'2' defender born in Sweden played with Boston University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association last season. He was named the best defenceman at the 2025 IIHF World U18 Championship where he secured a silver medal for Team Sweden. Meanwhile, Martin was the third Manitoban to be selected by the Winnipeg Jets since they returned in 2011, per Scott Brown, senior director of hockey communications with the team. He was the 92nd overall selection. The 6-foot 18-year-old from Oakbank played with the Spokane Chiefs for the last two seasons in the Western Hockey League. Oakbank, Manitoba's Owen Martin is a Winnipeg Jet ✈️ — Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) June 28, 2025 'He's an intriguing player for us,' said Hillier. 'He has pretty good size. He is a good skater, who has some skill, but has a good, smart two-way game … He had a really strong playoff this season. We expect those offensive numbers to even pop more next year.' Klingsell, the 156th overall pick hailing from Sweden, played 43 games with Skelleftea AIK in the J20 Nationell and skated in three games with Skelleftea in the Swedish Hockey League last season. The 5'10' 18-year-old played for Sweden at the 2025 IIHF World U18 Championship. How sweet it is to add another Swede! 🍬 🇸🇪 — Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) June 28, 2025 'We really liked him all year long,' said Hillier. 'He can really skate (and) has really good speed. He played in all the international tournaments this year for the under-18 team. He plays in a good program at Skelleftea and has good offensive upside, he has grit to his game, he's a dog on a bone on pucks.' Engle was the 188th overall pick coming from Arlington Heights, Illinois at 6'2'. He previously split time between the Des Moines Buccaneers and Dubuque Fighting Saints in the United States Hockey League last season. Angled for Edison Engle 💡 — Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) June 28, 2025 A media release from the Jets indicates that he recently committed to the Brantford Bulldogs in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for the upcoming season, with a commitment to Ohio State University set to start in 2026-27. 'Using our analytics a little bit too, he's one of the best skaters that we thought was in the draft,' said Hillier. 'It's a good opportunity for us to take him late. We think there's more offensive ability to come from him in the future … He really gets back to pucks quickly.' 'We think if he can add a little to his offensive game in the future, we got a pretty good value pick there,' he added. Cloutier, the 220th overall selection, played 67 games this past season with the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL. Born in Ottawa, Ont., he was named to OHL's second all-rookie team. Soaring from Saginaw to Winnipeg 🛫 — Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) June 28, 2025 Hiller said he has 'lots of speed in his game, lots of quickness and lots of skill.' 'He's five foot 10, but he plays bigger than his size, so we like that pick there too.'
New York Times
29-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
What are the Winnipeg Jets getting in their 2025 NHL Draft picks?
Winnipeg modernized its approach to the 2025 draft, while also staying true to its roots, and made all five of its picks. The Jets relied more heavily on analytical models to project draft outcomes, estimate other teams' draft lists, and identify specific skill sets. When the Jets selected Sascha Boumedienne in the first round, they made the decision instead of trading down, which was an option, when their projections told them Boumedienne would be available at 28. Advertisement Boumedienne was followed by centre, Owen Martin, from Oakbank, Man. Martin is a 200-foot centre who played for the Eastman Selects and the Rink Hockey Academy in Winnipeg before joining Spokane in the WHL. He's the third Manitoban the Jets have drafted, after Jordy Stallard (2015) and Jason Kasdorf (2011) and adds to this summer's theme of homecoming: Winnipeg's signing of homegrown star Jonathan Toews will become official on July 1. What are the Jets getting from Boumedienne and Martin? What about their three other choices: Viktor Klingsell, Edison Engle, and Jacob Cloutier? Here's our breakdown of Winnipeg's 2025 draft class — all of whom will be present at development camp this week — with insight from the people who know them best. Drafted: First round, No. 28 | Position: LD Age: 18 | Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 184 pounds 2024-25 stats: 40 GP, 3 G, 10 A, 13 pts (Boston University, NCAA) Boumedienne was the youngest player in NCAA hockey to start last season, relying on footspeed to escape pressure, move pucks, and add to Boston University's attack. He also fast-tracked his high school graduation, starting college at just 17 years old—a once-controversial decision that seems to be paying off. Winnipeg's Director of Amateur Scouting, Mark Hillier, sees a lot of room for the now 18-year-old to grow. 'As the youngest guy in college hockey, he was always in the lineup but had limited ice time for the first half of the year,' Hillier said. 'By the playoffs and the (Frozen) Four, he's playing 24, 25 minutes. There was really good progression all year.' Boumedienne needs to grow stronger, winning more physical battles, and critics point to decision-making as a weakness. One scout told The Athletic not to worry — that Boumedienne is a good bet to keep developing as a still-young college sophomore. Hillier says he views Boumedienne as a strong skater and a puck-mover who will probably play on a second power-play unit at the pro level. Advertisement Cheveldayoff spoke to Boumedienne's 'outstanding' U-18 tournament: Boumedienne was named the tournament's best defenceman, winning a silver medal for Team Sweden and setting a record for points by a defenceman with 14 points in seven games. 'His best plays were in the toughest moments,' Cheveldayoff said. 'He played big minutes down the stretch in all situations.' Boumedienne will return to Boston University this season, where he'll look to capitalize on a strong second half to this season by stepping into a bigger role. 'That's what the year's all about. You learn, you continue to grow, and you take advantage of it,' Cheveldayoff said. 'And he did … That's a testament to him. Going through the processes of learning and playing at a level where lots of players are much older than you, that's all part of the development that really intrigued us.' Sascha Boumedienne was just a child, living just down the road from his community rink. He had his hockey gear on, skates in his backpack, roller blades on his feet. It was the beginning of a beautiful dream. My feature story: ⤵️ — Murat Ates (@WPGMurat) June 29, 2025 Drafted: Third round, No. 92 | Position: C Age: 18 | Height: 6-foot-0 | Weight: 185 pounds 2024-25 stats: 39 GP, 13 G, 21 A, 34 pts (Spokane, WHL) Martin is lauded for his character, his work ethic, and his attention to defence as a junior player. He fought through injuries this season, blocking a shot and then battling through what he called a slight fracture and a partially torn tendon. He returned to game action in January, playing a shutdown role for Spokane on its way to the WHL Final. Most of all, Martin is a 'no cheat' player who plays hard, wins faceoffs, finishes checks and can be trusted to play against anyone in the WHL. It can be difficult to project defence-first players from junior to the NHL — the most successful defensive forwards in the NHL usually put up more points in their draft year than Martin did. One notable exception is the Jets' captain, Adam Lowry, who finished 10th in voting for the Selke Trophy this season. Advertisement You can bet that Martin is well aware of that fact: He grew up going to Jets games with his family. 'It's just super cool to be drafted by the hometown team,' he said on Saturday. 'It's just an unbelievable experience.' And those point totals? Hillier says he expects growth. 'He had a really strong playoff this season,' Hiller said. 'We expect those offensive numbers to even pop more next year.' More like O-win, amirite? The @NHLJets are shopping local by selecting Owen Martin from nearby Oakbank!@spokanechiefs | #GoJetsGo | #nhldraft25 — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) June 28, 2025 Drafted: Fifth round, No. 156 | Position: LW/RW Age: 18 | Height: 5-foot-10 | Weight: 187 pounds 2024-25 stats: 43 GP, 17 G, 22 A, 39 pts (Skellefteå, Sweden J20) Klingsell is a Swedish forward who came through the same Skellefteå as Jets prospect, Elias Salomonsson. He was ranked much higher than where Winnipeg took him: 72nd by Scott Wheeler, 113th by Corey Pronman. 'Hopefully, he's a steal. We really liked him all year long,' Hillier said. 'He's not the biggest guy in the world at 5-foot-10 (but) he has a real solid frame on him. He's a thick and solid 5-foot-10.' Klingsell is one of the top offensive players at his age group in Sweden, combining speed with great hands and creativity. He'll need to keep developing in those regards, finding ways to produce more points in Sweden's U20 junior league after excelling at the under-18 level. He also led the 2024 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup with 12 points as Sweden won bronze. There are questions about whether he has the dynamism or size to produce in a middle-six capacity in the NHL, but the Jets took him 156th overall. Klingsell has more than enough talent and upside to justify the bet. 'He plays in a really good program at Skelleftea,' Hillier said. 'He has good offensive upside, he has some grit to his game, he's a dog on a bone on pucks.' Every year, I find myself on an island with some players, liking them a lot more than everyone else. This year, it's Viktor Klingsell. At some point in the draft, you just can't pass on a guy like him (#9). The skill level is out of this world. — Jérémi Plourde (@jeremiplourde_) June 24, 2025 Drafted: Sixth round, No. 188 | Position: LD Age: 18 | Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 174 pounds 2024-25 stats: 54 GP, 2 G, 15 A, 17 pts (Dubuque, USHL) Edison Engle is heading from the USHL to the OHL next season and is committed to Ohio State University for college. The circuitous route buys him time to keep developing; Hillier says Engle could be a value pick at 188 if he can add to his offensive game. Advertisement 'Using our analytics a little bit, too, he's one of the best skaters that we thought was in the draft. So it's a good opportunity for us to take him late. We think there's more offensive ability to come from him in the future … Sort of like Boumedienne, Engle really gets back to pucks quickly, separates from the forecheck and moves the puck quick.' Drafted: Seventh round, No. 220 | Position: RW Age: 18 | Height: 5-foot-10 | Weight: 171 pounds 2024-25 stats: 67 GP, 23 G, 24 A, 47 pts (Saginaw, OHL) Cloutier scored 47 points in 67 games in the OHL and is Winnipeg's first pick from the Saginaw Spirit since Cole Perfetti in 2020. He's a smaller player with grit at the junior level — perhaps a bit like an OHL version of Parker Ford. 'Similar to Klingsell, there's lots of speed to his game, lots of quickness and lots of skill,' Hillier said. 'And he competes. He's 5-foot-10, but he plays bigger than his size.' (Top Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
New York Times
29-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
For Jets' pick Sascha Boumedienne, hockey and family go hand in hand
Sascha Boumedienne's parents, Josef and Petra Boumedienne, didn't want to pressure their children to play hockey. In fact, they did everything in their power to build a well-rounded life full of activities, academics, and sports. Josef played 47 NHL games and hundreds more throughout Europe, but the last thing he wanted was to be a dad who forced any of his three boys to follow in his footsteps. Advertisement 'We as a family, we try to be diverse. You don't want your kids to be single-minded growing up. You try to introduce them to different aspects of life growing up — and different sports,' Josef told The Athletic. 'But my two youngest sons, especially, they really never wanted to talk about anything other than hockey.' It didn't take any pressure at all. Sascha Boumedienne met hockey, fell in love with it, and never let it go. He started playing street hockey when he was two and a half years old, buoyed by encouragement from his dad's close friend and teammate, Jonas Andersson — a one-time Manitoba Moose. He got his first pair of skates when he was three years old — a gift from his uncle, Karim — and spent the whole day toddling around his carpeted house in them. When Boumedienne was a child, playing minor hockey for Lidingö Vikings HC, just outside of Stockholm, he lived close to their arena. At eight or nine years old, he'd get ready for practice by dressing up in his equipment at home, throwing his hockey skates in his backpack, lacing up roller blades and skate himself to the rink. By the time he learned to skate, he was keeping up with players one or two years older than him — a theme that continued throughout his minor hockey career in Sweden, into the USHL, and at Boston University, where the Jets' first-round pick in 2025 was the youngest player in the NCAA at the start of last season. He didn't need to be pressured into any of it; instead, his parents say Sascha was a self-starter — the driver of his own success. 'He's very adamant about making his own decisions,' Josef said when asked what makes him the most proud. 'He's kind of speedtracked his own development, as far as playing with older players and then playing in the USHL as a 16-year-old, which is a tough task. Then, going into college and playing NCAA a year early and speeding up his school last spring and last summer to finish his high school, I'm very proud of him for taking on tasks and sticking with it.' Advertisement Those are the character elements that drew Winnipeg to pick Boumedienne, too. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff had thought about trading down from 28th to acquire more draft capital. When it became clear that Boumedienne would be available, he held on to the pick and made sure Boumedienne became a Winnipeg Jet. As a player, there are myriad things to be impressed by. Boumedienne is a great skater with a great attitude. He beats pressure with speed, quick puck retrievals, and great puck movement. His shot is a strength, while scouts appreciate his compete level. When the Jets selected Boumedienne on Friday night in Los Angeles, however, his parents were most proud of the way he carried himself as a person. Sascha had traveled with '24 or 25' family members, extended family, and close friends. The moment Eric Comrie announced his name as the Jets' first-round pick, Boumedienne spent time thanking every single one of them for helping him realize his dream. There was no panic, no rush, and no extended family member for whom he didn't take the time. 'That's something I'm very proud of (as a parent)' Josef said. 'We are a tight-knit family. Family is very important to Sascha. Not just the immediate family but the extended family as well. I love that about him.' Pay close attention to the video when Boumedienne receives his Jets hat and jersey on stage. He adjusts the size of his cap, then curves it just the way he likes. It is a moment of meticulousness, perhaps, or of extra poise at a moment that could be wrought by nerves. This is where having a dad who spent 11 years working for the Columbus Blue Jackets, including 10 years in a scouting capacity and two years as director of amateur scouting, comes in handy. 'This was probably his seventh or eighth live draft that he's been at. So he had some experience going into it,' Josef said. 'When your name is on the line there, it brings out different feelings. He's had some experience being around pro hockey and being around the draft before, through my job. Maybe that made him a little bit more comfortable.' Advertisement Boumedienne said his son is detail-oriented when it comes to his game. It's something simultaneously innate and honed through a lifetime of playing with older competition, from learning to skate through last season at Boston University. Could that be an advantage as Sascha strives to surpass his father's NHL career? 'I think it's really good to push yourself and be at a really high level but you also have to feel comfortable and confident, especially if you're a player that tries to bring some puck play to your game as well,' Josef said. 'I think it's good, to some extent, to push yourself and to expand your boundaries — and you also want to be a really good player at the level you play at, to build that confidence and swagger.' Sascha Boumedienne has both. He has the self-starter's drive to push himself and the self-confidence. When he spoke with Jets media on Friday night, the bilingual Boumedienne was clearly well spoken, even as he soaked up the joy of the moment. He will be at development camp in Winnipeg next week, then return to Boston University for his second year. Choosing BU took conviction — some believe Boumedienne would have been drafted in the top 10 had he piled up the points, playing junior instead. Boumedienne says there's no doubt he made the right decision. 'I think it's just been good for my development. I really wanted to challenge myself, especially this year with going to BU and being the youngest guy,' he said. 'I felt like we had a really good plan in place for me and I want to challenge myself while playing against bigger players, kind of playing more of that pro-style game.' Will his dad's pro experience help him realize that pro dream? 'I wouldn't be where I am today without my dad,' he said. 'He's been in my shoes right now and he's kind of taken these steps on his own when he was younger. He's been alongside me every step of the way and I lean on him a lot. He has done everything I'm doing right now and will be doing … I'm very thankful for not only him but my mother as well.' Advertisement So yes, those postdraft hugs were well placed. It takes a village to raise a hockey player, even when their parents do their best not to force them into hockey. 'I think all of our children have a big support system around them,' Josef said. 'They have a family that loves them and then cousins and a lot of close friends. We didn't try to take particular roles, myself and my wife. We tried to bring them up with love and show them different aspects of life.' And yes, it delights Sascha Boumedienne's dad that he fell in love with hockey, too. 'You see the passion and the love for the game pretty early,' Josef said. 'Where it will take you, or take him, that's hard to say. But the passion and the love and the hours at the rink, that was evident pretty early.'
