Winnipeg Jets 2023 first-round draft pick Colby Barlow joined the Manitoba Moose on Wednesday for the first practice with his new team.
Barlow was reassigned by the parent club from his junior squad in Owen Sound on the weekend after the Attack was knocked out of the OHL Playoffs.
The 19-year-old forward is getting his first taste of pro hockey, but he’s already familiar with some of his new teammates after attending Jets Development Camp with them last summer.
“They welcomed me right away when I walked in that room,” Barlow told reporters after practice. “Every single one of them came up to be smiling and introducing themselves. which is nice. And like I said, it’s special and exciting to be here, especially around playoff time.”
After recording 79 points in his draft year, Barlow was held to 58 points last season, but he still hit the 40-goal plateau for the second straight campaign.
“He competes hard on pucks,” said Moose head coach Mark Morrison. “He’s got a great shot. He’s a smart player and we’re excited to have him here.”
Barlow had a bit of a roller coaster season thanks to an injury after being selected by the Jets with the 18th overall selection.
“It had its ups and downs,” he said. “I got injured there for a bit, but it was good. I got healthy and learned a lot through this year, battled through some adversity, but excited to be here and start this new chapter for however long it is.”
The Moose don’t play again until Saturday, so Barlow will have three straight days of practice to learn the system and get acclimated to his new surroundings. And the plan is to get him some game action, but they want to ease him into the pro game with only five contests remaining in the regular season.
“We have to be careful on what situation we put him in,” Morrison said. “And make sure that when we do put him in, he’s setup for success and not failure. He’s learning systems and he said that practice was hard, so yeah, he’s gonna learn a lot and he’s a smart kid, so he’ll pick things up quick.”
But Barlow will have to adjust to the speed of the professional game.
“Whenever that chance may be, I’m just going to be ready for it as best as I can be,” said Barlow. “And just do anything I can to help the team or contribute in any single kinda way I can.”
The Moose close out the home portion of their regular season schedule with games against the Iowa Wild on Saturday and Sunday afternoon.