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The Moose Jaw Warriors were one of the best teams in the CHL this year, and a 17-year-old defenseman was a big reason for that. While Jett Woo missed some time with various upper-body injuries, when he was healthy Woo played top-four minutes for the team. He put up nine goals and 16 assists for 25 points in 44 games. Woo added a goal and two assists for three points in 14 playoff games. Unfortunately, the Warriors were upset in the second round by the Swift Current Broncos.
Woo has also represented his country on a number of occasions. He was captain of Team Canada White at the 2016-17 Under 17 World Hockey Challenge. Woo had four points in six games. He also played on Team Canada at the 2017 IIHF Under-18 World Championships. He put up a goal and an assist in five games. Despite being an underage player Woo was named a top three player on his team in the tournament. Woo also plated for Team Canada at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Tournament, winning a gold medal.
Jett Woo Scouting Report
Defence — shoots Right
Born July 27th, 2000 — Winnipeg, Manitoba
Height 6’0″ — Weight 205 lbs [183 cm/93 kg]
Skating
Woo’s mobility helps him to play an effective two-way game. He has good speed and acceleration in both directions. He also has strong edgework and agility, allowing him to quickly change directions. This helps him to maintain gap control, and makes him very difficult to beat in one-on-one situations. Woo has tight pivots, allowing him to transition quickly from offence to defence and vice-versa. He skates with a low, wide stride and generates a lot of power. This helps him to be strong on the puck and fight through checks. Woo’s balance helps him to win battles on the boards, and in front of the net.
Offensive Game
Woo shows poise with the puck on his stick, keeping his head up and looking to make plays. He has a strong first pass out of the zone and has shown the ability to quarterback the power play. Woo increased his offence this season by joining the rush more and pinching at the blue line. He is not reckless though and picks his spots well. Woo is rarely caught out of position. While he is taking more chances than he did in previous years, he is still generally seen as a conservative defenceman.
Woo has good power on his slap shot and one-timer. He keeps his point shots low and on the net, encouraging teammates to get deflections and tips. He also has a good wrist shot, with a quick release. Woo is a smart player. He anticipates the play well and makes good decisions with the puck. He could work on holding onto the puck a bit longer, allowing plays to develop and creating more offense that way.
Defensive Game
The bread and butter of Woo’s game is his defensive game. Even as a 16-year-old rookie, he was a key penalty killer and playing against top lines in the second half of last season. That continued this year. He battles hard in the corners and wins physical battles in front of the net. He also maintains good gap control at the defensive end, funnelling attackers to the outside and keeping himself between the puck and the front of the net. Woo’s positioning and instincts are already high-end. Woo throws big hits from time-to-time, but this is another area where he really picks his spots. He does not get himself out of position looking for that hit.
Projection and Comparison
Woo projects as a potential shut down defenseman, who can also provide a little offence. He will likely never be the biggest offensive threat on his team’s blueline, but he can be a support piece. His defensive game is very strong though, and if he can continue to develop this over the next couple of years, he should have a big impact and play big minutes for his NHL team. Woo’s game is similar to Marc-Edouard Vlasic. This is a style comparison only though, and not one based on skill or potential.
Highlights
The following is a compilation of some of the many highlight packages of Woo that are available on youtube.
Check back tomorrow for the next prospect on our draft board.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
CALGARY, AB – NOVEMBER 25: Jett Woo #4 of the Moose Jaw Warriors in action against the Calgary Hitmen during a WHL game at Scotiabank Saddledome on November 25, 2016, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)
