Prospect Profile: Jaxsen Wiebe

By Thomas Harrington

With Anaheim’s offseason upon us, it’s time to begin the summer prospect write-ups. This summer, I’ll be starting with the profiles for prospects that Anaheim has acquired over the past year. First up is forward Jaxsen Wiebe.

The Ducks signed Wiebe to a three-year entry-level contract on March 2nd. He was undrafted and had played in the WHL for the Prince George Cougars, Edmonton Oil Kings, and Red Deer Rebels over the past four seasons.

Wiebe started his WHL career in the 2019-2020 season with the Red Deer Rebels. In 52 games, he scored eight goals and 17 points. In the Covid-shortened season, Wiebe played in both the WHL and SJHL. He only played in 21 games for Red Deer and scored a goal and three points. In the SJHL he played in four games for the Nipawin Hawks and scored two goals and five points. Wiebe joined the Edmonton Oil Kings for the 2021-2022 season and was one of their alternate captains. In 51 games, he scored 10 goals and 36 points. In the playoffs, he played in 13 games and scored two goals and eight points.

This past season, he started the year in Edmonton but was traded in November to the Prince George Cougars. With Edmonton he scored three goals and four points in six games. With Prince George, Wiebe scored 11 goals and 35 points in 39 games. Prince George made the playoffs, and Wiebe played in nine of the team’s 10 games. He scored three goals and five points. Unfortunately, he was suspended for Prince George’s final playoff game.

While he doesn’t have the highest offensive ceiling, Wiebe is a power forward who goes hard to the net and can create offense in the chaos that follows. He’s a physical, hard-working player who doesn’t shy away from the dirty areas. In short, he’s not going to be Anaheim’s next star forward, but if he works out, he could be a very good player in a bottom six role.

Depending on what the Ducks do at the draft and in free agency, there will likely be at least one or two roster spots available for one of their forward prospects to grab on opening night. However, Wiebe won’t be one of those players. He’s the type of player who may work on a team’s third or fourth lines, but I believe he’ll spend all of next season in San Diego, adjusting to the pro game. I think it’s likely that he’ll spend the next two seasons with the Gulls, and if he can establish himself with them, then he may get a shot at the NHL in the 2025-2026 season.

Given his skillset, I won’t expect a ton of offense out of Wiebe in his first season with the Gulls. Instead, I have two other expectations for him. First, to play in a majority of San Diego’s games this coming season. Second, for his overall game to improve as the season goes along.

Wiebe will be a restricted free agent in three years’ time, and his next contract will depend on how the next three years go. If he’s turned into a solid AHL player, he’ll likely be re-signed on another two-way deal for a season or two. If he’s played some NHL games, the odds of that go up significantly. If he’s a fulltime NHL player by his final year, then he will likely be in line for a one-way contract. Finally, if he struggles and spends much of the next three years in the ECHL, the Ducks will probably not qualify him and let him become an unrestricted free agent.

The next prospect profile will be on Nikita Nesterenko.

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June 15th, 2023