Moose add Jacob Julien to bolster center depth during road trip

Manitoba strengthened its center depth Jan. 12 when the organization reassigned 2004-born centre Jacob Julien to the AHL club following a brief spell with the Norfolk Admirals (ECHL). Julien made his professional debut Jan. 9 with Norfolk and was sent to Winnipeg's AHL affiliate three days later, with the club indicating he would join the Moose immediately on their ongoing road trip.

Julien entered the pro ranks as the Jets' fifth-round pick, 146th overall, in the 2023 NHL Draft. He arrives in Winnipeg with a strong junior résumé: 54 points (11 goals, 43 assists) in 65 OHL games for the London Knights in 2024-25 and a leadership role as an alternate captain. The club notes his contributions in the playoffs and at the Memorial Cup the prior season, signaling experience in high-stakes junior environments.

For the Moose, Julien fills a short-term roster need amid recent transactions at the NHL and ECHL levels that have shuffled available forwards. That context matters: AHL clubs live and die by depth, and a centreman with proven playmaking numbers and leadership experience gives Manitoba flexibility for line deployment, especially on a road swing where travel and quick turnarounds can strain the lineup.

What to watch: Julien’s assist total in junior points to playmaking instincts and an ability to find teammates in the offensive zone. His alternate-captaincy with London suggests he brings off-ice structure and competitiveness that coaches value when rotating younger players into pro minutes. Because his pro experience is limited to a single ECHL game before the move, expect a short adjustment period as he adapts to AHL speed and systems.

Fans tracking lineup moves should check pregame releases, Julien was expected to be available immediately, but anticipate coaches using him in a depth role to begin. For season-ticket holders and those following prospect development, this is a chance to see how a 2023 draft pick translates his junior playmaking to the pro game. Fantasy and local bettors should monitor early-game deployments and faceoff usage before projecting sustained production.

The takeaway? Julien gives the Moose a young, skilled centre with leadership chops and a tidy assist profile. He won’t be a finished product yet, but he’s a prospect to watch, check the lineups, watch his first shifts, and see whether his playmaking can make him the center of attention in Winnipeg’s push through a busy stretch. Our two cents? Temper expectations but keep an eye on his passing and compete level, those will tell the real story.