Jets Prospect Wins National Championship
Winnipeg Jets prospect Zach Nehring won the National Championship with Western Michigan University over the weekend, defeating Boston University 6-2.
The Jets' third-round pick (82nd overall) in the 2023 NHL draft scored 13 goals and 30 points in 42 games in his freshman season, ranking fifth in goals and sixth in points on his team.
The tournament win marks the first time Western Michigan has won the National Championship. Led by Philadelphia Flyers prospect Alex Bump, the Broncos were one of the hardest teams to play against in the NCAA, using speed and physicality to their advantage.
A very happy and emotional @WMUHockey freshman Zach Nehring spoke with our own @ITHSWScott on the @Enterprise_Cntr ice after capturing the Broncos first @NCAAIceHockey CHAMPIONSHIP! @TheNCHC @collegehockey @CollegeHockeyW @ITHSWPaul @ITHSWPeter @NickMaxsonPxP @LetsMullettOver… pic.twitter.com/sYVAUbgS6h
— College Hockey Coast 2 Coast (@CollegePucksC2C) April 13, 2025
Nehring, listed at 6'3, 179 lbs, understands how to use his frame to gain body position and knows how to use it to win puck battles around the boards. The 20-year-old spent his D-1 season in the USHL with the Sioux Falls Stampede, where he struggled, scoring just nine goals and 14 points while dealing with concussion issues.
It all changed for him when he got to the college level.
It's a positive sign to see Nehring take a step in his development. He was the second draft pick for the Jets in the 2023 draft, and the selection comes with a certain level of expectation that he seems to be living up to.
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