Mistelbacher nabs invite to Jets dev camp

Luke Mistelbacher may not have been selected at this year’s NHL entry draft, but the 18-year-old from Steinbach will still get a chance to impress a professional team.

The winger was named to the Winnipeg Jets’ development camp roster as a free agent invite.

Mistelbacher has spent the last two seasons playing in the Western Hockey League on a full-time basis, after impressing the Swift Current Broncos despite not being selected in that league’s draft.

The Winnipeg Jets development camp will be hosted at the Hockey for All Centre, from July 4-7, with all practices open to the public. Action gets underway at 9:30 a.m.

Mistelbacher isn’t the only Eastman connection who will be making an appearance at the camp, as Nathan Brown will also hit the ice for the Jets.

The Winnipeg-born player suited up for the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Niverville Nighthawks last season, and was listed on the NHL Central Scouting’s draft list to start the season.

Former Steinbach Pistons star Kyle Bettens will also be attending an NHL development camp, earning an invite from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Bettens was outstanding for Steinbach over two season between 2018 and 2020, scoring 88 points in 90 regular season games played.

Another former Piston was invited to a development camp, as Matt Radomsky was invited to the Calgary Flames camp.

Radomsky spent three years in Steinbach, playing 82 regular season games and posting a 0.925 save percentage. He signed a contract with the Flames’ American Hockey League affiliate last season and played for the Rapid City Rush in the East Coast Hockey League.

Other former Steinbach players attending include 2022 NHL pick Warren Clark in Tampa Bay and Riese Gaber in Florida.