WHL, BCHL, AJHL veteran Jean Jr. joins Griffins after leading Chilliwack Chiefs to finals

EDMONTON – It's not often the late recruiting window breaks the way it has for MacEwan Griffins men's hockey head coach Zack Dailey over the past week.

Two players he'd been talking with for many months who were initially heading elsewhere had their plans change, causing them to circle back and commit to playing for the Griffins in 2025-26.

The first of those to be announced is Dwayne Jean Jr., who is returning to Edmonton to play after a stellar junior career split between the WHL, AJHL and BCHL. He finished 2024-25 with the Chilliwack Chiefs, helping lead them to the BCHL finals.

"We were in touch with him at the start of the year and during the year," said Dailey, who coached Jean Jr. at Vimy Ridge Academy in his youth when he played for OHA Edmonton (2017-20) and Canadian Athletic Club (2020-21). "I really like his compete level. He skates extremely well, he competes hard, he's a great teammate. I think those are his biggest strengths. 

"I think he showed, especially this year, with his run in the BCHL, his skill level and how he can produce points and play meaningful minutes. I'm really excited to have him added to our group."

After joining the Chiefs at the BCHL trade deadline in February, Jean Jr. finished with eight points in 14 regular season games and added 14 in 23 playoff contests as he helped drive Chilliwack into the finals, where they lost to the Brooks Bandits in six games. He later won the club's Fan Favourite award.

"He did a very good job," said Dailey of the winger/centre. "His line throughout the playoffs were producing game-winning goals and playing meaningful minutes. He was very important to that team and their success during the playoffs."

Jean Jr. began the 2024-25 season playing for the Whitecourt Wolverines in the AJHL (producing 34 points in 40 games), where he was a teammate of incoming Griffins goaltender recruit Zac Onyskiw.

Prior to that, the member of the Chipewyan Prairie Dene First Nation – who moved to Edmonton in his youth to pursue higher-level hockey – logged 200 games in the Western Hockey League for Tri-City and Red Deer from 2021-24, recording 47 points.

"He fits exactly with our style of play," said Dailey. "We're picking up where we left off in the playoffs last year where we play a high-pressure game, we're quite physical, we're in people's faces and that's his game to a T. I see him being someone who's able to play up and down the lineup whether it's top line or in a checking role. I think he has the quality and abilities to fill every role. 

"It's a good problem to have when you have a lot of depth up front," he continued. "This is going to be a team where it's hard to get into the lineup. Guys are going to have to produce if they want to play. I definitely see him as someone who is contributing to our group on a regular basis."