The 22-year-old blueliner joins the club after spending the past season icing in Norway’s top flight with Lillehammer and through 46 games, he contributed 14 points (1G, 13A).
Born in Erie, Colorado, Jackson – who was invited to the Detroit Red Wings Development Camp and Training Camp in 2023 – will play his second professional season in Dundee this year after turning pro last year in Norway.
Desouza, who stands at 6-foot and 5-inches tall, also played six seasons in the WHL, one of Canada’s top junior leagues, firstly with Kelowna Rockets before he was then traded in his final year to Brandon Wheat Kings.
Jackson, who is a dual national for both the United States and Canada, was drafted by Kelowna Rockets in the fourth round, at 84th overall, in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft and went on to play 189 WHL regular season matches, scoring 43 points (10G, 33A) while collecting 212 penalty minutes, but also scoring one goal in 12 playoff matches.
LEFEBVRE ON DESOUZA
After adding the first new face to his roster in Desouza, Stars Director of Hockey Operations and Head Coach, Marc LeFebvre, said: “Jax is a big, physical, no nonsense, mobile defenseman.
“He is a big body at 6’5 and also finding a right hander, who can skate and is physical can be difficult but I am thrilled that he has chosen Dundee for next season and I cannot wait to work with him.
“I felt we were not physical enough last season and it showed in our defensive zone, because we need to be tougher to play against in all areas and Jax definitely brings that to the table.”
DESOUZA ON MOVING TO DUNDEE
Once he finalised his switch to Tayside, Jackson said: “I am really excited to be joining Dundee.
“It is nice to get all the stars in order going into next season and just have one focus in-mind for getting to Dundee and I could not be happier.
“I was at the end of my season in Lillehammer and one of my teammates was playing in Cardiff, so me and one of my teammates went to go and visit him and we found out they were playing against Dundee, so my agent was able to contact Marc.
“We went and had a meeting to chat about the opportunity for next year and that is how it all came about, it just seemed like the best place to be.”
You can watch to Jackson’s full interview with Stars TV below.
In his nine-year-career so far, Jackson has featured in 376 matches, recorded 24 goals, 93 assists and collected 421 penalty minutes, while also playing in 16 playoff games, where he tallied one goal and 16 penalty minutes.
Jackson is our second signing of this summer and joins Drydn Dow, Jonathan McBean and Jarrett Fiske on next season’s roster.
To see Jackson’s career stats on Elite Prospects click HERE
