Fuelled by elite goaltending and a revamped blue line, Manitoba aims to sustain its stingy defensive identity despite a massive roster overhaul and a wave of incoming talent.
While the Winnipeg Jets disappointed this past season, missing the playoffs despite many of their best players still in their primes, the club's AHL affiliate had a different story to tell. The Manitoba Moose made the postseason on the strength of a superb stretch from early November to the beginning of February, going 19-9-1 over a 29-game span.
The biggest strength of the team all season was, by far, the back end. Manitoba's offense finished with the third-fewest goals scored in the league at 185, while the defense finished in the top ten, allowing the ninth-fewest goals against at 216.
Goaltending was a major part of that success. The trio of Thomas Milic, Domenic DiVincentiis and Isaac Poulter, who made a brief three-game appearance, all finished with goals-against averages under 2.85 on the season. Milic and DiVincentiis, who carried the bulk of the workload, both posted save percentages above .900, and the pair combined for seven shutouts.
The defense in front of them was just as solid, with several names becoming well known to Moose fans. Tyrel Bauer brought physicality to the group, while Isaak Phillips and Ashton Sautner became fixtures in the lineup throughout the year.
It's not yet known whether Elias Salomonsson will open the season with the Jets or return to Manitoba, but the 2022 second-round pick would be a welcome addition to either roster.
The hope in Winnipeg is that the Moose can build on their defensive identity and carry it into 2026-27. That won't come without turnover, though. Several Manitoba defensemen have moved on, including Dylan Anhorn, Kale Clague, Ethan Frisch, Sean Larochelle, Dylan Moulton, Ben Zloty and, most notably, former first-round pick Ville Heinola, none of whom will be returning to the Moose this season.
Replacing them will be a wave of new blood with Garrett Brown, a two-time national champion at the University of Denver, and Lukas Gustafsson, who captained Boston College, both signed on as accomplished NCAA free agents and are set to make their full-time pro jumps.
They'll be joined by Alfons Freij, the Jets' 2024 second-round pick and a World Junior gold medalist with Sweden, who dealt with injury and illness for much of his first AHL season and is now looking to establish himself.
Rounding out the group are veteran additions from the open market in Dysin Mayo, Evan Nause and Henry Thrun, the reigning Calder Cup champion out of the Toronto Marlies organization.
It will be a different-looking blue line in Manitoba next season, but one that still carries the promise of being among the AHL's best defensive units for another year.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
