Manitoba Moose struggle offensively, dropping six of eight games. Prospects falter as playoffs loom, needing critical offensive spark.
The Winnipeg Jets remain firmly in the hunt for a playoff spot, but their path has been anything but steady.
After appearing out of the race for much of the season, Winnipeg has clawed its way back into contention with a 9-4-5 record over its last 18 games. That stretch has featured a mix of impressive wins and puzzling losses, leaving the team on a seesaw as the regular season winds down.
While the Jets continue to battle at the NHL level, their AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, are trending in the opposite direction.
Despite holding a playoff position in the American Hockey League’s expanded postseason format, the Moose are limping toward the finish line. Manitoba has dropped six of its last eight games, making what once looked like a comfortable playoff berth far less certain. The team currently sits at 29-25-5-1, good for fourth place in the Central Division, which would secure one of the division’s five postseason spots.
A major issue for Manitoba has been its lack of offensive production. The Moose have scored just 151 goals this season, the third-fewest in the league, ahead of only the Iowa Wild and Abbotsford Canucks.
That struggle is particularly notable given the level of young talent on the roster. Highly regarded prospects such as Brayden Yager, Colby Barlow, and Nikita Chibrikov have yet to find consistent offensive success, with none averaging even half a point per game. The lack of production from this group has been a key factor in the team’s inconsistency.
Manitoba’s defense and goaltending have carried much of the load with former NHLers like Isaak Phillips and Kale Clague have providing stability on the blue line.
A new and exciting name to watch is Alfons Freij, a 2024 second-round pick who recently joined the Moose. Freij is coming off a gold medal performance with Sweden at the World Junior Championship, where he played a key role on the power play. Though he has appeared in just two games so far, the Moose are hoping he can inject some much-needed offense from the back end.
Between the pipes, Manitoba has been anchored by Thomas Milic and Domenic DiVincentiis. Both goaltenders have posted goals-against averages under 2.93, with Milic serving as the primary starter. He holds a 16-11-4 record and a .907 save percentage, often keeping the Moose competitive even when goal support is lacking.
As the season enters its final stretch, the Moose still control their playoff destiny, but their recent form has raised concerns. If they hope to secure their spot and make noise in the postseason, improvements on the offensive side will be essential.
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