Winnipeg's AHL Moose Red Hot Entering Friday Clash vs Stars

The Manitoba Moose, the AHL affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets, are off to a 3-1-0 start, their best opening to a season since 2021-22, although all three wins have come against the same team in the defending Western Conference champion Chicago Wolves.

Manitoba opened with a two-game home series against Chicago, where they came away with an impressive sweep before going on a brief road trip, starting in Grand Rapids, where they played a Griffins team loaded with prospects from the Detroit Red Wings.

The result was a 2-1 defeat for the Moose's first loss of the season but came against an impressive team as Grand Rapids were coming off a franchise-best season and own some blue chip prospects. 

The Moose bounced back the next night with a dominant 6-1 victory on the road over the Wolves. So far this season for Manitoba, Noah Gregor has been the early standout, showing why he is an NHL-caliber player. 

The former Florida Panthers forward has four goals and three assists for seven points in his first four games with the Moose. Rookie forward Kevin He made history as the highest drafted Chinese-born player ever selected in the NHL Draft when the Jets selected the 20-year-old in the fourth round of the 2024 draft.

He has also been off to a flying start, with three goals and an assist for four points in four games. Two other hot starters and to the delight of Winnipeg fans is former first round picks, Brayden Yager and Colby Barlow, who have four and three points respectively through four games.

Manitoba plays its fifth game of the season Friday at home against the Texas Stars, a team that has struggled to score through its own first four games.

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