After the Winnipeg Jets dropped their home opener to the Dallas Stars on Thursday evening, their minor league affiliate Manitoba Moose will hope for a better outcome when they open up their American Hockey League season at the Canada Life Centre on Friday night. Just like the big league squad, the opposition won’t be a pushover, as the Antlered Ones will lock horns with the best team in last season’s AHL regular season, the Laval Rocket.
A day ago, Manitoba’s coaching staffs made their final cuts trimming the roster down to a fairly large 28 players. The news today that David Gustafsson cleared waivers and has now joined the team might make them send someone else to the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals, but we will have to wait and see. Sadly, it appears that because Gustafsson could have been claimed on waivers, he did not participate in the Moose’s pre-game skate and therefore he probably won’t participate in the mini-Jets’ home opener tonight.
The organization also announced the new leadership for this group, giving veteran Mason Shaw a promotion from Assistant to Captain, while sewing on some “A’s” to the jerseys of fellow forward Phillip DiGiuseppe and homegrown defenseman Ashton Sautner.
The Jets still have 3 players who will eventually make their way to the Moose as key Winnipeg Jets like Adam Lowry, Cole Perfetti, & Dylan Samberg return from their injuries and General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has to reduce the NHL roster from 26 to 23. Unless young prospects such as waiver-exempt forwards Brad Lambert, Nikita Chibrikov, & Parker Ford excel with their early season chance with the big club, they are the most probable to be demoted to the minors. However, should one or two of the kids show coach Scott Arniel & company enough to stick around, then perhaps veterans such as Tanner Pearson or Cole Koepke won’t work out and be options for the coaching staff to consider too. Maybe a defenseman too….but I feel Winnipeg may carry 8 once the much missed Sammie returns from his broken wrist.
But until then…..these are the players Manitoba’s head coach, Mark Morrison, will have to start the 2025-26 AHL campaign. The starting 4 forward lines below were on the ice for today’s skate and I heard that Ville Heinola was playing his off-side with Kale Clague on what I assumed was the top pairing. After that, it is my best guess on how the rest of the defenders will be deployed.
*****
I will wait to judge the prospective lines until I see them play, though I will admit that I had wished to see the young prospects mixed in more with the veteran players. Possibly losing Lambert, Chibrikov, & Ford threw the coaching staff off a bit….or maybe rookies Brayden Yager & Colby Barlow were clicking so well in camp that they didn’t want to break them up?
I am looking forward to watching more of Samuel Fagemo and the rest of the newcomers to Manitoba, as well as hoping that Dominic DiVincentiis will continue the strong play he displayed in the Prospects tournament & in the pre-season with Winnipeg.
Should be an interesting opening game, as a couple of people with ties to the True North organization will be returning on the visitor’s side. Pascal Vincent spent 10 seasons here as an assistant coach with the Jets & the head coach of the Moose, while tender Kaapo Kahkonen was in between the pipes for 22 contests for Manitoba last year. The Montreal Canadiens have had loads of high draft picks in recent years, so they should definitely have enough talent on the AHL club to make things difficult for the Moose.
Well, the game starts in about 7 minutes….so I best wrap this up. As of now, the Manitoba Moose roster looks good enough to compete….though I have to admit I wonder how good they would look when the Gus Bus, Lambo, Chibby, & Ford were slotted in.
Here’s hoping for a good year for the Winnipeg Jets’ prospects!!! Go Manitoba!!!!!!
