The Winnipeg Jets didn’t make any major splashes in free agency, but what they did was provide a level of flexibility in the organization. Depth has been added in both forward and defensive groups, giving the Jets a better shot of filling holes in the case of injuries.
What this also does is give the Manitoba Moose, the Jets’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, a fighting chance to have a successful season and give some of their young players the ability to experience the grind of playoff hockey. With there seemingly being a fair amount of roster turnover between departures and call-ups, it will certainly be an intriguing group to watch develop this upcoming season.
Defensive Group
Like other areas of the team, the Moose’s defensive group is likely to look different than it did for most of last season. Notably, Kyle Capobianco, who was named the AHL’s Best Defenseman, signed with the Dallas Stars when free agency opened. He has been a big part of the Moose for the last couple of seasons but was clearly looking for a bigger role that could not be found within the Jets’ organization.
Another name who won’t be spending his time in the AHL in 2024-25 is Ville Heinola, who lost his waiver exemption this season and will be with the Jets either in the lineup or as an extra. Having played a huge part in the Moose’s top four, his time with the AHL team is more than likely to come to an end as it’s hard to imagine him passing through waivers.
This isn’t to say that it’s all doom and gloom for the Moose, as they’ve also been given new faces to help replace the impact of those who have either moved up or moved on. A combination of returnees, new faces, and homegrown talent will fill in those holes and should do a decent job of doing that.
Both Hadyn Fleury and Dylan Coghlan are new faces brought into the organization via free agency and trade and should play a sizable role in the Moose’s top four. With the two of them having experience at the NHL level, it could pave the way for a great mix of experience and youth.
Related: Grading the Winnipeg Jets’ Free Agency Moves
Someone who could also play a big role in the complexion of the defensive group isn’t someone who was brought in externally, but someone who is making the jump to North America. Elias Salomonsson is making his North American debut in 2024-25 and could make some noise in the defensive pipeline.
Salomansson, 19, looked fantastic in development camp earlier this month and projects to play meaningful minutes for the Moose. Don’t be shocked to see him make noise in Jets’ training camp too, as his game projects to be one that could make the jump to the NHL sooner rather than later.
Forwards
The defensive group isn’t the only thing that could have a drastically different look for the upcoming season, as the forwards also appear to be in flux. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, given their additions and increased depth over what they’ve had in the past.
The biggest story out of the forwards is centered around Brad Lambert and whether he’ll even be in the AHL to start the season. With the Jets’ lack of a true second-line center, Lambert’s name has frequently been raised as an option to fill that role.
Coming off his best season as a professional where he was named to the AHL’s All-Rookie Team, many wonder if the next logical step in his development is against NHL-level talent. If that is indeed the case, then his impact on the Moose would be found more in who takes his place when he’s called up.
To help create that forward depth to replace the impact lost by someone like Lambert, the Moose have signed players with experience to help balance out the group. Mason Shaw and Jaret Anderson-Dolan were among the signings to help create a better sense of depth for the team, also giving the Jets the ability to call up players with some NHL experience.
This is all in addition to the returnees Parker Ford and Nikita Chibrikov who have shown up on the radar as the “next in line” in terms of who gets their shot at a call-up. Chibrikov played one game last season, scoring his first NHL goal which stood as the game winner.
Call-ups or not, the Moose have stockpiled a great deal of talent and experience that should come in handy down the stretch for themselves or the Jets.
Depth For Jets/Winning a Calder Cup
The addition of players likely destined for the AHL is a win-win for both the Jets and the Moose. For the Jets, there’s a high likelihood that either their internal talent or new additions could make an impact on the team as early as this season with the constant threat of injuries.
For the Moose, the depth gives them a solid shot at winning their first playoff series since returning to the Manitoba capital. A playoff run with some of the inexperienced players could go a long way in teaching them the grind of playoff hockey, something that would be an asset further down the line.