It’s not out of the ordinary to have a young goalie taking the crease every now and then in the American Hockey League (AHL). In fact, it’s common practice to have a veteran and rookie tandem to help the teaching process. For the Manitoba Moose, they’ve bucked the trend and have two goalies who are 21 or younger controlling their crease.
Thomas Milic, 21, and Domenic DiVincentiis, 20, are the last line of defense for the Moose, and it’s been a learning process as they work their way into their professional careers. Milic has one professional season under his belt, while DiVincentiis is a true rookie.
While neither has spent a great deal of time in the professional ranks, that isn’t stopping them from seizing their moment and playing their respective games. Both of them appear wise beyond their years, and it’s going to be an exciting road ahead as they develop in the AHL.
Both Milic and DiVincentiis Have a Successful Track Record
Milic is coming off of a successful rookie campaign in the AHL, recording a 19-9-3 record in 33 games while finishing up with a 0.900 Save Percentage (SV%). After starting his season with the Norfolk Admirals, the Winnipeg Jets’ ECHL affiliate, he quickly made his way up to the AHL and helped the Moose make a charge to the playoffs.
Before making his professional debut, he was a member of the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Seattle Thunderbirds and won the 2022-23 Ed Chynowyth Cup, the WHL’s Championship trophy. He also won gold for Canada at the 2023 World Junior Hockey Championship.
DiVincentiis had an up-and-down 2023-24 season with the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) North Bay Battalion but finished strong with a 27-9-5 record and a 0.895 SV%. Just one year prior, the netminder from Bolton, ON won the Jim Rutherford Trophy as the OHL’s top goaltender.
DiVincentiis was drafted in the seventh round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, with Milic following a year later, being selected by the Jets in the fifth round in 2023. What’s impressive is that both goaltenders, drafted in consecutive years, are already making their mark at the professional level.
With the coaching staff seemingly going with a straight split between the two, the crease is getting equal action. Both goalies have started four games, with DiVincentiis winning two of his starts and recording a 0.941 SV%, and Milic currently at 1-3-0 with a 0.857 SV%. Don’t let Milic’s counting stats fool you though, because he’s battling in there. Don’t be shocked to see his numbers start climbing as the season progresses.
I asked head coach Mark Morrison about what he’s thought of his two young netminders, but he doesn’t necessarily see their age as something to put emphasis on.
“I don’t look at them as a young tandem,” Morrison said. “I just look at them as two capable goalies who have given us a chance to win all the games they’ve played.”
That much is true, as the Moose have played the competition, win or lose, very tight this year and a lot of that is thanks to their goaltending. Being able to run both of them almost equally is going to be a serious advantage down the line, and Morrison thinks so too.
“I like them a lot,” he said. “We seem to have that good one-two tandem there no matter what age they are.”
On and Off Ice Relationships Growing for Milic & DiVincentiis
The common thread that came from talking to both Milic and DiVincentiis was how important it was to have that competitive balance on the ice while being close friends off of it. Both realize that pushing each other in the crease only makes them better goaltenders, and it’s something the team has done a great job of supporting.
“We’re competing on the ice, but off the ice, we’re the best of friends,” DiVincentiis explained. “I think that’s crucial to have as goalie partners because you’re always there for each other. We’re the youngest tandem in the league and I think we’ve both done a fantastic job with that, and the team has done a great job handling it too.”
Milic is in complete agreement and knows that the relationship goes a long way for both of them to remain confident and in control of their situation.
“I think it’s huge to have a good relationship with your goalie partner,” Milic said. “We obviously have that competitive edge and we’re both fighting for games each night, but away from the rink we get along great and hang out and we love chopping it up together.’
Where can he see the relationship firsthand? Well, he doesn’t have to look any further than the NHL team down the hall or on TV over the past few years. The “goalie hug” trend has grown over the past several years, and it’s typically an extension of a friendship off the ice.
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“You can see that [Connor Hellebuyck] and [Eric Comrie] get along great,” he said, smiling. “There are previous examples in the NHL too, like the [Boston] Bruins goalies last year. You see that kind of brotherhood they have together.”
Drew MacIntyre Provides Guidance, Perspective, and Stability
Typically, when you talk to a goalie, it doesn’t take long to hear the name of their goaltending coach. In this case, it came in the form of the ringing praises for developmental goaltending coach, Drew MacIntyre.
MacIntyre has spent a great deal of time on ice with the two of them to keep them sharp and work on anything that needs attending. For DiVincentiis, he sees this as the key to making sure he continues to learn even at the professional level.
“It’s crucial,” DiVincentiis explained. “It’s really important to have a goalie coach on the ice with you, and it’s unreal that I have Drew with me every day just walking me through things I can work on and things I’ve doing well.”
Milic has the benefit of a professional season under his belt and tends to work on the specifics outlined by MacIntyre, but DiVincentiis is using every second he can with him to continue improving.
“Obviously, you have to teach yourself and feel things out,” he said. “But to have someone there to lean on and talk to on and off the ice is crucial, and I think that’s why it’s showing for me and [Milic].”
MacIntyre, who was originally drafted 121st overall in 2001 by the Detroit Red Wings, has a wealth of experience to pull on when refining the talent of Milic and DiVincentiis. He played 14 seasons in the AHL, including two with the Moose from 2006 to 2008 when they were an affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks. He was hired by the Moose in 2021 to fill the role he now holds as the developmental goaltending coach.
He also has that unique shared experience with the two young netminders, as he also made his professional debut in his early 20s. He made his AHL debut with the Grand Rapids Griffins at age 21 before going on to have a very long career. It is that experience, along with the technical side of goaltending, that seems to set both Milic and DiVincentiis up for a lot of future success.
A Busy Week Ahead for the Moose
Milic and DiVincentiis are in for a busy week, as they’re going to face some tough teams as they kick off a five-game road trip. It begins on Saturday, Nov. 9 against the Texas Stars before heading north to play three games in and around the Chicagoland area. That section of the trip opens with a rematch of last week’s series against the Milwaukee Admirals, followed by the Rockford IceHogs and Chicago Wolves.
