Moose reflect on progress after playoff run, first series win since 2018

Manitoba’s season ended with proof of progress and a reminder that the next step is still bigger than one good spring. The Moose added 10 wins from the previous regular season, finished with 35 victories, and then turned that into a comeback first-round playoff win over Milwaukee on April 26, a 2-1 Game 3 decision that snapped a series drought dating to 2018.

That victory mattered because it was not a runaway. Domenic DiVincentiis made 31 saves as Manitoba survived a late Milwaukee push, and the Moose leaned on the sort of tight-game profile that defined their season. Eighteen of their 35 regular-season wins came by one goal, tied for fourth-most in the American Hockey League, a sign that Manitoba was usually in the fight even when it did not separate itself from opponents.

The Moose opened their 2025-26 campaign on Oct. 10 against Laval at Canada Life Centre and spent most of the year rebuilding on the fly. Nine of their top-15 point scorers from the previous season were not on the roster when the season began, yet Manitoba still found a way to get to the playoffs and then push through a first-round series. That gives the organization a real case for saying the year was about advancement rather than survival.

The most encouraging evidence came in the way younger players moved forward. Mark Morrison pointed to Brayden Yager as a major example, citing his growth through the neutral zone and his improved work in his own end. Yager, born Jan. 3, 2005 and drafted by Pittsburgh in 2023, was recalled by Winnipeg with Ville Chibrikov ahead of the final regular-season games on April 12. Morrison also highlighted Colby Barlow and Jacob Julien, another sign that the Moose are not just trying to win games, but to accelerate a wave of forwards who can help at the next level.

That development pipeline is central to Manitoba’s identity. Brad Lambert became a regular with the Jets after the trade deadline, Danny Zhilkin earned his first NHL games, Elias Salomonsson looked capable at the higher level, and Thomas Milic and DiVincentiis both got chances with Winnipeg. In all, 12 players spent time with both the Moose and Jets, reinforcing how closely the organizations now operate.

Still, the playoff run also showed the gap that remains. Grand Rapids finished second in the AHL during the regular season, and the Moose’s run ended there. Manitoba has made a measurable leap, but if this season is going to mean more than a modest step forward, the next challenge is turning one-goal toughness and prospect growth into a roster that can push deeper than the first round.