Patrick WilliamsTheahl.com features a writer
Even in good times, challenges come one after another for AHL teams.
Take the manitoba moose, who have recovered from 1-4-1-0 start to firmly position themselves in the Central Division contention. A 3-2 win over Chicago on Saturday afternoon extended their winning streak to six games.
“As we go, we find things out,” Moose GoalTender Thomas milc said earlier this week.
But now the moose have a lot more to gain, with news that had the hockey world debating on Friday. Winnipeg Jets Star Goaltender Connor HellebuyckThe three-time Vezina Award and reigning NHL MVP will be out four to six weeks following arthroscopic knee surgery. The Jets recalled mil on Friday, and wore Winnipeg’s 4-3 loss to Carolina that night, sponsoring the Starter Eric Comrie.
Millic has been the first development story of the Jets organization, and now the third Pro could be in line for his NHL Debut soon.
MilIc was passed over twice in the NHL Draft before being selected by Winnipeg in the fifth round in 2023 following Seattle’s bundle to Seattle United. He also returned with the MVP of the wing playoffs, and took Canada to the golden man at the 2023 World Gunning Championship.
But labels can be hard to shake, at least at first, and milc is a modestly sized target at six feet and 175 pounds.
And the AHL is often a surprising step in the competition for young goaltenders, so mil ended up splitting his first two pro seasons between the moose and their admirals. While battling with the moose, a non-playoff team in 2024-25, he proved he was more than capable of managing the eCHL. He played in 18 games with Norfolk and finished 11-5-2 with a 1.82 GAA and .935 Save percentage.
Now for a chance to carry the usual AHL load with a moose on the side of another kid Domenic DivincentiisThe 22-year-old MilIC has allowed two goals or fewer in five of his six starts. Added to a 5-2-2-2 record to go with a 2.14 GAA and .921 save percentage.
Milic’s departure opens up more opportunities for Divincentiis, who had a .906 save percentage in 28 appearances as a rookie with the Moose in 2024-25. And allows a return to the AHL for Isaac Poulterthe Winnipeg Love signed with his home organization after three seasons with the Utica Comets. Poulter started this season with Norfolk.
After their fiery start, Manitoba sits five points behind first (and league leader) grand rapids in the middle division. They continue their six game homestand when BelleVille visits the Life Canada facility on Tuesday and Wednesday.
And now comes the next set of challenges.
In the American Hockey League Beat twenty and twenty, Theahl.com Features Writer Patrick Williams and currently covers the league for NHL.com and flosports and is a regular contributor to the network. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his outstanding coverage in the league in 2016.
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