WINNIPEG – Last night at the MTS Centre was a bit of a strange experience – the Manitoba Moose were hosting the Ontario Reign in their home opener, but it wasn’t 2010. They lost a jittery 4-1 decision in front of a lower-bowl sellout crowd but this team was NOT the Moose of old.
After being displaced to Newfoundland by the frenzied return of the NHL and the Winnipeg Jets, the Moose have made their way home again. Not quite as dramatic as the Disney film “The Fantastic Journey”, but the Winnipeg faithful remembered – they 
dusted off their green and black jerseys hung at the back of the closet, discovered where the foam antlers were (yes, one young fan had their antlers on!) and got nostalgic for affordable, family entertainment courtesy of their re-invented AHL team.
The old Moose boasted some notable players over the years – current NHL stars Cory Schneider, Kevin Bieksa, Alex Burrows and the now-despised Ryan Kesler all wore Moose colours in the past. This new breed of Moose will be younger and hungrier but also inexperienced and prone to mistakes. The pressure is on this crop of prospects as they are now squarely under the watchful gaze of the parent club’s brass. That was a big reason for the move from St. John’s (aside from travel nightmares). The future is quickly becoming the present for the NHL Jets and with the infusion of young talent like Nikolaj Ehlers, Nic Petan and Adam Lowry to their roster, the Jets have seemingly ended the quick-fix veteran free agent signings which sometimes worked (Michael Frolik) or didn’t (goodbye Devin Setoguchi).
That said, here are 5 Manitoba Moose players to keep an eye on this season:
- THOMAS RAFFL
- Raffl was a late surprise addition to the Winnipeg Jets training camp – he is 29 years old and has never played in North America. But he has a wealth of experience internationally and in his native Austria. He is a physical specimen and with impressive size (6’4” – 235 lbs) can dominate down low and should be a puck possession monster. The question mark will be offensively – can he post the numbers to warrant a regular trip across the building to the NHL dressing room this season?
- JOSH MORRISSEY
- Morrissey was a highly touted first round pick – as a defenceman it is natural to expect the need for extra seasoning but this year will tell a lot about Morrissey’s place in the Jets’ future plans. He has the smarts but is a bit on the small side for an NHL defenceman (6’1” – 190 lbs). Whether he can become the next rising blueline star for the parent club (like Jacob Trouba did) remains to be seen. Another defence prospect by the name of Jan Kostalek could push the issue.
- CONNOR HELLEBUYCK
- Named in a poll to be the “best goalie NOT playing in the NHL”, Hellebuyck will see a ton of ice (and pucks) this year sharing the net with another blue-chip prospect, Eric Comrie. He has shown a penchant for playing under pressure, leading the USA to a bronze medal finish at the 2015 IIHF Word Championships. The best thing for Hellebuyck is he won’t be rushed by the Jets as they have a capable duo between the pipes in Ondrej Pavelac and Michael Hutchinson. At least for now.
- JC LIPON
- Lipon showed he can skate with the big boys and mix it up a little the past 2 seasons in St. John’s. He is likely destined to be a role player on the 3rd or 4th line with the Jets in the future but he is fun to watch, fears nothing and will chip in offensively. He will also add some sandpaper to a roster with a large dose of skill players after posting 163 penalty minutes last season. Lipon is my early pick for “Fan Favorite”.
- JOEL ARMIA
- Perhaps the most enigmatic component to the blockbuster trade with Buffalo last season, Armia is a big, talented forward, but he is also a former first round pick of the Sabres that was essentially given up on. Some players benefit from a change in scenery and organizations so the jury is still out on Armia after an unspectacular training camp. He will be given every opportunity to succeed, but will he seize upon that? Time will tell.
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