The Manitoba Moose are coming off their worst season in franchise history. They went 25-41-3-3, finished last in their division for the first time since their 1997-98 season, and finished last in their conference for the first time ever in 2024-25.
However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth watching in 2025-26. There are a number of promising Jets’ prospects either starting or continuing their careers with the American Hockey League (AHL) club to keep an eye on, in addition to a new player who has lit up the league over the past few seasons.
**Note: We aren’t including Nikita Chibrikov or Brad Lambert on this list because both have a good chance of making the Jets’ opening-night roster/not being with the Moose for most of the season.
Colby Barlow
The left winger was done a bit of a disservice last season by the NHL/CHL agreement that does not allow anyone to leave the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, or Western Hockey League (WHL) to play minor-league hockey unless they turn 20 years old by Dec. 31 of that season or have played four seasons in juniors.
Spending 2024-25 with the Moose — where he did play three games in 2023-24 on an amateur tryout agreement — probably would have been better for his development than a fourth season in juniors, but now that he’s 20, he can join the Moose full time.
The 2023 18th-overall pick got off to a slow start last season with the OHL’s Oshawa Generals, who acquired him from the North Bay Battalion in an early-October blockbuster, and was left off Canada’s 2025 World Junior Championships (WJC) selection roster as a result of his disappointing play.
However, he really picked it up in the new year to end his junior career on a positive note, scoring 32 goals and added 29 assists for 61 points in 62 games to finish fourth in team scoring. He continued his strong play in the postseason and helped power the Generals to the championship series by racking up 14 goals and 19 assists for 33 points in 21 games.
Even though he never managed to recreate his 46 goal, 79-point 2022-23 that played a big role in the Jets drafting him as high as they did — and even though his stock may have fallen in some’s eyes — Barlow still has a wicked shot, maturity, and leadership skills he built by captaining the Attack for two seasons into the fold full time. Watch for him to work hard to continue his momentum.
Domenic…
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