Winnipeg Jets Get a Big Night from Three Moose Prospects

Sometimes, one good game is just one good game. But when three young players all have big nights in the same win, it’s worth paying attention. The Manitoba Moose beat Texas 7-4 on Friday, and Nikita Chibrikov, Brayden Yager, and Lucas Wahlin all contributed.

Each player is at a slightly different stage of his development, but nights like this are encouraging for the Winnipeg Jets. Let’s take a closer look at what each one brought to the table.

Nikita Chibrikov Keeps Making His Case.

Chibrikov had a goal and two assists in Friday’s win, bringing his season totals to two goals and four assists through his first five games. He has also put eight shots on net. The 23-year-old has spent time with Winnipeg, which has affected his AHL totals over the past couple of seasons. He hasn’t reached 20 points in the AHL in either of the last two years, but that doesn’t tell the whole story when he’s spent some time with the big club.

Chibrikov is on the fringe of getting another NHL opportunity. A few more performances like Friday’s certainly wouldn’t hurt his chances. The challenge now is to keep producing and give the Jets a reason to make room for him.

Brayden Yager Is Off to a Good Start.

Yager also had three points against Texas, scoring twice and adding an assist. Through five games, he has four goals and three assists, along with 13 shots and a plus-5 rating. That’s a pretty encouraging start. Yager is showing that he can find the net, create offence, and contribute in different ways. Of course, five games is a small sample, and the real test is whether he can keep it going when opposing teams start paying more attention to him.

Still, this is the kind of start the Jets would like to see from a young player working his way up. Consistency will be important, but Yager appears to be giving himself a chance to get noticed.

Lucas Wahlin Has His Best AHL Night Yet.

Wahlin may have been the biggest surprise of the three. He scored once and added three assists for a four-point night, his best AHL performance so far. Through five games, the former University of St. Thomas forward has two goals and four assists, with 10 shots and a plus-5 rating. He signed with the organization in March after finishing his college career, so he’s still getting used to the professional game.

Wahlin will likely spend most of this season with Manitoba, and that’s perfectly fine. He needs time to adjust, learn, and show that Friday’s performance can become more than an occasional highlight.

What’s Next for These Jets Prospects?

The Jets won’t want to get carried away after one game, but three young players combining for 10 points in a 7-4 victory is worth a smile. Chibrikov is looking for another NHL chance, Yager is off to a strong start, and Wahlin is beginning to find his feet as a pro.

Now comes the harder part: doing it again. If these three can keep building on their early-season performances, Manitoba could give Winnipeg some interesting options as the season unfolds.