Salomonsson turning heads with Moose

There has not been a ton of positive news coming out of the Manitoba Moose this season. Elias Salomonsson would be a notable exception.

The 20-year-old defenceman from Sweden is enjoying a successful rookie year, even if it included a nearly two-month absence after suffering a right shoulder injury when he was on the receiving end of a big hit during a Dec. 6 game against Belleville.

Now back to full health, Salomonsson had two assists on Sunday afternoon in a 7-2 victory over the Iowa Wild and showed why he is viewed as the best blue-line prospect currently in the Winnipeg Jets pipeline.

“It was a long time to be sidelined,” Salomonsson told the Free Press following the game. “But I’m happy to be back and getting back up to pace. Feeling better and better.”

Moose look to build on success

The surging Winnipeg Jets are enjoying life in the NHL’s penthouse suite. It’s a much different story for the struggling Manitoba Moose, who find themselves fighting just to stay out of the basement of the AHL standings.

What’s been going wrong on the farm this season?

“I think there’s been times where we’ve had the execution and it hasn’t gone in the net. I think over time, if that continues to be the trend and you’re getting the chances but it doesn’t go in, that can start to fester and carry over,” Moose assistant coach Morgan Klimchuk told the Free Press.

“And confidence, it’s a buzzword in hockey but you really see it.”

Ford firing on all cylinders after Jets recall

BOSTON — Parker Ford was in a deep sleep, though this jarring phone call was one he’d been waiting for his entire life.

As he awoke in a hotel room in the Chicago suburbs preparing to suit up for the Manitoba Moose on Wednesday night, the voice on the other end of the line told him he’d been recalled by the Winnipeg Jets.

This was not a dream though, it was very much a reality.

“We were on a road trip and I was actually pre-game napping and my phone started ringing,” Ford said after the morning skate on Thursday. “I thought it was my alarm, but it was the call. Yeah, just pure joy in the moment.”

Jets put Barron on injured reserve

BOSTON — Morgan Barron is the latest Winnipeg Jets player to be bitten by the injury bug.

The Winnipeg Jets forward was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday, according to Puck Pedia.

That would leave the Jets with only 12 healthy forwards, so it probably wasn’t a coincidence Parker Ford was scratched from the Manitoba Moose on Wednesday night.

An official recall of a forward isn’t expected until Thursday morning, since the Jets had already recalled Brad Lambert for the three-game road trip.

Chibrikov earns his shot: Giving Moose scoring leader NHL experience all part of Jets long-term plan

Winger Nikita Chibrikov, who leads the Moose in scoring with five goals and 13 points in 18 games in the American Hockey League, has been called up to the Jets.

Lambert gets the call with Ehlers on injured reserve

Nikolaj Ehlers has moved past the day-to-day stage, but by all accounts, the Winnipeg Jets high-scoring winger isn’t going to be out long term.

Vast majority of NHLers still choose to play without neck protection

In terms of hockey gear, it doesn’t look much — a tall, black adjustable collar consisting of cut-resistant fabric and high-impact foam. Yet, to hear it from the majority of today’s NHL players, the neck guard is a form of kryptonite.

Milic made most of first pro season

Thomas Milic didn’t let his mind wander.

As the Winnipeg Jets fifth round pick started out on his professional hockey journey last fall, he spent very little time worrying about which crease he would be tending.

The goalie prospect knew that if he stopped enough pucks, the rest would take care of itself.

The approach seems simple enough, though the execution of that plan is something that can occasionally lead to unnecessary speed bumps for rookies.