The Winnipeg Jets are making a new ECHL home for their prospects, and starting in the 2026-27 season that spot will belong to the Bloomington Bison.
The move gives Winnipeg a fresh affiliate alongside the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League. It also ends the Jets’ previous ECHL arrangement with the Norfolk Admirals, while Bloomington moves on from its NHL tie to the New York Rangers.
“We are excited to begin this new partnership with the Bloomington Bison,” said Craig Heisinger, Senior Vice President & Director of Hockey Operations/ Assistant General Manager of the Winnipeg Jets and General Manager of the Manitoba Moose.
For Bloomington, the agreement marks a meaningful shift in the organization’s path. “This is an important step forward for the Bloomington Bison,” said Head Coach Phillip Barski. “When we evaluated what we wanted in our next affiliation, we focused on alignment, communication, player development, and a shared commitment to winning.”
“I’m thrilled about the next step in growing our organization,” said Bloomington Bison President Andy Zilch.
The Bison’s first two seasons came with the Rangers and the Hartford Wolf Pack as their NHL and AHL partners. Bloomington also reached the playoffs in its second year after finishing 37-30-2, though the run ended in a first-round loss to the Toledo Walleye.
Winnipeg’s previous ECHL setup with Norfolk lasted three years and began in August of 2023. Manitoba, meanwhile, took a noticeable step last season, winning 10 more games and collecting 22 more points than in the 2024-25 season.
The Jets have already seen how useful the ECHL can be for prospect development. Goaltender Thomas Milic is one of the clearest examples.
Drafted by Winnipeg in the fifth round of the 2023 NHL Draft, he climbed quickly through the system, playing 36 ECHL games with Norfolk and 54 games with the Moose between 2023-24 and 2024-25. He also made his NHL debut with the Jets, appearing in three games, while adding 41 games with Manitoba in that same season.
Another name to watch is Isaac Poulter, who recently re-signed with the Jets organization. Last season, he split time between the ECHL and AHL, going 2-0 with a 2.76 goals against average in three games for the Moose before finishing with Norfolk, where he posted a 25-17-1 record, a 2.76 goals against average and a .905 save percentage.
For Winnipeg, the new partnership gives the organization another place to develop players. For Bloomington, it brings a chance to keep building as a franchise.
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