The Moose are heading into their first preseason action with a much larger group and a clearer picture of what they’re trying to sort out.
After three days of practice, Manitoba will face the Iowa Wild twice this weekend at TRIA Rink in St. Paul, Minn., with both games set for 2 p.m.
CT on Friday and Saturday. Wednesday brought a wave of roster activity, as the Moose added seven players - 12 coming down from the Winnipeg Jets and five released from tryouts - giving head coach Mark Morrison a deeper look at a camp group that has already impressed him.
“Really good!” Morrison said of camp so far.
“I thought pace was good, execution was pretty good. There’s a lot of excitement and enthusiasm out there, so it’s good.”
For Morrison, now entering his sixth season behind the Manitoba bench, the value of these games is straightforward. This is the first time since he took over that the Moose will use preseason games against an AHL opponent, and that matters when roster spots are on the line.
“I think the biggest thing is, the players who are trying out, they get up against the proper competition. So you can evaluate from there,” Morrison explained.
“You know, it’s not really fair to evaluate when they’re playing against each other or just practices. So to play another American Hockey League team, it gives you a good idea.”
Forward Chase Yoder is among the players eager to see something other than practice jerseys. He re-signed with Manitoba this summer after splitting his first pro season between the Moose and the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals, and he said the weekend should help the group settle in before the real thing begins.
“It will be huge,” Yoder told media following Wednesday’s skate. “It’ll be nice to get some pre-season games in, get our feet under us a little bit and be ready for Chicago come the first week in October.”
Yoder spent the 2025-26 season moving between levels. He made Manitoba’s opening roster and appeared in eight of the team’s first 12 games before being sent to Norfolk.
In the ECHL, the Fairview, Texas native put up 29 points (17G, 12A) in 37 games, including 22 points (14G, 8A) over his final 19 outings. He then returned to the Moose and played 15 of the final 16 games, finishing his AHL season with four points (2G, 2A) in 23 games.
The 24-year-old said the decision to stay with the organization was about more than hockey alone.
“I feel like we have a good, young core here. We all meshed pretty well last year, so I have some good buddies in the locker room over there,” Yoder detailed.
“I feel like that’s the biggest thing. You want to have guys on the team that you enjoy being with because it’s a long season.
It’s a grind. So you have to be with people you enjoy being around.
Obviously the coaching staff here is tremendous and they helped me a lot last year.”
Manitoba’s preseason set wraps up with those two meetings against Iowa, and then the focus shifts quickly to opening night. The Moose begin the season Saturday, Oct. 2 at 2:00 p.m. against the Chicago Wolves in the Home Opener, presented by Canada Life, before the teams meet again Sunday, Oct. 3 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets for both games are available at mooosehockey.com/tickets.
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