The Manitoba Moose are moving on in the American Hockey League (AHL) playoffs, but their postseason run comes at a steep price. After clinching their best-of-three opening-round series with a Game 3 victory over the Milwaukee Admirals on Sunday, the Moose have advanced to the Division semifinals. However, they'll have to navigate the rest of the playoffs without two key prospects from the Winnipeg Jets organization, both sidelined with season-ending injuries.

Defenceman Elias Salomonsson has undergone season-ending surgery after an injury sustained during the series-clinching win. The timing couldn't be more frustrating—Salomonsson had just returned to the lineup in Game 2 after a prior absence. In that game, he made an immediate impact, assisting on Parker Ford's game-tying goal that evened the score at 1-1 before David Gustafsson netted the overtime winner. His brief return offered a glimpse of stability on the blue line that Manitoba will now have to replace.

Salomonsson, a second-round pick by Winnipeg in 2022, split his season between the NHL and AHL. He recorded five points with a minus-six rating in 32 games with the Jets, along with nine points and a minus-two rating in 29 games with the Moose. At just 22 years old, the Swedish defenseman is considered a promising piece of the Jets' future, making this setback especially tough for both player and organization.

Forward Nikita Chibrikov, another second-round selection by Winnipeg in 2021, will also miss the remainder of the playoffs due to an undisclosed injury suffered near the end of the Jets' season. The 23-year-old Russian had a challenging campaign in Manitoba, registering six goals and 16 points in 53 games. That production marked a step back from his promising rookie season in 2023-24, when he tallied 47 points in 70 games. Over the past two seasons, he has combined for 34 points in 83 games, struggling to replicate his early success.

Despite the setbacks, both players are expected to focus on recovery during the offseason. For the Moose, the road ahead just got tougher—but with a deep roster and plenty of grit, they'll look to prove that adversity can fuel a championship run.