AHL: Dominic Toninato Named Captain of the Manitoba Moose

The Manitoba Moose Hockey Club announced today that forward Dominic Toninato has been named the 12th captain in franchise history. Defensemen Ashton Sautner and forward Mason Shaw will be alternate captains for the 2024-25 season.

Dominic Toninato – Captain

Toninato, 30, becomes the third American-born player to wear the ‘C’ for the Moose. He previously served as an alternate captain during the 2023-24 season. A native of Duluth, Minn., Toninato joined the organization in 2020 after signing with the Winnipeg Jets as a free agent.

Since then, he has appeared in 107 games for the Moose, tallying 66 points (34G, 32A). He has recorded 21 points (8G, 13A) on the NHL stage in 99 games with the Jets.

“It’s a huge honour obviously. You look down the line, and we got all of the old photos of the captains in the hallway,” Said Toninato when asked about what it means to be named the 12th captain in the history of the Manitoba Moose.

“No, I don’t think it’s going to change much,” said Toninato. “Only thing that changes is I get to yell at the refs a little more I guess. Like I said a couple of days ago, nothing’s going to change and everyone still has a voice in that locker room. That’s what good teams do and you need guys holding each other accountable,” said Toninato on what it means to be a captain.

Toninato’s hockey career spans 210 AHL games, where he has accumulated 115 points (60G, 55A) across stints with the Moose, Colorado Eagles, San Antonio Rampage, and Springfield Thunderbirds. He was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fifth round (126th overall) in the 2012 NHL Draft, Toninato also has 35 points (13G, 22A) in 184 NHL games with the Jets, Colorado Avalanche, and Florida Panthers.

Ashton Sautner – Alternate Captain

Sautner, 30, first suited up for the Moose during the 2020-21 season before becoming a full-time member in 2022-23. He previously held the alternate captain role during the 2020-21 and 2023-24 seasons. The Flin Flon, Man. native brings a wealth of experience, having played 428 AHL games with the Moose, Abbotsford Canucks, and Utica Comets, amassing 87 points (21G, 66A). He also has three assists in 23 NHL appearances with the Vancouver Canucks.

Mason Shaw – Alternate Captain

Shaw, 26, is in his first season with the Moose but brings prior leadership experience from his time with the Iowa Wild, where he served as an alternate captain from 2020-22 before being named team captain in 2022-23.

The Wainwright, Alta. native has recorded 127 points (46G, 81A) in 212 career AHL games with the Moose and Iowa. At the NHL level, Shaw has notched 20 points (8G, 12A) in 82 games with the Minnesota Wild, who selected him in the fourth round (97th overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft.