The Manitoba Moose announced yesterday that they have re-signed defenseman Dylan Anhorn alongside forwards Tyson Empey and Reece Vitteli to one-year contracts through the 2025-26 season.
Empey and Anhorn played for the Moose in the 2024-25 season, while Vitteli joined the group at the end of the season on loan from the ECHL’s Savannah Ghost Pirates.
Anhorn, 26, posted 16 points (3G, 13A) in 47 games played for the Moose this past season. He completed his first professional season with the Winnipeg Jets organization and impressed, given the team’s finish. He finished third in points and assists for Moose defenseman and ranked second in points among Moose rookies.
Before joining the Moose, Anhorn enjoyed a successful college career split between Union College and St. Cloud State. In his NCAA tenure, he posted 94 points (24G, 70A) in 127 NCAA games. The Calgary, Alberta-born defenseman will look to play a larger role with the Moose in the 2025-26 season as the club looks to get back to playoff contention.
Empey joined the Moose in the 2024 offseason and flourished with the club, posting 13 points (7G, 6A) and 106 PIMs in 59 games played. The 30-year-old forward scored a career high seven goals in 2024-25 and will look to improve that total in the 2025-26 season. To date, Empey has scored 28 points (11G, 17A) and accumulated 242 PIMs in 143 career AHL games.
The 30-year-old has played for the Hershey Bears and Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL while also posting 69 points (29G, 40A) in 147 ECHL games with the Rapid City Rush, Atlanta Gladiators, and South Carolina Stingrays. The Swift Current, Saskatchewan-born forward will look to bring the same jam that made him a regular in the Moose’s lineup last season.
Vitelli enjoyed a successful run with the Moose to end the 2024-25 season, posting three assists/points in 15 games. He also posted 52 points (12G, 40A) in 57 games with the Savannah Ghost Pirates of the ECHL before his stint with the Moose. Vitelli’s 130 points (33G, 97A) in 154 ECHL games between Savannah and the Atlanta Gladiators made him a lucrative late-season addition.
The 24-year-old has just 36 games in the AHL between the Moose and the Tucson Roadrunners. The Winnipeg, Manitoba-born winger posted just five points (2G, 3A) in that time and will look to break into the Moose’s bottom-six as a regular in the 2025-26 season.
ITR 46: Offseason Chaos – Inside The Rink
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