The Manitoba Moose are going to look a little more different next season as three key players have signed with other teams. Jeffrey Viel, Jeff Malott, and Kyle Capobianco have signed with new teams ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Viel, 27, signed a two-year deal with the Boston Bruins carrying an average annual value of $775,000. He will be an unrestricted free agent (UFA) at the end of the 2025-26 season. In 49 NHL games for the San Jose Sharks, Viel accumulated five points (3G, 2A) and 139 PIMs.
In Viel’s 2023-24 season with the Manitoba Moose, he played 69 games and was known for being one-third of the “Identity Line” with Kristian Reichel and Parker Ford. Reichel previously signed overseas in Germany, splitting up the Moose’s Identity Line. Viel posted 40 points (17G, 23A) and 142 PIMs, all of which are AHL career highs for him. He will be a fit like a glove in Boston as they will welcome his rough-and-tumble style of play with open arms. If he can translate his AHL level of scoring, this contract will look like a bargain for Viel and the Bruins.
Viel had a lot of great moments for the Moose throughout the 2023-24 season. During the heightened rivalry tensions between the Minnesota Wild and Winnipeg Jets, Viel was called up as added physical insurance should the Jets need to settle scores on the ice.
In the earlier days with the Moose, Viel had one of the top AHL fights of the entire season with the Calgary Wranglers’ Alex Gallant. The fight was all offence and minimal defence and provided the Moose with an incredible new identity with Viel willing to throw down for his teammates.
Malott, who turns 28 in August, signed with the Manitoba Moose in the 2020-21 season after playing four seasons for Cornell University. Today, he signed a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Kings carrying an AAV of $775,000. He will be a UFA at the end of the 2025-26 season.
Similar to Viel, Malott was one of the top scorers on the Moose posting 52 points (22G, 30A) in 70 games. He also recorded 66 PIMs in his 2023-24 run with the Moose. Malott recorded career highs in points and assists this past season and came one goal shy of tying his career high in goals (23) which he did in two consecutive seasons with the Moose.
The 6-foot-3 winger plays a no-nonsense, no-horseplay game and wears his heart on his sleeve for his teammates and the jersey he wears. Malott suited up for one NHL game in the 2021-22 season where he recorded two PIMs. The Kings and Malott certainly hope his AHL scoring translates into a fringe NHL depth role.
Malott also had some highlights of his own throughout the 2023-24 season, but none beat his mentoring of rookie Brad Lambert. Malott and Lambert complimented each other well and Malott was able to show off some more flashy moves in his skillset.
Capobianco, who turns 27 in August, signed a two-year contract carrying an AAV of $775,000. Capobianco was drafted in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft in the third round at 63rd overall by the Arizona Coyotes. He will be a UFA at the end of the 2025-26 season. It was speculated for the past few days that Capobianco wouldn’t be re-signing with the Jets.
A defenseman who was doubled as a fourth forward, Caponbianco has journeyed through the NHL and the AHL since 2016-17. He made his AHL debut for the Tucson Roadrunners in the 2016-17 season and his NHL debut for the Arizona Coyotes in the 2017-18 season.
Capobianco had a strong season for the Moose, posting career-highs in every category except PIMs. In 69 games, he posted 54 points (12G, 42A) and had a plus-minus of plus-29. This strong showing earned Capobianco the 2023-24 AHL Defenseman of the Year award.
Throughout 73 games in the NHL, 59 with the Arizona Coyotes and 14 with the Winnipeg Jets, he’s posted 12 points (5G, 12A), 48 PIMs, and a plus-minus of minus-17. In the 2021-22 season, Capobianco played a career-high 45 games for the Coyotes scoring nine points (2G, 7A), recorded a plus-minus of minus-12 and 38 PIMs, all of which are career highs. Capobianco would tie his career high in goals (two) in 14 games during the 2022-23 season with the Winnipeg Jets. Dallas gets an experienced AHL defenseman who will provide leadership to the Texas Stars and look to earn a depth NHL role in 2024-25.
