Lukas Gustafsson and Davis Burnside shared a similar story in the 2025-26 season, waving goodbye to their collegiate careers and turning to the next phase of their lives with the Manitoba Moose.  

On April 2, 2026, their signings became official. Burnside departed Ohio State as the Buckeyes’ captain of two seasons, scoring 112 points (49G, 63A) in his 155 NCAA games. Gustafsson, who captained the Boston College Eagles, tallied 72 points (14G, 58A) in his 147 NCAA games.  

The pair combined to play seven games to close the regular season, with Gustafsson notching his first career professional point with an assist in his second game on April 7 against Milwaukee.  

Gustafsson skated on a pairing with Ashton Sautner in two of his five contests. The young pro leaned on the veteran defender’s experience during his transition, but says the entire team was there to help him out if he ever needed it. 

“They were very helpful with all the systems,” Gustafsson explained. “They were great with the little things. They were very open to questions from me. Very helpful and made the transition smooth.”  

Burnside experienced a less straightforward transition, suffering an injury that ended his season in his second contest.  

“I feel like it was a great opportunity,” he said of his short stint with the Moose in 2025-26. “I learned a lot. It’s obviously never fun to get injured. I think just being around the guys, even after the injury, I was able to take away a lot through watching the games. Just picking guys’ brains and being around guys that have been in pro hockey for a while.” 

At Winnipeg Jets development camp in June, Burnside skated in a yellow non-contact jersey while continuing to rehab his injury. He had been skating for a week by himself prior to attending.  

“It felt really good,” he said. “I did a lot of off-ice stuff in the early stages trying to get stronger. Obviously running is a little bit different than skating, so it can feel good off the ice, but I’m trying to ease my way back into it on the ice.” 

The La Grange, Ill native’s rehab is set to continue throughout the off-season, as he aims to ensure he’s “100 percent ready going into next season.” While his lower-body injury has kept him off his skates for a portion of his time at home, he has continued with hockey activity he can safely practice, including stick handling and shooting.  

For Gustafsson, it’s much the same as any other off-season. He’s working on getting bigger, faster, and stronger, but carving out time to take his mind off the game when those moments appear.  

“I’m pretty good at taking my mind off hockey,” he explained. “That’s very helpful to me. My family is also pretty good at helping me disconnect as well, even though they always want to ask questions.” 

The duo, who are signed to one-year contracts for the 2026-27 season, are seeing the days that separate them from their first full season as professionals tick away. As they prepare their bids to crack a spot on the roster, there’s an acknowledgement of just how far they have come in their careers.  

“It’s awesome,” Burnside said. “These are some of the best hockey players in the world, and they’re the best players that I’ve played with to date. Watching them in practice and in games when I wasn’t playing was unbelievable.” 

The 2026-27 regular season schedule is here! Check out the full Moose schedule and sync it to your calendar at moosehockey.com/schedule.

Ticket Memberships for the 2026-27 Manitoba Moose season are available now! Find the plan that matches your schedule with options ranging from Full Season and Half Season Memberships to the 12 Game Pack and Flex 15. For more information about becoming a Moose Ticket Member, visit moosehockey.com/memberships.