The Manitoba Moose started the season with five consecutive games with a nearly identical lineup. Things began to change in game six. 

Elias Salomonsson appeared for two games in a quick stint with the Moose before being recalled by the Winnipeg Jets. Meanwhile, veteran defenders Dysin Mayo and Ashton Sautner both suffered injuries. The Jets waived Jack St. Ivany for the purpose of loaning him to the Moose, but he was claimed by the Washington Capitals.  

Suddenly, head coach Mark Morrison and the Moose were stretched defensively.  

The Moose currently have three NHL contracts on their back end, and are supplementing the remaining three spots with Lukas Gustafsson, Dawson Barteaux, and Evan Nause. Barteaux and Nause made their season debuts over the weekend in Iowa, with Nause being recalled on Saturday morning.  

Nause, a Riverview, N.B. native, hopped in a car and made the more than four-and-a-half-hour drive from Bloomington, Ill. to Des Moines, Iowa. He then played later that same night. 

“We played in Bloomington the night before,” Nause said. “Luckily, Drew MacIntyre was there watching the game. We left at 8 a.m., and we didn’t listen to too much music. We talked the whole time. I know Drew from back in the day, so we got to catch up.”  

Nause got to Iowa in time for the game, but it wasn’t the stiffness in the legs from the drive that he spent pre-game shaking out; it was the nerves of playing an AHL game for the first time since April 21/24.  

“It means a lot,” he said of working his way back to the AHL. “It’s something I’ve been striving for the last few years, and it didn’t really go my way. It’s definitely something I don’t take for granted; it’s super special to be here with a great group of guys.” 

Despite the injuries, recalls, and waiver claims, the Moose continued their winning ways over the weekend, bumping their record to 7-2-0-0. Nause and Barteaux have both played important parts thus far. The Moose held the Wild to three goals during the weekend, including a 2-0 win Saturday evening.  

Barteaux explained his intention in drawing back into the lineup isn’t to replace the “key pieces” that are missing, but rather to be the player he is at the best of his abilities each night.  

That became even more important on Friday night, when the Moose dropped down to five defencemen in the absence of Ashton Sautner, who left the bench in the second period. 

“Obviously everyone was physically tired,” the Foxwarren, Man. product said. “But it can also be hard mentally. (Henry Thrun) and (Isaak Phillips) played a lot of minutes that night. They did a heck of a job staying with it, making simple plays and obviously being a big part of that win on that first night.” 

Manitoba made an addition to their defensive corps on Sunday, as well. They signed Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. native Jack Matier to a professional tryout agreement.  

Matier previously played for the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals and ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators. He began the 2026-27 season as a member of the Fort Wayne Komets in the ECHL, recording four assists in three games.  

“It’s a bit of a full circle moment,” Nause said of the signing. “We’re roommates here now, and I grew up playing against him and playing with him when we were younger. I’ve seen his face a lot on the other side, so it’s great to have him on our team.” 

The Moose are back in action on Tuesday morning at 11 a.m. CDT at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill. They meet the Chicago Wolves for the fourth time this season. 

Coverage of tomorrow’s matchup gets going at 10:45 a.m. CDT on CJOB.com, the Winnipeg Jets App and AHLTV on FloHockey.