Jets sign forward Lucas Wahlin to a one-year, two-way deal as 2026-27 season approaches
lucas wahlin has signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract that will begin in the 2026-27 season and will join the AHL’s Manitoba Moose on an amateur try-out for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.
The inflection point: Why this signing matters now
The Winnipeg organization finalized a one-year, two-way contract for the forward with an average annual NHL value of $850, 000, and the player immediately signed an amateur try-out to report to the Manitoba Moose for the balance of the current season. That sequence—an immediate AHL amateur try-out followed by a short-term NHL deal beginning next season—creates a clear near-term pathway for the player to integrate into the professional ranks while preserving roster flexibility for the club ahead of the 2026-27 season.
What Happens When Lucas Wahlin Joins the AHL and NHL Rosters?
Wahlin arrives with a defined performance profile from four college seasons and recent conference recognition. His college production and leadership credentials are part of the factual record used to gauge readiness for professional play:
- Contract: one-year, two-way NHL contract carrying an average annual value of $850, 000 in the NHL beginning in 2026-27; amateur try-out with the Manitoba Moose for the remainder of 2025-26.
- 2025-26 college season: 36 games, 39 points (21 goals, 18 assists), 41 penalty minutes; 21 goals led his university and the conference.
- Career college totals: 137 games, 131 points (56 goals, 75 assists), 159 penalty minutes; team captain since 2023-24.
- Awards and honors: named conference Student-Athlete of the Year, Defensive Forward of the Year, and selected to the All-Conference First Team for a second consecutive season.
- Background: native of Woodbury, Minn.; undrafted free agent signing out of college.
Near-term implications and what to watch
In the immediate term, the player will report to the AHL on an amateur try-out and can be evaluated in professional competition before his NHL deal takes effect. The contract structure provides the club roster flexibility while giving the player a defined timeline to compete for a role. Observers should monitor his usage and production at the AHL level and any formal roster moves ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Summary: The signing pairs a one-year, two-way NHL contract beginning in 2026-27 with an amateur try-out to the Manitoba Moose for the remainder of 2025-26. The player enters the professional ranks off a 39-point, 21-goal college season and multiple conference honors, bringing leadership experience as his university team captain.
