Jets goalie prospect Thomas Milic (2023 5th) said goodbye to junior hockey winning the WHL Championship with Seattle and then jumped into his first season as a pro with the Moose on a one-year deal in the AHL.
With two veteran goalies in Oskari Salminen and Collin Delia, the BC product began his season in the ECHL with the Norfolk Admirals. From the outset he made an impact which included being named ECHL Goalie of the Week less than two weeks after the season began. He got his first recall to the AHL in November where he would play four games for Manitoba before being returned to Norfolk. About six weeks later he was heading to Davos, Switzerland where he spent some time with Team Canada at the Spengler Cup before heading back to Norfolk.
He would be recalled by Manitoba in late January and go on quite the run. The team had been mired in an 11-game losing streak (0-10-1) and the playoffs seemed unlikely given they were sitting in last place in the AHL. A big part of the turnaround was the play of the young netminder who helped propel his team on a big win streak where they were one of the hottest teams in the league and which concluded with them clinching a playoff spot.
In total he went he went 19-9-2-1 with a 2.72 GAA and a .900 save% for the Moose in the AHL and 11-3-2-1 with a 2.45 GAA and a .908 save% for the Admirals in the ECHL.
On May 3rd the Jets announced they had signed Milic to his three-year ELC.
He reflected on his first season as a pro, highlights from the year, getting time in the ECHL, how he’s grown as a goalie, the work he’s going to do this summer, what he’s learned from goalie coach Drew MacIntyre, an area of change from junior to pro and much more.
