The Bloomington Bison enter their third ECHL season with a significant change to their development structure. Beginning in 2026-27, Bloomington is affiliated with the Winnipeg Jets and their AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, creating a new professional pathway for the organization.
Bloomington began play as an ECHL expansion franchise in 2024-25 and plays its home games at Grossinger Motors Arena. Phillip Barski serves as head coach and vice president of hockey operations.
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For Jets fans, that makes the Bison a new team to put on the radar. There is no previous Winnipeg-Bloomington development history to follow. Instead, the intrigue comes from watching the relationship take shape as assignments and transactions begin establishing the Jets' newest professional development connection.
How To Watch Bloomington Bison In 2026-27
Bloomington Bison games can be watched live and on demand on FloHockey throughout the 2026-27 season. FloHockey is the leaguewide video platform for ECHL regular-season and postseason games.
Why Jets Fans Should Watch Bloomington Bison
The new Winnipeg Jets → Manitoba Moose → Bloomington Bison structure is the primary reason for Jets fans to follow Bloomington this season.
Because the affiliation begins in 2026-27, every Manitoba-to-Bloomington assignment will help establish the relationship. Which players ultimately reach Bloomington will depend on decisions following NHL and AHL training camps, but those transactions will give Jets fans another layer of the organization to monitor.
Bloomington also has its own young roster to follow. Forwards Raivis Ansons and Evgeniy Oksentyuk, defensemen Nikita Sedov and Rinat Valiyev and goaltender Markus Stensrud are among the players currently listed on the Bison's ECHL roster page.
Beyond assignments, Bloomington's third season offers another storyline. The research identifies Barski's development system and whether the young franchise can take another step in Year 3 as key questions entering 2026-27.
For Winnipeg fans, following Bloomington this season means getting in at the beginning of a new Jets development relationship.
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