Iowa Wild

Iowa Wild
2018–19 AHL season
City Des Moines, Iowa
League American Hockey League
Conference Western
Division Central
Founded 1994 (In the IHL)
Operated 2013–present
Home arena Wells Fargo Arena
Colors Forest green, Iron Range red, harvest gold, Minnesota wheat, white
                        
Owner(s) Minnesota Sports and Entertainment
General manager Tom Kurvers
Head coach Tim Army
Media Fox Sports North
KXNO
Affiliates Minnesota Wild (NHL)
Allen Americans (ECHL)
Franchise history
1994–2013 Houston Aeros
2013–present Iowa Wild

The Iowa Wild are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, that began play from the 2013–14 season. The team plays at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, as the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild. Minnesota Sports and Entertainment is the parent company of both clubs. On November 10, after a 2-10 start to the 2014–2015 season, head coach Kurt Kleinendorst was fired and replaced by John Torchetti.

The team used to be known as the Houston Aeros, calling Houston, Texas, home and most recently playing at the Toyota Center. On April 18, 2013, it was announced that the Aeros would move to Des Moines, beginning with the 2013-14 AHL season and be known as the Iowa Wild.[1][2]

The Wild is the second AHL team to call Des Moines home. The city was home to the Iowa Stars, which had been the Dallas Stars' AHL affiliate from 2005 until 2008 (in the team's final season (2008-09), they were known as the Iowa Chops and were affiliated with the Anaheim Ducks).

History

Houston Heritage

The Houston Aeros were an expansion team in the International Hockey League in 1994. The team's name is a homage to the Houston Aeros of the World Hockey Association in the 1970s, one of the teams Gordie Howe played for in the WHA. The Aeros were the second IHL team to be named after a WHA franchise, the first being the Phoenix Roadrunners; unlike the Roadrunners, who used the same logo as their WHA predecessor, the IHL Aeros used a new logo, a bomber flying over the team name based on the Boeing B-17 or B-25 Mitchell. The Aeros would defeat the Orlando Solar Bears to win the 1999 Turner Cup, following an impressive 54-win season.

The Aeros were one of six IHL teams to join the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2001 when the IHL folded. The AHL version of the Aeros would go on to win the 2003 Calder Cup; they would reach the 2011 Calder Cup finals as well but lost to the Binghamton Senators. They served as the AHL affiliate of the Minnesota Wild and were affiliated with the ECHL revival of the Orlando Solar Bears for the 2012–13 season.

The team played their home games in the Toyota Center, which they moved to from the Compaq Center for the 2003–04 season.

The principal owner was Minnesota Sports and Entertainment, with Chuck Watson, the former owner, owning a 10% minority share along with Houston Native, Nick Sheppard, holding a 4% share.

In Iowa

On April 18, 2013, the Minnesota Wild announced that Minnesota Sports and Entertainment were unable to reach a lease agreement with the Toyota Center, and the Aeros would be relocated to Des Moines, Iowa beginning with the 2013–14 season and play their home games in Wells Fargo Arena. The Iowa Wild inaugural season was opened on October 12 with a 1-0 win over the Oklahoma City Barons. The opening night attendance was 10,200.[3] It was announced on February 22, 2018, the Minnesota Wild would extend their contract 2023.[4]

Season-by-season results

Players

Current roster

Updated October 17, 2018.[5]

# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Contract
7 United States Sam Anas C R 25 2016 Potomac, Maryland Minnesota
44 United States Matt Bartkowski D L 30 2018 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Minnesota
36 Canada Colton Beck LW L 28 2015 Langley, British Columbia Iowa
8 United States Louie Belpedio D R 22 2018 Skokie, Illinois Minnesota
14 Canada Will Bitten RW R 20 2018 Ottawa, Ontario Minnesota
18 Sweden Gustav Bouramman D R 21 2017 Stockholm, Sweden Minnesota
41 Canada Landon Ferraro C R 27 2017 Trail, British Columbia Minnesota
10 Canada Gerry Fitzgerald C R 25 2018 Port Alberni, British Columbia Iowa
35 Canada Andrew Hammond G L 30 2018 White Rock, British Columbia Minnesota
34 Finland Kaapo Kahkonen G L 22 2018 Helsinki, Finland Minnesota
25 United States Justin Kloos C R 24 2017 Lakeville, Minnesota Minnesota
19 United States Luke Kunin C R 20 2017 Chesterfield, Missouri Minnesota
17 Canada Mike Liambas (A) LW L 29 2018 Woodbridge, Ontario Minnesota
16 Sweden Eric Martinsson D L 25 2018 Klippan, Sweden Minnesota
20 United States Gerald Mayhew C L 25 2017 Wyandotte, Michigan Iowa
6 United States Mitch McLain C L 24 2018 Baxter, Minnesota Iowa
27 United States Brennan Menell D R 21 2017 Woodbury, Minnesota Minnesota
24 Canada Ryan Murphy D R 25 2017 Aurora, Ontario Minnesota
9 Canada Cal O'Reilly (C) C L 32 2017 Toronto, Ontario Minnesota
42 United States Kyle Rau C L 25 2017 Eden Prairie, Minnesota Minnesota
23 Canada Mason Shaw C L 19 2018 Lloydminster, Alberta Minnesota
28 Russia Dmitry Sokolov RW L 20 2018 Omsk, Russia Minnesota
21 Canada Carson Soucy D L 24 2017 Irma, Alberta Minnesota
37 United States Hunter Warner D R 23 2016 Cambridge, Minnesota Minnesota

References

  1. ↑ "Wild AHL Affiliate Moving To Iowa". Minnesota Wild. 2013-04-18. Retrieved 2013-04-18.
  2. ↑ Birch, Tommy; Leistikow, Chad (2013-04-18). "Is Des Moines ready to try pro hockey again?". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2013-04-18.
  3. ↑ As former sole owner of the team, Chuck Watson owns the rights to the Aeros name, prompting the name change."Wild statement on AHL affiliate". Houston Aeros. 2013-04-18. Retrieved 2013-04-18.
  4. ↑ Wild, Iowa. "FIVE YEARS IN: JUST GETTING STARTED | Iowa Wild". www.iowawild.com. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
  5. ↑ "TheAHL.com –Iowa Wild Roster". Retrieved 2015-01-10.
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