SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin today announced a three-year extension of its ECHL affiliation agreement with the Iowa Heartlanders. Under the affiliation agreement, the Heartlanders will continue to serve as a resource for the development efforts and personnel needs of both the Iowa Wild and Minnesota Wild. The agreement allows Wild prospects to be assigned to the Heartlanders for developmental purposes throughout the season.
The Heartlanders have been affiliated with Minnesota since the team’s 2021-22 inaugural season. Minnesota’s primary development affiliate is the Iowa Wild in the American Hockey League (AHL).
“We are very excited to extend our ECHL affiliation agreement with the Iowa Heartlanders,” said Minnesota Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin. “It is great for our organization to have the ability to develop players at both the AHL and ECHL level in Iowa. We look forward to continuing to help the Heartlanders and Iowa Wild grow hockey in the state.”
“We are thrilled to renew and continue our affiliation with the Minnesota Wild,” said Heartlanders Managing Partner Michael Devlin. “Over the past season our ties with the Wild really strengthened and their support has been essential to the growth of Heartlanders hockey in eastern Iowa. We look forward to building upon our strong partnership and developing top-tier talent for the Iowa Wild and Minnesota Wild. Both are truly first-class organizations and we are excited for many successful seasons together.”
“We greatly appreciate Bill Guerin, Mike Murray, Matt Hendricks and Todd Frederickson for their commitment to developing the Heartlanders,” said Heartlanders President Matt Getz. “We’ve had many productive conversations during the past season around how to improve our existing relationship, both on the hockey side and the business side. I’m very excited about our ability to grow as an organization through more collaboration with great people at all levels of the Wild affiliation family.”
Over the first three seasons of the affiliation, 32 former Heartlanders have advanced to play in the AHL for the Iowa Wild, including the development of multiple players signed to NHL contracts by Minnesota. The Wild has a long history of advancing players from the ECHL to the NHL, as 37 former ECHL players have skated for Minnesota in the team’s history.
