SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin announced today that the team has recalled forward Brendan Gaunce from the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Gaunce, 30, has appeared in five games for Minnesota this season, averaging 9:28 of ice time per game. The 6-foot-3, 219-pound forward from Sudbury, Ontario, has also played 35 games for Iowa this season, where he ranks second on the team with 15 goals and five power-play goals (PPG). He is tied for second with 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) and ranks fourth with 106 shots on goal. Gaunce has registered a three-point performance on four occasions this season for Iowa, including two hat tricks against the Rockford IceHogs on December 11 and December 31.
In his NHL career, Gaunce has recorded 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists) and 71 penalty minutes in 182 games, having played for Vancouver (2015-19), Boston (2019-20), Columbus (2021-24), and Minnesota (2024). His AHL career includes 378 games with Utica (2014-19), Providence (2019-20), Cleveland (2021-24), and Iowa (2024), where he has amassed 262 points (123 goals, 139 assists), 997 shots on goal, 238 penalty minutes, and a plus-3 rating. Additionally, he has contributed 14 points (7 goals, 7 assists) in 31 Calder Cup Playoff games. Gaunce also spent the 2020-21 season with Växjö in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), where he helped the Lakers secure the league championship.
Originally selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the first round (26th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft, Gaunce signed a one-year, two-way contract with Minnesota on July 1, 2024, and wears jersey No. 21 for the Wild.
