2024-25 IOWA WILD SEASON IN REVIEW
May 9, 2025The 2024-25 Iowa Wild season is complete, which means it’s time to look in the rearview mirror at the year. While young players enjoyed success and growth on the ice, the team continued to connect to the city of Des Moines and grow the sport of hockey throughout the state of Iowa.
ON THE ICE
ROOKIE SENSATION
Hunter Haight burst onto the scene, scoring 20 goals and finishing sixth among Iowa skaters in points (34). The Strathroy, Ontario native scored his first three goals when he registered a hat trick on Oct. 20 at San Jose. Haight finished the year with two hat tricks and a four-point game.
DEVELOPING THE DEFENSE
The Wild continued to develop defensive prospects, including David Spacek and Carson Lambos. After finishing with 12 points in his rookie season, Spacek led Iowa’s defensemen with 31 points and played all 72 games in 2024-25. Lambos finished with 19 points and earned top-end minutes as the season progressed.
GROWTH OF A GOALTENDER
The team entered the season with an uncertain goaltending situation but left it with a piece of certainty; they found a diamond in the rough in Samuel Hlavaj. The Martin, Slovakia native finished tied for third in the AHL in wins by a rookie (14) and won seven of his last 11 starts.
IN THE COMMUNITY
Off the ice, the players and the team’s business staff worked to grow the game throughout the state of Iowa. Fans were treated to specialty jerseys, theme nights, and events that frequently gave back to charitable causes in the Des Moines Metro.
As winter approached, previously installed Community Rinks reopened to the public. In January, the Iowa Wild and Marshalltown opened a 12th community rink in Carlisle, Iowa.
Tame The Hunger, the team’s charitable initiative, continued to be a rousing success. Over the course of the season, fans and partners helped raise $14,500, which the team used to pack over 50,000 meals for the second consecutive year. Meals were packaged with assistance from Meals From The Heartland and donated to the Des Moines Public Schools SUCCESS Program along with other local charities.
The team wore three specialty jerseys, which raised over $106,000 during postgame auctions. On Veterans Appreciation Night, the team paid tribute to their roots as the Houston Aeros with an Iowa Aeros rebrand. Pink in the Rink featured a pink jersey and an uplifting player story from Ryan Sandelin.
The Iowa Wookiees returned for a second consecutive season on Star Wars Night, with jersey proceeds benefitting The ALS Association.
The team’s IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award winner, Brendan Gaunce, dove headfirst into community involvement. Gaunce, who pledged to give $100 for every point scored throughout the season to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL), made multiple visits to support the ARL’s mission and ultimately donated $2,900.
While the 2025-26 season may seem far away, it will be here before fans know it! Stay tuned to the team’s social media and iowawild.com for updates throughout the summer on the team’s schedule, promotional nights, and transactions.