2025-26 IOWA WILD SEASON IN REVIEW
Apr 29, 2026The 2025-26 Iowa Wild season featured many highlights, with notable moments in Des Moines, Minnesota, and overseas. While young players developed at home, others made the jump to NHL and showcased their talents at the Olympics. Through it all, the team continued to grow the sport of hockey across the state of Iowa!
Riley Heidt's First AHL Goal
Riley Heidt burst onto the scene on Opening Night, scoring his first professional goal 4:14 into his AHL debut. Heidt followed the tally with a leaping celebration into the glass that turned into one of the most memorable photos of the 2025-26 season.
Road To The Show
Over the opening months of the NHL season, the injury bug bit the Minnesota Wild, forcing the big club to rely on Iowa early and often. 16 former Iowa players, including 10 from the 2025-26 roster, played at least one NHL game with Minnesota. Hunter Haight, Viking Gustafsson Nyberg, Carson Lambos, and David Spacek each made their NHL debuts, while Haight and Ben Jones scored their first NHL goals.
Emergency Backup
During warmups on Dec. 17, Cal Petersen suffered an injury, forcing the team to scramble for an emergency backup goaltender for the evening. Locker room attendant and Des Moines youth hockey coach Derek Hender rushed home to grab his goalie gear and fill in as the EBUG. KCCI’s Shannon Ehrhardt was on the scene to capture the unique story.
Mercer’s Arrival
Following a stretch of five losses in six games, Riley Mercer proved to be a breath of fresh air on Dec. 20 at Chicago when he earned a 1-0 shootout victory in his professional debut. Mercer followed up the 26-save performance with a pair of victories, allowing a single goal in each and propelling the Wild to their first three-game winning streak of the season.
Iowa Wild Outdoor Classic
The Iowa Wild played the coldest outdoor game in professional hockey history on Jan. 23 at Hockey Day Minnesota in Hastings, Minn. Players, staff, and fans bundled up to brave temperatures measuring -8°F at puck drop as the team took on the Milwaukee Admirals in the 13th outdoor game in AHL history.
Milwaukee took a 3-2 overtime win, but Iowa had the last laugh a week later while wearing their outdoor jerseys for a weekend sweep in Des Moines. The memorable experience was documented in a behind-the-scenes video and a Becoming Wild episode.
From Des Moines to Milan Cortina
The Olympic Winter Games proved extremely memorable for Iowans, as current and former Iowa Wild players made their mark across the hockey tournament. Goaltender Samuel Hlavaj (Slovakia) and defenseman David Spacek (Czechia) were chosen to represent their respective countries, while Christoph Bertschy (Switzerland), Matt Boldy (United States), Louis Boudon (France), Joel Eriksson Ek (Sweden), Erik Haula (Finland), Darcy Kuemper (Canada), Nico Sturm (Germany), and Jesper Wallstedt (Sweden) made up a large contingent of Iowa alumni.
Boldy scored the lone regulation goal for the United States and became the first Iowa Wild alumni to win an Olympic gold medal in a 2-1 overtime win against Canada, while Hlavaj announced himself on the international scene with strong performances in group play.
Wild Hit Their Stride
The Iowa Wild got red hot from the end of February through the month of March, losing in regulation just twice between Feb. 21 and Mar. 29 (9-2-2-2). Carson Lambos scored two overtime winners in three games to help propel Iowa to a four-game winning streak to start the 15-game stretch. Cal Petersen finished 6-0-2 while William Rousseau posted a 3-1-2 record.
Iowa Rocks The Red
The Wild rocked red jerseys on Mar. 20 against Ontario, taking home a 4-1 victory over the Ontario Reign. The Legacy Reds paid homage to previous Iowa Wild uniforms, the 25th anniversary Minnesota Wild sweaters, and fans with ALS.
Goalies Give Back
Over the course of the 2025-26 season, Cal Petersen raised money through his “Goalies Give Back” campaign to purchase new equipment for the Des Moines Youth Hockey Association and help cover the cost of goalie clinics. Petersen also visited youth hockey practices, schools, and hospitals to help bring hockey to local children. “Goalies Give Back” culminated in a goalie clinic and all-goalie game at Casey’s Center, where Petersen donated $5,259 of new equipment and $7,600 in funds to DMYHA with assistance from Bauer and Scheels.
Mercer Makes SportsCenter
Riley Mercer turned in the save of the season in the penultimate game of the 2025-26 season, robbing Danny Zhilkin in a shootout to help the Wild complete a late comeback effort and earn a win on home ice. Mercer’s save was shared widely across hockey and sports social media channels and landed at #1 on SportsCenter’s Top 10 for the night.
Iowa Comes Up Clutch in 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Iowa’s alumni have come up clutch for the Minnesota Wild in the first four games of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Jesper Wallstedt took over starting duties in goal for the opening round against the Dallas Stars, while Matt Boldy scored in overtime on Saturday night to send the series back to Texas tied at two games apiece.