The Wild has a new ECHL affiliate, announcing a multi-year agreement with the Iowa Heartlanders that begins next season.
Wild prospects can be assigned to the Heartlanders throughout the season, and the Heartlanders will serve as a resource for development and personnel needs for the Wild and the Iowa Wild (the Wild's American Hockey League affiliate).
The Heartlanders will play at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa, a 5,100-seat venue. Their first game will be Oct.22 vs. Kansas City. The Heartlanders are Iowa's first ECHL team, expansion that was approved by the league's Board of Governors in January.
"We are thrilled to announce a new ECHL affiliation agreement with the Iowa Heartlanders," Wild General Manager Bill Guerin said in a statement released by the team. "We look forward to being a part of the Heartlanders inaugural season and helping grow the great sport of hockey while also having the opportunity to develop players at both the AHL and ECHL level in Iowa. This is an exciting day for our organization."
