Author: Alec Lesnar | AHL Rhythm
The Iowa Wild will take on the Milwaukee Admirals on Jan. 23 at the United League of Legends Complex in Hastings, Minn., for the 13th outdoor game in NHL history as part of Hockey Day Minnesota 2026.
Several members of the Wild roster were born in the hockey state, while others grew up on frozen ponds in Michigan and across Canada. The game holds special meaning for these players, and with more than a month to go, some of them took the time to recall memories of the outdoors.
Matt Kiersted – Elk River, Minnesota
When did you start skating and playing hockey?
I started skating when I was two years old. My brother played, so my brother and I followed in his footsteps. Neither of my parents were hockey players, but my dad was talked into letting my brother play. Once he got into it, we all followed from there.
How are your experiences with outdoor gaming?
I have competed in several outdoor competitions. I played a game in Charlotte a few years ago. In high school we played in the Minnesota Hockey Days game in Elk River.
Did you go out to play after school when you were a kid?
We will be dropped off at the Hanky ​​Pit on the Elk River. They had several outdoor rinks and a warm house where we would spend hours playing. They would turn on the lights at night when it was dark so we could stay outside longer.
How do you stay warm?
Layers, lots of layers. The heated house has a fire pit so you can go in and take a break to get some feeling back in your fingers. But yes, have a lot of layers and wear several sweatshirts at a time.
Many young hockey players in Minnesota aspire to go pro. what it looks like Growing up and playing in that kind of environment?
My dream growing up was to play hockey in college. When I got there I just wanted to enjoy it and have fun with it, which has led to me playing professionally now. I grew up in a smaller town playing hockey with my friends and growing up along the way. I made new friends and acquaintances and had fun the whole time.
What are your expectations for this game?
Back in Minnesota, a lot of my family will be there. A lot of people who haven't seen me play in person in a long time can make the short drive to see me play. It's not a very common thing to be able to compete outdoors and this will be my third so I'm lucky.
What was your Minnesota Hockey Day experience like in high school?
So cool. It was my sophomore year and my first year on varsity, in our hometown. Just seeing all the support and all the people coming out to enjoy it was unreal. There are games all day long.
Did you ever think you'd attend another Hockey Day in Minnesota? Organizing again for the Wild?
Growing up, you watch the Wild and you want to play there, but I never imagined I'd be in this position. It's a little hard to understand, but super cool. I'm looking forward to it.
RYAN SANDELIN – Hermantown, Minnesota
When did you start playing hockey?
I started playing when I was three years old. My dad was the coach, so he got me there as fast as he could and we never looked back.
Did you play outside growing up?
From the time I was eight years old until I graduated from high school, I played outside every day. Our parents would leave our bags at the outdoor rink and leave us $10. After school, we would walk across the street, put on our gear, and do our homework in the warm cabin. We would get home at 9:00 and pass out immediately. That's the routine, five or six days a week, every day with your best friend.
How competitive is the youth hockey scene in Minnesota?
I think everyone dreams of graduating from high school and playing at the University of Minnesota. Competition, whether it's AAA play in the summer or just playing to grow as a community, is fierce and pushes everyone to be better. That's why Minnesota has a ton of professional hockey players. The hockey culture in Minnesota is so strong because there are so many kids who want to move on and one day play in college or professionally.
As a Minnesotan, what are you looking forward to on Hockey Day in Minnesota?
Being able to share it with my teammates and family. I was lucky enough to participate in this competition when I was a junior in college. Being able to share this with my family was one of the most special days of my college career. Playing in Hastings in January with my family, friends and teammates will be special. It takes you back to the roots of how you started playing hockey and loving the game.
When I was a kid, I helped establish Minnesota Hockey Day, and at the time, you thought that was cool. In college, you discover that you can actually play like a marquee game. Now, I feel very lucky and lucky to be in the right place at the right time, three different times, because I know this is a big day for the entire state. I've been lucky enough to be a part of it three times, let alone once, especially in my career.
Bradley Marek – Grand Rapids, Michigan.
When did you start playing hockey?
I started playing hockey when I was three years old. I think a lot of us started around the same age. Whether it's a parent, family member or friend, someone sets us off in the cold and there's not much going back after that.
What experiences have you had playing outdoors?
When I was 12 or 13 years old, I was lucky enough to play outside at Comerica Park in Detroit. We are also lucky enough to have a pond in our backyard that we turn into a hockey rink every winter. It was a great experience spending countless hours with family and friends. My dad was a firefighter, so he would bring a fire hose and we would resurface the ice that way.
How late will you stay by the pond?
Gosh, we had floodlights on our pond, so if we weren't in school we'd be out there for hours.
How do you stay warm?
This is a good question. Bundling. You slide around so much outside that you usually sweat and take things off. If you're cold you'll put your jersey back on, but if you're a goalkeeper you'll probably get warm very quickly and take your clothes off.
Minnesota and Michigan are hotbeds of competitive hockey. What was it like playing in that environment?
From an early age, people move in with different families by the age of 12 or 13. It's definitely a very competitive environment all the way up to 16 or 17 years old, when kids move out and play youth games.
Is there something like Minnesota Hockey Days in Michigan?
No, not really. I think that's why I'm so excited to be a part of this organization and join this organization. It's a blessing to be able to attend an event like this.
WYATT NEWPOWER – Hugo, Minnesota
When did you start skating?
My dad had a skating rink in the backyard where I grew up. I have four siblings, three of whom also compete. My dad and uncle both played hockey, so hockey is definitely a part of our family. We learned to skate in the backyard and my grandparents lived on a lake so we would skate there as well.
How many outdoor games have you attended?
In addition to ponds and lakes, there are outdoor skating rinks everywhere, so you can always meet up with friends there. My first outdoor hockey game was in high school. I played for White Bear Lake and we played football at the University of Minnesota. In college, I went to the University of Connecticut and we played at Fenway Park in Boston.
How late will you stay at the lake?
If you're lucky enough to have a light, you can walk as long as you're allowed until someone calls you in. But other than that, without a light, you're going to play until you can't see it.
How do you stay warm?
Most of the time you don't. Things get numb after a while. Otherwise, you'll just have to keep moving and maybe wear a few pairs of socks and some thin gloves or gloves under your hockey gloves. I wonder if anyone is familiar with helicopters. It's almost like a leather glove. I spend a lot of time outside of Minnesota, but not many people know about them. So maybe it's a Minnesota thing, but we'll wear helicopters.
With so many kids aspiring to play professional hockey, what’s the competition? How is the environment?
I've spent a lot of time outside of Minnesota since I went to college, and no one really understands that I only played for one team my whole life before I went to college. From the time I learned to play hockey until I graduated from high school, I played in the White Bear Lake Area Hockey Association and spent my entire life with kids our age. That's very rare, and that's what makes Minnesota so special, because you have so much pride in your town. It would be easy for me to say this was the most competitive place to play hockey growing up because that's where I'm from, but I think you can look at a ton of statistics on how many Minnesota players play college and professional hockey. It speaks for itself.
What part of Hockey Day in Minnesota are you most looking forward to?
When I was in high school, I never attended Minnesota Hockey Days. This is still pretty new, but my team has never been picked to compete. Even though I'm not in high school yet, it's still a childhood dream of mine to be able to compete now. I'm also looking forward to playing my first competitive hockey game in Minnesota since 2016 (which was my senior year of high school). It's close to my family and it will be fun for them to come and watch.
How does it feel to play for the Minnesota Wild as a guy from a hockey state?
I don't know if I ever thought I'd wear the Wild logo. It’s been a bit surreal to be a part of this organization since I signed in the summer. I grew up a fan and my favorite players played for the Wild. It was definitely a childhood dream of mine to be able to wear this logo, and then to be able to play outdoors in Minnesota wearing this logo is definitely something I never thought would happen. It's hard to describe it. I know this means a lot to my parents because of everything they did for me growing up. It's a very special day for everyone to be able to get back to playing outside with an icon that we have all come to love over the years.
JACK PEART – Grand Rapids, Minnesota
When did you start playing hockey?
I was three years old. My dad was a high school coach in Grand Rapids, so I grew up at the rink with him. My two sisters got into the sport when I was very young, so I was skating with them at a young age.
What experiences have you had playing outdoors?
I’ve only played one real hockey game outside. In 2013, Minnesota Hockey Day came to Grand Rapids. I guess I'm a troll. We got to play outside and it was so cool and so much fun. There are a lot of outdoor rinks in Grand Rapids that you can go to with your friends, so I've done a lot of that.
Did you play a lot of pond hockey growing up?
Mostly, I play at an outdoor rink. One of my best friends has his own backyard rink where we skate all the time.
How do you stay warm?
You must enter the warm hut. You take a break, stay out as long as you can until you can't really feel your toes anymore, and then go and warm up.
How different would it be to play an outdoor professional game?
There will be more fans than before, which will be very cool.
Did you ever think you'd be playing for the Minnesota Wild on Hockey Day in Minnesota?
After high school, I didn’t really think about Minnesota Hockey Day. You don’t think you’ll get another chance to be a part of it. It's great to wear an Iowa Wild sweater and go out and compete.
