Springfield, Massachusetts/Hastings, Minnesota. …American Hockey League, along with Minnesota Field and United League of Legends, announced today the AHL’s Outdoors in Iowa and Admiral Milwaukee As part of the 20th annual event, the regular season outdoor competition will be held Hockey Day Minnesota proposed by United Healthcare.
Iowa and Milwaukee face to face at the United Heroes Leagues Complex in Hastings, Minnesota on Friday, January 23, which will be the 13th outdoor game in AHL history.
“Minnesota Hockey Day is an iconic celebration of hockey and community spirit.” Scott HowsonPresident and CEO of the American Hockey League. “We are excited to be at the event held in Hastings this year.”
Tickets for Milwaukee, Iowa Games will be available to the public on August 4. The full event and game schedule for Minnesota's 2026 Hockey Day is expected to be released in August.
“We are extremely honored to host the 20th anniversary of Minnesota Hockey Day in our hometown of Hastings.” Jeff Taffthree-time American Hockey League All-Star and co-chair of HDM2026 – Hastings Organizing Committee. “Growing up hockey in this community before my career, I know how special it is for our local youth hockey players, military kids and their families. We are really grateful for the trust and confidence that the Minnesota wilderness has in us, allowing us to perform the best, most sophisticated hockey day in Minnesota.”
“years ago Shane Hudellathe president of United League of Legends. “The response from the hockey community is incredible and we are excited to be the hosting location for this historic event. Special thanks to our partners, such as the Minnesota Wild, which made our rink a reality, as well as our local HDM partners and the City of Hastings, who have invested in this event with great success.”
The Minnesota Hockey Festival originated in 2007 and was celebrated by Minnesota Wild for making Minnesota a hockey state. It is produced in partnership with Bally Sports North, Minnesota Hockey and a local community who serves as hosting each year. Information and updates for Minnesota Hockey Day 2026 can be found on HockeyDaymn.com.
United Heroes League is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Hastings, Minnesota. The charity helps all branches of the military by providing free sports equipment, free youth camps, financial grants to help pay for youth sports fees, special experiences and professional sports tickets so that the entire family can spend an evening in pre-deployment or post-deployment competitions. For more information, visit uniteheroesleague.org.
The American Hockey League celebrated its 90th commemorative season in 2025-26, officially born in 1936, when the Canadian American Hockey League and the International Hockey League merged to form the International American Hockey League (“International” will be removed from the league's name in 1940). AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 32 national hockey league teams. Nearly 90% of today’s NHL players are graduates of the American Hockey League, and more than 100 members of the Hockey Hall of Fame have spent some time in their careers.
