From Elk River to AHL, Kiersted excited for another outdoor opportunity | TheAHL.com
Patrick WilliamsTheAHL.com Features Writer
Dating back to the second day of free agency last July, Matt Kiersted The decision to sign with the Minnesota Wild takes him from the summer heat of North Carolina to the decidedly colder climate to start this weekend.
Kiersted is a veteran defenseman for the Charlotte Checkers who is coming off the ordeal of the Calder Cup playoffs and is two wins away from the title. As each round progressed, so did the heat and humidity in Charlotte.
So it's a good thing Kiersted, 27, a Minnesota product, is now the Iowa Wild's alternate captain. The conditions at the Iowa Wild Outdoors Classic today will be the polar opposite of what he encountered at the Checkers last spring. The Wild will also face inclement weather outdoors as part of Minnesota's Hockey Day celebrations against the Milwaukee Admirals in Hastings, Minnesota.
The National Weather Service predicts sunny skies and a temperature of minus 19 degrees Fahrenheit in Hastings. Puck drop is scheduled for 5:08 PM Central Time, just as the sun is setting.
The Wild left home Thursday morning, took a bus to Minnesota, and had an afternoon of ice practice at the United League of Legends Complex, site of this year's annual Hockey Days event in Minnesota. Outdoor sports also bring challenges beyond the weather. The angle is different. The context is different, especially for goalkeepers. That's part of the charm.
For Kiersted, the outdoors will be another memory in a season already filled with memories. He has played four games and registered one assist for Minnesota, and he remains the clear top recall option as the season progresses. He is part of Iowa's leadership group and played in 26 AHL games in his first season with the organization. Coming from the small town of Elk River, just 35 minutes from the Twin Cities, this is like coming home.
“It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to play for Minnesota,” Kiersted said.
For Kiersted, Minnesota Hockey Day outdoor games are nothing new. He played two seasons at Elk River High School, where he had the opportunity to compete outdoors. Now, as a professional, he wears Iowa State's green and white jersey as a member of the NHL organization he grew up cheering for in Elk River.
“It’s really cool now to be able to come back and have a chance to play in the American Hockey League,” Kiersted said.
It would take him back to Elk River, where he spent many winter days at the outdoor skating rink at Handke Pit, complete with a warm house.
just like iowa teammates Jaxson Nelson, Jack Peart, Ryan Sandlin and Will ZmolekKiersted has deep Minnesota roots. It's a unique hockey culture, he said.
“I think Minnesota is different than a lot of states,” Kiersted explained, “just because most states have AAA programs. But in Minnesota, I think it's more of a community feel. You grow up, you go to school with all your friends, and then you play hockey with them. You play for your town.
“That’s what makes Minnesota unique.”
About two decades in the American Hockey League, TheAHL.com feature writer Patrick Williams also currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor to SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. In 2016, he received the AHL's James H. Ellery Memorial Award for outstanding coverage of the league.
