British stone. PAUL, Minn. — Stu Bickle laughs now, thinking about his movie cameo when he accidentally became an extra in the third “Mighty Ducks” movie.
Bickel, 39, who grew up in Chanhassen, Minn., was about 9 years old when the Disney production team shot the roller coaster scene at the Mall of America. Bickell rode the roller coaster with his brothers, and he estimated that Ducks players rode the roller coaster 10 times. This was the Bickles’ only ride, and it was featured in the movie.
“It’s not like we were called in to be extras,” Bickel said. “We were just lucky. I just remember my mom saying, ‘Don’t be such an idiot or they’ll never use it.’
“So we’re very stoic.”
It’s one of Bickell’s many ties to the Twins, from playing for Eden Prairie High School and the University of Minnesota to a two-year stint with Bob Motzko’s Gophers. He played in nine of his 76 career NHL games with the Wild during the 2014-15 season, even having a memorable game with current color analyst Ryan Carter in 2012.
But his path to becoming the head coach of the Iowa Wild’s AHL affiliate last month was also sparked by his relationship with Iowa general manager Matt Hendricks, his old summer skate partner from their playing days. The Wild, who are looking for their third AHL head coach in four years after Greg Cronin joined the St. Louis Blues staff, hope they can find a longer-term answer in Bickel.
Bickell spent the past four years at AHL Coachella (the Seattle Kraken affiliate), appearing in four playoff games and two Calder Cup finals, and hopes to “build a winning culture” at Iowa State. This is his first professional head coaching job. Cup-winning coach Dan Bylsma coached Bickell for two years at Coachella and believes the former NHL defenseman is ready.
“He’s been with three great head coaches now, and those have been valuable lessons in building an identity,” Bylsma said. “There’s always a first time. But you look at coach development and you see coaches gain experience with good teams and organizations and build their own skills and head coaching values over time, and Stu put in those hours.
“He’s ready for this jump and I think he’s more than ready.”
Interesting conversation with new @IAWild coach Stu Bickel on the latest @FOTRshow.
On fighting @Ryan_Carter22, his Mighty Ducks cameo, his coaching impact, and Iowa’s “breeding winners” #mnwild
Apple: https://t.co/SE9P4JiupO
YouTube: https://t.co/RIgCM8uSNQ— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) July 18, 2026
Bickell said he has wanted to be a head coach since he first served as an AHL assistant coach in Springfield during the 2021-22 season. He has to work his way up to the NHL, which he hopes will allow him to resonate with players. Bickell played for four AHL teams and two ECHL teams before joining the New York Rangers in the 2011-12 season. He played in 18 playoff games that season, helping New York reach the Eastern Conference Finals.
Bickell cited then-Rangers coach John Tortorella as one of his biggest influences. Over the past eight years, Tortorella has served as a sounding board throughout Bickell’s coaching career. They had several phone conversations about different aspects of their careers and work. Bickell adopted many of the elements Tortorella brought to the table, including being open and honest with players — even if they didn’t initially like the message.
He knows firsthand the impact this approach can have.
“When I joined that team, (Tortorella) told me, ‘Honestly, I don’t know who the F is that you’re going to put in training camp,'” Bickell recalled. NHL coaches need to be very open-minded to be open to the idea of, ‘Hey, maybe this guy can make a difference on this team.’ I’m not a young first-round pick that’s supposed to be successful. He gave me a chance and I will forever be indebted to him for that. “
Tortorella chuckled, recalling his line about Bickell, admitting he really didn’t know much about the right-shooting defenseman. But he was looking for personality, “and Bic has that written all over him,” he said.
“He’s not a great skater, he doesn’t have a great shot, he doesn’t have a lot of offensive ability,” Tortorella said. “But what I like about him is his willingness. He’s willing to fight. I just like his attitude. He hasn’t played a lot in the National Hockey League. But it’s those types of guys … these are really good coaches. They grind their way through to try to get there. They know what they need to do to try to stay and try to get to the big leagues.
“That makes for a really good coach, especially in the minor leagues, especially with those young players who are waiting to make that final step to the National Hockey League.”
One of the most memorable moments of the 2011-12 Rangers season was Bickell’s infamous altercation with the Devils after a game opener in March. Fans had to know what was about to happen when the 6-foot-4, 207-pound Bickell moved to center ice to draw with Carter.
“I didn’t know he pitched that hard,” Bickell said of Carter. “He’s kind of sneakily tough. When he plays, he’s a good player as well. He’s not just going to go out and fight all the heavyweights. That’s not his game. But given his level and how often he fights, he’s tough.
“He tagged me early in the fight and I was like, ‘Oh, he’s bringing the heat.'”
How about a rematch – maybe for charity?
“I’m pretty good at that,” Bickel said with a laugh. “When I finished playing, I made a decision: I’m not going to get hit in the head again for the rest of my life.”
Bickell’s first taste of coaching came as an assistant with Motzko and the Gophers. He learned a lot about streamlining messaging and getting “buy-in” from players. He then served as head coach of the NAHL’s Minnesota Magic for one year, leading the team to the third round of the playoffs.
After entering the AHL, he served as an apprentice under former St. Louis Blues coach Drew Bannister (Springfield), Bylsma (Coachella) and former NHL assistant Derek Laxdale (Coachella).
“Being an assistant in the American League for five years gave me the opportunity to work with three different head coaches. It was great to be able to learn something from each coach and see how they handle different situations. You can match that to your approach and your personality,” Bickell said.
“I learned about the league and the next generation of players that are coming up — what makes those prospects good, and all of that helps develop good pros. I think you need to take your time in the process. Each step provides a different experience. That’s how the timing is more aligned — and I’m ready for it. I want to make sure I’m ready before I go in.”
Bickel faces a tough challenge in Iowa. The program has struggled, missing the playoffs the past three seasons. Under Cronin, Iowa State did show some improvement by posting a .600 hockey record over its final 30 games.
Bickell said his motivation is to “raise winners” by creating a competitive environment and winning habits, ultimately leading to success in the AHL and NHL.
“You have to work on developing a winning culture before you see wins,” he said. Advertisement
Bylsma said what impressed him about Bickell when he interviewed him four years ago was his “belief” in the game, his relationships with players and his “huge passion” for development.
“That’s the job of the American League,” Bylsma said. “It’s all about development. If you talk to him, you’ll quickly find out that he firmly believes that the best way to develop players and teams is in a competitive environment, or dare I say, a winning environment.”
Bylsma saw Bickel’s detail and enthusiasm in his one-on-one work with Finnish guard Ville Ottavainen, a rookie at Kraken who played three years at Coachella. The 6-foot-5 defenseman is still “raw” and needs to improve on details.
“Stu was in the trenches with him,” Bylsma said. “I see a bit of intensity in Stu, whether it’s in training or in games and one-on-ones with players – it’s all about business. One thing he believes in is you have to do it in a fight, in the fire of competition.”
Bickell said of all the coaches he’s worked with, he’s the most similar to Bylsma in terms of daily energy and positivity.
He said one example of injecting his personality into the team is that he would discuss with the team’s equipment manager about showing high energy when greeting players on their way into the building, since they are often the first staff members players see.
“It sounds like a small thing that shouldn’t have a big impact on the team,” Bickell said. “But when you do it every day, you bring positivity and good energy to the rink. People want to be a part of it and they will pull for you when you do it. Make sure your meetings are all energetic and positive.
“Sometimes, we have cleanup video and it’s not going to be a positive message, it’s going to be a tough message that we need to change that area now. That’s how we’re going to get there. But overall, when you see the way Coach Dan is, he’s very positive and that sticks together through a long season and adversity with the team.”
Bickel and his wife, Lacey, are moving back to the Midwest from their home in Southern California. Now, with their eight-month-old son Banks crawling around, they have their hands full. After going through a revolving door of coaches at Iowa State, Bickell believes this could be a long-term fit.
“I want to build a winner in Iowa,” he said. “I want to make sure we’re taking care of development and we’re developing players that are effective in Minnesota. If you can do those two things, that’s the highest level of success you can have in the American League. That process takes time.
“There are a lot of positive things in this and I think we can be successful. But it’s going to be a process and I want to make sure we take it one step at a time.”
