by Alec Lessner | AHL On The Beat
On January 23, the Iowa Wild will host the Milwaukee Admirals in the 13th road game in American Hockey League history, at the United Heroes League complex in Hastings, Minn., as part of Hockey Day Minnesota 2026.
Several members of the Wild roster were born in the State of Hockey, while others grew up on frozen lakes in Michigan and across Canada. The game will have a special significance for these players, and with a little more than a month until the event, some of them took time to recall the memories of the game.
MATT KIERSTED – Elk River, Minn.
When did you start skiing and playing hockey?
I started skiing when I was 2 years old. My older brother played, so my younger brother and I followed in his footsteps. Neither of my parents was a hockey player, but my father was told to let my older brother play. Once he’s into it, we all kind of follow from there.
What is your feeling about outdoor sports?
I played a few outdoor sports. I played in one a few years ago in Charlotte. In high school, we played in Hockey Day Minnesota in Elk River.
When you were a child, did you play outside after school?
We were going to be dropped off at the Hanky Pit on the Elk River. They have several outdoor rinks and a warm-up house and we can spend hours playing. They would turn on the lights at night when it got dark so that we could stay longer.
How do you stay warm?
Layers, many layers. The warming house had a fire pit in it, so you could take a break there for a while to get the feeling back in your fingers. But yeah, lots of layers, a few sweatshirts at a time.
Many young hockey players in Minnesota aspire to play professionally. How is it growing up and playing in that area?
My dream growing up was to play college hockey. When I got there, I just wanted to enjoy it and have fun with it, and it led to playing pro now. I grew up in a small town playing hockey with my friends and I grew up on the road. I got to meet new friends and new people and have fun all the way.
What do you expect from this game?
When I go back to Minnesota, most of my family will be there. Most people who haven’t seen me play in person for a long time will be able to make a short drive to do that. It’s not very common to be able to play an outdoor game and this will be the third time, so I’m lucky with that.
What was Minnesota Hockey Day like in your high school experience?
It was very cool. It was my sophomore year, which was my first year on the varsity team, and it was in my hometown. It was unreal just to see the support and all the people who came out and enjoyed it. There were games all day.
You never thought you’d be playing on another Hockey Day in Minnesota and because of the Wild organization?
Growing up you watch the Wild, you want to play there, but I never thought I would be in this position. It’s hard to wrap your head around, but it’s great. I look forward to it.
RYAN SANDELIN – Hermantown, Minn.
When did you start playing hockey?
I started playing when I was three years old. My dad coaches, so he rushed me there as quickly as possible, and we never looked back.
Did you play outside growing up?
I played outside every day from the age of eight until I graduated from high school. Our parents would put our bags on the outside rack and leave us 10 rands. After school, we would cross the street, get dressed, and do our homework in the warm shack. We would go home at 9:00 and die right there. That was the norm, five or six days a week, every day with your best friends.
How competitive was the youth hockey scene in Minnesota?
I think everyone has dreams of wanting to come out of high school and play in college in Minnesota. The competition, whether it was AAA in the summer or playing in your hometown growing up, was intense and pushed everyone to be better. That’s why there are a ton of professional hockey players from Minnesota. The hockey culture in Minnesota is so strong because there are so many kids who want to go on and be able to play in college or professionally one day.
As a Minnesotan, what are you looking forward to on Hockey Day in Minnesota?
Being able to share with my colleagues and family. I was lucky enough to play in it when I was a junior in college. Being able to share that with my family was one of the most important days of my college career. Playing in Hastings in January with my family, friends, and teammates around will be special. It takes you back to the roots of why you started playing hockey and why you love the game.
As a kid, I got to help set up Hockey Day Minnesota, and at the time, you think that’s pretty cool. In college, you find that you actually get to play as 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 it’s a big day for the whole region. I am very fortunate to have been able to be a part of it three times, let alone once, especially in my professional career.
BRADLEY MAREK – Big Rapids, Mich.
When did you start playing hockey?
I started playing hockey when I was three years old. I think most of us started at the same age. Whether it was parents, family, or friends, someone put us on the ice and there wasn’t much looking back after that.
What experiences have you had playing outside?
I was lucky enough to play outside at Comerica Park in Detroit when I was 12 or 13 years old. We were also lucky enough to have a pond in our backyard that we would turn into a hockey rink every winter. It was a great experience to be out there for hours with family and friends. My father was a fireman, so he would bring a fire hose, and we would wake up the snow that way.
How long will you stay out in the pool?
Oh man, we had rain lights on the lake, so we would be there for hours and hours if we didn’t have school.
How do you stay warm?
That’s a good question. Mix it up. You skate a lot out there, so you tend to sweat and take things off. If you’re cold, you put on a sweatshirt, but if you’re playing goalie, you might overheat quickly and remove layers.
Minnesota and Michigan are hockey rivals. What was it like playing in that place?
From a young age, people at the age of 12 or 13 go to live with different families. It’s definitely a very competitive place until 16 or 17 when kids go out and play kids.
Does Michigan have anything like Hockey Day Minnesota?
No, it’s not. I think that’s why I’m so happy to be able to be a part of this and to be with this organization. Participating in something like this is a blessing.
WYATT NEWPOWER – Hugo, Minn.
When did you start skiing?
My father had a rink in the yard where I grew up. I have four siblings, three of whom play with me. My father and uncle played hockey, so hockey was in the family. We learned to skate in the back yard and my grandparents lived on the lake, so we skated there too.
How many times have you played in outdoor sports?
Besides pools and ponds, there were outdoor rinks everywhere, so you could meet there with friends all the time. My first outdoor hockey game was in high school. I played for White Bear Lake, and we played at the University of Minnesota football stadium. In college, I went to the University of Connecticut and we played at Fenway Park in Boston.
How long will you stay out in the pool?
If you were lucky enough to have lights, you would walk as long as you were allowed until he called to come inside. But if not, if there were no lights, play until you can no longer see.
How can you stay warm?
Most of the time you don’t. Things just get numb after a while. If not, you should keep walking, maybe wearing a few pairs of socks and small mittens or gloves under your hockey gloves. I don’t know if anyone knows choppers. It’s like a leather mitten, almost. I’ve spent a lot of time outside of Minnesota, and not many people know about them. So maybe it’s a Minnesota thing, but choppers are what we can wear.
With so many kids wanting to play professional hockey, what’s the competition nature like?
I’ve spent a lot of time outside of Minnesota since I went to college, and no one understands that I only played for one organization my whole life until I got to college. I played for the White Bear Lake Area Hockey Association from the time I learned to play hockey until I graduated high school with a group of kids the same age for the rest of our lives. That’s very rare, and that’s what makes it so special in Minnesota, the amount of pride you have in your city. It’s easy for me to say it’s a very competitive place to grow up playing hockey because I’m from there, but I think you can look at a lot of statistics on how many Minnesota players are represented in college and professional hockey. It speaks for itself.
What part of Hockey Day Minnesota are you most looking forward to?
I was never a part of Hockey Day Minnesota when I was in high school. It was still new, but my team had never been selected to play. To be able to play in it now, even though I’m not in high school, it’s still kind of a kid’s dream situation. I am 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 that’s going to be really cool for them to come and watch it.
How does it feel to play for the Minnesota Wild organization as someone from the State of Hockey?
I don’t know if I ever thought that I would ever install a wild logo to begin with. Since I signed in the summer, it’s been kind of surreal to be a part of the organization. I grew up a fan, and my favorite players played for the Wild. Being able to wear the logo is a childhood dream for sure, and then being able to play outside in Minnesota with the logo is definitely something I never thought would happen. It’s hard to explain. I know it means a lot to my parents and they did it for me when I was growing up. Being able to get back to playing outside while wearing the logo we’ve all loved over the years will make it a special day for everyone.
JACK PEART – Grand Rapids, Minn.
When did you start playing hockey?
I was three years old. My dad was a high school coach back in Grand Rapids, so I grew up on the rink with him. Both of my older sisters got into the sport at a young age, so I got to skate with them at a young age.
What experiences have you had playing outside?
I played one real hockey game outside. In 2013, Hockey Day Minnesota came to Grand Rapids. I think I was a squirt. We got to play outside and it was so cool, so much fun. In Grand Rapids there are a lot of outdoor rinks where you can just go and play shiny with your friends, so I did a little bit of that.
Did you play a lot of pool hockey growing up?
For the most part, I played in the outdoor ranks. One of my best friends had his backyard rink that we would always skate on.
How can you stay warm?
You must enter the warming hut. You take a break, sit outside as long as you think you can until you can’t feel your toes anymore, and warm up.
How will playing a professional outdoor game be different?
There will be more fans than there were back at the squirts, which will be great.
Ever thought you’d play on Hockey Day Minnesota for the Minnesota Wild?
After I left high school, I didn’t think much about Hockey Day Minnesota. You don’t think you’ll ever get a chance to play it again. It will be great to put on an Iowa Wild jersey and go out there and compete.
