From Elk River to the AHL, Kiersted enjoyed another opportunity on the outside | TheAHL.com
Patrick WilliamsTheAHL.com Features Writer
Back on the second day of free agency last July, Matt Kiersted signed with the Minnesota Wild in a move that took him from the heat of summer in North Carolina to cold weather to start this weekend.
Kiersted, a stalwart defenseman with the Charlotte Checkers, had just missed the Calder Cup Playoffs, losing two games in the tournament. As each round passed, Charlotte’s heat and moisture came to an overflow.
So it’s a good thing that 27-year-old Kiersted, now the co-captain of the Iowa Wild, is a product of Minnesota. Today’s Iowa Wild Outdoor Classic conditions will be, well, the opposite of what the Checkers faced last spring. Going up against the Milwaukee Admirals in Hastings, Minn., as part of the Hockey Day Minnesota festivities, the Wild will once again face the outdoors.
The forecast for Hastings is sunny and will drop to -19 Fahrenheit, according to the National Weather Service. Puck drop is scheduled for 5:08 pm CT, just as the sun is setting.
The Wild left home Thursday morning to board a bus to Minnesota and practice in the afternoon on the ice at the United Heroes League facility, which hosts the annual Hockey Day Minnesota event. Outdoor sports present challenges beyond the weather, too. Different angles. The background is different, especially for goal scorers. That’s all part of the charm.
For Kiersted, the outing will be another memory in an already busy season. He played in four games with Minnesota, getting an assist, and is certainly the best option to remember as the season progresses. He is part of Iowa’s leadership team and played 26 AHL games in his first season with the organization. From Elk River, a small town about 35 minutes from the Twin Cities, this has been a homecoming.
“It’s been a lifelong dream to play in Minnesota,” Kiersted said.
What’s new for Kiersted is playing outside at Hockey Day Minnesota. He played two seasons at Elk River High School and had the opportunity to compete outdoors during that time. Now he’s doing it like a pro in the blue-and-white jersey of Iowa, a member of the NHL organization he enjoyed growing up in Elk River.
“To be able to come back now and have the opportunity to play in the American Hockey League is really good,” Kiersted said.
It will take him back to Elk River, where he spent many winter days in the outdoor rink at the Handke Pit, complete with a warming house.
As Iowa teammates Jackson Nelson, Jack Peart, Ryan Sandelin again Is ZmolekKiersted has strong Minnesota roots. It’s a hockey culture all its own, he says.
“I think Minnesota is different than a lot of states,” Kiersted said, “just because a lot of states have AAA programs. But in Minnesota, I think there’s a sense of community. You grow up, you go to school with all your friends, and you play hockey with them. You play for your town.
That’s what makes Minnesota unique.
In the American Hockey League for two decades, TheAHL.com features writer Patrick Williams and currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor to SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for the league’s top scorer in 2016.
