The Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL) have announced a multi-year ECHL affiliation agreement with the Jacksonville Icemen. The agreement begins with the 2026-27 season.
Strengthening Player Development
Minnesota Wild Executive Vice President and General Manager Bill Guerin said the organisation is thrilled to be affiliated with the Jacksonville Icemen. He stated that the affiliation strengthens their commitment to developing players and expands the organisation’s reach.
Under the affiliation agreement, the Icemen will serve as a resource for the development efforts and personnel needs of both the Iowa and Minnesota Wild. The agreement allows Wild prospects to be assigned to the Icemen for developmental purposes throughout the season. Minnesota’s primary development affiliate is the Iowa Wild in the American Hockey League (AHL).
A Collaborative Relationship
VP of Hockey Operations of Zawyer Sports & Entertainment Joe Ernst said they are excited to enter into this affiliation agreement with the Minnesota Wild and its AHL affiliate the Iowa Wild. Ernst said this is a great opportunity to build a collaborative relationship.
The affiliation will benefit the teams, the players, and hockey fans in Minnesota, Iowa and Jacksonville.
Icemen’s Background
The Jacksonville Icemen began play in the 2017-18 season. They were previously affiliated with the Buffalo Sabres and Rochester Americans (AHL). The Icemen are owned by Zawyer Sports and play at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville.
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena is a 15,000-seat venue. It was completed in November 2003. The Icemen have led the ECHL in sellouts over the last four seasons.
Iowa Wild hockey is presented by Kwik Star. Iowa Wild home games are played at Casey’s Center. Iowa Wild games are now streaming on AHLTV on FloHockey. Fans can visit FloHockey.tv now to create a free account and purchase subscriptions for the 2026-27 season.