Minnesota Wild
· 2026-06-30
The Minnesota Wild have appointed Stu Bickel as the new head coach of their AHL affiliate Iowa Wild.
Stu Bickel, a former NHL player with 9 games for the Minnesota Wild, will take the reins in Des Moines.
He has been an assistant coach in the AHL for the past five years and is excited to lead the Iowa Wild.
Bickel's experience playing for the Wild and his familiarity with Des Moines make him a great fit for the organization.
The Iowa Wild have made the AHL playoffs just once in the past five years, and Bickel is committed to changing that.
As of June 30, the Minnesota Wild are standing 3rd in the Western Conference with a 46-24 record, on a W1 streak, after losing 4-3 to the Colorado Avalanche on May 14.
Bickel will focus on developing future NHLers while aiming to establish a winning culture in the locker room.
He has been part of successful teams as an assistant coach and is ready for this opportunity.
The Minnesota Wild are excited to have Bickel on board, with Matt Hendricks, the Iowa general manager, praising his experience and ties to both Iowa and Minnesota.
Bickel and his wife Lacey are looking forward to their new home in Des Moines and the opportunity for him to be a pro head coach.
He spent two seasons as a graduate assistant coach for the Gophers under Don Lucia and Bob Motzko.
Bickel's playing career included nearly 100 games in the NHL and time with the New York Rangers and Anaheim.
He is now set to lead the Iowa Wild and help develop the next generation of Minnesota Wild players.