Hockey Day Minnesota 2026 to Feature Outdoor AHL Game

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Hockey Day Minnesota 2026 to Feature Outdoor AHL Game

July 18, 2025 - American Hockey League (AHL) News Release


SPRINGFIELD, Mass. / HASTINGS, Minn. ... The American Hockey League, in conjunction with the Minnesota Wild and the United Heroes League, today announced that the AHL's Iowa Wild and Milwaukee Admirals will participate in a regular-season outdoor game as part of the 20th annual Hockey Day Minnesota presented by United Healthcare.

The eight-day, statewide hockey celebration will feature an outdoor professional hockey game for the first time, as Iowa and Milwaukee face off at the United Heroes League complex in Hastings, Minn., on Friday, January 23. It will be the 13th outdoor game in AHL history.

"Hockey Day Minnesota is an iconic celebration of hockey and community spirit," said Scott Howson, American Hockey League President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are thrilled and honored to be part of this year's event in Hastings."

Tickets for the Iowa-Milwaukee game will go on sale to the general public on Aug. 4. A complete event and competition schedule for Hockey Day Minnesota 2026 is expected to be released in August.

"We are deeply honored to be hosting the 20th anniversary of Hockey Day Minnesota in our hometown of Hastings," said Jeff Taffe, three-time American Hockey League all-star and co-chair of the HDM2026 - Hastings organizing committee. "Having grown up in this community playing hockey before my professional career I know how special this will be for our local youth hockey players, military kids, and their families. We are truly grateful that the Minnesota Wild have placed their trust and confidence in us to execute the best, most elaborate Hockey Day Minnesota to date."

"A few years ago we set out to build Minnesota's greatest outdoor ice rink on our Tradition Veterans Complex here in rural Hastings," said Shane Hudella, President of United Heroes League. "The response from the hockey community has been incredible and we are extremely excited to serve as the host site for this historic event. A special thank you to our partners like the Minnesota Wild who helped make our rink a reality, and to our local HDM partners and the City of Hastings who have invested in the event to make it a huge success."

Hockey Day Minnesota originated in 2007 by the Minnesota Wild to celebrate the game that has made Minnesota the State of Hockey. It is produced in partnership with Bally Sports North, Minnesota Hockey and the respective local community that serves as host each year. Information and updates on Hockey Day Minnesota 2026 can be found at hockeydaymn.com.

United Heroes League is a 501(c)(3) non-profit based in Hastings, Minnesota. The charity assists families of all branches of the military by providing free sports equipment, free youth camps, financial grants to help pay youth sports fees, special experiences, and pro sports tickets so the entire family can enjoy a night out at a game before or after deployment. For more information visit unitedheroesleague.org.

Celebrating its 90th-anniversary season in 2025-26, the American Hockey League was officially born in 1936 when the Canadian-American Hockey League and the International Hockey League merged to form the International-American Hockey League (the "International" would be dropped from the league's name in 1940). The AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 32 National Hockey League teams; nearly 90 percent of today's NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame spent time in the AHL in their careers.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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