Wilderness Carry Momentum into Showcase
Published on September 23, 2025 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Minnesota Wilderness News Release
After winning three of four in an early season home stand, the Minnesota Wilderness close September with three games at the annual NAHL Showcase tournament in Blaine, MN.
The Wilderness split a pair of games Sept. 19 and 20 vs. the Anchorage Wolverines. Both contests ended in a shootout, with the Wilderness (3-0-1) winning Friday, 5-4, and Anchorage claiming Saturday's rematch, 3-2.
The Showcase brings all 34 NAHL teams under one roof at the National Sports Center's Super Rink. The 4-day tournament gives all teams a chance to play squads outside of their division while also providing easy access for college and pro scouts to get up close and personal with players they may not ordinarily get to see perform with hopes they can attract them to their teams or institutions.
The Wilderness' all-time Showcase record is 20-16-7. They went 1-1-1 in the three games last season. The last time the Wilderness finished with a winning Showcase record was 2022.
Opponents for this season's tournament feature one team the Wilderness will meet for the first time, last season's Robertson Cup runner-up and a former division rival.
Game 1 - Wednesday, 4:15 p.m. vs. the Minnesota Mallards:
Only 114 miles separate the home arenas for the Wilderness and Mallards, and this week's meeting in Blaine will mark the first ever contest between the two squads. The Mallards, based in Forest Lake, are going into their second season as a franchise. In their inaugural campaign, the Mallards finished 10-45-4 and nested in the basement of the 8-team Central Division. Nine Mallards who played 10 or more games with the team last season return to this season's squad.
The Mallards are coached by Cloquet native and former Cloquet-Esko-Carlton Lumberjack Westin Michaud who is in his first season behind the bench. They are still seeking their first victory, going 0-2 in their opening weekend series of the 25-26 campaign.
Game 2 - Thursday, 12:30 p.m. vs. the Lone Star Brahmas:
The Brahmas, representing the South Division, come into this season after two consecutive trips to the league's championship game. Lone Star won the Robertson Cup in 2024 but fell to the Bismarck Bobcats in the 2025 final, 4-2. Six players return from last year's team which finished first in the South at 44-11-4.
Dan Wildfong is the only head coach the Brahmas have ever known since they entered the league in 2013-14.
Lone Star has played four games thus far in the 25-26 season and holds a 2-1-1 record.
Thursday's contest will be the fourth all-time meeting between the Wilderness and Lone Star, with the Wilderness winning two of the previous three contests.
Game 3 - Saturday, 3:45 p.m. vs. the Austin Bruins:
This game will mark the first regular season meeting between the Wilderness and Bruins since the 2020-21 season, when the two squads were rivals in the Central Division. Prior to the Wilderness exodus to the Midwest Division, the two intra-state rivals met each year since the Wilderness entered the NAHL in 2013-14. Minnesota leads the all-time regular season series, 28-16-8.
Minnesota and Austin have also met in two Robertson Cup playoff series with each team winning once. The Wilderness won the league championship in 2015 after beating the Bruins in a best-of-3 series, 2-games to none. The Bruins then delivered payback in 2018, winning a best-of-five first round series, 3-games-to-1.
Steve Howard is in his 9th season as the Bruins head coach. In 2024-25, they finished 2nd in the Central Division with a 42-12-5 record. Their season ended after falling to Bismarck 3-games-to-1 in the 2 nd round of the Robertson Cup playoffs.
Austin goes into the Showcase with a 1-1 record.
Media: All games will stream on NAHLtv.com.
Midwest Division standings:
Place Team Games Played Points NAHL Showcase opponent(s)
1 Wilderness 4 7 Minnesota Mallards, Lone Star Brahmas, Austin Bruins
2 Wisconsin 4 5 Aberdeen Wings, Corpus Christi Ice Rays, Johnstown Tomahawks
3 Fairbanks 2 4
Shreveport Mudbugs, Maine Nordiques, Aberdeen Wings
3 Kenai River 4 4 New Mexico Ice Wolves, El Paso Rhinos, New Hampshire Mountain Kings
5 Anchorage 2 3 Lone Star Brahmas, Philadelphia Rebels, Minot Minotauros
6 Chippewa 3 2 Amarillo Wranglers, Maryland Black Bears, Northeast Generals
6 Janesville 3 2 Austin Bruins, New Hampshire Mountain Kings, Maine Nordiques
6 Springfield 2 0 North Iowa Bulls, New Jersey Titans, St. Cloud Norsemen
North American Hockey League Stories from September 23, 2025
- Wilderness Carry Momentum into Showcase - Minnesota Wilderness
- Rylan Brady Commits to Ncaa Diii Hockey: Trine University - Janesville Jets
- Black Bears Look to Stay Red Hot in NAHL Showcase - Maryland Black Bears
- IceRays Head to Minnesota for 2026 NAHL Showcase Tripleheader - Corpus Christi IceRays
- Home Stand Ends with Split Series - Minnesota Wilderness
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