Author: Max Baum

AHL: Hunter Jones, Five More Head North to Laval

Laval, Quebec- On July 2, the Laval Rocket of the AHL announced the signing of 2019 NHL Draft Second Round Pick Hunter Jones to a two-way contract. Laval also signed one-way contracts with forwards Laurent Dauphin and Vincent Arseneau and defensemen Vincent Sevigny, Joshua Jacobs, and Tyler Wotherspoon. Jones, a native of Brampton, Ontario, will […]

ECHL: Iowa Heartlanders Re-Sign Fan Favorite Forward

Coralville, Iowa- On June 27, the Iowa Heartlanders announced the re-signing of fan-favorite Yuki Miura. He is Iowa’s first signing of the 2024 offseason. Miura, set to celebrate his 28th birthday in July, has been with the Heartlanders since he got his work permit in early November of 2021, making him one of two players […]

ECHL: Iowa Heartlanders Hire Key Assistant, Announce Season-Ending Roster

Coralville, Iowa- On June 18th, Derek Damon made his first new hiring since having his coaching staff poached. His associate, Joe Exter, was poached by a junior hockey club, and training staff got promoted to the AHL’s Iowa Wild. Kevin Schmidt will complete the coaching staff, joining Damon and Video Coach Eric Michaud as the […]

Iowa Heartlanders Announce 2024-25 Protected List

Coralville, Iowa- On Monday, June 10th, the Iowa Heartlanders and the other 26 returning ECHL teams announced their protected lists. This list allows a team priority negotiation for ECHL-level contracts with players who last played for their team, similar to restricted free agency at the NHL level. Protected Players On The Heartlanders Active Roster During […]

Heartlanders Forward Departs for Europe

Coralville, Iowa- On May 27th, the Nybro Vikings of HockeyAllsvenskan in Sweden announced the signing of French International forward Louis Boudon. The Nybro Vikings, located in Nybro, Sweden, are known as a staple in the second tier of the Swedish Professional Hockey system. Following a 47-point season split between the Iowa Heartlanders and Iowa Wild, […]

ECHL: Iowa Heartlanders 2023-24 Season in Review

As the Florida Everblades clinch their third consecutive Kelly Cup, it is time to review the Iowa Heartlanders 2023-24 Season. I suggested in November that this may be the season where Iowa made their first playoffs. This was not what was written in the stars for Derek Damon’s crew. Iowa finished the season with 27 […]

ECHL: Iowa Heartlanders Key Assistant Leaves for NAHL Job

St. Cloud, Minnesota—On May 13th, the St. Cloud Norsemen of the NAHL announced that Joe Exter will be taking over as head coach and general manager of their team, effective immediately. With this, the Iowa Heartlanders’ search for a new associate head coach and assistant will begin immediately. The NAHL is a US-based junior hockey […]

Analyzing the Iowa Heartlanders’ decision to extend Derek Damon’s Contract

On Saturday, May 10th, the Iowa Heartlanders announced that Head Coach and General Manager Derek Damon has signed a multi-year extension. Damon’s previous two seasons in the Heartland did not inspire fans. Iowa went a combined 49-73-19-3 and was unable to get out of the cellar of the Central Division. However, not all of this […]

ECHL: The Ripple Effects of the Suspension of the Newfoundland Growlers

After the bombshell news that came out of the North Division today that the 2019 Kelly Cup Champion Newfoundland Growlers membership in the ECHL has been terminated, and Trois-Rivières Lions set to be sold to a new owner as of Tuesday, April 2nd, 2024, ripples are being felt across the ECHL. Every team is affected, […]

ECHL Announces Fine and Suspension | 04/01/2024

The ECHL had to step in when tempers did not cool between the Iowa Heartlanders and Kansas City Mavericks. In Saturday’s game at the Cable Dahmer Arena, tension flew off the rails in the first period. Nico Blachman is receiving this suspension and fine under ECHL Rule 28, which outlines supplementary discipline the league can […]