Iowa Wild Just Made A Depth Move Fans Will Feel Fast

The Iowa Wild bolsters its lineup with six strategic signings for the upcoming AHL season, including a mix of seasoned veterans and promising talent.

The Iowa Wild have added six players on AHL contracts for the 2026-27 season, with General Manager and Alternate Governor Matt Hendricks announcing a mix of familiar faces and new depth pieces for the organization.

Among the group, forward Gerry Mayhew stands out as the centerpiece. The 33-year-old is Iowa’s all-time leader in goals with 119, points with 220, game-winning goals with 18 and shots with 690.

He also sits second in games played with 288 and power-play goals with 37, is tied for second in shorthanded goals with four, and is tied for third in assists with 101. Mayhew also owns the club’s single-season marks for goals, with 39 in 2019-20, and shots, with 205 in 2018-19.

That 2019-20 season also brought an AHL All-Star selection, the Les Cunningham Award as league MVP and the Willie Marshall Award as the AHL’s goals leader.

Mayhew’s Iowa resume now includes 220 points, 210 penalty minutes and a plus-14 rating in 288 games. He had 42 points in 60 games with the Wild in 2025-26.

Across his AHL career, he has totaled 352 points, 370 penalty minutes and a minus-4 rating in 505 games with Iowa, Lehigh Valley, Charlotte and Rockford. He also made his NHL debut on Oct. 15, 2019, against Toronto and has 15 points in 57 NHL games with Minnesota, Philadelphia and Anaheim.

The Wild also brought back Bradley Marek, who logged 12 points, 70 penalty minutes and a minus-4 rating in 59 games last season. The 25-year-old winger has 31 points in 135 career AHL games between Iowa and San Jose, and he added 31 points in 37 ECHL games with Wichita in 2023-24. Marek spent two seasons at Ferris State, where he earned CCHA Rookie of the Year honors in 2021-22 after posting 19 points and tying for the team lead in goals, and he played four USHL seasons from 2017-21.

Nick Rhéaume is also in the mix after a strong ECHL season with Cincinnati, where he posted 33 points and 137 penalty minutes in 66 games. The 24-year-old forward played three NCAA seasons at Northeastern and UMass-Lowell before turning pro.

Iowa also signed Braidan Simmons-Fischer, who appeared in six games with the Wild last season and produced 10 points in 40 games with Allen in the ECHL. The 6-foot-7 forward also spent time at Adrian College, the University of St. Thomas, Austin in the NAHL and Green Bay in the USHL.

On the blue line, Mike Koster returns after recording two assists in 13 games with Iowa in 2025-26 and 21 points in 38 games with the Iowa Heartlanders. Koster also had five assists in seven games for the Heartlanders in 2024-25 and played five NCAA seasons at Minnesota, where he served as captain in 2023-24 and 2024-25. He was drafted by Toronto in the fifth round of the 2019 NHL Draft.

Forward Drew Kuzma rounds out the group after posting eight points in 13 ECHL games with Greensboro in 2025-26. Kuzma played four NCAA seasons at Lindenwood and served as captain in 2025-26.

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