The Minnesota Wilderness are a Tier II junior ice hockey team based in Cloquet, Minnesota, and play in the North American Hockey League (NAHL). The organization formerly fielded teams in the Canada-based Junior A Superior International Junior Hockey League for three seasons and in the American-based Tier III Minnesota Junior Hockey League.

Prior to the 2013–14 season, the Wilderness' owners bought the franchise rights to the St. Louis Bandits of the Tier II North American Hockey League, and began play for that season.

In 2024, the Minnesota Loons of the NA3HL were sold and moved from Breezy Point, Minnesota to Eveleth, Minnesota and renamed to the Minnesota Wilderness, putting them under the same umbrella as the NAHL's Minnesota Wilderness. Their logo will be the same. They will play in the West Division in the 3HL, which will allow them to still be one of the 5 Minnesota-Located teams in that Division.

History

2000–09

The organization was founded in 2000 as the Northwest Wisconsin Knights in Spooner, Wisconsin, as a Junior B team in the Minnesota Junior Hockey League (MnJHL). In 2004, the Knights changed their name to the Wisconsin Mustangs. In 2006, the MnJHL was promoted to Tier III Junior A status by USA Hockey. From 2001 until 2003, the Knights had an interleague relationship with the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL) of Hockey Canada. The 2009–10 season saw them back in an interlock with the SIJHL.

2010–19

On May 17, 2010, the Mustangs announced they were officially leaving the MnJHL, their players were released to a dispersal draft. Soon after they applied for entry into the SIJHL. After a couple months of petitioning USA Hockey to join a Hockey Canada-sanctioned league, they were allowed entry. The team dropped the Mustangs logo, colors, and name as the organization entered the new league as the Wisconsin Wilderness.

On September 17, 2010, the Wilderness played their first game as a full member of the SIJHL, on the road, against the Sioux Lookout Flyers, winning the game 3–2. On September 24, 2010, the Wilderness became the first American-based full membership SIJHL team to host a regular season game in the United States. The Wilderness defeated the Fort Frances Lakers 4–3. In 2011, the Wilderness won the league championship in their inaugural SIJHL season.

In the summer of 2012, the team relocated to Cloquet, Minnesota, and changed their name to the Minnesota Wilderness.

On May 4, 2013, the Wilderness became the first American team to win the Dudley Hewitt Cup by defeating the St. Michael's Buzzers 4–3 in overtime in the Central Canada final. They also became the first American team to participate in the Royal Bank Cup tournament, the Canadian National Junior A championship.

After winning the Dudley Hewitt Cup, the Wilderness announced that the 2013 Royal Bank Cup would be their final foray in Canadian junior hockey as they joined the North American Hockey League (NAHL) at the beginning of the 2013–14 season. At the Royal Bank Cup, Minnesota finished fourth in the round-robin with a 1–3 record. In the semifinal, they surrendered a 4–2 third period lead to the Alberta Junior Hockey League's Brooks Bandits to lose 5–4 in overtime. Their loss to Brooks ended their hopes of a national championship and was their final game as members of the Superior International Junior Hockey League.

In 2013, the Wilderness bought the franchise rights of the dormant St. Louis Bandits franchise to obtain entry into the NAHL.

2020–present

In July 2022, the Wilderness fired assistant coach Brendan Phelps over allegations that he solicited a 16-year-old boy for sex online. He was also temporarily suspended by the United States Center for SafeSport. In season 2022-2023 Minnesota Wilderness went onto winning the Midwest Division for the second time in franchise history, Kevin Marx Norén set new all time single season franchise goalscoring record for the Minnesota wilderness. The following season The Minnesota Wilderness Loss in the first round of playoffs in the midwest divisional semi-finals.OurSports Central. (2023, April 4). *Marx-Norén lands on all NAHL all-division teams*. OurSports Central. https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/marx-norxe9n-lands-on-all-nahl-all-division-teams/n-5960683OurSports Central. (2023, April 7). *Wilderness hold off Windigo to clinch division crown*. OurSports Central. https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/wilderness-hold-off-windigo-to-clinch-division-crown/n-5962208Pine Knot News. (2024, May 3). *Wilderness bow out of playoffs*. Pine Knot News. https://www.pineknotnews.com/story/2024/05/03/sports/wilderness-bow-out-of-playoffs/11111.html

Season-by-season records Season GP W L T OTL SOL Pts GF GA Finish PlayoffsMinnesota Junior Hockey League (MnJHL) 2000–01 36 26 9 — 1 — 53 192 120 3rd, MnJHL 2001–02 42 30 10 — 2 — 62 227 160 2nd, MnJHL 2002–03 42 29 10 — 3 — 61 221 132 3rd, MnJHL 2003–04 40 14 25 1 3 — 32 152 194 5th, MnJHL 2004–05 48 11 34 1 2 — 25 151 267 6th, MnJHL 2005–06 48 21 23 3 1 — 46 180 196 4th, MnJHL 2006–07 40 25 12 3 0 — 53 176 130 3rd, MnJHL Lost Semifinal 2007–08 48 38 5 — 5 — 81 268 122 2nd, MnJHL Lost Quarterfinal 2008–09 48 29 17 — 2 — 60 219 172 4th, MnJHL Lost Semifinal 2009–10 50 28 18 — 4 — 60 189 148 4th, MnJHL Lost SemifinalSuperior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL) 2010–11 56 45 6 — 5 — 95 264 122 1st, SIJHL Won Super Series, 1–1 (2–1 SO) (Lakers)Won Semi-final, 4–0 (North Stars)Won Final, 4–0 (Ice Dogs)4th of 4 DHC Round-Robin (0–2–1) 2011–12 56 49 6 — 1 — 99 259 97 1st, SIJHLLost Super Series, 1–1 (5–6 SO) (Lakers)Won Semi-final, 4–0 (North Stars)Won Final, 4–3 (Lakers)4th of 4 DHC Round-Robin (1–0–2) 2012–13 56 51 3 — 2 — 104 282 85 1st, SIJHLWon Semi-final, 4–0 (Iron Rangers)Won Final, 4–2 (Lakers)1st of 4 DHC Round-Robin (2–0–1)Won DHC Final, 4–3 OT (Buzzers)4th of 5 RBC Round-Robin (1–3–0)Lost RBC Semi-final, 4–5 OT (Bandits)North American Hockey League (NAHL) 2013–14 60 37 14 — 9 — 83 159 115 2nd of 6, Midwest4th of 24, NAHLLost Div. Semifinal series, 2–3 vs. Wenatchee Wild 2014–15 60 39 15 — 6 — 84 209 152 2nd of 5, Midwest8th of 24, NAHLWon Div. Semifinal series, 3–2 vs. Coulee Region ChillWon Div. Final series, 3–0 vs. Fairbanks Ice DogsWon Semifinal series, 2–0 vs. Janesville JetsWon Championship series, 2–0 vs. Austin Bruins 2015–16 60 34 18 — 7 — 76 183 161 3rd, Midwestt-7th of 22, NAHLWon Div. Semifinal series, 3–1 vs. Janesville JetsLost Div. Final series, 2–3 vs. Fairbanks Ice Dogs 2016–17 60 32 22 — 4 2 70 188 179 2nd, Central9th of 24, NAHLWon Div. Semifinal series, 3–2 vs. Brookings BlizzardLost Div. Final series, 2–3 vs. Aberdeen Wings 2017–18 60 33 21 — 3 3 72 184 181 3rd, Centralt-8th of 23, NAHLLost Div. Semifinal series, 1–3 vs. Austin Bruins 2018–19 60 26 29 — 3 2 57 170 189 5th, Centralt-17th of 24, NAHLdid not qualify 2019–20 52 26 22 — 4 0 56 160 165 5th, Central15th of 23, NAHLPosteason cancelled 2020–21 56 25 27 — 1 3 54 136 168 t-3rd, Centralt-12th of 23, NAHLLost Div. Semifinal series, 0–3 vs. Bismarck Bobcats 2021–22 60 35 23 — 1 1 72 216 203 4th of 8, Midwest12th of 29, NAHLWon Div. Semifinal series, 3-2 vs. Fairbanks Ice DogsLost Div. Final series, 1-3 Anchorage Wolverines 2022–23 60 35 18 — 3 4 77 168 146 2nd of 8, Midwest8th of 29, NAHLWon Div. Semifinal series, 3-0 vs. Kenai River Brown BearsWon Div. Final series, 3-1 vs. Wisconsin WindigoLost Semifinal series, 0-2 vs. Oklahoma Warriors 2023–24 60 30 25 — 2 3 65 157 170 4th of 8 Midwest20th of 32, NAHL Lost Div. Semifinal series, 1-3 Anchorage Wolverines 2024–25 59 30 25 — 4 0 64 210 197 5th of 8 Midwest19th of 35, NAHLdid not qualify 2025-26 59 42 12 - 3 2 89 249 148 1st of 8 MidwestT-2nd of 35, NAHL Won Div. Semifinals, 3-1 vs. Anchorage Wolverines Won Div. Finals, 3-2 vs. Wisconsin Windigo Won League Semifinals, 2-0 vs. Austin Bruins Lost Robertson Cup Championship, 2-3(OT) vs. Maryland Black Bears

References

External links Wilderness Webpage Superior International JHL Webpage Minnesota JHL Webpage