The Iowa Wild and San Diego Gulls have gotten themselves into a tight spot that only they can get out of.
They have a chance to start down that path when they meet in San Diego on Wednesday night, with both sides desperate to accumulate points if their respective second halves are to be in playoff contention.
2025 Iowa Wild vs San Diego Gulls
San Diego (9-18-3-2) started the week seven points out of the Pacific Division playoff spot. The Gulls are 1-6-2-0 after scoring in five straight games in early December, putting their season in jeopardy. For a team that has worked hard to sign several AHL veterans in the offseason after missing the Calder Cup playoffs the past two seasons, there is a strong need to stay in playoff contention and avoid the inevitable. Not competing. They missed the playoffs by 16 points last season, which meant they missed a lot of opportunities to play high-pressure, must-win hockey down the stretch and heading into the playoffs.
As for the Wild (11-18-2-0), they are in sixth place in the Central Division, eight points behind the Rockford IceHogs for the nearest playoff spot. They also need to stay in playoff contention. Aside from a first-round loss in 2023, Iowa has qualified for the playoffs just once, and that was nearly six years ago. Like the Gulls and Anaheim Ducks, the Minnesota Wild worked aggressively over the summer to add several top veterans to bolster Iowa's roster. But driven by a three-game winning streak that began in December, Iowa's record is just 2-7-1-0.
But both organizations had to scramble after a key goaltender suffered a last-minute injury. Gulls rookie Tomas Suhanek ruptured his ACL last September, sidelining him for six to eight months. Anaheim had to replace Suhanek with Oscar Danske. For Iowa, an ACL injury kept offseason signee Troy Grosenick out for the season. Iowa then added Dylan Ferguson, who subsequently signed a two-way contract with Minnesota and signed it on Tuesday. Ferguson, 26, returned from the Spengler Cup last week and was named to Team Canada's roster.
Iowa also got help on Tuesday, with Minnesota returning forwards Travis Boyd and Brendan Gaunce, their two-point scoring team, as well as guard Carson Lambos . Another Iowa first-year forward is Liam Öhgren, a 2022 first-round pick who has a 10-6-16 record in 21 games.
For the Seagulls, the game will begin a run of five games at the Sportsbook Stadium. This is not a particularly easy task either. The Iowa State conference concludes with a game against the Tucson Roadrunners on Friday through Saturday. The Wild then return next Wednesday (Jan. 15) before the league's No. 1 club, the Calgary Wranglers, visit San Diego on Jan. 18.
Fortunately for the Gulls, though, some of their Pacific Division rivals have been in trouble of late. Sitting in seventh place above the Pacific Division playoff cutoff are the Abbotsford Canucks, who fell to 0-5-1-0 and lost goalies Arturs Silovs and Top forward Jonathan Leklimaki, who was recalled to the Vancouver Canucks. Another bright spot is forward Sam Colangelo, who leads all AHL rookies with 13 goals in 24 games.
The Wild travel across California for the second time this season, a four-game trip. In between games in San Diego, they will play two games in Ontario this weekend. Following this West Coast road trip, the Wild will advance to the AHL All-Star Game for eight straight games.
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