There’s nothing quite like the feeling of clinching a playoff spot for the first time.
In their fourth season as a member of the ECHL, the Iowa Heartlanders now know what that feels like. On Sunday, they punched their ticket to the 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs for the first time in team history.
While they didn’t pick up a victory, the Heartlanders earned a point with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Wichita Thunder. They overcame a 2-0 deficit to force the extra frame.
The point gained in the standings, combined with the Bloomington Bison’s loss to the Wheeling Nailers, set the stage for the biggest moment in team history to date.
Iowa also had their best Sunday attendance ever at the game, making the occasion even more fitting.
Ryan McGuire netted his first professional goal to tie the contest in the final eight minutes of the third period. Peter Bates scored two goals including the overtime winner for the Thunder. Kyle McClellan made 19 saves in the defeat.
The Heartlanders’ journey to this historic moment officially began in September 2020, when Newfoundland Growlers majority owner Dean MacDonald, through his group Deacon Sports and Entertainment, came to an agreement with the city of Coralville to place an ECHL team there, pending league approval.
In January 2021, the ECHL’s Board of Governors gave that approval, marking the first time an ECHL franchise would be located in the state of Iowa.
After thousands of names were submitted during a contest, the name Heartlanders was announced in May of that year, and an affiliation agreement with the Minnesota Wild was reached the following month. The team began play in the 2021-22 season.
Under the direction of inaugural head coach Gerry Fleming, the Heartlanders began their first season with a 7-4 home victory over the Kansas City Mavericks in front of over 4,000 fans at Xtream Arena in Coralville. They finished with 29 wins that included a seven-game winning streak, and just missed clinching a playoff spot in their first season.
After Fleming accepted a position to coach in Germany in the summer of 2022, assistant Derek Damon took over, and has guided the team since.
The second season saw Iowa win just 22 games, but the team posted an above-.500 record over the season’s final two months. In July 2023, Michael Devlin replaced MacDonald as the club's majority owner.
In 2023-24, the Heartlanders had their best first half in team history, tying their longest winning streak ever and achieving their longest point streak (nine). They concluded a 27-37-6-2 campaign with their first-ever sellout on Apr. 13.
Prior to the start of 2024-25, Damon named forward Yuki Miura as team captain, making him the first-ever Japanese-born player to captain an ECHL team. As of March 31, Miura leads the team in points (40), goals (21) and plus/minus +21).
The 28-year-old Miura is the veteran of the club and the only player left from the inaugural season after joining via a tryout following his NCAA career at Lake Superior State University.
Now, a new era officially begins in Coralville. Tickets will be available for playoff games at Xtream Arena by visiting this link on April 1, when they will be made available to the general public. Season ticket holders have been emailed information about purchasing post-season tickets.
Once seeding and dates become official, the Heartlanders home games will be posted at the Playoff Home link above.
For the Heartlanders, getting to their first post-season was a big first step. In mid-April, the task of chasing their first Kelly Cup Championship will begin.
It won’t be easy, but no one on the team is expecting handouts. The playoffs are a brand new season, and the Heartlanders will start with a clean slate just like everyone else.
Until then, they can take some time to relish this historic moment, one that can never be taken away from them.