Defensemen Hakon Nilsen and Connor Federkow will join Iowa in 2024-25.
The Iowa Heartlanders continue to fill out their roster for the upcoming season with the addition of two defensemen. Hakon Nilsen and Connor Federkow have signed ECHL contracts with the club.
The 26-year-old Nilsen is entering his sixth professional season but is making his North American debut. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound right-handed blueliner spent the last five seasons skating in Norway, Czechia and Denmark. He produced 21 points for Herlev in Denmark's top professional league in 2023-24.
Nilsen played junior hockey for the OHL's Flint Firebirds, and was the center of controversy in 2015 when his father Rolf, who owned the team, fired coach John Gruden for allegedly not giving his son more playing time.
Federkow recorded nine assists and 120 penalty minutes in 63 games for the OHL's Niagara IceDogs last season. The 5-foot-10, 188-pound St. Catherine's, ON native is a left-handed shot who spent time with the OHL's London Knights the previous season before being dealt to Niagara in September 2023.
Federkow and Nilsen give the Heartlanders a total of eight blueliners to go along with 10 forwards and one goalie as of August 15.