Iowa Wild announce captains for 2023-24 season: Dakota Mermis keeps the 'C'
Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports - Iowa Wild announce captains for 2023-24 season: Dakota Mermis keeps the 'C'The Iowa Wild, the Minnesota Wild's American Hockey League affiliate, announced their captains for the 2023-24 season on Thursday morning. Dakota Mermis will continue as Iowa's captain after being named captain last December when his predecessor in Mason Shaw earned a permanent spot with the Wild in St. Paul.
Veteran forwards Nic Petan and Steven Fogarty and youngster Adam Beckman will serve as the team's alternate captains this season.
Mermis has been a stabilizing force on Iowa's blue line the past two seasons. Mermis has also played seven games with the big club since 2021 during various call-ups. The 29-year-old left shot defender has collected eight goals and 50 points in 122 games over the past two years in Iowa. His 26 points last season ranked second to Joe Hicketts among Iowa defensemen.
Petan and Fogarty are both entering their second season in Iowa and are coming off productive seasons. Petan led Iowa in scoring last season as a +20 with 23 goals and 62 points, while Fogarty finished third in scoring with 19 goals and 49 points.
Beckman finished second to Sammy Walker last season with 24 goals in 53 games, and his 36 points ranked sixth on the team. This will be Beckman's third full season with Iowa after scoring five points in nine games in 2020-21.
The 22-year-old winger over doubled his goal total (24) last season as he scored 11 goals and 34 points during the 2021-22 campaign. Beckman has also played 12 games with the big club in the past two seasons and continues to see his stock rise.
All four players in Iowa's leadership group this season have been important pieces in Iowa both off the ice as leaders and on the ice as the team's leading offensive players.
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