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Sled Hockey Ready for Wild Trip to Florida

By Minnesota Hockey, 11/16/15, 8:00AM CST

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The Minnesota Wild Sled Team is set to participate in the 2015 Sled Classic in Coral Springs, Florida.

The Minnesota Wild Sled Hockey team is set to participate in the 2015 USA Hockey Sled Classic, presented by the NHL on November 19-22. The sixth annual event will feature a record setting 20 NHL-affiliated sled hockey teams competing in four divisions at the Florida Panther IceDen in Coral Springs, Florida.

Last season was the Wild Sled team’s first appearance at a Sled Classic, and they left a shining first impression. The team won all four of its games, despite playing the entire tournament with a short bench, and claimed the Tier III championship.  This year the team is looking to take the next step in its development and compete against some of the best players in sled hockey.

“We’re going into this event up one tier,” said Wild Sled Hockey coach Lee Costley. “The competition will be considerably higher, but we’ve been preparing for that.”

The Wild will compete in the Tier II division this year, which includes the Nashville Predators, Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators.

“We’re going to be playing teams with a number of players from the U.S. Sled Development Team, but we’ve played some of them before and competed well,” said Costley, who is entering his second full season with the team. “We’re in a very competitive bracket. It’s going to be some hard fought games, and it’ll be tough to win our division.”

After spending several years coaching the St. Louis Blues sled team including two-time Paralympic gold medalist Josh Pauls, Costley knows what it takes to compete at a high level in sled hockey. The Two Harbors native believes the Wild has a strong core of players who are ready to turn the Wild into a team that is both feared and respected.

“These guys get to put a Minnesota Wild jersey on and compete in it,” said Costley. “That’s pretty special and all of our players know it. The pride they have in representing the Wild is very high.”

“We can’t do this if it wasn’t for the Hendrickson Foundation, the Minnesota Wild and Minnesota Hockey. They are the ones that allow these players to compete at this level, and our team takes that seriously.”

The Wild will have the opportunity to showcase their skills and dedication on Friday, November 20th as they take on the Blue Jackets in their first game of the 2015 Sled Classic.

For additional coverage of the 2015 USA Hockey Sled Classic, click here. The Wild’s game schedule is available here and the Wild’s roster is listed below. 

First Last Position Hometown
Jon Rydberg F Woodbury, MN
Scott Eidsvoog F Brooklyn Center, MN
Aaron Holm F Shakopee, MN
Hanna Hughes F Rochester, MN
Mike Schulenberg D Wells, MN
Marcus Urban F Bursnville, MN
Cory Marklevits F Bloomington, MN
Eric Rud F Mantorville, MN
Tim Herrmann D Belle Plaine, MN
Mike Seegar F Bursnville, MN
Ezra McPhail D Antigo, WI
David Richardson F Plymouth, MN
Judd Yaeger G Forest Lake, MN
Danny Lilya F Moose Lake, MN
Joe Barber F Eden Prairie, MN
Lee Costley H. Coach Two Harbors, MN
Mike Ahern A. Coach Hanover, NH

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The Minnesota Wild Sled Hockey team is set to participate in the 2015 USA Hockey Sled Classic, presented by the NHL on November 19-22. The sixth annual event will feature a record setting 20 NHL-affiliated sled hockey teams competing in four divisions at the Florida Panther IceDen in Coral Springs, Florida.

Last season was the Wild Sled team’s first appearance at a Sled Classic, and they left a shining first impression. The team won all four of its games, despite playing the entire tournament with a short bench, and claimed the Tier III championship.  This year the team is looking to take the next step in its development and compete against some of the best players in sled hockey.

“We’re going into this event up one tier,” said Wild Sled Hockey coach Lee Costley. “The competition will be considerably higher, but we’ve been preparing for that.”

The Wild will compete in the Tier II division this year, which includes the Nashville Predators, Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators.

“We’re going to be playing teams with a number of players from the U.S. Sled Development Team, but we’ve played some of them before and competed well,” said Costley, who is entering his second full season with the team. “We’re in a very competitive bracket. It’s going to be some hard fought games, and it’ll be tough to win our division.”

After spending several years coaching the St. Louis Blues sled team including two-time Paralympic gold medalist Josh Pauls, Costley knows what it takes to compete at a high level in sled hockey. The Two Harbors native believes the Wild has a strong core of players who are ready to turn the Wild into a team that is both feared and respected.

“These guys get to put a Minnesota Wild jersey on and compete in it,” said Costley. “That’s pretty special and all of our players know it. The pride they have in representing the Wild is very high.”

“We can’t do this if it wasn’t for the Hendrickson Foundation, the Minnesota Wild and Minnesota Hockey. They are the ones that allow these players to compete at this level, and our team takes that seriously.”

The Wild will have the opportunity to showcase their skills and dedication on Friday, November 20th as they take on the Blue Jackets in their first game of the 2015 Sled Classic.

For additional coverage of the 2015 USA Hockey Sled Classic, click here. The Wild’s game schedule is available here and the Wild’s roster is listed below. 

First Last Position Hometown
Jon Rydberg F Woodbury, MN
Scott Eidsvoog F Brooklyn Center, MN
Aaron Holm F Shakopee, MN
Hanna Hughes F Rochester, MN
Mike Schulenberg D Wells, MN
Marcus Urban F Bursnville, MN
Cory Marklevits F Bloomington, MN
Eric Rud F Mantorville, MN
Tim Herrmann D Belle Plaine, MN
Mike Seegar F Bursnville, MN
Ezra McPhail D Antigo, WI
David Richardson F Plymouth, MN
Judd Yaeger G Forest Lake, MN
Danny Lilya F Moose Lake, MN
Joe Barber F Eden Prairie, MN
Lee Costley H. Coach Two Harbors, MN
Mike Ahern A. Coach Hanover, NH

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