Edited release
05/12/25
The Iowa Heartlanders, ECHL affiliate of the Minnesota Wild and Iowa Wild, announced Monday Head Coach and General Manager Derek Damon has been named the Head Coach and President of Hockey Operations for the Des Moines Buccaneers, and that the search for a new Heartlanders Head Coach and General Manager will begin immediately.
Damon was the team’s Head Coach and General Manager since 2022, and was one of the original members of the team’s inaugural season team in 2021-22 as an assistant coach. This season, he elevated the Heartlanders to the team’s best season ever; Iowa finished with 36 wins and 83 points in 2024-25, then won three postseason games in the Heartlanders’ first-ever postseason appearance.
Beyond this, Damon was a key driver behind the scenes with numerous youth hockey organizations in Eastern Iowa. During his time, participation in programs such as the Jr. Heartlanders and Learn-To-Play/Learn-To-Skate has soared, with Damon and Heartlanders players dedicating endless hours to the expansion of youth hockey in The Corridor.
Director of Communications David Fine will join the KCJJ morning show to discuss Damon’s news, and information on season tickets for the upcoming 2025-26 season, at 8:30 Tuesday.