YORKTON - Yorkton’s Turner Ottenbreit has signed a new contract to return to the American Hockey League’s Iowa Wild this fall.
“It’s a great sport, a great organization, a great hockey city . . . It’s a great place to be,” Ottenbreit told Yorkton This Week.
The Wild are situated in Des Moines, the largest city in the state. The population is about 215,000.
“It’s kind of similar to Saskatchewan – a big farming community there,” explained Ottenbreit.
While Ottenbreit said it “was kind of a no-brainer” to resign, reiterating “I really enjoy my time there,” the most recent season for the Wild was not a particularly good one.
“We didn’t make the playoffs. It wasn’t our best year as a group,” he said, adding expectations are for a better showing next season. “We have big plans for next year.”
Personally things went better for Ottenbreit in his third year with the Wild. He played in 68 games, contributing three goals and 20 points from his blueline position, his best season since scoring 23 points with the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies in 2018-19.
“I had a good year. I was happy with it,” said Ottenbreit who was with the Yorkton Junior Terriers in 2013-14 for their playoff run to winning the RBC Cup.
Ottenbreit said he will now spend some time relaxing over the summer, mixed in with time in the gym and on the ice staying in shape for fall.
