MN Wild Make Final Call-Ups for Regular Season

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Ben Jones - Minnesota Wild
Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Wild have two games remaining on their 2025-26 regular season schedule, one of which will be played tonight in St. Louis against the division rival Blues, who have already been eliminated from postseason contention.

Of course, the Wild (102 points) are on the other side of the playoff spectrum, entering the postseason as one of three Western Conference favorites, along with two other Central foes, Colorado (115 points) and Dallas (108 points).

Unfortunately, because of how the NHL Playoff bracket is set up, the Wild will play against the Stars and without home-ice advantage in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Of course, the MN Wild cannot worry the ridiculous playoff format they’ve fallen victim to.

Minnesota Wild make final AHL call-ups

Instead, they are focused on getting healthy and preparing for the Stars, who hold a 2-0 all-time postseason record over the team that took its place in the State of Hockey.

That’s why, on Monday morning, the Minnesota Wild made the final two (of four) late-season call-ups allotted to them post-trade deadline by NHL league rules, recalling forwards Ben Jones and Nicolas Aube-Kubel from AHL Iowa, to come burn up minutes during the Wild’s final two meaningless regular season games.

SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has recalled forwards Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Ben Jones from the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Minnesota Wild Press Release

Get to know MN Wild call-ups Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Ben Jones

Nicolas Aube-Kubel isn’t new to the NHL. The 29-year-old Canadian made his debut in the league back in 2018-19 for the Philadelphia Flyers when he was just 22 years old.

Since then, Aube-Kubel has piled up 308 NHL games with seven different organizations (4 GP with MN Wild), amassing a grand total of 81 points (32 goals, 49 assists) during his 8 years in the league.

However, the former second round pick (#48 – PHI) has been spending more time in the AHL recently, logging a total of seven NHL games combined in the past two seasons.

Ben Jones, 27, began his National Hockey League career at 22 years old, just like Aube-Kubel. However, their paths since have been much different. After making his debut in 2021-22 (2 games) with the Vegas Golden Knights, it took Jones two full seasons to get back to the NHL.

That said, he’s been getting more run that Aube-Kubel, of late. If Ben Jones plays either of the final two games this season, he will surpass his record for NHL games played in a season, which was set last year, at 26 games. Jones also scored the first points of his NHL career this season — 1 goal and 1 assist.

Wild also called up Hunter Haight and Matt Kiersted

Over the weekend, the MN Wild also called up 22-year-old top prospects, (C) Hunter Haight, who made his NHL debut earlier this season (1 assist in 7 games), along with 27-year-old defenseman Matt Kiersted, who has 43 National Hockey League games under his pads (2 goals, 6 assists).

Below, you’ll find the AHL stats of the Minnesota Wild’s four call-ups. As Russo notes, there will be more Iowa Wild players brought up as emergency “Black Aces” for the NHL Playoffs, after Iowa’s season (currently 26 wins, 34 losses) comes to an end later this week.

Call Up
Date		PlayerPosIowa GP
(2025-26)		GoalsAssistsPoints
4/13Ben JonesF35121830
4/13N. Aube-KubelF60152237
4/12Hunter HaightC51181432
4/12Matt KierstedD494812
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