Stu Bickel

Stu Bickel
Bickel with the Connecticut Whale in 2011
Born (1986-10-02) October 2, 1986
Chanhassen, Minnesota, U.S.
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 207 lb (94 kg; 14 st 11 lb)
Position Defense/Right wing
Shot Right
Played for New York Rangers
Minnesota Wild
Iowa Chops (AHL)
San Antonio Rampage (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch (AHL)
Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL)
Connecticut Whale (AHL)
Iowa Wild (AHL)
San Diego Gulls (AHL)
NHL draft Undrafted
Playing career 2008–2018
Coaching career
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamIowa Wild
Biographical details
EducationUniversity of Minnesota
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2018–2020Minnesota (assistant)
2020–2021Minnesota Magicians
2021St. Thomas (assistant)
2021–2022Springfield Thunderbirds (assistant)
2022–2026Coachella Valley Firebirds (assistant)
2026–Iowa Wild

Stuart Richard Bickel (born October 2, 1986) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman and current head coach of the American Hockey League’s Iowa Wild. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild.

Playing career

On July 2, 2008, the Anaheim Ducks signed Bickel, an undrafted free agent, to a three-year contract.[1] In the 2010–11 season, on November 23, 2010, the Ducks traded Bickel to the New York Rangers in exchange for fellow defenseman, Nigel Williams.[2] After starting the 2011–12 season with the AHL Connecticut Whale, Bickel was called up to the Rangers on December 18, 2011.[3] He made his NHL debut on December 20, 2011, in a game against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center, recording an assist in the game for his first NHL point.[4]

The Rangers re-signed Bickel to a two-year contract on July 1, 2012.[5] He started the delayed 2012–13 season with the Rangers after the NHL lockout. Still, after 16 games, he was placed on waivers and assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Whale and Wolf Pack, for the remainder of his two-year contract.

On July 1, 2014, Bickel signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Minnesota Wild.[6] Bickel was assigned initially to AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild to begin the 2014–15 season, however, he made his return to the NHL for the first time since 2012, appearing in nine games with Minnesota with one assist.

As an unsigned free agent over the off-season, Bickel accepted an invitation to the St. Louis Blues training camp on a professional try-out. After he was unable to earn a contract with the Blues and their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, Bickel signed a professional try-out with the San Diego Gulls on October 9, 2015.

Bickel, in his tenth and final professional season, made four appearances with the San Diego Gulls in the 2017–18 AHL season.

Coaching career

Having ended his professional career, for the 2018–19 season, Bickel accepted an assistant coaching role for the University of Minnesota hockey team. In 2020, Bickel left the U of M and became the head coach of the North American Hockey League's Minnesota Magicians, based out of Richfield, Minnesota, for the 2020–21 season.[7] After one season with the Magicians, he initially joined the St. Thomas (Minnesota) Tommies men's ice hockey team as an assistant coach[8] before joining the 2021–22 staff of the American Hockey League's Springfield Thunderbirds as an assistant coach.[9] Bickel helped the Thunderbirds reach the Calder Cup Finals in his only season with the team.

Bickel was hired by the Seattle Kraken as an assistant coach with their new AHL affiliate, the expansion Coachella Valley Firebirds in 2022.[10] With Bickel working alongside fellow assistant coach Jessica Campbell on head coach Dan Bylsma’s staff, the Firebirds reached the Calder Cup Finals in 2023 and 2024.

Following four seasons with Coachella Valley, Bickel was named head coach of the Iowa Wild on June 29, 2026.[11]

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2004–05 Green Bay Gamblers USHL 13 0 0 0 20 — — — — —
2005–06 Green Bay Gamblers USHL 14 0 0 0 25 — — — — —
2005–06 Southern Minnesota Express NAHL 38 8 12 20 115 13 1 4 5 36
2006–07 Sioux Falls Stampede USHL 57 2 11 13 215 8 0 3 3 29
2007–08 University of Minnesota WCHA 45 1 6 7 92 — — — — —
2008–09 Iowa Chops AHL 21 0 1 1 51 — — — — —
2009–10 Bakersfield Condors ECHL 24 1 12 13 50 9 0 2 2 14
2009–10 San Antonio Rampage AHL 36 2 2 4 38 — — — — —
2010–11 Syracuse Crunch AHL 6 0 3 3 14 — — — — —
2010–11 Elmira Jackals ECHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2010–11 Hartford Wolf Pack/CT Whale AHL 54 2 7 9 135 6 0 1 1 6
2011–12 Connecticut Whale AHL 27 1 3 4 80 — — — — —
2011–12 New York Rangers NHL 51 0 9 9 108 18 0 0 0 16
2012–13 New York Rangers NHL 16 0 0 0 49 — — — — —
2012–13 Connecticut Whale AHL 10 0 1 1 18 — — — — —
2013–14 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 24 1 7 8 85 — — — — —
2014–15 Iowa Wild AHL 43 3 8 11 93 — — — — —
2014–15 Minnesota Wild NHL 9 0 1 1 46 — — — — —
2015–16 San Diego Gulls AHL 59 1 6 7 210 6 0 0 0 6
2016–17 San Diego Gulls AHL 26 2 4 6 148 3 0 1 1 2
2017–18 San Diego Gulls AHL 4 0 0 0 47 — — — — —
AHL totals 310 12 42 54 919 15 0 2 2 14
NHL totals 76 0 10 10 203 18 0 0 0 16

References

  1. ↑ "Anaheim Ducks ink Gopher defenseman Stu Bickel". bleacherreport.com. July 2, 2008. Archived from the original on July 3, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2008.
  2. ↑ "Ducks, Rangers make swap minor league defensemen". LA Times. November 23, 2010. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Rangers call up defenseman Bickel". New York Rangers. December 18, 2011. Archived from the original on June 9, 2012. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Bickel Becomes 478th ECHL Player to Reach NHL". ECHL. December 21, 2011. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Rangers Re-Sign Defenseman Bickel For 2 Years". CBS New York. July 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Wild inks three more on FA opening day". Minnesota Wild. July 1, 2014. Archived from the original on July 7, 2014. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Magicians Name Bucchino President and General Manager. Hire former NHLer, Stu Bickel as Head Coach". Minnesota Magicians. June 16, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Bickel Accepts NCAA Coaching Position with St. Thomas". OurSports Central. June 24, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Thunderbirds Name Stu Bickel Assistant Coach". OurSports Central. August 17, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Bickel joins Firebirds coaching staff". TheAHL.com. September 13, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Bickel named head coach of Iowa Wild". TheAHL.com. June 29, 2026.
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