President/Head Coach: Zach Stepan
Stepan spent the last year as Head Coach of the Wilderness. Prior he was an assistant coach in the United States Hockey League for Des Moines Buccaneers. Before that he spent three seasons as an assistant coach in the North American Hockey League, with the Aberdeen Wings beginning in 2021, and for the Chippewa Steel in 2018-19. Stepan has two years experience as head coach with the New Ulm Steel in the NA3HL.
Stepan played high school hockey at Shattuck St. Mary’s, where he scored 129 points in 104 games and won back-to-back National Championships his junior and senior years. He played one season in the USHL for Waterloo, posting 78 points in 56 games during the 2012-13 season. The Hastings, Minnesota native played his college hockey in his home state at Minnesota State-Mankato. After college, Stepan played one season in the ECHL with the Orlando Solar Bears before he retired and began his coaching career.
In international play, Stepan was the leading scorer for the gold-medal winning USA U17 team at the 2010 Five Nations Tournament in Switzerland. Stepan was also a member of the USA U19 team that won gold in the World Junior A Championship in 2012, and a member of the U20 USA World Junior team in 2013. He was drafted by the Nashville Predators in the 4th round, 112th overall, in the 2012 draft.
Assistant Coach: Craig Larson
Larson brings nearly three decades of coaching and scouting experience across junior, high school, and professional hockey. Most recently, he spent three seasons with the Aberdeen Wings of the NAHL, serving as Scout and Director of Player Personnel.
Prior to that, Coach Larson was the Head Boys’ Hockey Coach for the Northern Lakes Lightning in Breezy Point, MN. Over his nine-year tenure, he guided the program to its first-ever Minnesota State Tournament appearance in 2021, earning recognition as the Section 5A Coach of the Year.
From 2007 to 2022, Larson held coaching and management roles in the NA3HL and MNJHL, working with organizations including the Minnesota Loons, Breezy Point North Stars, Minnesota Flying Aces, and Granite City Lumberjacks. During this span, his teams advanced more than 30 players to the collegiate and higher junior levels. In 2008–09, he served as Associate Head Coach and Director of Scouting for the Granite City Lumberjacks, helping build the expansion team that went on to a third-place finish at the NA3HL Championships, now known as the Fraser Cup Championships.
Goalie Coach/Director of Player Personnel: Cory Lonke
Goalie Advisor: Taras Lendzyk
Director of Scouting: Craig Larson
Senior Advisor/Director of Player Procurement: Kevin Smalley
Kevin is back for his 7th season with the Minnesota Wilderness as Director of Player Personnel. Kevin’s contributions to the organization span wide as he is involved in coaching our U16 and U18 Fall development teams as well as being a scout for the organization. Kevin has been a huge part in finding some of the top talent in Northern Minnesota and bringing them into the Wilderness family. Kevin played his college hockey at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
Scout: Sean Fish
Scout: Brett Heigel
Scout: Joe Allen
Scout: Ray Hyde
Scout: Jay Ekman
Scout: Tanner Grina
Scout: Jonah Williams
Scout: Drake Ramirez
ATC: Jessica Anderson
Co-Directors of Player Health & Wellness: John & Candace “Empyrean”
Strength Trainer: Chris Bell “IST”