OHL Alumni Take Part in Historically Cold AHL Outdoor Classic

OHL alumni were front and centre on Friday night as the Milwaukee Admirals defeated the Iowa Wild 3-2 in overtime in the coldest outdoor game ever played at the pro level.

The game, part of Hockey Day Minnesota 2026, was contested at the United Heroes League complex in Hastings, Minnesota. Puck drop came with temperatures sitting at minus-8 degrees Fahrenheit, setting a new record for the coldest outdoor game in AHL or NHL history. It marked the 13th outdoor game in American Hockey League history.

Former OHL forward Hunter Haight opened the scoring for Iowa late in the first period, helping the Wild build an early 2-0 lead before Milwaukee began its push back, eventually forcing overtime.

The comeback was capped when former Moncton Wildcats and Halifax Mooseheads forward Zachary L’Heureux scored 1:35 into overtime, sealing the win for Milwaukee and ending a night that tested players and fans alike.

One of the night’s unique storylines involved Oskar Olausson, who skated in an outdoor game for the second time in his career. The former Barrie Colts and Oshawa Generals forward previously played outdoors during the 2022 season with Oshawa and added another cold-weather chapter Friday night with Iowa.

Oskar Olausson is going outside again. ❄️🏒

After skating in an outdoor game with the @Oshawa_Generals in 2022, he gets another one tonight with the @IAWild in @TheAHL Outdoor Game on @FloHockey! pic.twitter.com/dDI9sCDySz

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) January 23, 2026

OHL Alumni on the Ice

The outdoor showcase featured nine former Ontario Hockey League players across both rosters.

Iowa Wild OHL Alumni (6):
Jean-Luc Foudy (Windsor)
Ben Gleason (London, Hamilton)
Ben Jones (Niagara)
Matthew Sop (Kitchener)
Hunter Haight (Barrie, Saginaw)
Oskar Olausson (Barrie, Oshawa)

Milwaukee Admirals OHL Alumni (3):
Andrew Gibson (Soo, Oshawa)
Navrin Mutter (Hamilton, Kitchener)
Isaac Ratcliffe (Guelph)

Despite the extreme cold, the game delivered a strong atmosphere and a playoff-style finish, with Milwaukee rallying from a two-goal deficit to earn the overtime win. The contest added another chapter to the AHL’s outdoor game history, joining previous events held in cities such as Detroit, Hamilton, Cleveland, and Hershey.

For the OHL alumni involved, the night offered a rare chance to compete outdoors once again, this time on a national stage, in conditions that will be remembered long after the final horn.