As Iowa Wild head coach Tim Army talked in Iowa Heartlanders head coach Derek Damon’s Xtream Arena office Thursday morning, he noted the smooth relationship between the two franchises.

The Heartlanders and the Wild have been affiliated since summer 2021 and make up the Minnesota Wild’s farm system. The Heartlanders compete in the ECHL. The Iowa Wild play in the AHL — the league above the ECHL. The clubs are located about 110 miles apart as the Wild host their home games at Des Moines’ Wells Fargo Arena.

“The proximity to Des Moines is really good because we can get players in here very quickly, which is nice,” Army said. “So, if I happen to call Derek and we need to get a couple players in for practice the next morning, if it’s too late at night, they can leave early from here and be there in plenty of time for practice.”

The Wild competed in an exhibition game against the Rockford IceHogs at Xtream Arena on Thursday night. Iowa downed Rockford, 2-1, in a shootout.

Army said the Iowa Wild and Heartlanders’ coaching staffs, along with Iowa Wild General Manager Mike Murray, are all on the same page. They work together to recruit prospects who could fit into both organizations. Murray is also the Minnesota Wild’s director of hockey operations.

“The messaging is very similar,” Army said. “So, I think the affiliation is outstanding.”

When the Iowa Wild calls up players from the Heartlanders, it could be for a few reasons, such as selecting a skater who they signed to a two-way AHL contract.

Defenseman Matt Murphy is on a two-way deal with the Iowa Wild. The Fort Wayne Komets traded his ECHL rights to the Heartlanders over the summer.

In 2021-22, the blueliner split his time with the Komets and the AHL’s Belleville Senators, Providence Bruins, and Abbotsford Canucks.

“Obviously, the goal is to play as high as you can, so my goal is to make the Wild and fit there,” Murphy said. “But if it ends up being down with the Heartlanders, I’m going to put my best foot forward and I think I can adjust to that, whichever comes my way.”

Forward James Sanchez, who the Heartlanders added in the offseason under an ECHL deal, is with the Iowa Wild on a training camp invite. If the Wild releases him, he can return to the Heartlanders because they own his ECHL rights.

“It’s always a good experience to learn from guys and kind of see another team’s idea of how to just develop and get better and it’s fun being out here and see [the Xtream Arena] rink,” Sanchez said. “… It’s definitely good to get the conditioning up and just get more exposure and some games to get ready for the year.”

Last season, Sanchez was on a two-way AHL deal with Hartford Wolf Pack. He spent most of the season, however, with the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen, but he had to fly back and forth between the two teams. Sanchez said the close distance between Des Moines and Coralville will help him physically and mentally.

Army said the Iowa Wild and Minnesota Wild have similar systems, and Damon tries to incorporate some the same systems into the Heartlanders.

“If he something a little bit different, that’s his choice as a coach,” Army said. “As we work together, I’m very comfortable with him having that freedom. When a guy comes to Des Moines, it’s our responsibility to get him up and on the level with everything we’re doing in Des Moines. So, that’s up to us and our coaching staff.

“But I also think there’s a lot of similarities, but I also want Derek to have the freedom to read and recognize situations and make the necessary adjustments.”