Nelson, Capannelli join Heartanders

Action photos of Jaxon Nelson and Adam Capannelli

Coralville, Iowa – The Iowa Heartlanders, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild and American Hockey League's Iowa Wild, have signed forwards Jaxon Nelson and Adam Capannelli to contracts for the 2025-26 season. Capannelli joins Iowa from overseas, while Nelson has spent his rookie year entirely with AHL Providence in 2024-25.

Nelson, 25, tallied nine points (2g-7a) in 35 American Hockey League games with Providence in his rookies season. In 2023-24, he captained the University of Minnesota and was second on the team with 19 goals, while adding 12 assists. Prior to his five years at Minnesota, the Magnolia, Minnesota native skated for Sioux Falls and Omaha in the United States Hockey League.

Capannelli tallied a league-best 31 goals and team-best 69 points in 38 games in the AlpsHL last season with Sterzing/Vipiteno. Over three seasons in Europe, he totaled 205 points (92g-113a) in 108 games. The Montreal, Quebec native played four seasons in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League with Moncton and Blainville-Boisbiand from 2016-20.