Eight games into the 2025-26 North American Hockey League season, the Amarillo Wranglers are proving that a mix of veteran grit and youthful energy can carry a team through a grueling start. With first-year head coach Hill guiding the bench, the Wranglers sit in third place in the South Division with a 4-3-0-1 record, good for nine points. It’s a respectable start considering the schedule makers handed Amarillo a daunting 11-game road trip to begin the year before the club’s long-awaited home opener on October 24 against Odessa.
The early identity of this team has been forged by Hill’s “blue-collar attack” — a style built on relentless forechecking, attention to detail, and a willingness to play through the grind of travel-heavy hockey. Veteran leadership has been crucial to setting that tone. Newly minted captain Jacob Miller, who also leads the team in points with five, has embraced the responsibility of keeping a young locker room focused during life on the road.
A Bumpy but Promising Start
Amarillo opened the season by taking the bus west along I-40 to Albuquerque for a three-game set with the New Mexico Ice Wolves. While the Wranglers dropped two of those contests, the experience highlighted both the team’s competitive spirit and areas for growth.
Momentum shifted in Shreveport, where the Wranglers swept the Mudbugs in back-to-back games. Goaltender Trenton Peterson was nothing short of spectacular, turning aside high-quality chances and earning NAHL South Player of the Week honors. Performances like that from a netminder can stabilize a team, and Peterson’s emergence early in the season gives Amarillo confidence in tight games.
Showcase Spotlight
The next challenge was the long trek north to Minnesota for the NAHL Showcase in Blaine, the league’s annual marquee event. Scouts, fans, and junior hockey insiders pack the Super Rink each year, and the Wranglers showed well under the bright lights.
They opened with a thrilling 3-2 win over the Chippewa Steel, highlighted by veteran defenseman and fan favorite Padriaic Whited netting his first of the season. Whited has since caught fire, providing steady blue-line play and timely offense. Rookie forward Ian Buors also delivered in the spotlight, scoring the first game-winning goal of his NAHL career.
Amarillo then dropped a heartbreaking 4-3 shootout loss to the Rochester Jr. Americans, before falling 2-0 to the North Iowa Bulls — a franchise with ties to Amarillo’s hockey past as the former Bulls organization. Despite the losing record in Blaine, the Wranglers proved they could skate with some of the league’s top competition.
Looking Ahead
The Wranglers continue their extended road swing this weekend with a single contest against the Ice Wolves in Albuquerque. With nearly a month of bus miles already under their belts, Amarillo is being battle-tested early. For Hill’s squad, these games aren’t just about standings points — they’re about sharpening their identity, relying on veteran leaders, and watching rookies grow into bigger roles.
