The Minnesota Wild have been one of the vital profitable groups in current NHL Drafts, stockpiling excessive draft picks whereas discovering steals within the later rounds. In consequence, they’ve compiled fairly a formidable prospect pool.
Honorable mentions: Ryan Healey, Hunter Haight, Graeme Clarke, Aaron Pionk, Rasmus Kumpulainen, Charlie Stramel
10. Vladislav Firstov, 23 Years Previous (LW)
Vladislav Firstov is a 23-year-old winger who was chosen by the Wild within the 2019 Draft. The Russian is signed with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) by the 2024-25 season so he won’t be becoming a member of the NHL membership quickly, however his upside is arguably top-five within the Wild’s pool. He’s speedy and has a robust shot, evident in his manufacturing all through his profession. If he involves North America subsequent season, he would have a robust case to affix the Wild’s center six and develop right into a 20+ aim, 50+ level producer.
9. Carson Lambos, 21 Years Previous (LD)
Carson Lambos is a defenseman who was chosen on the finish of the primary spherical within the 2021 Draft by the Wild. He accomplished his first skilled season with the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL) final season, scoring simply 4 targets and 10 assists in 69 video games. Nonetheless, his robust protection is what earned him this reward, as he was one of many staff’s higher defensive defensemen. He’s a couple of seasons from reaching the NHL, however he has the potential to grow to be a robust, bottom-four defenseman and penalty killer.
8. Marat Khusnutdinov, 21 Years Previous (C/LW)
Marat Khusnutdinov is a Russian heart who came to visit to North America on the finish of the 2023-24 season. He had six targets and 20 factors in 49 KHL video games with HK Sochi earlier than scoring a aim and three assists in 16 NHL video games for Minnesota. He’s fairly small, simply 5-foot-9, however performs a well-rounded sport. He might want to elevate his offensive sport, however at simply 21 years outdated, he possesses the upside to grow to be a terrific third-liner sooner or later.
7. Ryder Ritchie, 17 Years Previous (RW)
Heading into the 2024 Draft, Ryder Ritchie had a first-round grade by many scouts. Nonetheless, he dropped to forty fifth general and the Wild wasted no time choosing the speedy winger. He has an expansive offensive toolset, starting from an underrated shot to spectacular playmaking skills and an elite hockey IQ.
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Ritchie had 19 targets and 44 factors in 47 video games for the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League (WHL) final season. Whereas these numbers don’t stand out on the scoresheet, he was simply over a month away from being too younger for the 2024 Draft, so his manufacturing is sort of spectacular. He’s a couple of seasons away from reaching the NHL, however he has middle-six potential if his improvement continues.
6. Aron Kiviharju, 18 Years Previous (LD)
Two years in the past, Aron Kiviharju was ranked as the highest prospect within the 2024 Draft. Following a lower in manufacturing and a critical harm, he fell to a projected late-first-round choose by most scouts. NHL groups weren’t so sort, inflicting him to fall to the Wild at 122nd general. Regardless of this, he’s nonetheless a terrific prospect.
Standing at simply 5-foot-10, Kiviharju is sort of brief for a defenseman. Nonetheless, he’s extremely expert and has the potential to develop right into a top-four defenseman. To hone his skills, he wants to remain on the ice constantly, which implies he’s possible three to 4 seasons away from reaching the NHL. Regardless of his present excessive rating, it ought to be taken with a grain of salt, as this coming season shall be essential in figuring out whether or not he can turn into the participant many imagine he can grow to be. If he reaches his potential, he may ultimately rating over 40 factors in a season.
5. Liam Ohgren, 20 Years Previous (LW)
Liam Ohgren was a 2022 first-round choose by the Wild and has a really excessive ceiling and ground. He’s a two-way heart, offering elite protection whereas acquiring spectacular offensive numbers. Whereas he performed simply 26 video games within the Swedish Hockey League final season, he scored 12 targets and 19 factors. On a per-game fee, he outpaced the likes of Jonathan Lekkermaki in targets, assists, and factors per sport. Ohgren shall be spending this season in Iowa, however he may shortly earn a call-up to Minnesota if he proves he can translate his sport to North America. His upside is turning into one of many NHL’s greatest two-way forwards whereas scoring north of 15 targets and 55 factors per season.
4. Riley Heidt, 19 Years Previous (C/LW)
Riley Heidt remarkably fell to the Wild at sixty fourth general within the 2023 Draft and instantly proved the doubters mistaken, scoring 37 targets and 117 factors in 66 video games as alternate captain of the Prince George Cougars of the WHL. He completed second within the league in assists and third in factors. His high-capacity offensive sport is already NHL-caliber, however he must spherical out his two-way sport. After one other season within the WHL and a 12 months within the AHL, Heidt may be part of the Wild’s prime six and powerplay, ultimately creating right into a 60-70 level ahead, possible on the left wing.
3. Danila Yurov, 20 Years Previous (RW)
It’s fairly exceptional to say Danila Yurov is the staff’s third-best prospect, however right here we’re. The left-handed ahead had 21 targets and 49 factors in 62 video games for Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL final season. He is a good skater with elusiveness in side-to-side motion and has elite hockey IQ and imaginative and prescient. His palms are very spectacular as he makes use of them to finesse passes between defenders.
Yurov’s upside is increased than anybody on this listing, proudly owning the potential of 30+ targets and 90+ factors within the NHL. Final season was his first with such excessive level totals, so it is going to be attention-grabbing to see if he can proceed this manufacturing. If he can, he’ll possible be part of the Wild within the 2025-26 season and be a direct candidate for the primary line.
2. Zeev Buium, 18 Years Previous (LD)
The Wild chosen their future top-pairing defenseman Zeev Buium with the twelfth general choose within the 2024 Draft. He performs a whole sport, being able to drive offense by his elite playmaking potential or pinpoint correct wrist shot. Defensively he’s nicely above common as a robust skater who makes use of the physique nicely. He’s by no means out of place and he makes use of his physique to win puck battles. Whereas physicality has been a wrestle at instances as a consequence of his smaller body, he’s possible so as to add weight all through his improvement earlier than reaching the NHL.
Buium will both signal an entry-level contract with the Wild following the 2024-25 or 2025-26 season and instantly be part of the NHL staff. He’ll instantly contribute offensively at each even energy and on the powerplay, progressing his means up the depth chart. Seeing him on the highest pair alongside Brock Faber in just some seasons is just not out of the query. Buium’s offensive upside could possibly be as excessive as 65+ factors per season in the precise state of affairs.
1. Jesper Wallstedt, 21 Years Previous (G)
Each Wild fan is aware of simply how dominant Jesper Wallstedt is, and all he wants is an opportunity within the NHL. He dominated the AHL final season, going 22-19-4 with a 2.70 goals-against common and a .910 save share. He additionally suited up in three NHL video games. Following a disastrous NHL debut that noticed him surrender seven targets on 34 pictures towards the Dallas Stars, he bounced again, giving up simply two targets on 53 pictures over his subsequent two video games, successful each.
Sadly for Wallstedt, the Wild have Marc Andre Fleury and Filip Gustavsson beneath contract for this season, paving a tough path to becoming a member of the NHL tandem. Assuming no trades are made, Wallstedt will start the season in Iowa however is definitely to make it exhausting for Wild administration to not name him up. In his prime, Wallstedt shall be a Vezina-Trophy candidate as he leads the Wild to the playoffs. He’s arguably the perfect goaltending prospect within the NHL, in competition with Yaroslav Askarov (Nashville Predators) and Dustin Wolf (Calgary Flames).
The Wild have a stacked prospect pool stuffed with top-end expertise and a whole lot of depth. As soon as the staff has more cash to spend following the peak of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter’s contract buyouts, they are going to have the ability to usher in prime free brokers to play alongside their prime prospects, forming a deadly roster able to successful a number of Stanley Cups.
