The 2024 NHL Entry Draft is simply days away, and everyone seems to be questioning who their workforce will decide. The Minnesota Wild can at all times get higher in each space of the sport, and whereas various completely different positional gamers have been steered for the thirteenth total decide, one place stands out as needing enchancment.
The Wild have gone after facilities earlier than, and their most up-to-date decide final season, Charlie Stramel, hasn’t labored out the way in which they hoped. Together with Stramel, they’ve seven facilities of their system enjoying in numerous leagues, so perhaps it’s time to attempt a unique route. They nonetheless have but to search out that excellent wing for Kirill Kaprizov. Whereas Matt Boldy and Mats Zuccarello have stuffed the void nicely, they haven’t discovered a wing who might be Kaprizov’s associate night time in and night time out.
The draft would be the place to search out that wing. Though they might have to attend a season to see them within the NHL, that would be the time to show to Kaprizov that they’ve a plan to make profitable occur in Minnesota. He could have two years left, however the Wild must step as much as show they imply enterprise, and discovering a younger wing associate for Kaprizov could be a great begin. On this article, we’ll take a look at what participant may very well be drafted to fill that void.
Wild Have a look at Eiserman
Cole Eiserman has been talked about in a number of stories concerning the Wild and the draft, together with my colleagues’ stories right here at The Hockey Writers. I haven’t been in a position to watch any of his video games, however the highlights I’ve seen present that he’s a fast-moving, quick-witted wing who could make issues occur. He strikes the puck nicely and has a watch out for the place his teammates are.
Based on a report by considered one of our draft consultants at The Hockey Author’s, Logan Horn, Eiserman is “the 2024 Draft’s premier aim scoring prospect, and he’s by far essentially the most polarizing participant on this 12 months’s group…. The rationale individuals are so excessive on Eiserman is that he scored 72 targets in 69 video games this season for the NTDP.”
Horn additionally commented that Eiserman’s protection could also be his slight downfall, however he makes up for it along with his offensive talents. The opposite draw back with Eiserman is that they’d seemingly have to attend a few seasons for him to hitch the NHL as he’s one of many youngest on the draft, and he’ll be headed to Boston College subsequent season. Whereas Eiserman is a left-wing, the identical as Kaprizov, they may nonetheless put them collectively and see what occurs.
Wild Might Additionally Take Brandsegg-Nygård
The opposite wing the Wild may very well be filling that spot is Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, and based on one other considered one of our draft consultants at The Hockey Writers, Dayton Reimer Brandsegg-Nygård “could be one of the NHL-ready gamers within the 2024 Draft.” He’s even performed with a Wild participant already, as he obtained a while in with Mats Zuccarello on the World Championship.
After watching a few of Brandsegg-Nygård’s spotlight reels, I can see that he has a really fast and deadly shot and is nice at organising his teammates. He’s additionally confirmed he can decide the puck off his opponents on the blue line and break free efficiently, ending with a aim. Whereas Zuccarello is the one Norwegian on the Wild roster, that might change in the event that they draft Brandsegg-Nygård.
Reimer’s solely problem with Brandsegg-Nygård is that he doesn’t imagine he’s made to be on the highest line however might do nicely on a second line. That may very well be an issue if the Wild did finally wish to match him with Kaprizov, however issues might change, and he might attain one other stage to alter that consequence.
Wild’s Closing Alternative
Both participant would seemingly be a fantastic match for the Wild, however I’d lean in direction of Eiserman. To be on a line with Kaprizov, the participant needs to be quick and in a position to rating targets. Since Kaprizov takes quite a lot of consideration, he likes to go the puck often, and having a participant like Eiserman who’s greater than able to scoring, he would seemingly be a great match.
Associated: 3 Minnesota Wild First-Spherical Targets within the 2024 NHL Entry Draft
They might have to attend a few seasons for Eiserman as he’s younger and heading to school, however normal supervisor Invoice Guerin is a fan of the school gamers, and it wouldn’t be stunning if Guerin snatched him up. It’ll be attention-grabbing to see who the Wild go together with this Friday, June 28, with the thirteenth total decide, but it surely wouldn’t be a shock to see both of those names come up.
