The Minnesota Wild may not have had a top-five pick in the NHL draft in close to two decades, but they've still managed to develop a strong prospect pool, writes Tony Ferrari.

The Minnesota Wild kick off August as Tony Ferrari analyzes their prospect pool ahead of the 2023-24 NHL season.

In this series, Tony Ferrari digs into each team’s strengths and weaknesses, their latest draft class, where their positional depth chart stands, and who could be next in line for a shot at the NHL. Note that a player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer considered a prospect for the purposes of these exercises unless mentioned otherwise.

Introduction

The Minnesota Wild prospect pool is quite strong for a team that has been as competitive as they have been over the last half-decade. GM Bill Guerin and director of amateur scouting Judd Brackett have done a wonderful job of identifying needs in the system and adding a diverse set of skills to the pipeline that can fill a variety of roles.

Marco Rossi is the prospect everyone wants to discuss regarding the Wild. When he was drafted ninth overall in 2020, he was highly touted for his skill and intelligence coming off one of the most productive seasons for a draft-eligible player in the OHL in years. Then, a bout with long-COVID in the aftermath had him thankful for just being alive. He’s now a couple of years removed from his career-threatening illness, and he’s been tearing up the AHL, including 51 points in 53 games last season. He is right on the precipice of making the NHL roster, and the Wild could use the help on a cheap deal with their cap situation right now.

In the 2022 draft, the Wild had two picks, one at 19th and one at 24th overall. The first player they selected was Liam Ohgren, a do-it-all winger with a heavy release and a nearly unmatched work rate. Ohgren understands how to play the pro game, with excellent forechecking ability and defensive habits. He is refined in his understanding of how to read the opposition's breakouts and disrupt them. Offensively, the young Swede is a finisher who plays with intelligence and finds open space like a lurking predator. He may never be an offensive star, but his tools and habits should take him far.

The second pick of that 2022 draft was Danila Yurov, a highly intelligent and tactical forward who has excelled everywhere. He can play up and down the lineup, constantly staying aware of what is needed on the next play. Yurov is also an excellent forechecker who can make life difficult for defenders going back to retrieve pucks. The young Russian excels when playing with high-skill players because he knows how to get them the puck and then provide an outlet for them away from it. Yurov plays the game the way coaches love, which should earn him a long NHL career.

Marat Khusnutdinov took a big step offensively last year, putting up 41 points in 63 KHL games. The scoring was a welcome sign as his underlying metrics have always profiled well, and he has shown one of the most well-developed 200-foot games of any prospect. Khusnutdinov is an excellent transition player, with the agility, acceleration, and top speed that make him elude players with ease in the neutral zone and attack defenders head-on, putting them on their heels. He has a high upside and could be an NHL quality top nine center if he doesn’t reach his ceiling.

The depth of the Wild’s prospect pool is impressive. Adam Beckman tore up the WHL before two very good seasons in the AHL. He has found his way into a dozen NHL games over the last two years, and he should be among the first call-ups this year. He knows where to be and when to be there and brings dual-threat scoring ability. Pavel Novak was out of hockey last year because of a Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis, but he will join AHL Iowa for his first North American pro season. It will be a great story to see him back on the ice, and if he can regain his form and continue developing, his future is bright.

The back end is just as strong and deep as its forward core. Brock Faber made his debut after signing his entry-level contract, getting into two regular-season games before playing in all of the Wild’s playoffs games. He looked poised and ready to take an NHL gig and should win the job out of camp. Faber is a mature, intelligent defender who excels defensively and in transition. He is an efficient puck-mover in the offensive zone and does a very good job of advancing play.

Carson Lambos was highly touted heading into his draft year, but as with many players in the 2020-21 season, COVID-19 disrupted his development as he had to do what he could to play. After an up-and-down tenure in Finland and being injured in his second game of the WHL return, Lambos underwhelmed and fell to the end of the first round. That may have been a blessing in disguise as Lambos has developed into a solid all-around defender who is a strong transitional player and effective two-way presence. He will join Iowa to start his pro career this upcoming season.

Stay-at-home defenseman Ryan O’Rourke had a solid first pro season in Iowa. He isn’t ever going to be a big-time point producer, but he’s a physical defender who will kill opposing play and quickly move the puck. Daemon Hunt was an AHL rookie last year as well and showed quite well. He has more of an offensive lean than O’Rouke, but he plays a solid defensive game as well, using his skating as the base for everything in his game.

The unquestioned prize of the Wild’s prospect pool is Jesper Wallstedt. The Swedish goaltender is in the conversation for the best goalie outside of the NHL. His technical game is so crisp and clean, using his incredible skating in the crease to consistently be square to the shooter and within his posts, rarely giving any opposing player an opening. Oftentimes when referring to a goalie as robotic, it’s a testament to their lack of ability to use their athleticism when need be, but Wallstedt is robotic in the best ways. He rarely looks flustered and has the game under control but shows the ability to freelance and make a desperation save when it's called for. He just rarely has to do it. Wallstedt is the future in net for Minnesota, and he could be ready to roll sooner than needed.

2023 NHL Draft Class

Round 1, 21st overall - Charlie Stramel, C/W, Univ. of Wisconsin (NCAA)

Round 2, 53rd overall - Rasmus Kumpulainen, C, Pelicans U20 (U20 SM-liiga)

Round 2, 64th overall - Riley Heidt, C, Prince George (WHL)

Round 5, 149th overall - Aaron Pionk, LD, Waterloo (USHL)

Round 6, 181st overall - Kalem Parker, RD, Victoria (WHL)

Round 7, 213th overall - Jimmy Clark, LW, Green Bay (USHL)

Guerin and Brackett spoke after the second day of the NHL draft and emphasized the need to add some size and a bit of a different element to their prospect pool. They certainly did that – while adding a couple of high-skill players as well.

Charlie Stramel embodies that sentiment. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound forward brings the physicality they spoke of and the ability to work off the wall and into the middle of the ice. Stramel is skilled and has a big shot, using his body to create space. He gets to the net with his strength and has shown the ability to finish in tight. His playmaking ability doesn’t get the love it deserves. He can be battling for a puck one second and then pull the puck free and hit a teammate in the slot. He needs to refine some things, but he will have ample time in college to do so.

The Wild added another 6-foot-3 forward in Rasmus Kumpulainen. The Finnish center has been a pivotal member of the Finnish national teams at his age level, helping them to a bronze medal at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last year. His passing ability took a big step last year, identifying how to use his body to lean into a defender and his reach to pass around the traffic. Kumpulainen brings the typical Finnish two-way play that has been a trait of centers coming out of Finland for years as well. He adds size and playmaking to a pipeline that could use more of it.

The Wild took a swing on skill when they came up to the podium and silky passer Riley Heidt was still on the board. Heidt tied Connor Bedard for the WHL lead in assists with 72 and finished tied for fourth in league scoring. He isn’t a big player but isn’t afraid of mixing it up a bit when needed. His mind operates at a high pace, and his skill keeps up most of the time. He has excellent hands and can generate a ton of offense. There are questions about his ability to get inside in the offensive zone and whether he will play any role defensively, but the skill and production can’t be ignored, which made him excellent value at the tail end of the second round.

The Wild didn’t have another puck until the fifth round when they added 20-year-old defender Aaron Pionk. The University of Minnesota-Duluth commit is a sound defenseman who keeps a solid gap and moves the puck quickly. He lacks offensive instincts, which limits just how effective he can be, but Pionk will have ample time in college to continue developing.

Kalem Parker is a defender who may have more to give as he matures. He is very close to being very good at a number of things, and if he rounds out some of his decisions and timing, he could be a steal. He will engage physically, thwarting play in the defensive zone, and he shows some good offensive instincts in spurts but struggles to sustain momentum.

Jimmy Clark is more than the sum of his parts. None of his tools stand out as high-level, and some are even below average, such as his mobility. But he is a hard worker who knows how to get involved in the play every time he’s on the ice. He is a skilled passer and doesn’t miss his feeds in the offensive zone. He lacks dynamism but found a way to be effective in the USHL

Strengths

With Wallstedt in the pipeline, it would be very easy to say that goaltending is a strength because Hunter Jones is a decent prospect in his own right as well. They have a plethora of defenders who could make it justifiable that the blueline is their strength, but the forward group as a whole, specifically the depth at center, is very intriguing. Rossi has a chance to be a legitimate top-six center who plays a smart and effective game at both ends of the ice. Khusnutdinov could very well be the highest-upside player outside of Wallstedt in the system. Even if Heidt moves to the wing as a pro as expected, Kumpulainen and Caeden Bankier provide excellent depth down the middle.

Weaknesses

Picking a weakness for the Wild’s pipeline is a bit nitpicky, but if they are lacking one element in their system, it’s that they don’t have a truly dynamic offensive defenseman. Calen Addison is a young defender in the NHL already, but they could use another player who could challenge him for power-play time coming up. Many of their blueline prospects played on the power play at lower levels but likely won’t be elite quarterbacks at the next level.

Next Men Up: Brock Faber and Marco Rossi

The highly intelligent and well-rounded Brock Faber should slot into the Wild’s defense group to start the year. He looked quite good in his short stint at the end of this past season. Faber is a skilled transition defender who makes an impressive first pass and evades pressure with incredible poise. The smooth-skating blueliner can truly impact every facet of the game.

Marco Rossi is a forward but fits many of the same descriptors. Fully healthy, he is now showcasing his intelligence and tactical approach to exploiting defenses. Rossi uses his strong frame to get under defenders and establish position, winning puck battles against players five inches taller with ease at times. His hockey IQ is unreal, as he seems to have eyes in the back of his head and the ability to get into spots at just the right time. He should establish himself as a full-time NHLer this season after two excellent AHL years.

Prospect Depth Chart Notables

LW: Liam Ohgren, Adam Beckman, Rieger Lorenz

C: Marco Rossi, Marat Khusnutdinov, Riley Heidt, Rasmus Kumpulainen, Caeden Bankier

RW: Danila Yurov, Charlie Stramel, Pavel Novak, Michael Milne

LD: Carson Lambos, Jack Peart, Marshall Warren, Daemon Hunt, Ryan O’Rourke

RD: Brock Faber, Simon Johansson, David Spacek

G: Jesper Wallstedt, Hunter Jones

For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook, Prospects Unlimited and Future Watch print editions of The Hockey News.