The Minnesota Wild have good prospects at almost every position and a pipeline that continues to flow with Zeev Buium being the latest to join the system, says Tony Ferrari.
The Minnesota Wild have good prospects at almost every position and a pipeline that continues to flow with Zeev Buium being the latest to join the system, says Tony Ferrari.
Another week of NHL prospect pool overviews begins with the Minnesota Wild.
Tony Ferrari examines the Wild's strengths and weaknesses, gives a quick overview of its latest draft class, shows its positional depth chart and examines who could be next in line for an NHL chance.
A player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer considered a prospect for these exercises, except in very specific cases.
First Thoughts
The Minnesota Wild have long been a team that wavers in and out of playoff contention year in and year out.
Generally speaking, the mushy middle often leaves teams with an underwhelming roster and a less-than-stellar prospect pool. But the Wild’s NHL roster looks poised to be competitive, and their prospect pool is as well-rounded as just about any in the league.
It all starts in net, where the Wild have arguably the top goaltending prospect in the world, Jesper Wallstedt. The technically sound Swede is an efficient mover in the crease. He doesn't waste movements and is rarely caught out of position. His big frame is always square to shooters, whether dealing with sustained zone pressure or an attack off the rush.
Wallstedt’s movement laterally is robotic in the best way. His post integration and spatial awareness allow him to stay locked to the shooter wherever they are. But his best trait may be his short memory. If he lets in a bad goal, he’ll lock in for the rest of the game. He should see NHL action this year if either of the NHL netminders falter or an injury occurs.
Minnesota's first-round pick in 2022, Liam Ohgren, should be on the NHL roster this season, which should make them a deeper and more dangerous team. His high-pace, relentless motor has always been his calling card with his physicality and finishing talent. Ohgren is a nightmare for opposing defenders when he gets in on the forecheck. His persistence on the puck should allow him to fit in anywhere in the lineup, but don’t be surprised if he finds a permanent role in the top six sooner than expected.
Another player who should be on the NHL roster this upcoming season is versatile center Marat Khusnutdinov. The young Russian joined the Wild for 16 games at the end of last season, and he acclimated to the NHL quite well. His detail-oriented 200-foot game was immediately something he could lean on, while his puck-rushing ability carried over as well.
Khusnutdinov reads the ice at a high level and skates like the wind, which added an element of speed to the Wild lineup in the bottom six. With his ability to play a sound defensive game or elevate and chip in offensively as a slick playmaker, he can play with just about anyone in the lineup and should be a nice addition to the lineup in the fall.
After a rough year in the KHL after being drafted, Danila Yurov took a big step after he got a legitimate opportunity and consistent playing time rather than the five minutes he received in the season prior. Yurov led his KHL club in scoring during the regular season, using his mobility to get after the puck on the forecheck and then getting to the middle of the ice to generate offense. Yurov blends strength and skill, allowing him to protect the puck and attack the defense head-on. With one more season on his KHL contract, he could come over to North America as soon as the end of this season.
Last year, the Wild emphasized adding some size to the pipeline with their first couple of picks. Adding Charlie Stramel did that, but his sophomore season at the University of Wisconsin was a struggle. He was left off the American world junior squad despite playing on it the year prior, his production in college dropped, and his overall play looked disjointed. There is still plenty of potential with Stramel, and transferring to Michigan State is a great decision for the 6-foot-3 forward.
Rasmus Kumpulainen is poised to head back to Finland and play for the Pelicans after one year in the OHL, where he was one of the better two-way forwards in the league. His production didn’t jump off the page, but he helped solidify the Oshawa Generals in a year where they went to the OHL final. His intelligence and underrated puck skills allowed him to make the right play consistently. He may only be a bottom-six center at the next level, but every once in a while, he can break out skill and finishing talent that you don’t expect to see.
Sometimes, a player has all of the skill in the world, puts up big numbers and even has a bit of pest in them, and there are still questions about whether they will translate to the NHL. Riley Heidt is one of those players. After putting up 97 and 117 points in the last two seasons, there is little left to prove for Heidt at the WHL level. He will head back there for one final season, where a focus on improving his two-way play will be a priority. It may take some time and adjustment to the pro game, but Heidt has the potential to be an impact scorer at the next level.
In his first AHL season, Caedan Bankier looked solid as he improved his puck skill and utility since his draft year. He’s become more of a shooter, which is nice to see, but his playmaking that stems from his instincts and touch as a passer is still his calling card. He could be a future middle-six utility player who can play in all situations.
Hunter Haight is coming off a Memorial Cup win with Saginaw in the OHL and will look to bring his skill and nuanced passing game to the AHL this season. There has always been more there to give for Haight based on his tools, and you saw him put it together more consistently last year, but he still faded at times. Consistency will be key to determining if he can be a depth scorer at the NHL level or an AHL all-star who can’t find his footing in The Show.
Carson Lambos’ defensive game translated to the AHL in the first year while only flashes of his puck-moving ability did so. Lambos is a big, rangy defender with solid passing ability in transition. He has shown the ability to do just about everything, but he hasn’t quite ever put the entire package together for a sustained period. He might ultimately be a solid two-way defender on a second or third pair at the NHL level.
Although he played a dozen games in the NHL last season, Daemon Hunt will likely start the year back in the AHL, where he has exceeded expectations. He has been leaned on heavily and performed well in every situation. Hunt’s mobility is solid, and he isn’t shy about getting into his opponent's space defensively. If he can continue to unlock some of his offensive traits as he did in the AHL, he could be a decent second-pair do-it-all defender one day.
Ryan O’Rourke has seen some uneven development after playing in the AHL at a young age due to COVID-19, bouncing back to the OHL and looking solid all-around and then struggling in the AHL last season. His tools and willingness to engage physically are still present, but he must get his game back on track this upcoming season if he has any hope of becoming a solid depth NHLer.
U-23 Players Likely To Be on the NHL Roster
Brock Faber (D), Marco Rossi (C), Matthew Boldy (RW), Marat Khusnutdinov (C), Liam Ohgren (LW)
2024 NHL Draft Class
Round 1, 12th overall - Zeev Buium, LD, Univ. of Denver (NCAA)
Round 2, 45th overall - Ryder Ritchie, RW, Prince Albert (WHL)
Round 4, 122nd overall - Aron Kiviharju, LD, HIFK (Fin.)
Round 5, 140th overall - Sebastian Soini, RD, Ilves Jr. (Fin.)
Round 5, 142nd overall - Chase Wutzke, G, Red Deer (WHL)
Round 6, 174th overall - Stevie Leskovar, D, Mississauga (OHL)
The Minnesota Wild had quite an interesting draft, and the praise they received after the dust settled was warranted.
They started by trading up one spot to take defender Zeev Buium. Coming off one of the best freshman seasons any defenseman has had in modern NCAA history, Buium was highly touted throughout the draft process.
Buium's offensive game is what immediately sticks out with his deceptive mobility, high-end passing ability and elite vision. He picks apart opposing teams by reading where the weak points are and then exploiting them. In transition, he is a diversely talented player. His ability to attack up ice with the puck is notable, but his instincts of when and when not to join the rush at the perfect time really make him special.
Buium's defensive game may not be aggressive or physical, but his ability to kill the play, take control of the puck, and calm things down was impressive. He gives his team a breath and allows them to set up for their next chance. Buium might have been the most well-rounded defender in the NHL draft.
In the second round, the Wild took Ryder Ritchie, the son of former NHLer Byron Ritchie. The younger Ritchie has great hands that allow him to open up space for himself and find his way out of trouble.
Ritchie's solid motor helps him play a complementary role on a line as well. He can thread pucks to teammates or finish from good spots, which allows him to adapt to his linemates. Ritchie can get his shot off quickly, hiding his intentions right until the puck is jumping off his stick. He could be one of the better complementary wingers to come out of this draft class.
Taking Aron Kiviharju in the fourth round seemed like a no-brainer. Once heralded as a potential top-three pick in this draft class, his stock steadily fell over the last two years. His fall on draft day was a long one, but he eagerly said it didn’t matter how far he’d fallen – he was intent on proving he would be one of the best players in the world.
Kiviharju's intelligence on the ice, ability to read the play and passing are elite traits. Unfortunately, for a 5-foot-10 defender who is a good but not great skater and missed most of last season due to injury, he was destined to fall. Only time will tell if the Wild truly found a diamond in the rough.
Sebastian Soini's mobility and athleticism are noteworthy, and he has the size teams want from a defender. His processing and puck skills can be a bit questionable at times, though. The Wild are betting on him figuring things out as one of the younger players in the draft class. He already has plenty of experience against men at the top and second level in Finland. Soini needs game reps, and he will get that over the next couple of years.
In a draft without a clear top goalie, the Wild waited and took Chase Wutzke in the fifth round. He is an active and mobile netminder who grew throughout the year as Red Deer consistently asked for more from him. He doesn’t find himself out of position all too often. Wutzke was one of the youngest netminders taken in the draft, so the technical growth in his game will be important over the next couple of years.
With their final pick of the 2024 NHL draft, the Wild took 6-foot-4 defender Stevie Leskovar. Although he lacks some puck skills, and his co-ordination is wonky at times, he has an excellent frame to build around. Leskovar is a big body who could find some success as a defense-only blueliner with some patience, even if just at the AHL level.
Strengths
The Wild have prospects just about everywhere at every stage of development.
They have a very good player at the top of every position group aside from right-shot defense, but they are loaded with left-shot blueliners.
They have a couple of players in Ohgren and Khusnutdinov who should make their way into the lineup this season (we’ll get to that below), but they also have players such as Yurov, Ritchie, Haight and Kumpulainen who are all strong forward options down the road.
By adding Buium and Kiviharju to the left-handed defense group, guys like Lambos, O’Rourke and Hunt will all feel the pressure to perform as the spots on the NHL roster get locked up in a few years.
The Wild have plenty of competition throughout their prospect pool, and when everyone begins to find their place in pro hockey, a few very good players might be left off the Wild’s roster who can be used as trade pieces or depth.
Weaknesses
The Wild have a lack of talented right-shot defensemen.
Spacek and Soini are decent prospects who may have long pro careers, but whether the NHL is their eventual landing spot is still up in the air. Kyle Masters had a good first pro season, with most of his time spent in the ECHL, so solidifying an AHL spot is on his mind.
Right-handed defenders are amongst the hardest players to find at any level, but the Wild will need to find a young one to support Brock Faber when they can.
Next Man Up: Marat Khusnutdinov, C, and Liam Ohgren, LW
Khusnutdinov and Ohgren made their NHL debuts toward the end of last NHL season, and both looked solid in their limited action.
Now that they’ll have a full summer to train for the NHL with their short stints in mind, they should both look to lock down middle-six spots. There is even a chance they find a spot in the lineup where they can play together.
Khusnutdinov’s intelligence, playmaking and pace would mesh well with Ohgren’s drive, physicality and finishing talent.
Prospect Depth Chart Notables
LW: Liam Ohgren, Rasmus Kumpulainen, Rieger Lorenz, Matvey Guskov, Luke Toporowski
C: Marat Khusnutdinov, Caedan Bankier, Riley Heidt
RW: Danila Yurov, Ryder Ritchie, Hunter Haight, Charlie Stramel, Pavel Novak
LD: Zeev Buium, Aron Kiviharju, Carson Lambos, Ryan O’Rourke, Daemon Hunt, Jack Peart
RD: David Spacek, Sebastian Soini, Kyle Masters, Kalem Parker
G: Jesper Wallstedt, Samuel Hlavaj
For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Future Watch and upcoming Yearbook print editions in The Hockey News.