Sammy Walker
We have talked about Sammy Walker a lot now but it is worth another mention. He was a player we said to keep an eye on during the Prospect Showcase and he shined in the Wild's 7-4 win against the Blackhawks in game two of the showcase.
There's no doubt Walker made a huge impact at the prospect showcase considering his age and experience. Walker, 24, was playing with and against many guys four years younger then him so he had a leg up that way.
He also had advantage of playing in some NHL games last year. Those nine games he played in last year definitely helped him during the showcase as he looked a step ahead of everyone.
"With his speed he was able to separate from players and create chances," Iowa Wild head coach Brett McLean said after the 7-4 win against the Blackhawks. "His next step will be to finishes those chances like he did today. I think we all look forward to see main camp start and he's somebody we will all be watching for to take that next camp."
Walker knows there isn't much he can do at camp to earn an NHL spot except play his game hard and showcase what he's got. Especially with the Wild's tight cap, it will be hard to carry 13 forwards. But if anyone is hurt, Walker could be the guy who has to step up.
"Just to go play my game," Walker said on what his mindset is going into training camp. "Whatever role they need, try to fit that. Try to bring my speed and just try to prove that I belong."
Marco Rossi
I don't want to sound like a broken record, but this is a big year for both the Wild and Marco Rossi. The former 2020 first-rounder doesn't want to fall into a trap that James Sheppard did back in the early 2000's.
Sheppard was drafted with the 9th overall pick in the 2006 NHL Draft after a very impressive year in the QMJHL were he notched 84 points in 66 games. The Wild drafted Sheppard to be a top-six center and establish a young core or Sheppard, Marian Gaborik, Mikko Koivu, Benoit Pouliot, Brent Burns, and Pierre-Marc Bouchard.
Unfortunately for the Wild, Sheppard never turned out to what he was projected to be and eventually was out of the Wild's organization after four disappointing years. He went on to be a fourth line forward with the San Jose Sharks.
Rossi on the other hand, was the Wild's ninth overall pick in 2020 and is still projected to be a top-six center who can produce 60 or more points at the NHL level. Rossi showed two years in a row he has the offensive ability in the AHL where he posted 34 goals and 104 points in 116 AHL games.
But similar to Sheppard, Rossi has played the majority of his games on the Wild's third or fourth line. He played five games on a line with Mason Shaw and Connor Dewar, five games with Matt Boldy and Marcus Foligno, four games on a line with Tyson Jost and Brandon Duhaime, and two games with Boldy and Freddy Gaudreau.
Most of his games with Boldy, Rossi would start the game there but slowly be demoted to the fourth line mid-game. Last year the Wild showed they trusted Nick Petan and Sam Steel more in a top-six role then Rossi. Petan played eight games with Boldy and Gaudreau on the second line and Steel spent a lot of the season centering Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello.
Rossi continued to struggle in his 19 NHL games while averaging 12 minutes a night. But this year Rossi will start the season on the third line with Foligno and Gaudreau and if he produces and impresses, he may be able to move up the lineup.
Or he could to start the season in the top-six if he has a great camp.
Brock Faber
With Matt Dumba signing with the Arizona Coyotes, Brock Faber will be the defenseman who will replace Dumba alongside Jonas Brodin on the second pair.
Last year Faber played two regular season games and six playoff games against the Dallas Stars. He proved he looked more than ready enough to be and NHL regular but were his eight NHL games last year enough to prove he can play an 82 game season alongside Brodin, who usually get's the opposition's best line matched up against him?
My guess is yes. Faber was acquired by the Wild last off-season when the Los Angeles Kings sent their 2022 first round pick and Faber to the Wild for Kevin Fiala. The first round pick turned into Liam Ohgren.
Faber is as steady as you can get in terms of being a shutdown defender. He continues to project into a top defensive defender and will show that this year. Last year, Faber was the Wild's best defenseman in the playoffs in terms of shutting down any high danger chances.
But Faber at the age of 21, will likely get around 20 minutes of ice-time this year with the Wild. So training camp and preseason should be a good indication if he's ready for that role.
Maxim Cajkovic
The Wild acquired Maxin Cajkovic from the Tampa Bay Lightning along with Pat Maroon a couple months back. He was a former third-round pick by the Lightning in 2019 and was thought of as a guy who could be a middle-six forward at the NHL level.
His first year after being drafted, Cajkovic played in 20 AHL games and only recorded three goals and three assists. This lead to the 5-foot-11 forward being demoting to the ECHL where he notched eight goals and 12 points in 25 games.
Cajkovic started the next year back in the ECHL and recorded ten goals and 27 points in 41 games. He also played in two AHL games last year but had no points.
The 22-year-old right winger has a very good shot which was talked about a lot at the NHL Draft when the Lightning took him. But Cajkovic just hasn't shown he can translate his game to the professional level.
He's excited for the opportunity to change teams and see what he can do in the Wild's system. He likely isn't a guy who could make the NHL team out of camp but he's worth keeping an eye on.
"I was very happy, not gonna lie," Cajkovic said when asked what his reaction to the trade to the Wild. "I'm looking forward to the upcoming days at the main camp with all the NHL guys. We'll see what the future has for me."
Vinni Lettieri
The Minnesota native was one of two depth signings the Wild made this off-season alongside Jujhar Khaira. Lettieri, 28, played four years at the University of Minnesota before bouncing up and down between the AHL and NHL with the New York Rangers for four years.
Lettieri then spent two years in the Anaheim Ducks organization and recently spent last year with the Boston Bruins where he played in only one NHL game.
Throughout Lettieri's career he has always proved to be a point per game AHL player but hasn't proved that yet at the NHL level. His role this year is unknown yet but it will likely be the role that he has played the last seven years. Provide scoring in the AHL and be one of the first call-ups if anyone at the NHL level gets injured.
His speed and offensive instincts might earn himself a NHL spot out of camp but it isn't for certain yet. Someone to keep and eye on though.
Jujhar Khaira
Last but not least, Khaira is a guy to keep an eye on at camp. The 29-year-old has had a pretty good NHL Career so far as a defensive forward in the bottom-six. Khaira spent six years with the Edmonton Oilers from 2015-2021 before he signed a two-year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks.
When healthy, Khaira is a fantastic defensive center and someone who can be relied upon on the penalty kill and crucial moments with the lead late in a game.
He isn't guaranteed an NHL spot out of camp but if there are any injuries, Khaira who has played 336 NHL games, could be the first guy to play in the NHL with the Wild.