The 22-year-old forward is proving he belongs, pairing a goal and relentless energy with a gritty, vocal presence that has earned high praise from Wild veterans.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Rieger Lorenz wanted to make sure the jump to professional hockey didn't catch him by surprise.
So far, it hasn't.
Lorenz was one of the Minnesota Wild's most noticeable young players in their preseason action Saturday, scoring a goal and earning praise from both head coach John Hynes and veteran center Nico Sturm.
“I thought Lorenz was impressive tonight,” Hynes said. “You kind of notice him in camp. Really good energy, highly competitive.”
The goal certainly helped Lorenz stand out, but it wasn't what impressed Hynes most.
“Obviously he scored the goal, but I just think his overall game,” Hynes said. “He had a big blocked shot, and he was a player that I think over the course of the game, he kind of caught your eye quite a bit.”
That's exactly what Lorenz is trying to accomplish during his first training camp with the Wild.
The 22-year-old forward spent the summer training in Calgary alongside professional players and made a concerted effort to increase the pace of his game before arriving in Minnesota.
“I'm really comfortable,” Lorenz said. “My group in the summer back in Calgary, we got a lot of pro guys out there. I really pushed myself this summer to try and pick up the pace in my game. I think those guys pushed me, so it's been a pretty seamless jump into camp so far.”
Lorenz also had an opportunity to get an early taste of professional hockey last season.
After finishing his college career, he joined the Iowa Wild and got a firsthand look at what would be required of him at the next level. Instead of entering the offseason wondering how his game would translate to professional hockey, Lorenz had a blueprint for what needed to improve.
“I think that was a big emphasis on going to Iowa and seeing what the pro game entails,” Lorenz said. “I think doing that allowed me to kind of see where my game needs to grow in the offseason. Not kind of going in blind and just wondering what it's like.”
Now he's putting those lessons to use.
Lorenz has also been paying close attention to the NHL players around him during camp. While watching stars such as Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy and Brock Faber has given him a glimpse at the skill and pace required at the top of an NHL lineup, Lorenz understands his path to the league will likely require something different.
“The bottom depth guys, they're super reliable,” Lorenz said. “That's kind of going to be my role as I move up the ranks. So kind of learning as much as I can from those guys, which Foligno and Sturm have been great for that.”
Sturm has apparently been impressed with his young teammate, too.
“Oh yeah, Reegs was great,” Sturm said. “He's really shifty, but most importantly, he's got a little bit of a bite to him.”
That bite has shown up in more ways than one.
According to Sturm, Lorenz hasn't acted like a young player afraid to make his presence known while surrounded by NHL veterans.
“He is chirping out there and stuff, which is, you know, a lot of guys that play their first game or NHL preseason games, they shy away from some stuff,” Sturm said. “But he was out there, just full of confidence.”
Then Sturm offered perhaps the strongest endorsement of Lorenz's night.
“Also a guy that I think is going to be a good NHL player.”
One preseason performance won't determine Lorenz's future, but Saturday provided another encouraging glimpse.
He scored. He blocked shots. He competed. He picked up an assist. And, maybe most importantly for a prospect trying to establish himself during training camp, he made people notice him. Including the Wild's head coach.
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