Wild Prospect Rieger Lorenz Expected To Make NHL Debut Against Panthers

Rieger Lorenz has officially reached the NHL.

The 22-year-old Minnesota Wild forward made his NHL debut Saturday against the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena, marking another milestone for the former University of Denver standout.

Lorenz was recalled from the Iowa Wild on Friday as Minnesota continues to deal with injuries throughout its lineup. The Wild also placed forward Nick Foligno on injured reserve with an upper-body injury and reassigned Tyler Pitlick to Iowa.

The 6-foot-1, 184-pound forward earned his opportunity after an impressive start to the American Hockey League season.

Through two games with Iowa, Lorenz recorded two goals and one assist for three points, along with nine shots on goal and a plus-3 rating. He led Iowa in goals, shots and plus-minus at the time of his recall.

Wild head coach John Hynes spoke highly of Lorenz on Friday and explained what the young forward could bring to Minnesota's lineup.

"I just like the dimension he adds to the lineup," Hynes said. "He's got some speed, a little bit of a scoring touch. He had a good camp and he's played well down in Iowa, too. So it would be a great opportunity for him."

Minnesota originally selected Lorenz in the second round, 56th overall, of the 2022 NHL Draft.

Before turning professional, the Calgary, Alberta, native spent four seasons at the University of Denver, where he developed into an important contributor for one of college hockey's most successful programs.

During his senior season in 2025-26, Lorenz recorded 17 goals and 18 assists for 35 points in 43 games while serving as an alternate captain.

He also helped Denver capture the 2025 NCAA national championship, scoring a goal in the Pioneers' 2-1 victory over Wisconsin in the championship game. His performance earned him a spot on the Frozen Four All-Tournament Team.

It was Lorenz's second national championship with Denver after also helping the program win the title in 2024. Across four collegiate seasons, Lorenz totaled 41 goals and 53 assists for 94 points.

He signed a two-year entry-level contract with Minnesota in April before beginning his professional career with Iowa.

With Minnesota looking for additional contributions from its forward group, Saturday's debut gives the young winger an opportunity to show that he can make an impact at the NHL level.

He is playing on a line with Michael McCarron and Nico Sturm.

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