The Wild announced yesterday that they have signed forward Rasmus Kumpulainen to an entry-level contract.
The Wild announced yesterday that they have signed forward Rasmus Kumpulainen to an entry-level contract.
Minnesota Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin announced yesterday that the Wild have signed forward Rasmus Kumpulainen to a three-year, entry-level contract starting during the 2024-25 season.
Kumpulainen, 18, was drafted in the second round of the 2023 draft by the Wild with the 53rd overall pick. At the time of the draft, Kumpulainen was playing for the Lahti Pelicans Junior Team in Finland. He recorded 11 goals and 34 points that season in 41 games that year. His 34 points that season ranked fifth among team skaters.
After that season, Kumpulainen decided to play in the Ontario Hockey League with the Oshawa Generals. The big 6-foot-2 forward became the second-line center behind the 2023 first-round draft pick of the Colorado Avalanche, Calum Ritchie.
In 55 games for the Generals, Kumpulainen notched 27 goals and 53 points. He led the team in power-play goals as well.
The native of Lahti, Finland, played in seven games for Finland at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship and scored two goals.
He is a big power center who models his game after Aleksander Barkov of the Florida Panthers, Kumpulainen told us at the Wild's development camp during the summer.
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