Minnesota signed Kelly Pannek, Kendall Coyne Schofield, and Lee Stecklein to three-year contracts. How will they use the first overall pick? Where will their goalie come from? We break it down.

If she's back to her national team form, Minnesota got a top five player in the world in Kendall Coyne Schofield, alongside arguably America's best defender in Lee Stecklein, and veteran USA national team member and Minnesota product Kelly Pannek.

Here's a look at what these signings mean for Minnesota's path forward.

How will Minnesota approach the draft?

General manager Natalie Darwitz made it clear she intends her first overall pick to be a franchise player for the future. It's hard to not envision that pick being University of Minnesota and USA national team star Taylor Heise. If that comes to fruition, Minnesota would have three forwards and a blueliner locked up for next season. 

When their next picks roll round at number 12 and 13, it would be conceivable to watch Minnesota grab a goalie. There's no shortage of options, but the competition, and the strategy of when to use a pick on a netminder will be fierce. Montreal, Ottawa, and Boston all have their starting goalies secured. New York still has one spot remaining, and could look to Team USA goalie Nicole Hensley for that spot. If not, Toronto, Minnesota, and New York will be in the market for a goalie far earlier than the other clubs, who may not draft a goalie at all.

Minnesota could target Henlsey, although there's a trio of Minnesota products available who would love to claim a position with the team including reigning World Championship Best Goaltender Emma Soderberg who played at Minnesota-Duluth last year, future Hockey Hall of Famer Noora Raty who lives in Minnesota, and Minnesota product and former national team member Maddie Rooney. The other option in net is Minnesota Whitecaps starter Amanda Leveille, who has been as dominant professionally as they come in recent years. She could play a 1A-1B role with a goaltender like Rooney, provide mentorship to Soderberg, or push Raty who is the oldest of the trio.

Beyond those options, Darwitz stated she's open to adding the best available regardless of geographics. That said, there is a plethora of young players with ties to the state who will be available, most notably Grace Zumwinkle, Gabrielle Hughes, and Ashton Bell.

Who Minnesota Took & Who They Passed Up

Some believed University of Minnesota legend Amanda Kessel could be in the running to join this roster, but perhaps the need to stay on the east coast for her job with the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

If Kendall Coyne Schofield steps back into the pro game the way she left off, Minnesota got one of the top veteran players in the world up front, a player who is a future Hockey Hall of Famer herself. Perhaps the steal of their signing period is Lee Stecklein, who was the reigning PWHPA Defender of the Year. Stecklein can not only defend using her long frame, but she's also one of the most offensively gifted blueliners in the game. 

Pannek was the wildcard of the bunch, as her production middled this year, but playing alongside Coyne Schofield and being given regular powerplay time, Pannek should flourish as she did at the University of Minnesota and every World Championship outside of this season. Pannek is still only 27, making the decision to sign her for three seasons logical. She's a breakout contender to watch this year.