I mean looking at the Wild’s prospect pool it just seems like this was a botched pick. It happens, you’re not gonna hit on every player. Heidt certainly makes up for it.
That comment seems a bit backwards, the reason he was picked there is because the Wild lacked size and centers in the system. I don’t think it’s botched, none of the centers picked after him look like sure things to me at all. The Wild have plenty of undersized but talented players on the roster and in the pool, size and position was the stated goal for that pick before draft day.
I also think it is far too early to give up on him, you can’t take his physical tools and the potential they bring away, it’s just a matter of development now and that is a process that can be all over the board.
Going to WI was likely a mistake, I made that same mistake too, I think he needs a professional environment to turn things around. He does do things that will be effective at higher levels and has demonstrated to me that he does understand the game well, but he is a terrible fit on his team and his own execution has been too inconsistent for him to be effective.
It’s been a poor year for him, but that doesn’t necessarily have to continue to be the case, there is still enough underlying ability to find a useful player here, just need the right situation to bring it out IMO.
