Prospect Info: Wild Prospect Thread 2024-25

[MuckOG]

Hopefully all three.

Haight and Lorenz should provide good depth. Kumps as well he has size.

Power forward and RHS is a good point

I haven't watched any of Denver's games this season, but Lorenz's production seems to have dropped off considerably vs last season.

 

[Taylor26]

I haven't watched any of Denver's games this season, but Lorenz's production seems to have dropped off considerably vs last season.

He is on the 3rd line right now last year he was on the 2nd line. I don't think it's due to regression but more line balancing as they want to win it all agian this year. Also didn't he have like 5 shorthanded goals last year?

 

[Ziperia]

Sebastian Soini, Aron Kiviharju and Rasmus Kumpulainen were selected to U20 WJC camp roster. They have to cut one player for the final team. Kiviharju and Kumpulainen are very likely to be locks for the final roster.

 

[thestonedkoala]

I don't know if it's great that with the Wild defensemen having on-off again injuries they haven't called up O'Rourke or Lambos or even Peart to see if they can be at least depth defensemen.

 

[north21]

Probably somewhat demoralizing for them to watch us draft zeev last summer after playing behind Hunt and Chisholm. Not much space on that left side, not great but not a problem either.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Lambos has apparently been playing really well lately.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Lambos has apparently been playing really well lately.

Where have you read that or have you seen him play?

 

[Waiver Draft]

Prospect Report

https://media.d3.nhle.com/image/private/t_document/prd/zloexekacj38hqgety0n.pdf

 

[BagHead]

The Wild have a long history of World Junior captains in their prospect pool. Ohgren, Kunin, Coyle, Zucker, JEE, Granlund, Koivu, and probably some others I'm forgetting. I hope Kiviharju pans out at least as well as the worst of these.

 

[Wasted Talent]

The Wild have a long history of World Junior captains in their prospect pool. Ohgren, Kunin, Coyle, Zucker, JEE, Granlund, Koivu, and probably some others I'm forgetting. I hope Kiviharju pans out at least as well as the worst of these.

I think there was this one obscure Russian guy, Kirill or something?

Also Rossi (not as much competition) and Faber (not in our system at the time)

 

[Jbcraig1883]

Lambos has apparently been playing really well lately.

I don't know if I'd say really well...but at least some minor improvements. He's been better in his own zone for sure. Being more conservative in offensive zone as well. Still don't trust him in his own zone with the puck one bit.

Spacek has been awesome the last two weeks, especially tonight. He's the one that has definitely made large steps since last year, offensively, defensively, eye test and stat sheet.

 

[JiricekSaveUs]

Is Jiricek not playing in the powerplay?

 

[Puhis]

Prospect Report

https://media.d3.nhle.com/image/private/t_document/prd/zloexekacj38hqgety0n.pdf

Excellent article on Yle about Kiviharju. It mentions his difficult draft year, a lengthy interview along with comments from other notable hockey people regarding him, and yes, that moment from the draft is brought up too.

Tools like Google Translate and such seem to do fine enough job on translation, but let me know if you want to clarify a bit.

 

[thestonedkoala]

I didn't see this but Heidt was cut from the WJC. Like..uh what?

 

[57special]

I didn't see this but Heidt was cut from the WJC. Like..uh what?

And Cristall, who had a great camp for WAS, and is destroying the WHL. Parekh, Sennecke, and Yakemchuk were also not picked...Parekh and Yak weren't even invited to camp. Heidt is not alone in being snubbed by TC.

 

[thestonedkoala]

And Cristall, who had a great camp for WAS, and is destroying the WHL. Parekh, Sennecke, and Yakemchuk were also not picked...Parekh and Yak weren't even invited to camp. Heidt is not alone in being snubbed by TC.

Only Wild player though that was for Canada.

 

[Jbcraig1883]

Is Jiricek not playing in the powerplay?

Iowa has had a terrible PP all year - probably giving up more chances/SH than they have converted TBH. With that said, he has been on it but the last couple of games it looked like Spacek was running it from the point and Jiricek was playing more on the half wall.

He's an interesting player. I'd need to record or watch back shift by shift but you can see the potential but also some boneheaded decisions.

 

[Circulartheory]

I didn't see this but Heidt was cut from the WJC. Like..uh what?

Heidt has never been a favorite from Hockey Canada. You can kind of tell. And he's having a good year, but not an amazing one, statwise. 24th in WHL scoring and 3rd on his team. And he's not a role player either for the bottom lines. Doesn't bother me at all as a Wild prospect but I can see why he gets passed over for a WJC Canada team

 

[MNRube]

Heidt has never been a favorite from Hockey Canada. You can kind of tell. And he's having a good year, but not an amazing one, statwise. 24th in WHL scoring and 3rd on his team. And he's not a role player either for the bottom lines. Doesn't bother me at all as a Wild prospect but I can see why he gets passed over for a WJC Canada team

He’s always been overrated around these parts and by Russo etc. He fell to the last pick in the 2nd round and has been snubbed by TC for a reason.

 

[thestonedkoala]

He’s always been overrated around these parts and by Russo etc. He fell to the last pick in the 2nd round and has been snubbed by TC for a reason.

How is he overrated?

Also ppg he is 6th in the league. He has played significantly less games than his teammates.

 

[MNRube]

How is he overrated?

Also ppg he is 6th in the league. He has played significantly less games than his teammates.

He’s likely a 2nd line or bust guy. Not a great skater so it’s unlikely he will find the time and space to utilize his puck-skills in the NHL like he has in the CHL. Maybe he develops a low-ego defensive edge and can stick in the bottom 6 as a spark-plug scorer, or maybe he proves dynamic enough to be a Top 6 guy.

But he’s got enough warts that every GM in the league passed on him at least once his draft year and he’s continued to be snubbed by Team Canada despite his gaudy scoring totals.

More likely to end up a Sam Steel type than a bonafide Top 6 guy IMO

 

[thestonedkoala]

He’s likely a 2nd line or bust guy. Not a great skater so it’s unlikely he will find the time and space to utilize his puck-skills in the NHL like he has in the CHL. Maybe he develops a low-ego defensive edge and can stick in the bottom 6 as a spark-plug scorer, or maybe he proves dynamic enough to be a Top 6 guy.

But he’s got enough warts that every GM in the league passed on him at least once his draft year and he’s continued to be snubbed by Team Canada despite his gaudy scoring totals.

More likely to end up a Sam Steel type than a bonafide Top 6 guy IMO

We'll see. There a ton of guys that teams passed over and they ended up being good players. I mean Point was passed over twice.

 

[57special]

Heidt has never been a favorite from Hockey Canada. You can kind of tell. And he's having a good year, but not an amazing one, statwise. 24th in WHL scoring and 3rd on his team. And he's not a role player either for the bottom lines. Doesn't bother me at all as a Wild prospect but I can see why he gets passed over for a WJC Canada team

Agreed, though Heidt is an above average two way player, and can play all three forward positions. While not big, he's strong and tough enough for juniors, plays on the PK, and, in my viewings, gets back and plays down low in the D zone. Cristall is smaller, a wing, and an offense only guy, so i can see an argument for not taking him (though i don't agree). I think TC made mistakes in not taking quite a few players.

 

[MNRube]

Agreed, though Heidt is an above average two way player, and can play all three forward positions. While not big, he's strong and tough enough for juniors, plays on the PK, and, in my viewings, gets back and plays down low in the D zone. Cristall is smaller, a wing, and an offense only guy, so i can see an argument for not taking him (though i don't agree). I think TC made mistakes in not taking quite a few players.

I think for guys like Heidt it comes down to board-play. Need to be able to control possession and shrug guys off. Don’t see that with him. His speed and strength advantages in the CHL will turn into deficits at the pro level and he has to adapt.

Also the question of fit. Wild have Kap, Boldy, Zucc, Yurov as skilled LHS wings and Rossi as an undersized scoring C. Someone like Ohgren who is a worker and natural shooter is going to have a much easier time finding a niche given our current roster makeup.

We'll see. There a ton of guys that teams passed over and they ended up being good players. I mean Point was passed over twice.

100%. Definitely possible and I like his odds more than most 2nd rounders, but a lot of Wild fans seem to have him pencilled into future lineups and that’s a bit too optimistic for me

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

If Kaprizov stays:

Kaprizov - Rossi - Boldy
Heidt - Yurov - Big Strong Guy (Stramel?)
Ohgren - Eriksson Ek - Hartman?