Minnesota Wild: Top 10 Prospects Entering the 2018 Season

The Minnesota Wild are a team in desperate need of new energy and a younger generation. Here are the prospects who hope to change the direction of the team.

The Minnesota Wild‘s core is aging. Ryan Suter and Zach Parise are approaching their mid-30s and Parise has struggled with injuries in recent years. The Wild still have a number of crucial young players, including Matt Dumba, Nino Niederreiter, and Jason Zucker, but they’re aging quickly as well. They will need a new generation to step up and take the team to new heights. That’s where these 10 prospects come in.

These prospects are ranked based on several factors. They include ceiling, being chief amongst these factors, as well as NHL readiness and the likelihood they play consistently with the Minnesota Wild in the near future. To qualify, a player must not have surpassed Calder qualification, meaning they have not played 25 NHL games. That means players like Joel Eriksson Ek and Gustav Olofsson no longer qualify.

Let’s start with the goaltender.

1. Kaapo Kahkonen [22] (4-109, 2014)

Stats (Lukko, Ligga): 56 gp, 2.20 GAA, .922 SV%, 6 SO (2 pgp, 2.38 GAA, .921 SV%).

Kaapo Kahkonen is the best goaltender in the Minnesota Wild’s pipeline, and at 22, could become a prominent part of their organization soon. He played incredibly well in the Finnish Liiga this past season, posting a .922 save percentage and six shutouts. He was first in shutouts in Finland and was tied for fifth in save percentage. Excellent numbers, especially from such a young goaltender as Kahkonen is. Kahkonen played the most games out of anybody in the top-five (or in this case six) in save percentage and was second youngest as well.

What happens with Kahkonen in the next few years could point the Minnesota Wild in a few directions.

The problem is that Kahkonen has never played in North America and his ability to transition to the more competitive game has yet to be seen. If he doesn’t transition well, then all the numbers in the world in Finland will just stay in Finland. But if he can transition well, then he becomes a potential game changer down the line for the Wild. That kind of boom or bust prospect is all too common, but when it’s the only great goaltending prospect for a team in need of one, well, that’s a bit troubling.

What happens with Kahkonen in the next few years could point the Minnesota Wild in a few directions. With no truly outstanding goaltender in the AHL and Andrew Hammond potentially playing a veteran role, Kahkonen could step into an ideal situation. He might not face as much pressure in Iowa, playing as the backup until he proves he’s the starter, and he’ll have a veteran mentor who’s been to the NHL a number of times. This could be a very important year for the Finnish netminder.

10. Brennan Menell, D [21] (UDFA)

Stats (Iowa Wild, AHL): 72 gp, 8 g, 17 a, 25 p, 2 PPG (4 A), 1 GWG, 1 ENG, 71 SOG, .35 pts/g.

Very quickly, Brennan Menell proved to be more than an undrafted free agent. After extended years in the Canadian juniors system, Menell made a successful professional transition at the age of 21. He was 10th in scoring, fourth in goal scoring, tied for 11th in assists, and was 25th in points per game amongst rookie defensemen this past season. Very solid numbers, especially coming off a more than point-per-game performance in the WHL.

Very quickly, Brennan Menell proved to be more than an undrafted free agent.

Menell will need to prove to be more than just an offensive-minded defenseman if he’s going to make the Minnesota Wild roster, however. With a clogged blue line (Suter’s deal isn’t up for a while, and the team has a solid young core with Dumba, Jonas Brodin, and Jared Spurgeon, and Olofsson will continue to make his own case), Menell will need to continue to stand out in Iowa. That means mastering the offensive game as well as bettering himself defensively.

While he could have a decent ceiling, and at 21 is right on pace with other successful defensemen, Menell’s long path could continue to elongate. He drops to tenth on this list mainly because with that crowded defensive system, he just doesn’t stand an excellent chance of breaking through. That’s not to say he doesn’t have a chance at the NHL, but it may not be with the Minnesota Wild. He’s still not quite NHL ready, and his ceiling is currently questionable. Yet he could be a solid prospect down the line, which puts him on the list.

9. Ivan Lodnia, RW [18] (3-85, 2017)

Stats (Erie Otters, OHL): 62 gp, 22 g, 37 a, 59 p, 5 PPG (7 A), 3 SHG, 3 GWG, 216 SOG, .95 pts/g.

Lodnia is a hard prospect to figure out. He was drafted in the third round of 2017, yet was Minnesota’s first draft pick that year. That means he has the regard of a third-round pick but the expectations of a higher one. That might not be fair to a still-growing winger, who has yet to put forward a point-per-game performance in the OHL. He received AHL games this year as well, yet went scoreless in six contests.

Those are good signs for a potential bottom-six player down the road, perhaps someone who can move the needle from a fourth-line role.

The reason Ivan Lodnia still makes this list is that he continues to grow, moving from 57 points in 66 games in his draft year to 59 in 62 this season. His goal scoring didn’t suffer all that much, and he became a better playmaker.

Those are good signs for a potential bottom-six player down the road, perhaps someone who can move the needle from a fourth-line role. Tied for 54th in scoring, 66th in goal scoring, 48th in assists, and 58th in points per game in the OHL, it doesn’t seem like Lodnia’s ceiling is all that high.

But he has the chance to become an NHL player, and if he does, he’ll get time with the Minnesota Wild. A team in need of depth, they could find it in Lodnia. He’ll need to continue to work on his defensive game and on possession, but he has the skills to do it.

8. Jack McBain, C/W [18] (3-63, 2018)

Stats (Toronto Jr. Canadiens, OJHL): 48 gp, 21 g, 37 a, 58 p, 5 PPG (7 A), 1 SHG, 4 GWG (4 pgp, 6 g, 3 a, 9 p, 2 PPG (1 A), 2 GWG).

McBain is in a similar situation to Lodnia, in that, even as a third-round pick (albeit a high one), he has the expectations of someone above him. As the Minnesota Wild’s second pick in the 2018 draft, he’ll be expected to become what the second-round pick should have been. That shouldn’t be a problem for Jack McBain, however, who was projected by some as a top-50 pick, which means he could have been a second-round pick anyway.

He’ll get playing time in the NCAA (with Boston College) next season, which will be the true test of the young center.

McBain comes from one of the smaller leagues in the Canadian juniors system, the OJHL, where he was first in playoff points per game. That league has helped produce numerous NHL talents (including Corey Perry, Ryan O’Reilly, Darnell Nurse, Reilly Smith, James Neal, Brent Burns, Mitch Marner, and John Tavares). That’s good news for McBain, and likely why he was scouted. He hopes to become the next prominent member of that group of alumni, and with an aging Minnesota Wild center pool, he could be.

McBain needs to work on his skating, especially on his edges. He’s got a solid defensive and physical game, though that can always be worked on ahead of spending consistent time in the NHL, and he’s got an NHL-ready body, though is still learning how to use it. His best competition has still been in the OJHL however, and while it has produced talents in the past, it is not one of the more respected leagues. He’ll get playing time in the NCAA (with Boston College) next season, which will be the true test of the young center.

7. Louis Belpedio, D [22] (3-80, 2014)

Stats (Miami University of Ohio, NCAA): 37 gp, 9 g, 21 a, 30 p, 5 PPG, 2 GWG.

Stats (Iowa Wild, AHL): 10 gp, 0 g, 2 a, 2 p, 11 SOG, .2 pts/g.

Louis Belpedio has the distinct advantage of being far more NHL-ready than anyone before him on this list and likely the next few after him. That’s what puts him at seven, despite a limited ceiling.

Belpedio could be an NHL defenseman, but if he is, it will be as a bottom-pairing fifth or sixth defenseman, somebody who gets time on the second-unit power play but doesn’t get much trust in his own zone, unless paired with a more defensive-minded partner. Belpedio has offensive instincts that have gotten him this far, but needs to continue working on his defensive game and doesn’t have a terrific frame (standing just 5’11”).

Louis Belpedio has the distinct advantage of being far more NHL-ready than anyone before him on this list and likely the next few after him.

Belpedio was tied for 12th amongst defensemen in the NCAA in scoring (97th overall), 23rd in assists, and was 14th in points per game. He was a driving force behind Miami University of Ohio, scoring two game-winning goals and five power-play tallies this past season. He also did somewhat well in the AHL, adding two assists in ten games. That rough transition is what also drops Belpedio down the list.

He’ll need a longer-term stay in the AHL, and at 22, it’s hard to tell what he can be in the end. There are younger blueliners coming for the Minnesota Wild, and Belpedio could be passed up, despite being more ready for the NHL than those younger players.

5. Filip Johansson, D [18] (1-24, 2018)

Stats (Leksands IF J20, SuperElit): 29 gp, 4 g, 5 a, 9 p.

Stats (Leksands IF, Allsvenskan): 23 gp, 1 g, 0 a, 1 p (11 pgp, 2 g, 3 a, 5 p).

Filip Johansson was one of the most controversial picks of the first round this past draft. Nobody had him in the top 31, and he was usually ranked around number 55. He was not one of the higher-regarded defensemen heading into the draft, scoring just nine points in the SuperElit and just one goal in the Allsvenskan in 23 games.

Yet the Minnesota Wild clearly saw enough in the young Swede to pick him at number 24. That may have been the five points in 11 games in a professional league’s playoffs.

Johansson was just 68th in defensive scoring, 68th in points per game, and 29th in goal scoring amongst defensemen in the SuperElit. But Johansson has a number of factors going for him. He’s an excellent defensive presence who can get even better with more muscle and more strength off the puck. He’s someone who can start a transition effectively, and can play either at the front or the rear of a rush. He’s also a decent offensive presence, someone who has demonstrated an ability to score goals.

Johansson is one of the most intriguing prospects in the Minnesota Wild’s pipeline. What prospect media and what Minnesota see as his ceiling clearly differ. There are definite strengths to his game, but the Wild see more in the blueliner than others. This will be a moment that either builds up confidence in new GM Paul Fenton or one of the nails in the coffin. Still, Johansson stands a significant chance of playing with the Minnesota Wild and has an NHL top-four ceiling.

4. Luke Kunin, C/W [20] (1-15, 2016)

36 gp, 10 g, 9 a, 19 p, 5 PPG (1 A), 1 GWG, 77 SOG, .53 pts/g. Iowa Wild, AHL

19 gp, 2 g, 2 a, 4 p, 1 SHG, 32 SOG, 12:59 TOI. Minnesota Wild, NHL

Luke Kunin has played 19 games in the NHL. At this point in his career, that’s an excellent mark of what the Minnesota Wild believe he can be, and even after he was dropped to the AHL, the Wild kept tabs on him. With 19 points in 36 games, including ten goals, they likely had no choice. Kunin has made the Minnesota Wild keep permanent tabs on him since he was drafted, and after two great years in the NCAA, his professional transition has gone well.

Kunin is not the center the Wild need. He’s likely not a center. But he could be a top-six goal scorer, proving that in the NCAA and again in his 48 AHL games to this point. 10 goals in 36 games don’t seem like first-line numbers but could be a potential indicator of second-line potential. Niederreiter is just 25. Zucker is 26, and so is Mikael Granlund. The Wild have wings ahead of Kunin for the near future.

While that changes his likelihood of playing consistently with the Wild in the near future, it should only help him in the long-term. Giving him an opportunity to continue growing in the AHL before making a splash on the third line and then getting a chance at the top six could be the route Kunin takes. That would allow him a chance to grow and get better acquainted with the professional game before becoming a more relied upon member of the Wild. He’s got the potential and the skill set to be a significant piece. It could just be about patience right now.

3. Justin Kloos, C [24] (UDFA)

Stats (Iowa Wild, AHL): 76 gp, 19 g, 31 a, 50 p, 7 PPG (12 A), 5 GWG, 153 SOG, .66 pts/g.

Justin Kloos did incredibly well in the AHL, one of the very best players on the Iowa Wild’s roster, and a solid playmaker. He was good on the power play, posting 19 points, and scored five game-winning goals. He had solid shot production, averaging more than two shots per game, and had a .66 points per game pace at the professional level. All this indicates one very important thing – Kloos is a center with middle-six potential. While he’s aging, and at 24, needs to get into the NHL sooner rather than later, he has more than earned that chance.

Beyond Eric Staal and Mikko Koivu, nobody has earned a fixed spot in the center position for the Minnesota Wild. Eriksson-Ek is likely going to get another chance to prove himself as a center, and the Wild brought in Eric Fehr and Matt Hendricks to fight it out for the fourth-line center position. But Kloos could be better than all of these players. Putting him third with wingers like Eriksson Ek and Charlie Coyle could be a better solution to a depth problem for the Wild.

Kloos is more NHL ready than every other player on this list, and while his ceiling is not nearly as high as other players on this list, he’s earned a chance at playing in the NHL. The Minnesota Wild should give him that chance, and if they do, it could go well. Honestly, while the Wild are figuring out their roster, what’s the harm of putting in a talented player like Kloos?

2. Jordan Greenway, LW [21] (2-50, 2015)

Stats (Boston University, NCAA): 36 gp, 13 g, 22 a, 35 p, 4 PPG, 1 SHG, 1 GWG.

Stats (Minnesota Wild, NHL): 6 gp, 0 g, 1 a, 1 p, 4 SOG, 11:27 TOI.

Jordan Greenway seems like he’s NHL ready. But that’s because of the Olympics, where he was one of the standout players on the American side, and that was against weaker competition. Greenway was not a standout at the NCAA level and only posted one point in the NHL when given an opportunity. There’s no reason to keep him in the NHL if he’s not ready, especially when there are many other wings in contention for the Wild.

Greenway was tied for 51st in scoring, 84th in goal scoring, 54th in assists, and 49th in points per game in the NCAA. He was playing on both special team units for Boston University and looks like an NHL player. He has the frame, standing at 6’6″ and weighing in at 227 pounds. He has the skill set to be a solid power forward in the future for the Minnesota Wild. His potential could be as a top-six winger and first unit net-front presence.

But he’s not there yet. He needs another season of peppering, and giving him a quieter opportunity to transition to the professional game at the AHL level is the smarter move. His potential is what keeps him at this high position, and he has a high likelihood of playing for the Minnesota Wild. He’s already played several games for them. He was a top 50 pick. The Wild clearly like what they see in Greenway.

1. Kirill Kaprizov, LW [21] (5-135, 2015)

Stats (CSKA Moskva, KHL): 46 gp, 15 g, 25 a, 40 p, 5 PPG, 6 GWG, 97 SOG, .87 pts/g (19 pgp, 2 g, 8 a, 10 p, 1 GWG, 40 SOG, .53 pts/g). T-19 goal scoring, T-14 assists, T-37 goal scoring; T-17 playoff scoring, T-6 assists

Kirill Kaprizov is the one impact prospect the Minnesota Wild for sure has. He played in the second-best league in the world and was one of the very best players there. At 21, he was a standout in the KHL, and he shows signs of only growing. The biggest problem the Minnesota Wild face with him: bringing him over to the NHL. They’ll have to do a lot of work in convincing him to join the team, especially versus playing with one of the best teams back home.

What the Minnesota Wild can offer him, however, is better than what other teams can. At left wing, the two best players the Wild have are Parise, now 34 and seemingly perpetually injured, and Jason Zucker. Zucker is more of a second-line player and as he ages, Parise may need to take on a lesser role, especially as the Wild need him to stay healthy. Therefore, the Wild can offer Kaprizov an extended chance to play first line left wing with a very fine center in Staal. The chance to earn great money in the finest hockey league in the world should be enough to bring Kaprizov over.

Kaprizov was tied for 19th in scoring, 14th in assists, and 37th in goal scoring. In the playoffs, he was tied for 17th in scoring and sixth in assists. He’s an excellent playmaker, and he’s someone the Minnesota Wild truly need. He could be their Artemi Panarin, someone to pair with a right wing like Granlund or in the future possibly Kunin and get the most out of that player. Kaprizov is the prospect with the highest ceiling, the most NHL readiness, and should be the most desired by the Wild. Bringing him over should be their focus.