Minnesota Wild: Top-8 prospects worth getting excited about
The Minnesota Wild are in a strange position and have been for quite some time, as they have long been a bubble team.
Each season the Minnesota Wild are always near the Playoff hunt, sometimes qualifying, other times not. When they do get in, they pose almost zero threat to go on a run of any sort. The problem with this is that when they do miss, they aren’t able to get high draft picks to help turn them around given that many teams still place below them in the standings.
They are a team who over the years has had no real sense of direction, failing to become contenders but also refusing to rebuild. In fact, they were already tied for being the oldest team in the entire NHL prior to former General Manager Paul Fenton signing forward Mats Zuccarello to a five-year, $30 million deal.
More from Puck Prose
- Detroit Red Wings 2023 Rookie Camp Has Plenty of Ups and Downs
- This Columbus Blue Jackets rookie doesn’t want to be forgotten
- 2 trades the Boston Bruins must make to secure the Stanley Cup
- 3 reasons the Avalanche won’t win the Stanley Cup in 2024
- This is a big year for Alex Turcotte and the Los Angeles Kings
The Norwegian forward was nearly 32-years-old at the time of the signing. This was just one of many odd moves the Wild have made over the years that have continued to result in them being a middling team.
Prior to the 2019-20 season, however, the Wild announced the hiring of Bill Guerin as their New General manager, ushering in a new sense of direction for this stuck-in-the-mud franchise. While he himself has made a few eyebrow raising moves, he has done an overall solid job so far and appears to have a clear vision for this team.
This is good news for Wild fans, as they have the potential to be very good in a few years due to their extremely impressive prospect pool. Though they will likely struggle in 2020-21, they could soon turn things around.
As mentioned in every other top 8 prospects article throughout this series, any player who has played in more NHL games than any other league in a season, regardless of the season, will not be included. With that being said, here are the Minnesota Wild’s top 8 prospects worth getting excited about…
8. Alexander Khovanov
The first prospect making his appearance on this list is Alexander Khovanov. The Russian center was taken by the Minnesota Wild in the Third Round (No. 86 overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. The 20-year-old has spent the last three seasons in the QMJHL playing for the Moncton Wildcats. During his draft eligible season, which happened to be his rookie year, he was limited to just 29 games due to contracting hepatitis A during a trip to the Dominican Republic prior to the season began. Though he wasn’t able to begin his season until late December, he made the most of it as he put up 28 points.
light. Related Story. Top 8 Anaheim Ducks Prospects worth getting excited about
Khovanov proceeded to put up 74 points in his second season, but it was the 2019-20 season that really proved just how talented he is. In just 51 games with the Wildcats, he scored 32 goals and had 99 points. His 99-points led his team in scoring by a wide margin, as Jeremy McKenna came in second with 82. An even crazier stat line from that season was his plus/minus, as he finished the year as a plus 58. On top of that, he also represented Team Russia at the 2020 World Juniors where he had eight points in seven contests.
The future looks very bright for the talented Russian.
7. Calen Addison
While the Wild were able to pick up Alex Galchenyuk from the Pittsburgh Penguins at the 2020 Trade Deadline for long-time forward Jason Zucker, that was not the best asset they got in the deal. The most exciting piece headed the Wild’s way was 2018 Second Round (No. 53 overall) pick Calen Addison. The 20-year-old defenseman has spent the last four seasons in the WHL with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, posting point per game numbers over the last three.
This past season saw Addison put up 10 goals and 52 points in 50 games played. While that was impressive, it was nothing compared to his performance at the 2020 World Juniors where he played a massive role in Canada winning Gold with nine points in seven contests.
That total was good enough for second in scoring by a defenseman at the tournament, trailing Leafs prospect Rasmus Sandin by just one point. Addison will likely spend the 2020-21 season in the AHL with the Iowa Wild, where he will look to continue putting up big numbers. While it is a big jump in play, he appeared in three AHL games during the 2018-19 season as a part of the Penguins organization and had two assists.
6. Vladislav Firstov
One of many skilled forward prospects the Wild possess is Vladislav Firstov. The 19-year-old was taken in the Second Round (No. 42 overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. At the time he was selected, he had just wrapped up his first and only season in the USHL, where he suited up for 62 games with the Waterloo Black Hawks. In those 62 games he had 26 goals and 58 points.
This past season saw Firstov make his debut for the University of Connecticut. By all accounts, it was a successful freshman season as he put up 11 goals and 23 points in 34 games played. That point total was good enough for third on his team, and was just five shy of the team lead. What makes it even more impressive was that he was just 18 for the entire season. He will have a strong shot at representing Team Russia at the upcoming World Juniors in Edmonton.
5. Kaapo Kahkonen
Wild fans finally got a chance to see their potential future starting netminder this season, as Kaapo Kahkonen made his NHL debut this past season, appearing in five games. It has been a long journey for the 24-year-old, who was selected way back at the 2014 NHL Entry Draft in the Fourth Round (No. 109 overall). He faired well in his very brief NHL showing, posting a 2.96 goals against average (GAA) along with a .913 save percentage (SV%) and a 3-1-1 record.
Related Story. Top 8 Dallas Stars Prospects worth getting excited about. light
The 2019-20 season was the second in North America for the Finnish netminder. While his rookie season with the Iowa Wild was nothing spectacular, the most recent certainly was. In 34 games, Kahkonen had a 2.07 GAA along with a .927 SV% and a ridiculous 25-6-3 record. He not only has a chance at beating out Alex Stalock as Minnesota’s backup for the 2020-21 season, but could challenge newly acquired Cam Talbot for starts.
4. Matthew Boldy
Another very intriguing college prospect the Wild have in their system is Matthew Boldy. The 19-year-old forward was selected 12th overall at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft after his 17 goal, 43-point performance with the U.S. National Under-18 Team in the USHL. Those totals came in just 28 contests. It was the second and final season in the USHL for Boldy, after he had put up 35 points in 34 games the season prior with the U.S. National Under-17 Team.
The 2019-20 season saw Boldy suit up in his freshman season for Boston College, where he impressed with nine goals and 26 points in 34 games. Like Firstov, he was able to do that playing the entire season at just 18-years-old. Barring a complete shocker, he will compete for Team USA at the World Juniors, and will likely be relied upon as one of the team’s top offensive threats.
3. Adam Beckman
No player on this list had a bigger improvement in a year than Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native Adam Beckman. The Wild were able to grab the now 19-year-old in the Third Round (No. 75 overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft with a pick that just a year and a half later appears to be a massive steal. His draft season in 2018-19, which happened to be his first in the WHL, was a solid one as he had 32 goals and 62 points in 68 games, along with another 12 points in 15 Playoff matches. However, no one expected him to do what he did just one season later.
Related Story. Top 8 Colorado Avalanche Prospects worth getting excited about. light
Beckman tore up the WHL last season, scoring 48 goals and 107 points in just 63 games. Both of those totals led the league, as Orrin Centazzo finished second in goals with 44, while Seth Jarvis came second in points with 97. As a result of the fantastic and unexpected season, Beckman earned himself an invite to Team Canada’s selection camp for the World Juniors, and also has a great shot at making the team. This was a fantastic pick by the Wild scouting staff.
2. Marco Rossi
As if the Wild didn’t already have enough great forward prospects, they were able to add yet another in the 2020 Draft when they selected Marco Rossi with the ninth overall pick. While being taken at ninth overall is nothing to scoff at, Rossi likely would have been a top five selection if not for concerns on his size.
The Austrian born forward stands at just five-foot-nine. Given his offensive talent however, along with the fact that the NHL is seeing more and more undersized players being able to make an impact, it doesn’t seem overly concerning.
This past season, which was his second for the Ottawa 67’s in the OHL, Rossi put up a video game like 39 goals and 120 points in just 56 games. This followed what was already considered an impressive rookie season in which he had 29 goals and 65 points. His 120 points led the league by a fairly significant margin, as Seth Jarvis came in second with 109.
The future is very bright for the 19-year-old and he could develop into a franchise player for the Minnesota Wild.
1. Kirill Kaprizov
Wild fans, the time has finally come. After years of anticipation, the talented Russian forward, who was selected in the Fifth Round (No. 135 overall) of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, is set to come to North America for the 2020-21 season. The 23-year-old has been considered one of, if not the best player in the entire world outside of the NHL, and for good reason.
Related Story. Top 8 Edmonton Oilers Prospects worth getting excited about. light
Over his last four KHL seasons, he has put up 195 points in 205 games. That includes his 2019-20 career-high in which he had 33 goals and 62 points in 57 games for CSKA Moscow. That point total led his team in scoring by a wide margin, as former NHLer Linden Vey came in second with just 48.
Next. Ranking the best fits for Chara. dark
There is always a risk with Russian players adapting to the NHL’s style of play, but it doesn’t seem to be something that concerns many regarding Kaprizov. The expectation is that after a long wait, he will finally play in the NHL and put up big totals, which is outstanding news for the Minnesota Wild who are in dire need of a spark.