Minnesota Wild are No. 2 in 2025 NHL prospect pool rankings

Welcome to Scott Wheelers 2025 rankings of every NHL organizations prospects .

You can find the complete ranking and more information on the project and its criteria here , as we count down daily from No.

32 to No.

1.

The series, which includes in-depth evaluations and insight from sources on nearly 500 prospects, runs from Jan.

8 to Feb.

7.

Advertisement The selection of Zeev Buium (who I believe is one of the top prospects in the sport right now) 12th in 2024 and the addition of 2022 No.

6 pick David Jiricek via trade has taken a Wild pool that ranked 11th in last years rankings and pushed them into what became a clear-cut top three this year with Montreal and San Jose.

The Wild are also the only playoff team with a top-five pool.

They havent drafted in the top 10 in any of the four drafts that make up the age groups for this years pool rankings but theyve still made six first-round picks and six second-round picks in those four years, so full marks to Bill Guerin and his staff for adding instead of subtracting draft capital while they tried to compete, and to Judd Brackett and their amateur scouts for the job theyve done.

2024 prospect pool rank: No.

11 (change: +9) GO DEEPER NHL prospect pool rankings 2025: Scott Wheeler evaluates all 32 farm systems 1.

Zeev Buium, LHD, 19 (University of Denver) Buium put together one of the best seasons by a teenage defenseman in modern college hockey history last year, has been a big part of two gold medal-winning World Junior teams and is having another excellent sophomore season that has continued to solidify his status as one of the top D prospects in the NHL.

As a freshman, he produced above the rates of established NHL stars at the same age and elevated again and again in big moments (the World Juniors, the NCHC Tournament and finally the national championship).

Buium, a December 2005 birthday who spent two seasons at the national program before his draft year, wasnt viewed like he is now coming out of the NTDP but did really hit his stride in the second half of his U18 year, becoming a driver for the U18s and showing glimpses of what was to come.

In college, after growing to 6 feet, he has not only maintained his identity but has really expanded on it, playing leading minutes and impacting play in all areas with his very active and influential brand of hockey.

Advertisement Hes a plus-level skater and handler who plays an extremely involved game in all three zones, whether thats activating into the rush or off the point, shaking pressure on exits or across/off the blue line (which he does extraordinarily well, making opposing players miss), working in and out of give-and-gos, or playing tight gaps against the rush.

Hes a very busy player on both sides of the puck and he gets in and out of his transitions and footwork so quickly that he can play that style.

When hes dialed in, applying pressure on and off the puck and using his feet and his skating to influence play, he can really impact a game in a lot of ways and take over play both offensively (with his activations and evasiveness in the offensive zone) and defensively (with his ability to swallow up top players).

His shakes and deception have gone from a strength to a game-breaking quality.

His head is always on a swivel.

He opens up and walks the line to create lanes for his shot and pass so well, even working off his off-side.

He side-steps past opposing players with ease.

Hes got great hands (complemented by those inside edges and shoulder fakes).

Some questioned his lack of physicality (with one scout even calling him soft) early on in his draft year but those questions have been emphatically answered in the last 12 months going to work on some of the more talented forwards in college hockey defensively in big moments and top players at the World Juniors (I thought after a bit of an off start in this years tournament that he really elevated in the medal round and defended at a high level).

He has learned that the faster he cuts off plays the more he can play offense, and has really begun to take space more assertively defensively (on top of all of his stickwork and footwork).

Hell occasionally lose a battle in front or in the corner but he defends at a high level in every other area and his ability to shake and dance past and around coverage can really open up the offensive zone for his team when hes out there.

He has played some very high-level hockey for a while now (two springs ago to finish strong at the NTDP, again at the World Junior Summer Showcase, again at two World Juniors and as a big-time freshman and sophomore in college) and projects as a first-pairing, play-driving, extremely involved defenseman with a real chance at stardom.

2.

Danila Yurov, C/LW/RW, 21 (Metallurg Magnitogorsk) Ive been a big fan of Yurovs game and was really high on him in his draft year (when the Wild took him No.

24, he was No.

12 on my list).

I had concerns for a while there about how Magnitogorsk had handled his development and the limited minutes they gave him at the KHL level even when it looked like he was ready for more, but he forced their hand with an excellent camp and start to the season last year and put together one of the best age-adjusted seasons in KHL history by years end.

Not only was he a good teams leading scorer, but he finished the season with the KHLs all-time under-21 scoring record, breaking Vladimir Tarasenkos single-season mark and passing Kirill Kaprizov and Evgeny Kuznetsov along the way.

He hasnt been as productive this season but he has been a real driver of positive results and looks like hes going to be a second-line player in the NHL to me.

Advertisement For years, he was a rare winger who was capable of driving play, chances and results at both ends without necessarily looking like he was dominating out there.

Last year, a move to center helped him really lean into that identity and he looked like a natural down the middle outside of needing some expected work in the faceoff.

Hes a kid who has really impressed me almost every time Ive watched him over the years, whether against his peers or in the KHL.

Considering his ice time, he was actually quite productive between ages 17 and 19 in the KHL as well, so its not as though last years breakout was a surprise.

If you were to fill up two buckets with his tools (one for the strengths, one for the weaknesses) and place them on a scale, the bucket with his strengths in it would be overflowing and the one with his weaknesses would be near empty.

He plays hard and fast, he pushes tempo, hes a strong and balanced skater, hes an excellent give-and-go player who excels at playing in and out of space without the puck, his shot comes off his blade hard in motion (and has added some versatility/different weapons after it was more of a stand-up wrister earlier in his development), hes got pro size (6-foot-1 and about 180 pounds) and skill, hes diligent in all three zones and hes almost always in the right position or reading the play to get back into it (on offense or defense).

Young players are often either advanced in the way they operate on the ice but lack the high-end skill to make the most out of it, or have the skill in spades but struggle to use it because they arent processing the game fast enough.

Yurov doesnt have any problems on either front.

He may not become a true star, but hes got top-six tools and his odds of really hitting relative to where he was picked feel pretty high.

His successful move to the middle is huge, too.

I like him as a center a lot.

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David Jiricek, RHD, 21 (Iowa Wild/Minnesota Wild) Jiricek has some extremely desirable attributes, marked by a booming point shot (its explosive, and he does a really good job keeping it on target and a couple of feet off the ice); a strong 6-foot-4 frame that continues to fill out (hes over 200 pounds); and a commanding on-ice presence that can look to take control with the puck inside the offensive zone.

Defensively, hes a capable man-to-man in-zone defender and though I do worry about his stilted backward skating/pivots and how often he gets caught flat-footed off the rush, he closes out on gaps (he can struggle maintaining them but using timing to his advantage and is eager to pounce) with his length and aggression.

Offensively, he leads a ton of rushes as an equally eager puck transporter (hes a better skater going forward than backward) and hes a capable handler and distributor whose point shot is complemented by an aggressive approach.

There are also some subtleties to his game (first passes that are almost never off target, a sneaky-silky first touch for a player his size into his first move and an ability to make a second move, etc.).

But his modus operandi is that hes a confident, active, engaged, talented player who has almost all of the tools you look for in a top defender except for the footwork on his heels.

When his timing is on and hes stepping up early to take ice in the neutral zone, he can really dominate a game on both sides of the puck.

He can be a little overzealous at times (offensively and defensively) and will occasionally get burned wide, but that eagerness to make something happen also defines his game and hes a lot to handle when he builds a head of steam through his tall crossovers and starts circling the offensive zone to attack.

He wants to dictate and influence the game on his terms, rather than wait for it to come to him (which can also come with waiting a little too long to make his decisions at the time, but is more often apparent in quick, aggressive choices).

Ive liked the way he has played with the NHL club since the promotion from Iowa as well, though it has been in sheltered usage.

He has a couple of kinks to iron out with his decision-making and footwork, but the rest is there and hes got legitimate top-four/impact upside.

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Jesper Wallstedt, G, 22 (Iowa Wild/Minnesota Wild) This has been the first challenging year of Wallstedts young career.

Iowa has really struggled to keep the puck out of its net and defend in front of him, but it was also a porous defensive team a year ago and he just played better than he has this year.

(Last year, his .910 save percentage versus veteran partner Zane McIntyres .881 said as much, and while all of Iowas goalies this year have save percentages below .900, Wallstedt is now the one with the weakest of the bunch instead of the other way around.) The reality is that Wallstedt, who I talked about for years as a goalie robot, has looked human this year.

His body of work and game still combine to make him a top goalie prospect but there are some areas that need work.

Wallstedts game has traditionally had real polish and maturity in lots of areas (its important to remember that even though this is already his third AHL season, hes still one of only 13 U23 goalies who plays regularly in the league and that he just turned 22 in November).

Theres a control and soundness to his game that was always rare in goalies his age.

Hes also a big 6-foot-3, 213-pound (he fills the net, too) goalie who plays sharp lines positionally, holds those lines and swallows the first shot so that he doesnt have to make a ton of second saves.

Hes shown a calm in the net over the years, staring down shooters and reading them.

He covers the bottom of the net well and kicks and controls pucks well down low.

He tracks through layers well to find pucks, and he reads opposing shooters so well that hes rarely beaten cleanly.

There are some minor questions about his fitness and his agility, though.

There are times when he doesnt get up and down as quickly as youd like to close his five-hole or recover on second and third chances.

And while hes strong going post-to-post and low-to-high I wouldnt say he has quick feet one-on-one.

Id still be surprised if he doesnt become a good 1A/1B in time but he does need to get a little quicker if hes going to realize that potential.

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Liam Ohgren, LW, 21 (Minnesota Wilds/Iowa Wild) There has always been a lot to like about Ohgren as a player.

Hes strong on pucks, holding them with ease against his peers and comfort against pros, which has helped him become a natural at drawing penalties and has helped him hold his own in a depth role to start in the NHL.

Hes also a combination shot-and-pass, power-and-finesse player who can show a variety of tools over the course of a game.

I like the way he shades into and away from pressure in control.

His shot comes off his blade quickly, hard and naturally, rocking it back into his stance and letting it go (it really rattles off his stick).

His offensive arsenal is multifaceted and hes got some underrated craftiness and evasiveness to his game to complement the tools of strength, effectiveness and shooting that are more evident.

He releases quickly and goes and gets pucks/wins races.

Hes good on the cycle.

He could use another step if the rest of his translatable game is to produce in a top-nine capacity as more of an impact guy (I always thought he might have a chance to be Brock Boeser if things break well, but could end up as more of a bottom-sixer if they dont) but I dont think his skating is an impediment from him having a good career as at least a complementary third-liner.

It has also noticeably improved over the last couple of years (it looks lighter through his crossovers and his pickups) and he finds ways to get to pucks and/or get open around the home-plate area inside the offensive zone, where his skill and shot take over.

Add in a commitment to the puck retrievals and battles and a strong base knowledge of when to make the simple play and when to attack, and youve got a pretty safely projectable winger at an early age.

And dont confuse completeness for lack of talent, as I think that can often be misconstrued and thats not the case here.

Hes not going to be a dynamic, high-skill guy but he can attack when opportunities present themselves.

You cant fault his effort level.

Hes strong.

He can score.

Again, theres a lot to like.

Ohgren put together one of the most productive age-adjusted seasons in the history of Swedens top junior level and two strong performances internationally for Sweden (first at last years Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and then at the U18 worlds, where he was also the teams captain) in his draft year.

And he was in the middle of following that up with a strong post-draft season in the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan while riding a three-game point streak and playing his best hockey of the season two years ago when he got injured late in January 2023, only to return and pick up where he left off in the home stretch and into the playoffs.

Last year, after developing a nagging injury in offseason training, Ohgren then didnt play with his new club in the SHL until late November and had to be eased into the new level but finished with a very respectable 19 points in 26 games before coming over to make his AHL and NHL debuts.

He was also a little snakebitten for a third straight World Juniors, going goalless on 26 shots (second on Team Sweden) despite some really good looks.

His near-point-per-game production in the first few months of this season in the AHL was also very productive for a player who was, at the time, 20 (he turned 21 just last week).

Advertisement Ultimately, I expect Ohgren to have a long career as a solid NHL player and secondary scorer.

6.

Riley Heidt, C, 19 (Prince George Cougars) No.

23 on my board when the Wild took him No.

64, Heidt looked more like a late first than a late second last season in the WHL.

After registering 97 points in a full 68-game season on a middle-of-the-pack Cougars team in his draft year, Heidt finished third in the WHL in points (117) and second in assists (80) last year.

His production hasnt been quite as prolific this year but hes still on pace for another 100-point season.

Hes undeniably a top WHL player and has been for three seasons now but some still wonder what role hes playing in the NHL and whether his skill/skating/smarts are high-end enough to be a top-six skill guy or whether hes more likely a middle-six/PP2 guy if it works.

Some of his struggles in higher-end environments with Hockey Canada have reinforced that (between U18 worlds, the World Junior Summer Showcase and World Junior Selection Camp, he has struggled to elevate, though I did think he was better at the WJSS than Dave Cameron and his staff gave him credit for).

Taken No.

2 in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft with the pick between Connor Bedard and Brayden Yager (he and Yager were actually teammates in minor hockey), Heidts a talented and hardworking playmaker who keeps himself involved in the play off the puck and then makes plays (especially as an equal parts instinctual and cerebral facilitator) in possession of the puck.

Hes also been strong in the faceoff circle the last three seasons, establishing himself as a go-to guy in the dot in the WHL.

Hes not a speedster but hes a good enough skater who is comfortable on his edges, plays with jump, will build speed and put junior defenders on their heels and/or create separation, leads a lot of neutral-zone carries into entries and makes plays into space for himself or his linemates at pace, though he can over-pass at times (to the point where he passes up good looks).

He quickly identifies gaps and vulnerabilities in coverage and then executes through seams.

Hell finish his checks and can play a scrappy game when the intensity ramps up (which has resulted in a couple of suspensions in his time in the WHL).

Hes unafraid to try things and has the skill to execute difficult plays.

Hell win inside body positioning to come away with a lot of pucks against his peers.

Hell block shots.

And he always seems to be around it.

Advertisement His ability to make plays offensively both off the rush and inside the zone (where hes got slick skill in traffic, great instincts off the puck and a lunch-pail approach) also gives me confidence that hell continue to progress.

Some are concerned he doesnt score enough to project into a top-six role, or have the desired size to play the skilled worker game he plays in junior as his identity in a potential bottom-six role as a center, but I like him to figure out a fit as a talented and competitive secondary top-nine playmaker who can help run a second power-play unit.

7.

Marat Khusnutdinov, C, 22 (Minnesota Wild) Though Khusnutdinov has played exclusively in the NHL since coming over last spring, his role has been limited enough (often eight-to-10 minutes) that I think theres at least a chance he plays AHL games at some point and I decided to include him here one last time as a result.

After registering an impressive 41 points in 63 games as a 20-year-old with KHL giant SKA two years ago, their forward group got more crowded last season with the additions of Sergei Tolchinsky and Alex Galchenyuk and Khusnutdinovs role took a hit, his minutes falling from almost 17 minutes per game (a big deal for a player his age) to 10 minutes per game through their first six games last year before a move to Sochi where he got back to playing 17 minutes per game but wasnt able to be as productive on a poorer team.

He has held his own in the NHL but has been largely vanilla in my viewings and is probably better suited for a third-line role with third-line linemates than a fourth-line one long-term (if he can earn it).

He deserves a lot of credit for his early success across pro levels over the last few years, though, because its on the back of a game that seems to earn trust more easily than other young players do.

Advertisement Khusnutdinov has good overall skill and an engine thats always ramped up, engaging himself in the play and making quick decisions from A to B to move the puck, track the play and make quick, small skill plays in between.

And while hes a little below average in size (5-foot-10/11, 175-180 pounds) and not particularly dynamic in any one area, he has some skill (more as a playmaker than a scorer, though hes opportunistic around the net, too).

Hes effective, hes talented enough, he can skate and he plays hard enough.

Hes a solid, respectable player.

Id like to see him make more plays at times and he needs to get better in the faceoff circle but he projects as a potential third-line type who can play with a variety of linemates.

Hes also by all accounts a well-liked locker room guy and coachable.

8.

Charlie Stramel, C, 20 (Michigan State University) After conversations with scouts or folks at the national program about Stramel when he was there (in advance of playing his draft year at Wisconsin), I always felt I wasnt quite where they were in terms of their belief in the player and his upside.

That continued to start his draft year as he struggled to have a real impact with the Badgers early on as a freshman (albeit it a young one, and albeit on a bad/at-times lost team).

He started to come on before the World Juniors in Halifax, though, and then he was good in a bottom-six role for Team USA and played quite well in college in the second half, renewing the hope and belief many had in him.

That was encouraging enough for the Wild to take him at No.

21 in the draft (he was No.

37 on my list).

He didnt look like a first-round pick in his post-draft year back at Wisconsin, though.

Between early-season injury issues, a struggle to assert himself as he had in some impressive stretches against his age group coming up and low-end production, it really felt like he wasnt trending in the right direction.

His transfer to MSU to play under Adam Nightingale, who was his coach at the program, has done wonders, though.

Hes second on the Spartans in scoring and has gotten back to what makes him effective and even impactful as a junior.

Advertisement He always had tools to work with and build around.

Nicknamed Big Rig when he was at the program, Stramel is a heavy kid whose athletic, muscular build jumps out at you right away.

His strength complements a competitive, physical, forechecking, middle-lane style that makes good use of his length and includes a hard wrister from midrange.

He can push into space.

Hes got decent hands when he pushes through the middle.

Scouts were fascinated by his power-forward package and size down the middle (following a move to center from the wing as a 16-year-old).

Ive questioned his talent level, processing and pace, but he has played with more intention and confidence this year to help re-establish himself as a potential bottom-six NHL center with some size.

He has played on both special teams and been a solid driver of play at five-on-five at MSU this year and is still just 20.

There are still times when he can look like the third guy on his line, I dont see enough playmaking or sense and hes a little sluggish from a standstill through his first few strides (once he gets moving, his stride actually has good power and hes a decent skater for his size on the whole) but the consistency of his involvement in plays and the number of touches hes getting have gone way up, which speaks to both confidence and also some learning in terms of how to get open/what he needs to be.

When hes around it, he can be a handful.

Hes now getting around it more consistently and then making his decisions more confidently and quickly (which doesnt mean getting rid of it as sometimes the quick decision is to hold it and drive).

I dont think hes going to provide much offense at the NHL level but he should be able to chip in and become a good, hard and heavy bottom-six player at the next level in time.

(If I were him, Id go back to MSU for a fourth year, theres no rush given he began in college in his draft year and he still has work to do).

Theres probably still a scenario where he just becomes AHL depth but his NHL likelihood has recalibrated nicely.

9.

Ryder Ritchie, RW, 18 (Medicine Hat Tigers) Ritchie is a summer birthday who excelled as a 16-year-old two seasons ago, finishing third on a bottom-of-the-standings Prince Albert team and scoring nearly a point per game.

I liked what I saw of him at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge as well, and he was one of Canadas most dangerous forwards at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup to enter his draft year last year with some real momentum momentum that continued early on as the Raiders focal point offensively before tapering off a bit until he was sidelined in mid-December with a lower-body injury.

I liked what I saw out of him late in the year and into the WHL playoffs but he was just fine for Canada at U18 worlds.

After a trade to a contending Medicine Hat team this year, he missed 14 games after teammate Oasiz Wiesblatts skate caught him in the face early on in the season, requiring surgery to bring down the swelling.

Since returning, he has been productive but has played at about the same rate he did in the previous two seasons, scoring just above a point per game.

Advertisement Ritchies combination of skill and skating has always been appealing.

Hes also now listed at 6-foot-1, up from 5-foot-10 in his 16-year-old season.

Ritchies a shifty playmaking winger who can make highlight-reel skill plays with the puck.

He can play at multiple paces and adjust his tempo between them.

He protects extremely well and will commonly shake past or around opposing players, building speed through his crossovers to hang onto the puck inside the offensive zone until a play presents itself.

Theres also some real creativity to his game as an equal opportunity facilitator and finisher (hes got a really nifty curl-and-drag and snap release that can cleanly beat goalies from midrange).

He has a way of finding his way out of trouble, whether with a twist or turn or bit of creativity to set up an opening to pass through with a pre-planned move so that he can place a puck under a stick or between someones skates.

Hes a crafty, talented winger who looks like hes got top-six upside to me, even if the points havent popped like some expected they would by now.

I could see him, with good health, becoming a 90-to-100-point player next season.

He may top out as a AAAAer with some skating and skill elements, but I expect him to get signed and there are some who believe hes talented enough to become a middle-sixer in the NHL with proper development.

10.

Aron Kiviharju, LHD, 19 (HIFK) Context is particularly important when trying to slot and understand Kiviharju, because hes been around a long time and has been a top 2006 internationally but is also a 5-foot-10 fourth-round pick.

He made the leap to Finlands top junior league at 15 and didnt just play but excelled, immediately becoming one of its most productive defensemen and even wearing a letter on his jersey.

He then played and starred at U18 worlds three times first in Germany at 16, topping Finlands blue line with six points in six games to help steer them (figuratively, but also literally steering the game on the ice) to a silver medal; again in Switzerland (still as an underager), where he was the best defenseman on a team that disappointingly lost in the quarters; and once more on home ice in Finland as captain.

He also led the Finns to bronze at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup as an underager.

Two seasons ago, after an excellent preseason with TPS, it looked like he might play his way into becoming the youngest full-time player in Liiga and at the World Juniors.

But then he struggled to establish himself, bounced between levels and was one of the final cuts for Finlands under-20 national team.

Last season, after making a move away from TPS to join HIFK for his draft year, he established himself as a top-six D, played on both special teams, scored his first pro goal, and then blew out his knee and missed most of the year recovering from ACL surgery (he would have been a top player for a Finnish World Junior team that could have used him on the back end, too).

This year, he finally played at the World Juniors and captained Finland to a surprise silver medal.

More importantly, he has also stayed healthy and has played to decent results as a teenage D in Liiga, playing just under 17 minutes per game.

Advertisement Im a fan of the way Kiviharju plays the game and hes one of the smarter D prospects in the sport.

Is that enough when hes got some other practical limitations, though? He manages play in front of him with impressive poise and comfort, directing and influencing play all the way down the ice.

He effortlessly advances play under pressure inside his own zone, side-stepping forecheckers to headman pucks.

He walks the line beautifully, with a knack for shaping shots through to the net.

His first touch on the move is always perfectly caught.

Hes clever.

He processes the game faster than the opposition and sees things that others dont see.

And hes an intelligent defender who gaps up well and gets pucks going the other way quickly with little bump passes and exits in order to offset some of his size limitations.

Hes definitely most noticeable breaking the puck out of his own zone, where his little carries and outlets make a big difference.

He shows deception across the line as well, although there are times when Id like to see him look to attack and take charge himself in the offensive zone a little more.

It can look like hes always trying to set up the next heady little play instead of just commanding it.

When he does really attack, he usually accomplishes what hes looking to as well because hes hyper-aware out there of the way the play develops.

Cerebral is the perfect word.

He can lack a separation gear and quickness in straight lines, though, which can result in a lot of resets and concerns about the translatability of his game at his size, but hes quick and comfortable through his crossovers and usually makes the right play when he does have to turn back and regroup.

He reads the game well defensively to break up plays with good timing, too.

He also plays his off-side comfortably.

I still like him and think his tactile game (eyes always up, picking teams apart) and high IQ could win out.

Hes quietly competitive, too.

But the lost year hurt his development, projection and status and hes going to need to add another gear to his skating to make it work at 5-foot-10.

His size and lack of length can be noticeable when trying to defend the rush and be disruptive with his stick at times.

Advertisement 11.

David Spacek, RHD, 21 (Iowa Wild) Drafted as an overager after emerging as one of the top defensemen in the QMJHL as a rookie following a move to North America from Czechia (where he was never in real consideration to be picked), Spacek has tracked well for a fifth-round selection since.

He was a borderline dominant two-way defenseman on a top team in Sherbrooke, playing big minutes to a point per game and driving results when he was on the ice for the Phoenix across two years.

He was an absolute rock for the silver-medal-winning Czechs at the World Juniors.

He played well for Czechia at last years mens world championships.

And now in his second pro season, hes playing 20 minutes per game and is Iowas most productive defenseman and power-play quarterback.

Though he has been productive across levels and can move pucks, hes also an all-around D and you count on him.

Hes a steadying presence defensively on the blue line.

Hes physical and stout.

Though his game offensively isnt dynamic, he keeps his eyes up, hes a comfortable handler, he engages in the offense and he possesses a hard, NHL shot.

Hes also a righty.

There are times when he can look a little heavy-footed for a 6-foot defenseman but I think hes on a path to becoming a No.

5-7 D.

12.

Mikey Milne, LW, 22 (Iowa Wild) Milne is an interesting story.

After being overlooked during the pandemic he got drafted in the third round as an overager after he registered 51 goals and 100 points in 83 combined regular-season and playoff games with the Winnipeg Ice in the WHLs first season back.

That year, the Ice were loaded up front and he often looked like a driver on a team that had first-round talents like Matt Savoie, Conor Geekie and Zach Benson.

After the Wild picked him, they signed him and he immediately turned pro and played in Iowa the following season.

Now hes in his third year in Iowa and has become an important part of the team, playing 17 minutes per game and contributing on both the penalty kill and the power play.

In the fall, he also made his NHL debut.

Advertisement Hes a competitive, versatile forward who plays hard for a 5-foot-10/11 winger.

Hes committed in all three zones to tracking and supporting play and can finish off plays when he gets clean looks around the slot.

He has looked good in my viewings this year, is probably owed more on the scoresheet and can play with anybody.

He probably tops out as a call-up option and I debated slotting him a little lower here but Milne is a player you can plug into your lineup and trust to give an honest effort and make winning plays.

13.

Carson Lambos, LHD, 22 (Iowa Wild) Lambos age group (the 2003s) was probably most impacted by the pandemic because it created such a difficult landscape for their draft years.

After establishing himself as a top player in the age group in minor hockey and having an excellent 16-year-old season in the WHL, Lambos spent his draft year in Finland during the height of it.

He also lost out on his World Juniors experience after the Edmonton tournament he was a part of was canceled two games in and then was cut as a returnee after an up-and-down start to the next season coincided with some health complications.

Still, he finished his junior career as a top player on a top team in back-to-back seasons in Winnipeg, was named their captain and established himself as a top contributor on offense and defense.

Last year, he played 16 minutes per game as a rookie defenseman in the AHL and looked fine in my viewings on a team whose young defense struggled.

This season, though those minutes are up to nearly 19 per game and his on-ice results are improved, theres still some wonder as to what he ultimately is.

He doesnt profile as a prospect like he did in his early days in the WHL anymore, but I still think hes got the chance to play some games.

When he plays confidently with the puck on his stick, he has shown he can beat the first layer of pressure into an intentional play (whether thats side-stepping a forechecker and slinging an outlet past or walking past the high man in the offensive zone into a hard wrister that can score from the high slot).

He engages himself in the game, competes and can use sharp timing (offensively or defensively) to break up plays or quickly execute something he sees.

Hes athletic enough, he puts himself into what happens on the ice (on both sides of the puck), hes got a decent frame/build, his point shot can come off hard and hes a heady distributor and stretch passer.

There are times when he can play a little too much on instinct and scramble a little.

Advertisement He does have one year left on his ELC after this year and its going to be important that he takes a step and puts himself in the call-up conversation by the end of it.

14.

Hunter Haight, C, 20 (Iowa Wild) Haights a player I and others have enjoyed watching over the years and have an appreciation for, but also one youre waiting to see break out and really find another level as a 5-foot-11 center.

I thought he was going to have a breakout season after the draft and then things just didnt really come together in Barrie and he was traded.

Then, last season, I know he and the Spirit thought he was going to have that breakout and become a 90-to-100-point guy, but it just didnt play out that way on a deep Saginaw team (he finished just below a point per game).

Still, he won the Memorial Cup and he was a big part of a top team.

This year, after another promising camp (he has played well in rookie tournaments/main camps, to his credit, and the Wild like him), he has had a respectable rookie season on a low-scoring team in Iowa, playing to half a point per game and 17 minutes per game and a contributor on both the power play and penalty kill.

Haight has some talent and smarts for his game.

Hes a decent skater.

Hes got some vision and playmaking ability.

He sees the ice and the development of the play at a high level.

Hes got some cleverness to his game.

Hes got some natural finishing ability when he gets looks in the slot.

And while he doesnt fit the NHL checker mold (Im not sure if he has an NHL fit/role) and isnt talented enough to project into a top six, Haights a responsible off-puck player who has worked to become a good 200-foot player.

He sticks with plays and draws penalties.

Hes a well-liked kid.

Im not sure what his NHL projection could look like, but hes an intelligent, well-rounded, likable player who does everything fairly well even if he lacks ideal size/a dynamic quality.

Advertisement If he makes it, itll be as a hungry thinker whose game works better with pro players (though I wonder if hell have a better shot as a winger than center at the next level and he has struggled in the faceoff circle this year).

I like him but I think hes more likely to play games than become an everyday player, though.

15.

Aaron Pionk, LHD, 22 (University of Minnesota-Duluth) The Wild took Pionk in the fifth round as a 20-year-old in 2023 after he was a late-blooming standout in the USHL with Waterloo.

Last year, as a freshman in college, he won Minnesota-Duluths rookie of the year award and played 19 minutes per game for them.

Now hes a sophomore and has been a prominent producer for a low-scoring Bulldogs team the last two seasons, running their power play and emerging as one of their leading scorers this season.

The youngest brother of Jets defenseman Neal Pionk, Aaron played forward growing up before transitioning to defense in junior.

Hes a strong skater and athlete, with a lean and mobile 6-foot-1 frame.

He can move and handle pucks and when there are opportunities to make plays inside the offensive zone hes got the talent and confidence to take guys one-on-one or use his feet to open up his options.

Defensively, he plays tight gaps and relies on his feet to challenge opposing skaters and be disruptive.

Hell occasionally get beat but hes competitive enough and has room to continue to develop his defensive game and add muscle despite already being 22.

Ill be interested to see if they sign him and what he becomes.

Hes a unique player.

Im not sure if hell be an NHLer but Id be interested in working with him.

The Tiers As always, each prospect pool ranking is broken down into team-specific tiers in order to give you a better sense of the proximity from one player or group of players to the next.

The Wilds pool is divided into four tiers: 1, 2-4, 5-8, 9-15+.

Considered but not ranked were Iowa defensemen Ryan ORourke and Jack Peart, Iowa forward Caedan Bankier, Calgary Hitmen defenseman Kalem Parker, Finnish center Rasmus Kumpulainen and Finnish defenseman Sebastian Soini.

(Photo of Zeev Buium: Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images).

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