But on Friday evening, the move we’ve all been holding our breaths for finally happened, and it kind of came out of nowhere. Yes, Marco Rossi was sent out in the deal, along with a first round draft pick. Liam Ohgren is going to Vancouver, as well.

To the surprise of fans across MN Wild territory, however, prized rookie defenseman Zeev Buium was also part of the package sent across the USA border.

Minnesota Wild land another superstar in trade with Vancouver

But you can’t get talent unless you are willing to give it up. And coming to St. Paul, in return for the haul youngsters going to the Canucks is freshly-turned 26-year-old, 2x All-Star and Norris Trophy winning defenseman, Quinn Hughes, who leaves Vancouver as their points leader, with 23 (2 goals, 21 assists).

Breaking: Quinn Hughes is being traded to Minnesota

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) December 13, 2025

According to Michael Russo (The Athletic), Hughes will make his Minnesota Wild debut on Sunday against the Boston Bruins. This is hands-down the biggest move Guerin has mad as this organization’s head decision-maker, and one that will define his tenure.

What this Western Conference landscape-changing deal tells us is that the waiting in St. Paul is over. The time to win is now. Craig Leipold and Bill Guerin are tired of first round exits and they clearly believe Quinn Hughes is the guy who can make them a true Stanley Cup contender.

How should Wild fans feel about blockbuster deal?

While the truckload of talent going back to Vancouver is a bit overwhelming, on paper, it’s Minnesota who comes away as the clear winner of this blockbuster.

In hockey, much like the other professional sports we all follow, the winner of major trades like this one are usually the team receiving the best player. And tonight, there is no arguing who the best player exchanged in this move was.

Quinn Hughes time in Minnesota! #mnwild great to add the best defenseman in the NHL pic.twitter.com/OuNgYheNwn

— Alex Micheletti (@AlexMicheletti) December 13, 2025

The Wild’s defense, as a whole, was pretty talented prior to this trade. With Hughes slotted into the first pairing next to any of Brock Faber, Jared Spurgeon or Jonas Brodin, Minnesota’s blue line might be the best in hockey.

Throw in the Vancouver captain’s incredible ability to find scorers in scoring position… and it’s tantalizing to think about what Minnesota’s offensive attack could look like with Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov working alongside him.

Trade Winner: Minnesota Wild

There’s one caveat to the trade, of course. According to Russo, Hughes has not promised anything to the MN Wild, beyond the current term of his contract, which expires at the end of next season.

There has been no assurances given to the Wild that Hughes will extend next summer, per sources.

Obviously, Guerin knows him well

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) December 13, 2025

The #MNWild can't extend Quinn Hughes until July 1, but they've got a great tool in their back pocket to get it done:

They'll be the only team who can sign him for 8 years with a front-loaded structure including unlimited signing bonuses, before the CBA rules change Sept. 15.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) December 13, 2025

If Guerin cannot convince Quinn Hughes to stick around beyond 2026-27, this move could blow up in his face. Of course, Hughes is only a hair past 25, and demand for high-end blue line talent around the National Hockey League isn’t going away.

Should things not work out in this new arrangement, though, the Wild will have plenty of suitors interested in sending Guerin a similar talent-laden package, in order to become his third NHL team.

Related: MN Wild Recall Expensive Young Talent for Another NHL Opportunity

At just 26, Hughes already has 7+ seasons of NHL experience in his skates. In that time, he has played 459 games, averaging nearly a point per game, with 432 (61 goals, 371 assists).

Quinn’s goal-scoring production has been on the rise recently, too, potting 33 goals between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, more than he had in all of his first five seasons combined.

Minnesota Wild shake up roster, Liam Ohgren sent down

In a flurry of afternoon roster moves, the MN Wild recalled defenseman David Jiricek and forward Tyler Pitlick from AHL Iowa. The former will replace the injured Zach Bogosian; the latter will take the spot of Liam Ohgren, who was sent down to the AHL Wild amid Saturday’s reshuffling.

SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has recalled defenseman David Jiříček (YIHR-ih-chehk) and forward Tyler Pitlick from the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL) and assigned forward Liam Öhgren (OH-gren) to Iowa.

Minnesota Wild Press Release – 3:00 PM, October 18, 2025

Related: Problems Up the Middle Could Cause Wild to Break Up Superstars

Prior to his demotion, Liam Ohgren played in all five of Minnesota’s games this season, averaging 09:10 time on ice. Unfortunately, his early season production (0 goals, 0 assists, -4 +/-) was not what Wild coaches and executives were hoping for from the 21-year-old.

After Ohgren played as well as he did during camp, and off a 2024-25 down in Iowa in which he scored 19 goals (37 points) in just 41 games, the talented young Swed was supposed to be taking the next step in his development and helping to provide an offensive punch on the fourth line that most NHL teams do not have.

Ohgren scores immediately for Iowa Wild

So, Guerin sent him down to Iowa to hopefully get right. And if scoring seven minutes into your first game back in the AHL isn’t the start of something good… then I don’t know what is. But that’s exactly what Liam Ohgren did for the Minnesota Wild affiliate on Saturday night.

Yep, he's back! 🎯 #WildTerritory pic.twitter.com/JqvKdRLAxo

— Iowa Wild (@IAWild) October 18, 2025

President of hockey operations Bill Guerin was hoping to use some of the Wild’s newfound cap space on another high-end talent to put in the lineup with Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy and Marco Rossi. Unfortunately, with the cap going through major changes over the next couple years, most big-name players chose not to test free agency.

That has left Minnesota with over $10 million in cap space, entering training camp. Guerin was able to swing one noteworthy trade for a player that most Wild fans certainly recognized, 33-year-old Vladimir Tarasenko, who haunted us for years, while in St. Louis.

Vladimir Tarasenko standing out among Minnesota Wild camp

The Minnesota Wild started training camp on Thursday, so the sample size is quite small, but so far the return on their 13-year NHL veteran is already catching the attention of his new teammates.

Through the first two days of camp, Tarasenko has been skating circles around his teammates, potting three goals in scrimmage on day one, and another for good measure, on day two.

Skating on a line with youngster Liam Ohgren and veteran Joel Eriksson Ek, Tarasenko has four goals and two assists in two scrimmages, both wins for his group.

“He’s been pretty good so far, I think,” Eriksson Ek said, laughing. “He can still shoot the puck.”

As for Tarasenko’s solid start to camp — Yakov Trenin joked, “Two scrimmages, he’s killing us” — he’s enough of a veteran to realize these are just scrimmages playing with and against players who are not necessarily professionals yet, let alone NHLers. He called it a “friendly game” with “many work days ahead.”

The Athletic

As The Athletic’s Michael Russo points out, the sight of Tarasenko in a Wild sweater is a weird one. This is a guy who has won a pair of Stanley Cup’s and has twice been named an All-Star. He has 304 career goals under his belt, and is among the more decorated talents across the NHL.

In 80 games last year though, Tarasenko scored just 11 goals and had 33 points while being worth a minus-13. His heyday with the St. Louis Blues seems well in the rearview mirror, but it would be great if his Minnesota teammates rejuvenate him.

The early returns are nice to see from Tarasenko. He’ll need to carry that level of production over to the regular season if the MN Wild are going to escape the first round of the playoffs.

With a track record of success, and knowing what it takes to go deep in the playoffs, Tarasenko’s experience is just as valuable as his abilities. The more he can impart that on his teammates, the better.

MN Wild youth benefitting from Tarasenko’s presence

It’s not just what Tarasenko is able to do on his own, but his ability to level up the youth around him matters too. John Hynes is going to rely on multiple young players this year. Liam Ohgren is among those that must level up quickly. He is currently playing on a line with the veteran.

Initially pegged to play with Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek, the 33-year-old Tarasenko has been skating next to Eriksson Ek and youngster Liam Ohgren with Mats Zuccarello injured, and coach John Hynes likes how the three have debuted.

“A lot of game develops outside of the hockey [rink], when you can find the same things to talk about when you’re on the bench, when you’re in the locker room, and talking about the game,” Tarasenko said about clicking with linemates. “At the same time when you play with guys who are willing to work hard and they don’t care who scores a goal, you just work for each other. It makes the chemistry a little better.”

Star Tribune

As the Star Tribune’s Sarah McLellan points out, Ohgren will be relied on early with Mats Zuccarello unlikely to start the season healthy. There’s a lot worse landing spots for a young player than to be paired with a decorated veteran. The most chemistry developed between the pair, the better the results should be expected to be.

Ohgren played in 24 games for the Minnesota Wild last season. He scored a pair of goals and averaged just over 11 minutes per game on the ice. It was an opportunity to get his feet wet.

With one training camp under his belt, it’s obvious how much more comfortable he looks. Eriksson Ek noted that Ohgren looks more poised. He’s acting like he belongs, and he sure looks like he belongs on this line with Eriksson Ek and Tarasenko.

Michael Russo – The Athletic

Now paired with Tarasenko, he’ll be tasked with doing more and the Wild need the tandem to help level each other up. If Tarasenko can lead the way as he has shown early, and Ohgren can follow suit, then Minnesota will be in a good spot to start the season.

The Minnesota Wild kick off their regular season on October 9 in St. Louis against the Blues. That presents a pretty fun opportunity for Tarasenko.

So far this offseason, nothing substantial has happened on the roster building front, and Kaprizov hasn’t signed a new deal either. Minnesota is largely running it back, and they’ll need young talent to provide a boost.

Minnesota Wild youth ready for next step

While Kirill Kaprizov is unquestionably the Minnesota Wild’s best player, he is nowhere near their youngest. At 28 years old, he already has five NHL seasons under his belt. To get the franchise over the hump, the next wave must support him.

NHL prospects analyst Corey Pronman put out his top-players under 23 rankings for the upcoming season, and Minnesota makes their presence felt.

Although the Wild don’t have a player in Pronman’s top tier, only Macklin Celebrini and Connor Bedard reside there. Buium is among the Tier 2 talents which he describes as an NHL All-Star level.

Buium was one of the very best players in college hockey this season. He’s an extremely intelligent puck-mover who can run a power play like a top NHL player. He makes high-end plays routinely and can break shifts open with his puckhandling and passes. Buium is a strong skater who can activate off the blue line and create off the rush. He has very good edge work and is proficient at making checkers miss. His defense is good enough at the amateur level, but he isn’t very physically imposing. Buium is a gamer, though, who can be leaned on to play heavy minutes and projects to be decent enough defensively to go with impactful offense in the NHL. He has the potential to be a big-minutes, top-scoring defenseman.

The Athletic

Minnesota got to see Buium very briefly in the playoffs. He’ll get much more run this season, and if the Wild are going to escape the first round, then he’ll be part of the recipe. The Denver product picked up his first NHL assist despite playing just four regular season games. He’s still seeking that first goal though.

Bucketless Zeev Buium’s rookie solo lap in advance of his NHL debut pic.twitter.com/wsMEQUMwHZ

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) April 21, 2025

We should see Yurov for the first time this season, and cracking the top six would be a good outcome for the young center. Ohgren doesn’t necessarily have a carrying trait, but is a strong sum of his parts. He made his stateside debut in the AHL last year.

Stramel would not have been on this list had his play with Wisconsin continued. He turned over a new leaf with Michigan State and the arrow is now point back upward.

Related: MN Wild: Kirill Kaprizov Return Timeline and Possible Salary Revealed

Last season was a rollercoaster for Jiricek. He wound up being traded to Minnesota after things went downhill with Columbus. The Wild believed in an ability to fix his skating, but it didn’t translate to production. He ruptured his spleen to end the year early and it puts him in need of a significant turnaround this year.

There’s a path for at least three of these players to help the Minnesota Wild this season. That will rely on them taking the next step, and earning coach John Hynes trust in a hurry.

We haven’t heard a peep from Jack Eichel (0 goals, 1 assist, 11 shots) yet. Meanwhile, Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy have combined for 8 goals and 6 assists. The only players on roster who have produced at nearly the same rate as those two bona fide Wild stars has been Marco Rossi.

Minnesota Wild refuse to believe in Marco Rossi

The 23-year-old former top 10 pick has a MUCH different role than Kaprizov and Boldy, however. Rossi’s two goals are fourth-most for Minnesota this postseason, behind only Kaprizov (4), Boldy (4) and Foligno (3). His three points are tied for fourth most and he has a +2 +/-.

But while Kaprizov and Boldy are averaging over 22 and 24 minutes of TOI through the first four games, respectively, Marco Rossi is buried on the Minnesota Wild’s fourth line, averaging less than half of those guys’ ice time (10:53 TOI).

After Saturday’s OT loss at home, a lot of fans were hoping to see Rossi’s role expanded for game five. Unfortunately, when practice started on Monday morning, there was Marco Rossi, centering the 4th line between Yakov Trenin and Justin Brazeau.

#mnwild lines w Eriksson Ek not skating*

Kaprizov-Shore*-Boldy
Johansson-Hartman-Zuccarello
Foligno-Gaudreau-Nyquist
Trenin-Rossi-Brazeau

Brodin-Faber
Middleton-Spurgeon
Merrill-Bogosian

Extras

Buium-Chisholm
Ohgren, Hinostroza, likely Shore if he’s a placeholder for Ek

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) April 28, 2025

It’s not like Marco Rossi’s point production during these playoffs is a surprise. He and Matt Boldy single-handedly kept the Minnesota Wild afloat this season, as the rest of the roster crumbled from injury, around them. Rossi finished the 2024-25 regular season 3rd on the team in goals (24) and 2nd in both assists (36) and points (60).

Related: What We Learned About the Minnesota Wild in Dominant Game Three Win Over Vegas

Yet, for whatever reason, John Hynes and Bill Guerin refuse to give Marco Rossi his chance at stardom, or anywhere near the type of respect they show their top (or even) mid-line skaters. And as of now, that doesn’t look like it will change anytime soon.

Minnesota Wild injury updates prior to game 5

Marco Rossi’s status on the fourth line wasn’t the only notable takeaway from Monday’s lines at practice. Joel Eriksson Ek didn’t skate, after he blocked a shot late in game four.

Fortunately, Hynes informed gathered media members after practice Monday that Ekker’s absence was nothing more than a rest (or maintenance) day. The Minnesota Wild expect their top-line centerman, and the heart/soul of their team, to take his usual place in the middle of the first line on Tuesday night, in Vegas.

More good news: Marcus Johansson skated on Monday and could return to the MN Wild lineup in game five, as well. Johansson served as the left wing on Minnesota’s second line this morning at practice. Johansson missed game four due to a lower body injury he suffered in the third period of game three.

Marcus Johansson practicing today for #mnwild. Missed Game 4 with an LBI

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) April 28, 2025

Zeev Buium on the shelf in Vegas?

Marco Rossi might not be the only Minnesota Wild youngster who could continue to see a reduced role, as the playoffs role forward. After being benched for the entire overtime in game four, the No. 2 overall prospect in all of hockey, Zeev Buium, was not skating on any of the Wild’s three defensive pairings Monday morning.

After playing in all four of Minnesota’s 2025 playoff games so far, it appears Buium is likely to be replaced by Jon Merrill in game five. Merrill has yet to be active during this postseason. Zeev Buium is a -1 so far in the 2025 NHL Playoffs, with one assist and an average of 12:36 TOI.

Hynes said he hasn’t made any final decisions on d-pairings but it is being considered to give Zeev a breather #mnwild

— Jessi Pierce (@jessi_pierce) April 28, 2025

Liam Ohgren travelling with MN Wild

Finally, let’s end on a positive note. Also on Monday, the Minnesota Wild called up top prospect Liam Ohgren from their “Black Aces” playoff practice squad, and will travel with the team to Vegas for game 5. For now, he isn’t expected to be active, but he is just one injury away from finding the postseason ice in this series.

Looks like Merrill makes his series debut tomorrow for Buium. Eriksson Ek maintenance. Ohgren traveling to Vegas

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) April 28, 2025

But that also means that the Wild are down some key talent back in St. Paul, as the squad ramps back up for the restart of the 2024 NHL season on Saturday, when Minnesota will play in Detroit vs the Red Wings.

Minnesota Wild recall prospects while stars finish up 4 Nations

To fill the voids left on Minnesota’s roster by Joel Eriksson Ek, Matt Boldy, Brock Faber and Filip Gustavsson while they finish up and return from the 4-Nations tourney, the Wild have recalled multiple players from Iowa.

Related: Team USA Trying to Ride Brock Faber to 4 Nations Title

The call ups include Liam Ohgren, Devin Shore and goaltender Dylan Ferguson, the latter of which was recalled as a practice player only, under a special rule this season created to compensate for absences of NHL players this week, because of the ongoing 4 Nations Face-Off.

[The Minnesota Wild have] recalled forwards Liam Öhgren and Devin Shore from the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL). Minnesota has also recalled goaltender Dylan Ferguson from Iowa as a practice player as allowed under NHL 4 Nations Face-Off rules.

Minnesota Wild Press Release

How long will Liam Ohgren and Devin Shore be on the Wild’s roster?

It is unclear how long any of these call ups will remain on the Minnesota Wild roster, but it is worth noting that should the Wild activate Jacob Lauko from injured reserve, a move that is expected to happen before the end of the day according to Michael Russo (The Athletic), then one of either Ohgren or Shore would have to go back to Iowa or be placed on waivers.

#mnwild have recalled Liam Ohgren and Devin Shore. If Jakub Lauko comes off IR, one will either have to go back to Iowa or somebody would have to be put on waivers. Can’t see the Wild carrying 8 D (Travis Dermott) for too much longer with suspended Ryan Hartman occupying a roster…

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) February 18, 2025

Ohgren, Minnesota’s 1st round pick (No. 19 overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft, has played 19 games this season with the big league Wild, recorded 1 goal and 3 assists on 25 shots. In 25 games with Iowa in 2024-25, the freshly-turned 21-year-old has potted 12 goals and assisted on 11 more (23 points). Four of his goals for Iowa have come on the power-play.

Devin Shore is a 30-year-old centerman brought in by the Minnesota Wild this season to fill the role of a veteran who has been a few places and is ok with popping between the AHL and NHL, depending on who needs him the most.

Related: MN Wild Top Pick Just Misses No. 1 Spot in NHL Prospect Rankings

Most importantly, Shore can show the NHL ropes to the swath of young talent coming through the Wild’s No. 2 ranked system in all of hockey. In 2024-25, he has 1 goal and 2 assists in 34 games with the NHL Wild. Down in Iowa, he has 10 points (2 goals, 8 assists), five PPA in 14 games. 

Then, the Wild went out and won again, their second-straight overtime victory, this time over the Vancouver Canucks. In doing so, they notched their 38th point of the season, placing them all alone at the top of the NHL Standings.

Minnesota Wild reassign Liam Ohgren, Jesper Wallstedt to AHL Iowa

To celebrate the victory, president of hockey operations Bill Guerin reassigned both top prospects right back down to Iowa, after they were on the NHL roster for approximately 24 hours. This isn’t a surprise, as this move was originally described as “paper move” for cap gymnastics purposes.

The #mnwild has reassigned forward Liam Ohgren and goaltender Jesper Wallstedt to the @IAWild.

— Minnesota Wild PR (@mnwildPR) December 4, 2024

Let’s be real, Jesper Wallstedt isn’t playing well enough in Iowa, to warrant a legitimate call-up to Minnesota. He’s carrying a brutal 4.34 goals against average and a .860 save percentage, through 10 games down in Iowa. Ohgren has scored lots of goals (5) and collected 6 total points, in 8 games since being relegated to the AHL. But, he’ still touting a -3 goal differential, when on the ice.

Concerns over Joel Eriksson Ek injury

The Minnesota Wild do not hit the ice again until Friday, vs the Anaheim Ducks, and there is concern over an injury sustained by Joel Eriksson Ek on Tuesday, when he was cross-checked in the lower back during the 3rd period of their win over Vancouver.

The Wild’s No. 1 center returned to the game momentarily, but he was clearly affected by the dirty shot. Then, he reportedly “clanked knees” with Jake DeBrusk during his first shift of overtime, and didn’t return. According to Michael Russo (The Athletic), there is growing concern that Ek will miss Friday’s game. Hopefully, that’s worst-case scenario.

#mnwild reassign Liam Ohgren and Jesper Wallstedt. Drops them back down below ceiling but doesn’t change LTIR capture if needed. Obviously they’re assessing Eriksson Ek’s injury and may need to recall a forward tonight. They’re also hoping Jakub Lauko is close to returning

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) December 4, 2024

On the season, Joel Eriksson Ek has racked up 13 points in 22 games played for the Minnesota Wild this season. His +10 goal differential ranks 4th on the team, behind only Kirill Kaprizov (+19), Jake Middleton (+18) and Brock Faber (+12).

Related: Minnesota Wild Trade 1st Round Pick for Top NHL-Ready Defenseman

The 27-year-old Eriksson Ek is one of the key pieces to what the Wild want to do on both sides of the ice. Let’s hope this injury is more short-term than what Zuccy and Brodin are dealing with on injured reserve.

If the Wild are going to add more onto their league high point total tonight, and in the foreseeable future, they’ll have to do it without two of their best players, one on each side of the ice. This, after placing both Jonas Brodin (upper body) and Mats Zuccarello (lower-body) on injured reserve, the latter on long-term IR.

Minnesota Wild recall Liam Ohgren and Jesper Wallstedt, to replace Jonas Brodin and Mats Zuccarello

Forward Jakub Lauko (lower body) was also placed on injured reserve. In corresponding moves, the Wild have recalled top prospects Liam Ohgren (forward) and Jesper Wallstedt (goalie).

Minnesota Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has recalled forward Liam Öhgren and goaltender Jesper Wallstedt from the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL). The team also placed forward Mats Zuccarello on Long-Term Injured Reserve and defenseman Jonas Brodin and forward Jakub Lauko on Injured Reserve.

Minnesota Wild PR

Mats Zuccarello (16 GP, 14 PTS) hasn’t played since November 14, when he took a hard shot to his groin area, that required surgery. Jonas Brodin (19 GP, 8 PTS) last played on November 25, before suffering his upper body injury.

Liam Ohgren has played 8 games this season with the Minnesota Wild. The 2022 No. 19 overall pick has 0 points he’s a -2 in goal differential (9:53 TOI). In 8 games with the Iowa Wild, Ohgren has looked much more like his top prospect self, scoring 5 goals (6 points). Still, he is a -3 down in Iowa.

Have a NIGHT Liam Ohgren🤯🙌#ItStartsInDSM pic.twitter.com/LjWisL45MT

— Iowa Wild (@IAWild) November 10, 2024

Related: Minnesota Wild Trade 1st Round Pick for Top NHL-Ready Defenseman

Jesper Wallstedt was supposed to spend most of his season with the NHL Wild, but a hot start by Filip Gustavsson meant he couldn’t get on the ice. At Iowa, Wallstedt hasn’t been very good, posting a 0.860 save %, while allowing 42 goals in just 10 games (4.20 GAA). Nonetheless, the 2021 No. 20 overall pick is the top goalie prospect in the NHL.

On Tuesday, the Wild will hit the ice again, in St. Paul. They are -135 favorites vs a good 13-7-3 Vancouver Canucks team that has a chance to cut two points out of their 7-point deficit in the Western Conference by beating Minnesota at the Xcel Energy Center tonight. The Wild have actually played worse at home so far this season (6-3-1) than on the road (10-1-3).

The timing couldn’t be any better because he’s due to hit free agency after the 2025-26 season, meaning extension talks will heat up between Kirill’s agent and the Wild this offseason, if not sooner. With Zach Parise and Ryan Suter’s cap penalties finally set to fall off, nobody can pay Kaprizov more than the team that drafted him.

Patience is a virtue. pic.twitter.com/DK3PTbI8uJ

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) October 23, 2024

Beyond Kirill, who is 27-years-old, the Wild organization is bursting at the seams with young talent. Already playing alongside him in St. Paul, are Matt Boldy (23), Marco Rossi (23) and Brock Faber (22). Hell, Joel Eriksson Ek is only 27 years old too.

Future shining bright for Minnesota Wild

In their prospect system, more talent. Jesper Wallstedt is the highest rated goalie prospect to ever come through this organization. Top prospects Danila Yurov (C), Riley Heidt (C) and Liam Ohgren (LW) all project as top six NHL forwards. On defense, most experts see (D) Zeev Buium as a future top pair lock.

ESPN enlisted a group of trusted hockey insiders to rank the young talent within each NHL organization. They considered factors like roster construction, prospect pools, salary cap situations, and leadership.

Related: Report: Don’t Be Surprised if Minnesota Wild Sign Top Draft Pick After His Sophomore Season

The Minnesota Wild received exceptionally strong marks, securing a fourth-place ranking, with a cumulative score of 84.0, placing them in the “very good” category. Their prospect pool ranked 7th, which was the highest they ranked in any of the four categories.

I’m not quite sure what magic potions director of amateur scouting Judd Brackett and his staff are using to consistently extract value out of the draft, but every year they snag two or three players well past where they should be selected. Zeev Buium and Aron Kiviharju were those two players in 2024, and the Ryder Ritchie selection at No. 45 was a solid one, too. The Wild have signed the highest percentage of their draftees to entry-level contracts since 2020.

Kristen Shilton – (ESPN)

The Minnesota Wild have remained relevant through the Parise/Suter buyout era. Now, it’s about taking that next step. Billy needs to make the right moves, as more money frees up and these blossoming prospects start to make their way to the NHL.

Related: Kirill Kaprizov’s Next Contract is Going to be Massive

Now that the Suter/Parise black clouds are starting to disperse, new opportunities to improve the roster will begin to present themselves. It’s up to the Wild’s president of hockey operations, and his coaching staff, to take advantage, then implement/develop this influx of talent.

“Those savings plus having one of the most consistent farm-to-table setups in the NHL raise questions about whether the Wild can piece everything together to have a long-term winner.”

Ryan Clark – (ESPN)

Minnesota Wild recall Liam Ohgren to replace Mats Zuccarello

Minnesota’s No. 1 overall prospect, according to NHL.com, is being called up “under emergency conditions”, after Zuccarello took a slap shot to the undercarriage on Thursday, during Minnesota’s latest win vs the Montreal Canadiens.

Liam Ohgren, who had a hat trick in his last AHL game, recalled by #mnwild from Iowa under emergency conditions with Mats Zuccarello out and Joel Eriksson Ek questionable

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) November 15, 2024

I’ve embedded the video of Mats Zuccarello’s unfortunate testicular incident at the bottom of this article. For Minnesota Wild fans, especially men, think before you scroll down. I watched it for you, because it’s my job, but you don’t have to. Zuccarello underwent surgery for said “lower body injury” recently, and he will miss 3 to 4 weeks.

Ohgren gets his 2nd 2024 shot in the NHL

Replacing Zuccarello will be Liam Ohgren, the Wild’s first round pick in 2022 (no. 19 overall). In all likelihood, we will see a lot of the organization’s top prospect on Saturday vs the Stars, and for the next month.

The emergency exception used by the Wild to recall Ohgren allows them to exceed the salary cap with his services, until Zuccarello returns. The last time Ohgren was on the ice, he scored a hat trick for the Iowa Wild vs the Rockford IceHogs.

Liam Öhgren with the hat trick finish in Iowa 🎩 🎩 🎩

Read more about our prospects » https://t.co/INsCYXfw90 pic.twitter.com/CqwlFCvm74

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) November 13, 2024

Ohgren made the Minnesota Wild roster, out of training camp. Unfortunately, he averaged just 9.5 minutes of ice time during his 7 games with the NHL club. The 20-year-old Swed used those limited minutes earlier this season to score 0 goals and collect 0 assists (-2 +/-).

Related: Rumor: Minnesota Wild Have New Partner for Renamed Xcel Energy Center

I can’t imagine head coach John Hynes and president of hockey operations Bill Guerin would call Ohgren up, especially after a breakout hat trick game in Iowa earlier this week, just so he can collect minutes on the bench in St. Paul with the 4th line.

“Under emergency conditions”

Anyway, as promised… here is the video of Mats Zuccarello injury. Reminder: I tried to warn you.

Mats Zuccarello will miss at least "three-to-four weeks" after undergoing surgery for a lower body injury during Thursday's game vs. Montreal pic.twitter.com/PTJGS7BvqD

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) November 15, 2024