Wild Gamers to Watch at Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase

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September 14, 2024

The Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase continues tonight in St. Louis with the Wild their first recreation towards the Chicago Blackhawks. The Blackhawks performed the Blues’s prospect group final night time and can now play the Wild.

Minnesota will deliver 15 forwards, eight defenseman, and 4 goalies for the 2 video games. The roster contains some prime prospects with some invitees.

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Forwards: Luke Toporowski (41), Hunter Haight (43), Matthew Sop (53), Ryder Ritchie (54), Gavin Hain (56), Mason Zebeski (57), Riley Heidt (58), Mikey Milne (60), Kody Dupuis (74), Felix Lacerte (75), Caeden Bankier (76), Brad Marek (78), Jack O’Brien (79), Pavel Novak (80), and Luke Loheit (86).

Defensemen: Jack Peart (49), Bogdans Hodass (65), Jordan Tourigny (67), Carson Lambos (71), Kyle Masters (73), Stevie Leskovar (81), David Spacek (82), and Kalem Parker (84).

Goalies: Kyle McClellan (33), Samuel Hlavaj (35), Riley Mercer (50), and Chase Wutzke (95).

Listed below are some gamers to observe for.

Riley Heidt, F

Heidt is a veteran in relation to this. Final yr he made an awesome impression in rookie camp, rookie showcase, coaching camp, and the preseason. Heidt went again to the WHL and tore it up.

The 19-year-old ahead recorded 37 objectives, 80 assists, and 117 factors in 66 video games. He was drafted within the second-round by the Wild in 2023 and appears to be a participant that might make the group out of camp this yr.

“Yeah, one hundred pc,” Heidt mentioned on if he thinks he is able to be within the NHL. “I absolutely consider that. I’m simply attempting to get higher at one factor daily. It’s what I’ve finished my entire life. It bought me up to now. I absolutely consider in my functionality that I can do it.”

With Marat Khusnutdinov and Liam Ohgren enjoying some NHL video games final yr, it is going to be a bit more durable for Heidt to impress sufficient to make the NHL roster but when he performs properly sufficient he may power each Khusnutdinov and Ohgren out of a spot and even Marcus Johansson and Freddy Gaudreau.

It is a lengthy shot that each Gaudreau and Johansson get pushed out of a spot but when it occurs it could possible be due to Heidt.

Hunter Haight, F

One other intriguing ahead prospect to observe is Haight. The 20-year-old ahead simply wrapped up his Junior Hockey Profession within the OHL with 68 objectives, 100 assists, and 168 factors in 193 profession video games.

The Wild’s second-round choose from 2022 will flip professional this yr after 4 seasons within the OHL. He’s set to start out the season within the AHL with the Iowa Wild however will get an excellent likelihood to stay round lengthy sufficient throughout coaching camp.

Matthew Sop, F

Sop signed an AHL contract with the Iowa Wild after his spectacular season with the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers. He had 43 objectives, 47 assists, and 90 factors final yr in 67 video games. Sop additionally recorded six factors in ten playoff video games with the Rangers.

He additionally took residence the Leo Lalonde Trophy because the OHL’s prime overage participant.

The undrafted ahead completed his OHL profession with 169 factors in 203 video games and 14 factors in 30 playoff video games. He attended the Toronto Maple Leafs camp final yr earlier than he returned to Kitchener.

At 21-years-old, Sop is among the older Wild prospects competing within the showcase. He needs to be a participant followers ought to regulate on the Showcase but in addition within the AHL this upcoming season.

Others to observe

Toporowski had an excellent second half to his AHL season final yr with the Wild following the commerce. Lambos, a former first-round choose, needs to be watched intently. Bankier has additionally climbed the Wild’s prospect pool rankings just lately and is popping right into a strong participant.

Ensure you bookmark The Hockey News’ Minnesota Wild page for the newest information, unique interviews, breakdowns and a lot extra.