7 Wild Prospects to Watch at the Traverse City Tournament

Fans celebrate after Minnesota Wild forward Mikael Granlund (64) scored the game-winning goal in overtime against the Colorado Avalanche in game three of the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild defeated the Avalanche 1-0 in overtime.
Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
The annual Traverse City Prospects Tournament is starting up on Friday. That’s the sign that were in the home stretch before opening night. Traverse City. Camp. Pre-season. Opening night. It’s on the horizon.

This tournament is a great chance to see some fresh faces from the Wild system who will be entering the league over the next couple of years. Participating with the Wild in this tournament are prospects and invitees from seven other teams including the St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres, and New York Rangers.

Every year at this tournament there are a couple of standouts who wind up making an impact on their team that year. Last season this tournament was the start of Valeri Nichushkin breaking out as a first line talent. Boone Jenner also made his mark here last year before earning a spot on the Blue Jackets roster and playing 72 games in his rookie season.

In the 2013 installment of the tournament the Wild took last place and didn’t win a game. Mathew Dumba was one of the few bright spots for the team. This season Dumba is back, but there is a more exciting talent pool — a deeper talent pool — for the Wild in the tournament, even if some of the talent is the same talent we saw last year.

We’ll take a look at seven players who could be that breakout star for the Wild, making an impact on the team this season.