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Top 25 Minnesota Wild players 25-years-old or younger; No. 25 Louis Belpedio

By Joseph Gunther

Apr 18, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; General view prior to game three of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 18, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; General view prior to game three of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /
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Louis Belpedio has been a standout a Miami University for the last two seasons, helping the Redhawks to big successes.  As he continues his journey towards a spot with Wild, what can we expect from him?

The Minnesota Wild selected Louis Belpedio in the third round, the team’s second selection, of the 2014 draft out of the United States National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Wild had the 79th pick in the draft, but swapped with the Tampa Bay Lightning to take Belpedio with the 80th selection and picked up an additional pick.

Belpedio is a mobile, right-shot defenseman that can put up points and move the puck. He averages just under half a point per game in two seasons for the Miami University (OH) RedHawks. That number climbed last season, despite him missing games for the World Junior Championship. He was an alternate captain for that team. However, according Edric Joseph of Dobber Prospects, he “struggled to pilot the American power play, mustering only two points in seven games.”

Joseph added more recently that Belpedio “showed a feisty edge to his game throughout the camp but not to the point of which it got in the way.”

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The Skokie, Ill. native is listed at 6-feet tall and 201 pounds on the RedHawks website, but it is hard to believe he actually has those measurables. Even the Wild’s official website is a little generous with his size at 5-feet-11-inches tall and 193-pounds.

Despite his size, he is a talented defenseman with an NHL future. Dobber Prospects listed him as the No. 7 prospect for the Wild when they last updated their list – February, 2016. Hockeysfuture.com considers him a “Torey Krug-type puck moving defenseman with an ornery edge to his game” and lists him as the third best blue line prospect for the Wild. Hockey’s Future believes his potential places him as a second-pairing defenseman in the NHL. However, they are unsure he will be able to reach that potential.

Next: All Wild Players Make the Cut at USA Hockey Camp

I am not as high on the 20-year-old as many others. I see him better suited to play predominantly on the third pairing while playing up from time to time. He will be able to play a top-four role, but I’m not sure he will be able to play it on a consistent basis. He looked really good in his first development camp in 2014. However, the last two have been underwhelming. He was sloppier with the puck and did not make good decisions with the puck, especially in his defensive zone.

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