Top 25 Minnesota Wild players 25-years-old or younger; No. 13 Luke Kunin
The Minnesota Wild hope to have found a goal scorer in 2016 first round draft pick Luke Kunin. The University of Wisconsin star is fully capable becoming an NHL sniper.
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The Minnesota Wild have struggled to score goals and have yet to develop a true offensive threat. Also, they have never had a true No. 1 center.
In June, the Wild think they found a player that could fill both needs by selecting Luke Kunin with the 15th pick of the draft in June.
The 6-foot, 191-pound forward may not have been the best pure goal scorer available when the Wild were on the clock, but he is a goal scorer and has other attributes that set him apart.
“He’s been a leader wherever he has been, and he can score goals,” assistant general manager Brent Flahr said following the first round of the draft. “He plays a complete game. All the research we’ve done and everyone we spoke to raves about his character and determination. He’s a gamer.”
Kunin quickly moved up draft boards over the last year into the middle of the first round likely because of a decision to get to the University of Wisconsin faster. He accelerated his high school academics in order to qualify to play for the Badgers a year early.
“I wanted the challenge of being a 17-year-old playing against men,” Kunin said after being selected. “I thought I did pretty well for myself. I could’ve played major junior and made it a little easier for myself, but I was up for the challenge and wanted to play against men. That’s what I’m going to do at the NHL level, so I think it really helped my development.”
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He expects to play one more season at Wisconsin before signing with the Wild. NHL.com lists him as the third best Wild prospect and believes he will make his NHL debut in 2017-18.
There were a lot of people impressed by his showing at the team’s development camp in July. Edric Joseph of Dobber Prospects was one of them. He says, “Kunin is already showing glimpses of an impressive game on the offensive end but blended into the background a bit on defense.” Joseph also writes that his positioning and awareness of where he needs to be on the ice are advanced for an 18-year-old.
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While some players score goals at the lower levels just off talent, Kunin does so with his head as well. A lot of his goals last season for the Badgers were scored by simply moving into open ice or getting the inside position on defensemen around the net. At the NHL level, it is all about what the shooter does without the puck. Kunin’s ability to get to get open is more advanced than most 18-year-olds in the draft.