Top 5 young prospects in the Minnesota Wild system
By Cody Defoe
#3 – Luke Kunin (AHL – Iowa Wild)
The Minnesota Wild know what they have in forward prospect Luke Kunin, and they are determined to protect that asset’s development as best as they can.
Most teams would see a player with the skill and talent of Kunin and rush that player out of the AHL and onto the NHL team as quickly as possible. The Minnesota Wild, and coach Bruce Boudreau, know that Kunin is better off in a top-six AHL role than in a bottom-line NHL role.
With a crowded group of forwards jostling and battling for line combinations in the NHL, Kunin could and likely would get lost in the shuffle. So instead, he has a stable position in Iowa where he can play consistently since returning from his ACL injury.
Through 6 games since returning from injury, Kunin has 7 points (3 G, 4 A) and is shooting at a 21% clip early in the season. For comparison sake, this is on pace with the shooting pace of Mikael Granlund in the NHL right now.
Kunin showed a ton of jump and skill in his 19 games with the Minnesota Wild last season, and appeared to have a spot held for his eventual return. With the Wild remaining healthy so far this season, and Kunin being forced to miss training camp, the AHL was the best option.
Kunin is the only first round pick of Minnesota still playing at the AHL level, so it is only a matter of time before he gets another shot at filling a role in St. Paul. When he does, don’t be surprised to see him stay with the top club full-time and force someone else onto the trading block.
The former 15th overall draft pick is only third on this list of prospects, though. Not by any fault of his own, but more by the outstanding production of these deeper draft choices since being selected in the late rounds.