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Minnesota Wild: Four things they can be thankful for

By Luke Ryan

ST. PAUL, MN - NOVEMBER 21: Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba (24), center, smiles after scoring his 2nd goal in the 2nd period during the game between the Ottawa Senators and the Minnesota Wild on November 21, 2018 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN - NOVEMBER 21: Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba (24), center, smiles after scoring his 2nd goal in the 2nd period during the game between the Ottawa Senators and the Minnesota Wild on November 21, 2018 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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ANAHEIM, CA - NOVEMBER 09: Minnesota Wild leftwing Jordan Greenway (18) is all smiles on the bench during the third period of a game against the Anaheim Ducks played on November 11, 2018 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA – NOVEMBER 09: Minnesota Wild leftwing Jordan Greenway (18) is all smiles on the bench during the third period of a game against the Anaheim Ducks played on November 11, 2018 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

The future seems sorted for the Minnesota Wild

To look through the depth chart of the Minnesota Wild, you might be somewhat shocked that this is a team that has so often traded away draft picks in the hopes of finding that elusive rental that makes the difference.

Despite that, they have actually accrued quite the group of future prospects, including a quartet of Russians that could all prove difference-makers in years to come.

Leading that contingent is Kirill Kaprizov, who has been on the end of direct talks with the Minnesota Wild General Manager, Paul Fenton. Not just direct talks, but ones that involved the GM travelling across the Atlantic to Russia to chat!

Kaprizov was actually a fifth round pick, so to be held in such high regard already points to an absolute steal on behalf of the Wild. He’s a fast, two-way player with an impressive shot and not only that, he’s sitting at almost a point-per-game in the KHL, by no means an easy league.

Additional to Kaprizov, the Minnesota Wild have their future goalie in Kaapo Kahkonen, who is making waves in the AHL with the Iowa Wild. Just this past week he saw himself named AHL Player of the Week after two shut-outs in two games.

To have depth in net and depth that is developing so successfully in the American Hockey League bodes very well for the future.

Also in the AHL and thus not being instantly thrust into the NHL are guys like Luke Kunin and Mason Shaw, both of whom are still young enough to form a decent part of the Minnesota Wild’s future.

Not forgetting either, Connor Dewar who sits on 32 points in 21 games with the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League. Those sorts of numbers certainly gain you some attention; with any luck, the young center will be debuting in Iowa next year too.

And all this shouldn’t be a slight on young guys like Joel Eriksson Ek and Jordan Greenway who have already made their way to the big-time!

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