Cross the NHL Draft off the list of things we need to get through this offseason. Teams gathered virtually to beam into a giant screen inside the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles like a Star Trek movie to draft the next generation of hockey stars.
For the Minnesota Wild, the action didn't get started until Saturday afternoon. Minnesota traded away its first-round pick this year to acquire former No. 6 overall pick David Jiricek from the Blue Jackets. On paper, it's a net-positive, as the Wild flipped what ended up being the No. 20 pick in this year's draft for a Top 10 prospect with fascinating upside.
That meant the team didn't start running names to the podium until the second day of the draft, and we saw more than a few moves made before the afternoon was over.
Complete list of Minnesota Wild 2025 NHL Draft picks
The Wild came into the draft this year with five picks, and even though they made a trade still ended up with that exact amount. Only two of the team's picks were their own, as Minnesota acquired picks from Seattle, Toronto, and Columbus to go along with their two original picks.
Here's everyone the Wild picked in this year's draft, some of whom were taken with selections the team didn't originally own.
Round (Pick) | Player (Position) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
2 (52) | Theodor Hallquisth (D) | |
4 (102) | Adam Benák (F) | From Seattle |
4 (121) | Lirim Amidovsk (RW) | From Toronto |
4 (123) | Carter Klippenstein (C) | |
5 (141) | Justin Kipkie (D) | From Columbus |
Theodor Hallquisth was the first player the Wild took in this year's draft, but one of the most exciting picks was the guy Minnesota took after. Adam Benák is Youngstown's leading scorer and was an absolute wagon on Czechia's world junior team earlier this year.
We are running out of superlatives! #CzechiaPhenom Adam Benak rips a PP goal just under the bar. What a shot! #Benak #HlinkaGretzkyCup #2025NHLDraft @ehshockey @OctagonHockey pic.twitter.com/AjG6nACYEh
— Allan Walsh🏒 (@walsha) August 10, 2024
A more developed version of that on the ice with Kirill Kaprizov? Yes, please.
That's not to overlook Hallquisth, who adds some defensive depth at a position the Wild are extremely unproven. He projects to have above-average compete and shot, and average skating, but won't be much of a puck handler for Minnesota.
Carter Klippenstein might be the name that most Wild fans end up circling, though. He's a potentially high-end compete center who Minnesota traded up to draft, which says a lot. His below-average puck skills are a bit of a concern but the Wild used a fourth-round pick on him so which makes that a little more understandable.
What should be taken away is his upside. He's a big center who could add some physicality, and if he's able to work on developing some offense then the Wild might have found a steal on Day 2.
But what about the picks the Wild didn't make?
We all know the team didn't own its first-round pick for the first time since 2017, but the Wild pulled off a trade on Saturday that was a giveth-and-taketh away sort of situation. Minnesota sent restricted free agent defenseman Declan Chisholm to the Washington Capitals, along with the No. 180 pick, which was a sixth-round selection.
In return, the Wild received AHL defenseman Chase Priskie and the No. 123 pick in this year's draft. So while Minnesota gave up its original sixth-round pick and didn't end up using that selection, it did get a third pick in the fourth round, which was used on Klippenstein.
Minnesota faces a bit of a conundrum with defensemen now, though, as Zeev Buium and David Jiricek are going to be relied upon heavily to develop into impact players sooner rather than later. It's not dissimilar to the stressful situation at center, but the Wild seem to have invested a little bit more there.
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