Minnesota Wild

Minnesota Wild

Team Depth Chart of NHL Prospects
Strengths
  • Surplus of role players
  • Blue chip prospects at every position
  • Deep and talented group of centers
Weaknesses
  • Depth on Right Wing

About Prospect Scores and Probability

Prospect Criteria

Legend of Players' Leagues
Pro
Playing in N.A. Pro (NHL, AHL, ECHL, etc.)
CHL
Playing in CHL (OHL, QMJHL, WHL)
NCAA
Playing in NCAA
Europe
Playing in Europe
Junior
Playing in Junior 'A' (USHL, BCHL, AJHL, etc.)
N/A
Not Categorized Yet

Goaltenders

 League Prosp. talent Prob. of success
1. Johan Gustafsson Europe 7.0 C
2. Darcy Kuemper Pro 7.0 C
3. Stephen Michalek NCAA 6.0 C

Right Wing

 League Prosp. talent Prob. of success
1. Jarod Palmer Pro 7.0 D
2. Justin Fontaine Pro 6.5 C
3. Brett Bulmer Pro 6.5 C
4. Carson McMillan Pro 6.0 C

Left Wing

 League Prosp. talent Prob. of success
1. Jason Zucker Pro 7.0 B
2. Mario Lucia NCAA 7.0 C
3. Erik Haula Pro 7.0 C
4. Raphael Bussieres CHL 6.5 C
5. Kristopher Foucault Pro 6.5 D
6. Louis Nanne Junior 6.5 D

Centers

 League Prosp. talent Prob. of success
1. Mikael Granlund Pro 8.0 B
2. Charlie Coyle Pro 8.0 C
3. Zack Phillips Pro 7.0 C
4. Tyler Graovac CHL 6.5 C
5. Cody Almond Europe 6.5 C
6. Joel Broda Pro 6.5 D
7. Adam Gilmour Junior 6.5 D
8. Christoph Bertschy Europe 6.5 D
9. David McIntyre Pro 6.0 C
10. Anthony Hamburg NCAA 5.0 D

Defensemen

 League Prosp. talent Prob. of success
1. Mathew Dumba CHL 8.0 C
2. Jonas Brodin Pro 7.5 B
3. Tyler Cuma Pro 7.0 D
4. John Draeger NCAA 6.5 D
5. Daniel Gunnarsson Europe 6.5 D
6. Steven Kampfer Pro 6.0 B
7. Nick Seeler NCAA 6.0 C
8. Kyle Medvec Pro 6.0 C
9. Bjorn Krupp Europe 6.0 D
10. Colton Jobke CHL 6.0 D
11. Josh Caron Pro 6.0 D

Minnesota Wild possess numerous highly skilled players at CHL and Junior A level

by Peter Prohaska
on
Photo: Since returning from his first NHL training camp, Zack Phillips has been brilliant for the Saint John Sea Dogs, managing 16 goals and 32 assists in only 27 games. (Photo courtesy of Terry Wilson/OHL Images)

The Wild's group of prospects come from a wide range of North American junior programs, and though the team can and does focus on plenty of Minnesota prospects, the development of the young draftees is taking place all over the hockey map. They organization currently has one player in the QMJHL and OHL, three in the WHL, and three playing at the Junior A level.

QMJHL

Zack Phillips, C, Saint John Sea Dogs
Acquired: 1st round (28th overall) in 2011
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Minnesota Wild Depth Analysis, Fall 2011

by Peter Prohaska
on
Photo: Mario Lucia is a dominant winger at the Jr-A level. He will be joining Notre Dame for the 2012-13 season. (Photo courtesy of Ken McKenna/HF)

The Minnesota Wild are close to shaking their reputation as a desert of prospect development. The last drafts have produced a number of prospects of interest, and an assortment of trades and free agent signings have generated respectable depth. The Aeros' winning the Western Conference last season demonstrates not only a positive institutional strategy for procurement and development, but also a return to a patient policy with its players shared by winning franchises.
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Houston Aeros 2011-12 season preview

by Peter Prohaska
on
Photo: After a strong training camp, Zack Phillips returns to the QMJHL for the 2011-12 season where he and the rest of the Saint John Seadogs will try to win another Memorial Cup. (Photo courtesy of Ken McKenna/HF)

Although the team fell short of its goal, losing in game six of the Calder Cup finals to the Binghamton Senators, the Aeros overachieved past most expectations in 2010-11. Personnel changes in the AHL are inevitable, however, and success often means changes as thorough-going as any rebuilding franchise experiences. Case in point: Mike Yeo's work in Houston won him the opportunity to take over the Wild. However, the core players have the playoff experience now, and will look to build on their improbable run to within two wins of the league's highest prize.

Forwards
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Granlund continues reign as top prospect for Minnesota Wild

by Peter Prohaska
on
Photo: Drafted 28th overall, Zack Phillips came to Minnesota as part of the return in the Brent Burns trade. (Photo courtesy of Ken McKenna/HF)

Although Mikael Granlund remains the Wild's number one prospect, the depth for the Minnesota Wild continues to improve under Chuck Fletcher's watch. With the draft taking place on home turf, the Wild made a wise but somewhat surprising move to add another blue-chip defense prospect in Jonas Brodin. They then traded pending free agent Brent Burns for two prospects, Charlie Coyle and Zack Phillips, the latter selected with San Jose's first round pick. The addition of these players can only improve the long-term outlook of the franchise.

1. (1) Mikael Granlund, C, 8.0B
Drafted 1st Round, 9th overall, 2010
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Minnesota Wild 2011 draft review

by Peter Prohaska
on
 

 

The Wild added considerable depth again this year, trading for a second pick in the first round as well as former first-rounder Charlie Coyle. The team also turned to United States high schools for three of its picks. The Wild displayed a good degree of confidence again at this draft, trading up for a hometown fan.

Jonas Brodin, D – Färjestad (SEL)
1st round, 10th overall
Height: 6'1, Weight: 170 lbs

The Wild used its first round pick on Swedish defenseman Jonas Brodin. For the most part, draft watchers tend to favor eye-popping point totals first, and NHL frames second, of which Brodin brings neither. Brodin does however appear to be a master at the art of mistake-free, positionally astute defense.
Read more»

Top Prospects

  1. Mikael Granlund
  2. Jonas Brodin
  3. Charlie Coyle
  4. Mathew Dumba
  5. Jason Zucker
  6. Darcy Kuemper
  7. Zack Phillips
  8. Erik Haula
  9. Mario Lucia
  1. Johan Gustafsson
  2. Tyler Graovac
  3. Justin Fontaine
  4. Brett Bulmer
  5. Raphael Bussieres
  6. Tyler Cuma
  7. Daniel Gunnarsson
  8. Christoph Bertschy
  9. John Draeger

Notable Prospects

  1. Cody Almond
  2. Joel Broda
  3. Josh Caron
  4. Kristopher Foucault
  5. Adam Gilmour
  6. Anthony Hamburg
  7. Colton Jobke
  8. Steven Kampfer
  1. Bjorn Krupp
  2. David McIntyre
  3. Carson McMillan
  4. Kyle Medvec
  5. Stephen Michalek
  6. Louis Nanne
  7. Jarod Palmer
  8. Nick Seeler
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