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Article: 2025 HW Top Wild Prospects Series: Honorable Mentions


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25 minutes ago, Scalptrash said:

Hlavaj is the most likely to make it, IMO. Although he is already 24, two years older than Wallstedt. Overall, not too much excitement on this list.

I've always been curious about Hlavaj.  Undrafted guy who seemingly came out of nowhere (well slovakia i suppose) to put together a rather impressive campaign in the IIHF world cup on the international stage, and then has put together respectable numbers down in Iowa playing with the same teammates and competition that Wally's struggled against this year.

The Wall put up a 9-14-4 record, 0.879s% last season in the AHL and we're trying to figure out how to get him to the big club and SillyG's telling him to get an apartment in St Paul, while The 'Vaj put up a 14-14-4 record, 0.904s% and he's not even cracking our top 17 prospects?

I've not watched either of these guys extensively, nor do I consider myself to be an evaluator of goalie talents, so what am I missing?

Edited by MrCheatachu
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13 minutes ago, Citizen Strife said:

You're missing goalies are like ping pong balls.  The just bounce around all over the place and you just hope they stop the puck 90% of the time.

And it looks like every time Hlavaj gets elevated to a higher league, he performs better. He had a .888 in the ECHL, hasn't been below .900 in the AHL, had has been stellar (>.910) in international play. 

Hopefully Guerin gives him a couple games in the N this year, I just hope its not a need due to injury.  

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1 hour ago, MrCheatachu said:

Than why did we sign Cal Peterson?!

To be a stabilizing figure in the AHL and show younger goalies what it takes to at least make the NHL (not necessarily stay there).

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Jesper's numbers should have an asterisk! The defense down here was terrible. He had to lead the league in 2 on 1's against. We had to lead the league in SH goals against!!

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6 hours ago, Kato AK said:

And it looks like every time Hlavaj gets elevated to a higher league, he performs better. He had a .888 in the ECHL, hasn't been below .900 in the AHL, had has been stellar (>.910) in international play. 

Hopefully Guerin gives him a couple games in the N this year, I just hope its not a need due to injury.

Actually, Vaj was pretty much under .900 for most of the season and in the last 12 he pulled above that line. He had a couple of starts for the Heartlanders, I wouldn't read much into his stint in the E. I do like him and feel like we may have gotten a pretty decent 'tender.

Since goalies are weird and drafting a goalie 7 years ahead of when he would normally show up is like a game of darts with novices. Shooter has gone in a different direction. Instead of drafting them, he's waited until they are a little more mature and then signed them after they weren't drafted. To me, it looked like there were some good goalie prospects that weren't drafted in the NCAA, but maybe that was the league. 

Overall, the honorable mentions are a pretty decent list. I wasn't expecting any 'tender other than The Wall to be mentioned and am surprised that Spacek didn't make the top 11. I didn't get to see a lot of preseason, and the games I did get, I don't remember him in, but when I saw him live, I liked his game. For most of the year, Crotty played top pairing with Lambos. Spacek was on the 2nd pairing before Jiricek showed up. Jiri might have knocked him down to 3rd pairing. But Spacek produced. 

His father was upset because he didn't get a sniff of the N, but to be honest, he wasn't ready for that. Lambos only got a couple of practices. Maybe Spacek deserved something similar, but he wasn't ready to be inserted into the lineup. But, it looked like he vastly improved, and that's what you want. It took a long time for Seeler and Soucy to marinate and be ready to move up. Spacek should be similar.

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So, 11 prospects that are better than what we have on this list.  Who could that be.  Jiricek has already been named.  Assume Yurov since he hasn't been in North America yet.  Ohgren without a doubt.  Wallstedt because he isn't in St. Paul full time yet.  Strammel because they desperately want it to happen. Lambos because he has to be.  Riley Hiedt because we need another Dumba/Rossi player in St. Paul.  Buium because he is the next coming. Hunter Haight because that would drive LaPanta nuts to see him on the same line as Hiedt. Aron KIviaharju because the Wild want to go back to being team Finland.  Theodor Hallquisth because the Wild have to show that they actually know what they are doing in the draft.  

That leaves out Aaron Pionk, Jack Peart, Kyle Masters, Riegor Lorenz, Caden Bankier, and Adam Benak.  The prospect pool is deep but outside of maybe six the rest should be traded for an upgrade and do it now.  Though I really want Hiedt and Haight to be on the same line really really bad. 

 

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51 minutes ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

I heard there's a kid named Jack Johnson who might be one to watch!

If by kid you mean 40 year old, washed-up guy who’s past his prime than hell yeah!

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10 hours ago, Enforceror said:

He's still marinating 😉

JUST GIVE HIM TIME TO MATURE! EVERYBODY EXPECTS GREATNESS DAY 1 AND DON'T LET PROSPECTS DEVELOP BEFORE CASTING THEM OFF!!!!!

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