Riley Heidt Has To Prove His Unique Game Translates To the Pros

When the Minnesota Wild took Riley Heidt in the second round of the 2023 NHL draft, it was hard to imagine the winger being one of the team’s most-discussed prospects. Second-round picks often struggle to make the NHL, let alone be an impact player.

And yet, Heidt continues to be one of the most polarizing Wild prospects. He’s got a lot of intriguing traits, including a refined and high-octane offensive game. DobberProspects calls him a “creative and intelligent playmaker who displays a strong work ethic.”

Those traits make him our 6th-ranked prospect in the Hockey Wilderness Top-11 Prospect rankings. While he dropped a spot from last year’s No. 5 ranking, that’s more because the Wild have added to the prospect pool than his stock falling. 

Heidt broke out in the 2023-24 Western Hockey League season, tallying 117 points in 66 games. He followed that up with a slightly less productive season, recording 90 points in 60 games, but he was also doing it as the Prince George Cougars’ primary scorer.

In Heidt’s best season, he formed a dynamic duo with Washington Capitals prospect Zac Funk. Without Funk on the team last year, Heidt was the primary load-bearer in Prince George. His slight decrease in production makes sense, given that context.

While Heidt’s most notable trait is his offensive game, he’s also made a name for himself as a renowned agitator in the WHL. The EliteProspects 2023 draft guide says Heidt is “Nasty physically” and “He takes the extra stride to play the body, never passes up an opportunity to sneak in a shot behind the play, and is an enthusiastic combatant in scrums.”

Bill Guerin enjoys that aspect of his game, and he has spoken highly about the prospect in the past.

"It’s just his sense and the skill, and I love his compete," Guerin said. "He’s got a little f— you in his game. He’s got a really, really high hockey sense. And he’s a gamer. He’s a competitor."

Those are encouraging characteristics to have, especially because one of Heidt’s main drawbacks is his size. At 5-foot-11 and 179 lbs., Heidt would be a slightly small NHL player, especially as a center, which is his primary position. Still, being small doesn’t necessarily mean being disengaged from physical play. That’s an issue that Heidt doesn’t seem to possess. 

If Heidt’s eye-popping numbers and tenacity are such positives, why is he such a polarizing prospect? Unfortunately, despite Heidt’s many strengths, there are also some warning signs. 

Heidt’s skating is good enough, but it doesn’t stand out. When the Wild drafted Heidt, Corey Pronman ranked his skating as “NHL average.” That’s a bit concerning, given that he’s a more undersized forward and many of the best small players are great skaters. 

There are also questions about his consistency and effort in his defensive zone. Scott Wheeler noted that Hockey Canada wasn’t too high on Heidt during the 2024 World Junior Summer Showcase. “There are mixed opinions on Hockey Canada on Riley Heidt. Even (Team Canada coach) Dave Cameron talked about his inconsistency.”

Those mixed opinions manifested when Canada left Heidt off their 2025 World Juniors roster. 

Heidt’s prospect journey has already been fascinating, but it’s about to have a whole new chapter next season as he makes his jump to pro hockey.

The Saskatoon native has dominated juniors with more than a point per game in three straight seasons. He has nothing left to prove with the Prince George Cougars. Whether Heidt becomes a player who can impact the Wild organization or one with interesting skills that never quite translate to professional hockey hinges on how he adapts his game to the pro level. 

Heidt has an outside chance to make the Wild’s roster; there were even some whispers about that last season. Michael Russo says Riley Heidt is a “roster hopeful” in his projected lineup.

That being said, it’s far more likely he spends the year in Iowa. That shouldn’t be viewed as a negative; however, Riley Heidt could make a name for himself in the AHL while transitioning his game from juniors to the pros.

One of the most critical aspects of Heidt’s potential fit in Iowa is that he fulfills a role the team doesn’t really have. He’s a skilled playmaker and slick passer, which is something Iowa will need on its team next year. 

Travis Boyd led the team in assists last season with 31 in 63 games. He isn’t on the team anymore, leaving Ben Jones (23 assists in 49 games) as the team’s returning assist leader among forwards. Heidt should have the opportunity to be the team’s premier set-up man immediately. 

Iowa could also use some significant help on its power play unit, as it ranked bottom in the AHL last year with just a 12.2% conversion rate. Meanwhile, Heidt was the engine of Prince George’s extra-attacker unit with a team-leading 27 points on the power play. 

The AHL style of play would also enable Heidt to address some of the primary questions facing his leap to professional hockey. Scouts are concerned about his size and ability to play against bigger players. The AHL will be the biggest and most mature competition he’s ever faced. 

Suppose Heidt can translate his positive traits to Iowa, showing that the concerns surrounding his game are unwarranted or overstated. Then, he has a chance to grow his stock in the hierarchy of Minnesota prospects. 

For now, he’s on the outside looking in as a truly elite prospect. He faces long odds of being a long-time contributor on the NHL level due to his draft position. Still, he has a lot of intriguing skills that could help him defy those odds.