Wild claim Rem Pitlick off waivers

The Minnesota Wild are getting some extra depth, in case what they had just wasn’t enough.

Announced on Tuesday, the Wild have claimed center Rem Pitlick off of waivers from the Nashville Predators, making it a much more interesting battle for a bottom-six role.

Ever since being drafted by the Predators in the third round of the 2016 NHL Draft, Pitlick has been steadily developing his offensive game, earning more and more points through his collegiate career — playing for the University of Minnesota, so of course he got claimed by this team — and then moving into the professional landscape, where he has spent the last two seasons in the AHL, scoring 20 goals and 36 points in 63 games in 2019-20, and 8 goals and 10 points in 8 games last season.

Since the 24-year-old was claimed on waivers, he will need to pass through them again if he is going to be sent down to Iowa, making it a really interesting move. The Wild’s roster was more or less set, with Matt Boldy, Brandon Duhaime and Victor Rask essentially battling for the last couple spots. Now with Pitlick here, are we going to see him just be the 13th forward or play more of a role as Boldy develops in the AHL a little bit further?

If Boldy makes it, one has to imagine that it will be Duhaime going back to Iowa, with Rask and Pitlick rotating the third spot on a fourth line with Nico Sturm and Nick Bjugstad. This is just pure speculation though.

This can certainly just be taking a flyer on a guy that only has 11 games played, is still young and plays a position they need more of. If it doesn’t work out, then nothing has really been lost.

Might as well see what the Minnesota boy can do.