Minnesota Wild Calls Up 2014 First-Round Pick Alex Tuch

Minnesota Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher announced today that the Wild have recalled forward Alex Tuch from the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League.

Tuch, 20, was drafted No. 18 overall in 2014. He has collected 22 points and 16 penalty minutes in 34 games during his rookie season with Iowa. The 6-foot-4, 217-pound native of Syracuse, N.Y. represented Iowa at the AHL All-Star Classic and tallied three points to help the Central Division win the AHL All-Star Game on Monday.

"Tuch is a big power winger who skates well with strong balance," according to EliteProspects.com. "He typically is called upon to be the meat and potatoes guy on a skilled line and does so very effectively. Impressive forchecker. Uses his frame to protect the puck and physically supporting his linemates."

"Tuch has the size and temperament of a power forward; willing to compete and play in small areas," according to Hockey's Future, which gave him a prospect talent score of 7.5 and a B grade in calculating his probability of success.

"His stick handling skills and shot are first rate and suggest he can be a consistent scorer. What separates him from other players his size is his ability to recognize and analyze plays quickly and the speed and skating ability to execute plays."

Tuch recorded 62 points in 77 games during two seasons at Boston College. He tallied 34 points in 40 games in his sophomore campaign last year as the Eagles advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four. Tuch led Boston College in scoring and ranked second in goals in 2014-15 and was named to the 2015 Hockey East All-Rookie Team.

He represented the United States at the 2015 World Junior Championship and won a gold medal with the United States at the 2014 Under-18 World Championship. Tuch has not appeared in a NHL game. He will wear jersey No. 53 with the Wild.

[Minnesota Wild, Elite Prospects, Hockey's Future]