Jump to content
Hockey Wilderness Zone Coverage Property
  • Wild Finalize Roster With Season Around The Corner


    Image courtesy of © Nick Wosika-Imagn Images
    Thomas Williams

    We are just days away from the Minnesota Wild opening their 2024-25 season on Thursday night hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets. And since we are just days away, the Wild finalized their opening roster over the weekend after making some tough decisions.

    Announced by the team, they sent defenseman Daemon Hunt down to AHL Iowa and placed forward Ben Jones on waivers to then, also, be assigned to Iowa. While that technically makes the Wild's training camp roster still at 27, four above the 23-player limit, there are exactly four injured players still on the roster on paper alone.

    Forwards Graeme Clarke, Luke Toporowski, and Mikey Milne, and goaltender Troy Grosenick are still listed on the Wild's training camp roster. All four players will not open the season in the NHL, and in Grosenick's case, he will remain on the Injured Reserve list for the entire 2024-25 season, as he had to have season-ending surgery.

    Now, to the fun part. The Wild's 23-man roster has been set and some exciting players are on it. Namely, forward Liam Ohgren and goaltender Jesper Wallstedt. Ohgren will provide some energy to the lineup in a very Minnesota way, and Wallstedt will be part of the triumvirate in the crease, along with Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury.

    It is going to be an interesting start for the Wild as they have loads of young talent, but also need opportunity for them to play while carrying some older veterans in the lineup, as well.

    That's Wild

    • Jakub Lauko has been a welcome addition to the Wild, on and off the ice. [Pioneer Press]
    • Takeaways from the Wild's preseason finale against the Chicago Blackhawks. [The Athletic]
    • Matt Boldy is uber talented, but, to take a term from baseball, can he be a 50/50 player? Fifty goals and fifty assists? [Hockey Wilderness]

    Off the trail...

    • This will surely not apply to those reading this website, but a lapsed hockey fan's guide to the 2024-25 NHL season. [ESPN]
    • A whole slew of talent was on the waiver wire yesterday and could be claimed by 1:00 p.m. Monday. Pierre Engvall is a solid two-way forward with a heavy contract, Erik Brannstrom is a mobile offensive defenseman, Jakob Pelletier is small but gifted, and loads others. [The Hockey News]
    • What the expectations are for each NHL team. [Sportsnet]

    Think you could write a story like this? Hockey Wilderness wants you to develop your voice, find an audience, and we'll pay you to do it. Just fill out this form.


    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    Featured Comments

      On 10/7/2024 at 2:11 PM, Imyourhuckleberry said:

    Unless the Wild plan to play Wallstedt over Fleury early and often, I hope they send him to Iowa to play fairly frequently through the end of October.

    Expand  

    My prediction as far as this month is that he starts at STL and CBJ possibly at PHI depending on how the other 2 games go. Man looking at the schedule for the next 2 months is a little bit of a gauntlet. That stretch from 11/7-11/10 is brutal, not because of the opponents but travel wise. It's at SJS-ANA B2B and then at Chicago after only one 1 day off.

    • Like 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    I think they'll want him specifically for the 7 game road trip where I believe The Wall will be used. I think it is Fleury who won't be used much, and may just have the backup seat named after him for the year. 

    I still have a hard time believing that Johansson and Gaudreau made the team. But here's the thing, someone had to, without any doubts, take their spot from them. I thought Jones looked good in the lone game I watched, but in practices and games did he stand out enough to climb the ladder? 

    I really do get Merrill as #7. He's really #9, but he looks much better eating nachos in the Prossbox. They want Hunt and Lambos playing. Merrill's a decent emergency player for very short term. Hunt is a better option for an IR replacement. And, they can always send down The Wall if that happens. 

    • Like 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Looks like Gus is going to stick around to be the 40% next year with Wally in net most of the time. This year going to be alot of growth for the whole team. 

    Edited by Pablo
    • Like 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Anyone tracking our prospects? Zeev Buium had a 3pt game and a 1pt game so far in his first two games of the season.

    Kump is doing very well in Liiga with 8pts in 9 games 

    Yurov has 4pts in 8 khl games

    Heidt has 6pts in 4 Whl games

    idk if anyone remembers me talking about Nikita Artomonov in this past draft? I really really wanted the Wild to snag him in the 2nd round. We could have had him but Carolina picked him up after we got Ritchie. Artamonov has 13pts in 13 khl games this year…

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

      On 10/9/2024 at 3:07 PM, Mateo3xm said:

    Anyone tracking our prospects? Zeev Buium had a 3pt game and a 1pt game so far in his first two games of the season.

    Kump is doing very well in Liiga with 8pts in 9 games 

    Yurov has 4pts in 8 khl games

    Heidt has 6pts in 4 Whl games

    idk if anyone remembers me talking about Nikita Artomonov in this past draft? I really really wanted the Wild to snag him in the 2nd round. We could have had him but Carolina picked him up after we got Ritchie. Artamonov has 13pts in 13 khl games this year…

    Expand  

    I've been following but thanks for the easy update. I hate navigating Liiga and KHL websites. It's painful.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

      On 10/9/2024 at 3:07 PM, Mateo3xm said:

    Anyone tracking our prospects? Zeev Buium had a 3pt game and a 1pt game so far in his first two games of the season.

    Kump is doing very well in Liiga with 8pts in 9 games 

    Yurov has 4pts in 8 khl games

    Heidt has 6pts in 4 Whl games

    idk if anyone remembers me talking about Nikita Artomonov in this past draft? I really really wanted the Wild to snag him in the 2nd round. We could have had him but Carolina picked him up after we got Ritchie. Artamonov has 13pts in 13 khl games this year…

    Expand  

    Charlie Stramel has one point after two games for MSU.

    • Like 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

      On 10/9/2024 at 5:20 PM, Pewterschmidt said:

    This is the White Knight people.  0.5 pts/game in the Russian JV league (reports are that KHL is much watered down from the past)

    Expand  

    Yeah I'm not sold yet on Yurov. He doesn't come close to Kaprizov if you compare their stats at  corresponding ages. .5 point/game isn't exactly awe inspiring but I guess it's still early...

    I predict another depth player. ...and who does he replace? Rossi? Ek? Hartman? Khus? Guess all we can do is speculate.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

      On 10/9/2024 at 5:28 PM, Enforceror said:

    Yeah I'm not sold yet on Yurov. He doesn't come close to Kaprizov if you compare their stats at  corresponding ages. .5 point/game isn't exactly awe inspiring but I guess it's still early...

    I predict another depth player. ...and who does he replace? Rossi? Ek? Hartman? Khus? Guess all we can do is speculate.

    Expand  

    It's really hard to say what he will be until he's in the NHL, but you also have to remember that he missed the first couple games because of an injury and may still be hampered by it.  I think he is better than that small sample size shows.  Whether he is as good as advertised, we won't know until he's here.

    • Like 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

      On 10/9/2024 at 5:39 PM, raithis said:

    It's really hard to say what he will be until he's in the NHL, but you also have to remember that he missed the first couple games because of an injury and may still be hampered by it.  I think he is better than that small sample size shows.  Whether he is as good as advertised, we won't know until he's here.

    Expand  

    Very true. Unfortunately I have nothing better to do than to speculate. Still curious who's spot he would take if his NHL game is top 6 level.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

      On 10/9/2024 at 5:20 PM, Pewterschmidt said:

    This is the White Knight people.  0.5 pts/game in the Russian JV league (reports are that KHL is much watered down from the past)

    Expand  

    The Khl is arguably the second best league in the world. I wouldn’t downplay it. Look at his production vs some of the best Russian players playing in the nhl right now. Yurov produced despite having a serious shoulder injury that he had surgery for in the off season. That’s probably why he isn’t producing like last season. Give him time, that guy is going to be very good when he gets over the injury and comes over here.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

      On 10/9/2024 at 5:28 PM, Enforceror said:

    Yeah I'm not sold yet on Yurov. He doesn't come close to Kaprizov if you compare their stats at  corresponding ages. .5 point/game isn't exactly awe inspiring but I guess it's still early...

    I predict another depth player. ...and who does he replace? Rossi? Ek? Hartman? Khus? Guess all we can do is speculate.

    Expand  

    Do ppl not realize he now has the record for U20 khl scoring? He scored more than Panarin, Kaprizov, Tarasanko, Buchnevich, Kuznetsov in their 20 year old year. What do you mean he doesn’t come close to corresponding years? Yurov is coming off of a serious shoulder surgery after he got that U20 record and helped his team win the Gagarin Trophy as their second line center. That’s probably why he isn’t scoring the same as last year. He should be far more than a depth player. I project him as a 1st or 2nd line player whether it’s at C or Wing, I don’t know. Yurov has no weaknesses. Great skater, 6’1, great passing and shot, extremely intelligent and a two way player. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

      On 10/10/2024 at 7:31 PM, Mateo3xm said:

    Do ppl not realize he now has the record for U20 khl scoring? He scored more than Panarin, Kaprizov, Tarasanko, Buchnevich, Kuznetsov in their 20 year old year. What do you mean he doesn’t come close to corresponding years? 

    Expand  

    Maybe I should have said "Not 1C" instead of depth player but....as far as stats go, my statement stands if you look from a PPG standpoint. I laid this out for evidence and because I was second guessing myself.

    I'm not trying to rag on Yurov at all, I really do hope he comes in and shines. Hope his shoulder surgery went well and he's on the upswing!

    image.png.fb0b62efb3529323a1f7d2ca7061f71c.png

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

      On 10/10/2024 at 9:08 PM, Enforceror said:

    Maybe I should have said "Not 1C" instead of depth player but....as far as stats go, my statement stands if you look from a PPG standpoint. I laid this out for evidence and because I was second guessing myself.

    I'm not trying to rag on Yurov at all, I really do hope he comes in and shines. Hope his shoulder surgery went well and he's on the upswing!

    image.png.fb0b62efb3529323a1f7d2ca7061f71c.png

    Expand  

    I think there is a lot more to those stats than you realize. Yurov was averaging like 3min a game his draft year. The khl will bury  young players if they suspect those prospects are going to leave for the nhl. When Yurov decided to stay longer he immediately got more playing time and that’s why you saw him explode in points. They knew Kap was going to stay for a good chunk of time and gave him solid min throughout his khl time. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

      On 10/11/2024 at 1:36 PM, Mateo3xm said:

    I think there is a lot more to those stats than you realize. Yurov was averaging like 3min a game his draft year. The khl will bury  young players if they suspect those prospects are going to leave for the nhl. When Yurov decided to stay longer he immediately got more playing time and that’s why you saw him explode in points. They knew Kap was going to stay for a good chunk of time and gave him solid min throughout his khl time. 

    Expand  

    Good point, I did not look at ice time.

    • Like 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites



    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...