Wild Prospect Officially Signs With OHL Team

While it might have been an obvious conclusion after he was selected second overall in the CHL Import Draft, it's been made official. Minnesota Wild prospect Adam Benak has signed with the OHL's Brantford Bulldogs and will be leaving the USHL behind.

The Wild's fourth-round selection in the most recent draft, Benak is seen as a dynamic playmaker that can also be responsible in all three zones. The only issue for his projection to the NHL is his below-average size, but that isn't an issue at the moment.

Benak makes the transition from the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms, where he scored 17 goals and 59 points in 56 games, to one of the top teams in the OHL. Led by Seattle Kraken top selection Jake O'Brien, the Bulldogs should be a dangerous squad despite losing top-end junior goalscorer Nick Lardis as the Chicago prospect heads to pro hockey.

More importantly though, this doesn't lock Benak in to one development path. A step into the OHL is a fairly large and important step for the Czech forward and he should find a good amount of success. And, if Benak is suddenly too good for the OHL after one year, he can make another developmental leap and head off to play in the NCAA for the 2026-27 season.

Of course, that's all projection, but it's promising to see this step taken by possibly one of the more underrated Wild prospects.

• Can Kirill Kaprizov become the Minnesota Wild's first Hockey Hall of Famer? [Hockey Wilderness]

Off the trail...

• Now it's looking like Matthew Tkachuk might be so banged up that he starts the Florida Panthers' season out of the lineup. [TheScore]
• Top 2025 pick Matthew Schaefer has signed his NHL entry-level contract with the New York Islanders. Now it is just NHL or back to the OHL's Erie Otters for next season. [NHL.com]