Minnesota’s Draft Need Isn’t Center. It’s Upside – Minnesota Wild

NHL draft season is in full swing, and the 2023 class is a doozy. It’s loaded with more talent than the league has seen in decades – or perhaps ever. It’s certainly the most robust first-round class since the legendary draft class of 2003, which has Wild fans salivating over the possibilities. Picking 21st overall, it’s entirely reasonable to expect the team’s selection to eventually become an impact player. 

Given that the fan base has been starved of a blue-chip first-line center for the team’s entire existence, it’s reasonable that fans are fixated on the letter next to each prospect’s name on the depth chart. So, how dire is the need at center? 

Any conversation about the Minnesota Wild’s draft strategy has to start and end with the current state of the farm system. Just a year ago, it was consensus that the Wild possessed a truly elite prospect pool. But two of their crown jewels, Rossi and Addison, fell out of favor with Dean Evason this year. While there’s still time for both prospects to turn that around, Minnesota’s 2022-23 prospect vintage turned to vinegar more than it improved with age. 

This underwhelming development may be part of why the Iowa Wild parted ways with head coach Tim Army. Hell, the best player this team has ever developed, Kirill Kaprizov, spent his prime developmental years in the KHL. Evason and Bill Guerin gave tactful indications that both Addison and Rossi’s struggles were related to their attitude. Perhaps a culture change on the feeder team will improve developmental results. Either way, the coaching change clearly indicates that the front office took issue with its minor league system last year. 

The good news is that the team still has a solid base on which to build in this year’s exciting draft. While neither Rossi nor Addison filled roles as a top-6 center or top-4 defenseman, they weren’t abject failures. Both possess offensive flashes, enough to indicate they’ll get a second contract. 

Furthermore, goaltender Jesper Wallstedt continues to win — namely, first-team all-AHL honors in his first season in North America. Russians Marat Khusnutdinov and Danila Yurov round out Minnesota’s true blue-chip prospects. Khusnutdinov is an undersized two-way center, and Yurov is a high-octane offensive winger. Both possess the elite skating to become first-line wingers. Or in Khusnutdinov’s case, a second or third-line center. 
Guerin has publicly noted that each of these players is on track to join the Wild in the 2024-25 season. Swedish winger Liam Öhgren is also on that list. Injuries hampered his 2022-23 season, but he’s poised for a bounce-back season. Defenseman Brock Faber should compete with Addison for a roster spot in 2023-24. 

The Wild have eight players signed through ’23-24: Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, Freddy Gaudreau, Marcus Johansson, Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin, 

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