We’ve mentioned it before (on Monday), but the Minnesota Wild are really moving their emphasis from this season to the future and putting everything in order.
They have their current roster established in stone, and next year should be fascinating as many players age and enter the traditional decline period, but the Wild have a lot of young players who will need somewhere to play. After signing Riley Heidt over the weekend, the Wild are reportedly close to signing Jack Peart, a prospect defenseman and former Mr. Hockey, to an entry-level contract.
Peart was drafted in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft and is about to turn 21 years old in a couple months. He just finished his junior year at St. Cloud State and instead of going into his senior year, he is most likely going to be turning pro with the Wild.
The Grand Rapids, Minn. native has had a down year when it comes to production. Just last season he scored three goals and 24 points in 39 games from the blue line, but that rate dropped to just 14 points this season in one fewer game. Still, there is a very good, mobile defenseman who has said himself that he wants to emulate Jared Spurgeon as best as he can. And now he gets the opportunity to learn from the master himself at training camp this fall.
Peart will most likely play on the Iowa blue line alongside other defenseman prospects such as Carson Lambos, Ryan O’Rourke, and Daemon Hunt, as the Wild look to build the next wave of reliable blueliners so they don’t have to ice any more slow veterans.
That’s wild.
Is everyone overlooking the Wild’s other Russian prospect? Are we not thinking about Vladislav Firstov as a legitimate player enough? [Hockey Wilderness].
With only a few games remaining, the Wild’s playoff aspirations may be at their lowest point this season. The season appears to be nearing its end. [Daily Face Off]
Off the trail…
The top NHL prospects that will compete in the 2024 NCAA tournament. [ESPN]
The Philadelphia Flyers are expected to make the playoffs despite having the NHL’s worst power play. Has this ever happened before? And, if so, what happened to those clubs during the playoffs? Let us have a look. [Broadstreet Hockey]
This season, more than any other, it appears like good players are being healthy scratched due to bad play or simply the numbers game. Introducing the All-Healthy Scratch Team for the 2023-24 season: [Sportsnet]
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