With the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyout penalties hitting their peaks this season, the Minnesota Wild are going to have very little room under the salary cap to do anything. With just under $5.4 million remaining, they still have to sign starting goaltender Filip Gustavsson and rookie defenseman Calen Addison, likely leaving them just enough room for their seven defensemen and the ability to call up a player on a cheap deal if needed.
Luckily for the Wild, their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliated Iowa Wild are going to be stocked full of prospects itching for an opportunity to break into the big leagues. The two prospects at the top of the list are Marco Rossi and Brock Faber, but they are basically being gifted a roster spot and just have to walk into the preseason ready to go.
What we are looking at in this article are the prospects that have an outside chance at the NHL. The guys that may have to wait for an injury or other opportunity to arise before they are able to find themselves in the NHL with the hopes of making a good enough impression to stay.
Walker Strolling In
At 24 years old, Sammy Walker might be the oldest prospect on this list, but the 2018 Mr. Hockey award winner has been building steam towards breaking into the NHL full time. Walker is entering the second year of an entry-level contract (ELC) with the Wild after deciding not to sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning, who drafted him in the seventh round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
Walker had an impressive first season in the AHL with 48 points (27 goals and 21 assists) in 56 games, impressive enough that he was brought up to play nine games with the Wild where he had one goal and one assist while being a noticeably impactful player. He was named to the Men’s World Championship team but was injured in the first game and unable to continue.
With his initial intro to the NHL going as well as it did, there is no doubt he will be looking to make some noise at training camp, but with the Wild’s roster basically set he may have to settle for being the first call-up. Walker brings a lot of speed and drive as a middle-six wing that helps drive the play. Don’t be surprised to see him on the NHL roster sooner than later.
Beckman Tries to Stick
Adam Beckman’s name has been out there as a potential call-up to the NHL for a couple of seasons now as the 2019 third-rounder has impressed during his time with the Iowa Wild enough to earn a total of 12 NHL games. Beckman, like Walker, is entering the final year of his ELC and will be pushing hard to not only make the NHL roster, but show that he is capable of producing at that level.
With only one assist in his 12 NHL games, Beckman has yet to grab hold of an opportunity and prove he deserves to maintain a spot. His play style leans heavily towards being a sniper as he has an excellent release and deceptive shot; as such, he is not able to blend seamlessly into the lineup as some other options and instead is forced to wait until a similar player is injured or unable to play.
Hunt Continues to Impress
There is no question that the Iowa Wild’s blue line is starting to get crowded with the number of solid defensive prospects turning pro. This season will likely see the additions of 2021 first-rounder Carson Lambos and recent Qubec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) stand-out David Spacek joining the ranks of Ryan O’Rourke, Simon Johansson, and perhaps the most interesting of all of them, Daemon Hunt. Hunt was only the 65th-overall selection in the third round of the 2020 Draft but is quickly climbing the rankings.
Related: Minnesota Wild Prospect Pyramid: 2023 Draft Update
Although he didn’t reach the level of an NHL call-up last season, he was extremely close at the end of the season after the Canadian impressed in his first year of professional hockey. Hunt slowly climbed the lines in Iowa until he was being relied upon for major minutes and big situations. He is solid at 6-foot-1 and over 200 pounds while still possessing some great speed and puck-moving abilities. If he can add some offense to his game this season expect to see him in Minnesota in short order.
Wallstedt Third in Line
There isn’t much more to say other than Jesper Wallstedt is the best goaltending prospect in the world and a future franchise player for the Minnesota Wild. The absolute robbery that the Wild committed by moving up to pick him 20th-overall in 2021 is looking more and more like one of their best moves in team history. There is only an elite list of prospects that have had as much hype as this and he deserves all of it.
Wallstedt is essentially NHL-ready, but the net is safe in Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury’s hands for one more season. The Wild will seize the opportunity to give him another year of development in the AHL. Don’t be too disappointed, though; it is basically a certainty that he will be the first guy up if there is an injury to either NHL netminder.
Competition Level Constantly Increasing
In recent years, the Wild have had great success in drafting an unusual number of players that appear to be on the path to playing meaningful NHL games. That is becoming more and more evident as the competition in Iowa to be the next man called up is constantly increasing as those players reach the professional level and try to take the next step. Walker, Beckman, Hunt and Wallstedt all showed last season that they are hungry for the NHL, but the best part is that they have to continue pushing, because they never know which of their teammates will find another gear and try to blow past them.