The Minnesota Wild had a lot of problem areas over the 2023-24 season, and that hunt for the perfect center is still underway. While Joel Eriksson Ek fit the bill later in the season, there’s still some hesitation in fully allowing him to take that role. With the upcoming 2024 NHL Entry Draft right around the corner, the Wild will be looking to address certain areas of their lineup.
While finding the perfect center is undoubtedly a priority, it’s important to remember that this won’t be an overnight process. Even if they strike gold in the draft, they’ll likely have to wait a season or two to see that player in a Wild uniform. So, what areas are the Wild looking to fill, and who will take those spots in the future? We’ll delve into this, focusing on three players who could potentially fill the Wild’s needs, starting with the center position.
Wild Can Always Use Centers
As determined already, the Wild have a center problem, but they have a young future with Eriksson Ek, Marco Rossi, and Marat Khusnutdinov as centers. They’re always on the lookout for that next rising star, and depending on where you look, multiple names pop up for the Wild’s pick number 13 in the first round. The most recent name that pops up in that spot is Konsta Helenius.
The Wild have always been fans of players from Finland and Sweden, so Helenius’s selection wouldn’t be surprising. One of our Hockey Writer’s draft experts, Logan Horn, projected the Wild would pick Helenius, and from his description of Helenius, it would be great if they did. He talks about how Helenius is a strong center who can also play a good defensive game, which is exactly what the Wild could use.
After watching some highlight reels of Helenius, I see that he has an accurate shot that could produce a lot of goals for the Wild in the future. If he can win faceoffs and take shots, he will be the center the Wild need. Hopefully, if the Wild pick him, they’ll finally have a center they can rely on, even if it takes a few seasons to see him. He may be the next Joel Eriksson Ek since he also has a defensive side, which fits well into the Wild’s roster.
Wild’s Defensive Future
In the most recent draft projections by another of our Hockey Writer’s draft experts, Peter Baracchini believes the Wild will pick a defenseman in Adam Jiříček, who hails from Czechia. They’ve been lucky for defensemen over the years, from Jared Spurgeon to Jonas Brodin and, most recently, their trade that acquired Brock Faber. They also have some young up-and-coming defensemen in their system, like Jack Peart; however, the Wild can always use more.
Baracchini describes him as a player with speed in both skating and decision-making. The only issue is a recent injury that could be a problem. Another player whose two-way game is a popular asset to his game, the Wild need more two-way players. It’s great to have a player who can score and prevent goals.
Watching videos of his gameplay, I see he is a quick-witted defenseman who keeps his opponents on the outside when defending and always knows where they are. Like many defensemen, he has a boomer of a slapshot and does a good job of setting up his teammates. Currently, the Wild’s defensive core is solid, but in a few seasons, they may need someone like Jiříček, and he would be a solid choice in the draft.
Wild Can Use Another Wing
The third and final player I’ve seen discussed as a possible pick for the Wild is Cole Eiserman, who, outside of Macklin Celebrini, is one of the players I’ve heard quite a bit about. The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler came up with his version of a mock draft earlier this month, and he had Eiserman as the Wild’s pick. His reasoning for picking a wing over a center or defenseman was that the Wild seemed comfortable in both areas, and a wing could be more beneficial.
Plus, their pick last season, Charlie Stramel, as a center, hasn’t gone in the direction they hoped it would. According to Wheeler, they “learned their lesson” from picking Stramel (from ‘2024 NHL Mock Draft: After Macklin Celebrini, who goes in the first round?’ The Athletic, 5/9/2024). Eiserman’s a speedy forward who can shift around opponents and even get shots off around them. Speaking of his shot, watching his highlight reel, he has a deadly accurate shot that can beat goaltenders in almost any situation.
With Eiserman, the Wild would have another option to pair with Kirill Kaprizov after this next season, depending on how his development goes if they choose him. They have been experimenting with different wing partners, and he could be a great choice in the future.
Wild Have Options
Regardless of who the Wild choose in the NHL Entry Draft this summer, they have many options. General manager Bill Guerin has made strong decisions in their drafting over the past few seasons. I like all three options but lean towards Horn’s choice in Helenius because they can always use another center. Eriksson Ek is great, as are his teammates, but having a great center is difficult to find.
The 2024 NHL Entry Draft will be held in Las Vegas at the famous Sphere from June 28 to 29 this summer. Everyone will get to see who the Wild picks, along with every other NHL team. Hopefully, it’ll be a great event, and everyone will be happy with who their team chooses.
