Minnesota Wild Prospect Handbook 2011/12 Season Review “This Minnesota Wild prospect handbook is the result of a beautiful marriage with First Round Bust and Hockey Wilderness, two dedicated Wild online blogs that bring you Minnesota hockey from a fan’s point of view. The idea of this handbook is to offer some detailed insights into the world of hockey prospects, and what Minnesota hockey has to offer for the future. Enjoy!” Hockey Wilderness & First Round Bust STAFF EDITOR IN CHIEF DANIEL CHAN SENIOR WRITERS DAN SHRADER NATHAN WELLS CONTRIBUTING COLUMNISTS HEATHER GALINDO CONTENTS Matt Hackett 77th overall selection in Photo by Chris Jerina 2010 NHL Entry Draft Houston Aeros The Youth Season 8 Movement 20 Update Close to Home on 2012 Wild The Other Side 10 21 Draft Preview of the World Prospect NHL Mock 12 Rankings 22 Draft Top Minnesota 19 Draft Eligible Players WWW.FIRSTROUNDBUST.COM HOCKEY WILDERNESS WWW.HOCKEYWILDERNESS.COM YOUTH MOVEMENT The Next Wave Appears BY DANIEL CHAN nly about a season ago Phillips and Charlie Coyle. depth defensemen, no longer will , there a sort of cloud All the names listed here are injuries mean a losing streak. O that hung over the eligible to play with the Houston Although the Wild have been Minnesota Wild organization. Aeros next season, and all have in Minnesota for 12 years, the There was very little optimism a very high chance to doing so. team has never seen a time when coming from the fans as they Not only that, but every single its minor league has been so full watched their favorite team miss one of these prospects have the of talent. This influx of youth will the playoffs for consecutive potential of being high impact change everything, the way the seasons. players for the Wild. team performs and the way fans This was a result of numerous For example, the most recent perceive their hockey team. first round busts that Minnesota first round pick, Jonas Brodin, has The most amazing thing is that had. For six seasons, from 2004- exceeded fan expectations. He the team did not have to 2009, the Wild’s first round picks represented Sweden in the Men’s sacrifice its youth or draft picks produced nothing for the team, World Championships, playing for this movement, and still have and ultimately left a huge alongside NHLers Niklas all its picks for the 2012 NHL drought of talent in the prospect Kronwall and Daniel Alfredsson, Entry Draft, including the 9th pool. and did not look out of place. In overall selection. That all started to change on fact, he appeared to play better There is new life to the June 25th 2010. than a few of the more veteran organization and in fans, and in “With the 9th selection in the players. the next few years, the Wild draft, the Minnesota Wild select With around seven high finally have some talent that from HIFK, Mikael Granlund” impact players all coming at would be the envy of the rest of With those words, GM Chuck once to the pros, the Wild have the NHL. Fletcher started the injection of to adjust accordingly to give talented youth into the Wild each prospect their deserved organization. The Granlund playing time. selection was followed up by But the real question is, what names such as Brett Bulmer, does this mean for the Minnesota Johan Larsson, Jason Zucker and Wild? Johan Gustafsson. This impressive No longer will the team have draft class was followed up by to rely on one or two players to the 2011 draft in which the Wild carry the team, no longer will the continued to add talent with the Aero call-ups be grinders and additions of Jonas Brodin, Zack Jonas Brodin 10th overall selection in 2012 NHL Entry Draft Photo by Nick Laham ERIK HAULA FEATURE Erik Haula 182nd overall selection in 2009 NHL Entry Draft Photo by Andre Ringuette took off this year finishing 9th in Close To Home On college hockey with 49 points (20G-29A). Playing on The Other Side Of The Minnesota’s second line and making an effort to shoot more, World Haula was en fuego early in the BY NATHAN WELLS season and put up 15 points in the team’s first 7 games. He then hen it comes to prospects, in the University of Minnesota’s cooled off, however, only scoring draft day sticks out as the run to the Frozen Four semifinals 3 goals between November and wreward for years of hard work, as a sophomore. the end of January before 6 AM practices and hundreds of Born in Pori, Finland, Haula finishing the end of the season hockey games. But it’s not the came to the United States to strong. end. play hockey at Shattuck-St. It began with a goal that blew A first round pick still needs Mary’s – a boarding school in the roof off of Mariucci Arena. develop and grow, even after Fairbault, Minnesota that has Down 1-0 and a man in the being drafted, and the NHL is iced NHL stars like Sidney third period to rival Wisconsin in full of cases where top-ten picks Crosby, Jonathan Toews, Kyle the Gophers’ final regular season flame out while guys drafted in Okposo and Zack Parise. After game, Haula and senior forward the sixth and seventh rounds then being drafted by the Wild, Jake Hansen were on a two-on- flourish in the league. It all comes he played a season with Lincoln one when the Wild prospect saw down to taking the next step and in the USHL before heading to the Wisconsin defender cover his for the Minnesota Wild, one Minneapolis to play for the teammate and made them pay. prospect is doing so nine miles Gophers. “That’s the loudest I’ve ever away from the Xcel Energy While the 5’10”, 184 lbs heard the place in my life,” Center halfway around the world center put up a respectable 24 University of Minnesota from home. points (6G-18A) in 34 games as defenseman Nate Schmidt told Erik Haula, a 7th round pick a freshman (along with me after the game. “It’s (182nd overall) by Minnesota in representing Finland in the unbelievable. I was sitting next to 2009, played an important role World Junior Championships), he (backup goalie Michael) ERIK HAULA FEATURE Shibrowski on the bench after the goal and And that doesn’t include three couldn’t hear him. The crowd was so loud it gave prospects (Johan Larsson, Jonas me goosebumps.” Brodin and Mikael Granlund) playing Over the next six games, Haula scored 11 for their country in the World points (5G-6A), including two goals in Championships before a single 18 seconds against Alaska-Anchorage game with the Minnesota and a power play goal against Wild. North Dakota that sent the Despite everything - the Gophers to the Frozen Four. accolades and finishing the What makes it more impressive season strong – Erik Haula still is that Erik stepped up in the has to work on his game. The postseason when other big scoring and face-offs may names for Minnesota slowed have improved but he can be down. His play as a sophomore more consistent in all aspects, dictated how the team would be like skating, and for that (the Gophers started off hot, were reason is returning to the .500 in the middle and hot again in University of Minnesota for his February and March) and when Haula junior season. The seventh scored Minnesota was 12-1-1. round pick isn’t alone in the He wasn’t alone among Wild prospects in Minnesota Wild organization in finishing seasons strong. Four prospects that taking that next step after being Minnesota holds rights to (Johan Larsson, Charlie drafted but in terms of draft position, Coyle, Zack Phillips and Mario Lucia) won their he’s developed far beyond being an league playoff championships and Lucia’s afterthought. Penticton Vees ended the year as the Canadian Junior “A” Champions. Larsson and Coyle, Photo by Gopher Athletics meanwhile, also won awards as Swedish Elite League Rookie of the Year and QMJHL Playoff MVP, respectively. PROSPECT RANKINGS 1 – MIKAEL GRANLUND YR TEAM LEAGUE GP G A PTS PIM 11-12 HIFK Helsinki SM-Liiga 45 20 31 51 18 A smart but undersized forward that Because of his success playing plays with enormous confidence and against men, he will have a very high poise. Has tremendous playmaking chance of finding a regular top six abilities, complimented with great role on the team. creativity and on-ice awareness. Pos: C/LW Although undersized, he plays PROJECTION: Ht: 5-9 hard and is very willing to throw his Elite playmaking versatile forward. Wt: 170 body around, which is a good amount of muscle. He recently signed a three-year entry level deal with the Wild. 2A – JONAS BRODIN YR TEAM LEAGUE GP G A PTS PIM 11-12 Farjestad Karlstad SEL 49 0 8 8 14 An extremely smart and mobile decisions with the puck. This may or defenseman that moves seamlessly may not translate into points when he around the ice. He plays a safe, reaches the NHL. defensive game, and uses his mobility He represented Sweden in the and active stick to shake off and Men’s World Championships and was Pos: D evade forecheckers. considered one of the better Ht: 6-1 There are questions about his defenders on the team through the Wt: 181 offensive upside as he struggles to tournament. run the offense from the blueline but he makes very good breakout passes PROJECTION: and always makes smart and quick Top pairing mobile two-way defenseman 2B – CHARLIE COYLE YR TEAM LEAGUE GP G A PTS PIM 11-12 Saint John Sea Dogs QMJHL 23 15 23 38 8 While Zach Phillips is the Sea Dog’s many of his board battles, as well as season MVP, Charlie Coyle the team’s bull his way towards the net.