Minnesota Wild Slated to Face-Off Against Blackhawks and Blues in Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase
Minnesota Wild Slated to Face-Off Against Blackhawks and Blues in Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase
The Wild joins the Prospect Showcase for the fourth year
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Wild will head to St. Louis, Mo. this weekend to participate in the fourth annual Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase, which will include games against the Chicago Blackhawks and the St. Louis Blues.
The Wild will open the weekend on Saturday, September 14 against the Blackhawks at 6:00 p.m., and conclude with a matchup against the Blues on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. The round-robin tournament will be held at Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Mo, and will be streamed live on Wild.com.
Minnesota will be sending a medley of prospects that have either been drafted by the team in recent years or invited to showcase their skills in front of coaches and team executives A few prospects will continue to prove themselves at Minnesota’s main training camp that will begin on September 19. Here are a list of key names for fans to keep an eye this weekend.
Riley Heidt: The 5’11, 183-pound native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, spent last season with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League (WHL), where he posted 117 points (37-80=117) in 66 games. Heidt, a second-round pick by Minnesota in the 2023 NHL Draft, finished second in the WHL last season in assists and third in points. The left-shot forward recorded three or more points in 19 games last season, including four games with five points. His 280 points (85-195=280) over four seasons with Prince George is the most in franchise history. Minnesota signed Heidt to a three-year entry level contract on March 23, 2024.
Hunter Haight: The Strathroy, Ontario native spent last season with the Saginaw Spirit in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) serving as an alternate captain and finished the season with 67 points (25-42=67) in 68 games, which ranked fifth on Saginaw during the regular season. Haight was a key contributor in helping the Spirit claim its first ever Memorial Cup, leading the team with nine goals in 17 postseason games. The 6’2, 182-pound winger was a second-round pick by Minnesota in the 2022 NHL Draft.
Ryder Ritchie: Selected in the second round of this year’s NHL Draft, Ritchie was the lone forward drafted by Minnesota. The 18-year old spent last season with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL, finishing the year with 44 points (19-25=44) in 47 games. The 6’1, 176-pound native of Calgary ranked fifth on his team in goals last season and sixth in points. Ritchie earned the honor of WHL Rookie of the Year for the 2022-23 season after posting 55 points (20-35=55) in 61 games with Prince Albert.
The full Minnesota Wild roster for the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase can be found here.
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