Minnesota Wild Prospect Report: March 15, 2011

by BReynolds on Mar 15, 2011 4:12 PM CDT in Prospects

You can't spell Calder without... well, yes you can, but still.

It's Tuesday, and of course, that means an update on the Wild's prospect pool from our friends at Wild PR.

With seasons overseas and at home starting to wrap up, it will be interesting to see how some of the kids fare under the pressures of the playoffs in their respective leagues. In the best news of the season, Jason Zucker was named the WCHA Rookie of the Year, and named to the All-WCHA second team. Pretty impressive numbers, too.

Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Jason Zucker, Rookie of the Year.

Make the jump for the full report.

FUTURE MINNESOTA WILD STATISTICS - MARCH 15, 2011

CHL	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM	NOTES
LW Brett Bulmer	Kelowna (WHL)	54	18	29	47	-11	103	Has missed 14 games since suffering a leg injury 2/13. He is now listed as day-to-day. Ranks 6th in goals and points among Rockets skaters.
D Josh Caron	Kamloops (WHL)	25	1	1	2	-1	47	Dished out first assist of the year (3/11). Missed 41 games with a broken collar-bone (9/25-1/8).
LW Kris Foucault	Calgary (WHL)	62	25	23	48	-8	56	Registered his 11th multi-point game (1-1=2) vs. Medicine Hat (3/8). Leads Hitmen skaters in points while ranking T-1st in goals and 3rd in assists.
D Colton Jobke	Kelowna (WHL)	48	1	8	9	+6	79	Registered an assist and a +2 rating in four games last week. Ranks 5th among Rockets defensemen in points.
D Bjorn Krupp	Belleville (OHL)	58	1	10	11	-30	54	Was +1 in three games last week. Ranks 4th among Belleville blueliners in assists and points.
RW Dylen McKinlay	Chilliwack (WHL)	52	6	14	20	-15	60	Potted his sixth goal and racked up five PIM in four games last week. Missed 16 games with a knee injury (10/16-11/26).
COLLEGE/USHL	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM	NOTES
C Anthony Hamburg	Colgate (ECAC)	7	0	3	3	-4	4	Registered five points (2-3=5) in four games last week, including a three-point effort (1-2=3) at Lincoln (3/8). Named the Lancers' Old Chicago Player of the Month for January.
C Anthony Hamburg	Omaha (USHL)	22	6	10	16	-4	13
LW Erik Haula	Minnesota (WCHA)	34	6	18	24	+10	22	Minnesota's season ended with two losses to Alaska-Anchorage. Co-led the Gophers in assists and was T-3rd in points. Led all Finnish players with four goals and ranked 2nd with seven points in six games at the World Junior Championship.
D Sean Lorenz	Notre Dame (CCHA)	36	4	9	13	+27	32	The Irish went 2-1 last week, advancing to the CCHA Championships. Leads team in plus/minus rating and ranks 3rd among defensemen in scoring.
D Kyle Medvec	Vermont (HE)	29	2	4	6	-10	28	Vermont's season ended with a pair of losses to New Hampshire. Ranked 4th among Vermont defensemen in points.
F Jason Zucker	Denver (WCHA)	36	21	19	40	+21	53	Scored the game-winning OT goal vs. Minnesota State to send Denver to WCHA Final Five (3/12). Named WCHA Rookie of the Year and All-WCHA Second Team. He ranks 2nd in WCHA play in goals and 3rd in points. Named WCHA Freshman of the Week 12/7 and 12/14. Claimed a bronze medal at the World Junior Championship, potting one goal in four games.
INTL	TEAM	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM	NOTES
F Mikael Granlund	HIFK Helsinki (Finland - SM-liiga)	39	8	28	36	+6	14	HIFK will face Jokerit in the first round of the SM-liiga playoffs. He was sidelined 21 games with an injury (10/16-12/28).
RW Johan Larsson	Brynas (Sweden - J20 Super Elit)	10	6	9	15	+8	8	Owns one assist in four playoff games for Brynas, which trails Farjestad 3-1. Served as captain of Team Sweden and co-led the U19 5 Nations Tournament with 10 points (4-6=10) in four games. Posted four points (1-3=4) and four PIM in six games at the World Junior Championship.
RW Johan Larsson	Brynas (Sweden - Elitserien)	43	4	4	8	+3	18
RW Mikko Lehtonen	Skelleftea (Sweden - Elitserien)	55	30	28	58	+1	34	Has tallied three points (1-2=3) in four playoff games as Skelleftea is tied 2-2 with Linkoping. Finished the regular season as the league leader in goals and ranking 2nd in points.
F Jere Sallinen	Blues Espoo (Finland - SM-liiga)	55	6	8	14	+5	28	Has recorded a +1 rating in two playoff games as Blues trails Karpat 2-0.
GOALTENDERS	TEAM	GP	MIN	GAA	W-L-OTL	GA	SV%	NOTES
Dennis Endras	Augsburger (Germany -DEL)	46	2673	3.14	20-22-4	140	0.900	Signed a 2011-12, two-way contract with the Wild (3/11). Made 19 saves in a 3-0 loss to DEG Metro Stars (3/11).
Johan Gustafsson	VIK (Sweden - Hockey Allsvenskan)	26	1510	2.30		58	0.910	VIK's season ended as he recorded a 1-1-0 record with a 2.94 GAA and a .867 SV% in two playoff games.
Darcy Kuemper	Red Deer (WHL)	60	3565	1.85	43-12-5	110	0.933	Went 3-0-1 and registered a.954 SV% last week. Two of his three wins came by shutouts (3/8, 3/12). He currently ranks 1st in the WHL in wins, GAA, SV% and shutouts. Named CHL Goalie of the Week for the period of 10/4-10/10, 11/29-12/5, and 1/10-1/16. Named WHL Player of the Week for the period of 1/10-1/16 and WHL Goalie of the Month for January.

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Comments

Even though the the Wild's season is circling the drain

this is always a solid pick-me-up.

What’s not to like? Bulmer, Foucault, and Kuemper tearing it up in the CHL, Lehtonen and Granlund tearing it up overseas, and Zucker is tearing it up in the WCHA.

Another interesting bit of info was Sean Lorenz’s +27 rating while only scoring 13 points. He must be doing very very well defensively (at least in ND’s system) to have that kind of +/-.

Owner of The Haves & Havlats in the Hockey Wilderness League

by ADN on Mar 15, 2011 5:42 PM CDT reply actions

Excited to see whether or not Zucker or Haula will fill some slots next season.

I also have always had the dream that the Wild would draft some Sidney Crosby-type center home grown from Minnesota, he’d become the permanent captain and lead us to a couple Cup. Like a Joe Mauer of hockey, only he goes beyond the first round of playoffs. For instance, imagine if Joe Sakic was actually from Colorado or Gretzky was actually from Edmonton or Los Angeles. They’d be beyond legendary (not like they aren’t already).

by MN.Gruber06 on Mar 15, 2011 6:59 PM CDT reply actions

Why?

I would imagine if the next Gretzky plays for the Wild, he’ll be beloved and become a legend even if he comes from Albania. I have never understood the self-gratification people seem to get from this ‘home-grown’ hype. I just want the best players on the team I support. I couldn’t care less where they were born.

by Krotz the Wall on Mar 16, 2011 10:03 AM CDT up reply actions

It’s just a dream. Don’t write a novel.

by MN.Gruber06 on Mar 16, 2011 6:09 PM CDT up reply actions

Dream higher.

by Krotz the Wall on Mar 17, 2011 7:19 AM CDT up reply actions

Cry more.

by MN.Gruber06 on Mar 17, 2011 10:19 PM CDT up reply actions

Leave Zucker in the WCHA

Leave the College players alone, let them stay in the WCHA. As a fan of the WCHA I say leave them alone. Lets these kids get an education that can serve them well if hockey doesn’t. Please let them develope, physically & mentally. This year is the first time in forever that UND has a senior class that is graduating with all the players it started with. Lets be honest, for every player that makes the jump & succeeds there are twenty that don’t. They have scholarships, get the free education & stop the rush to the pro’s.

by FightingWild on Mar 16, 2011 8:53 AM CDT reply actions

He'll be back in Denver next year.

He’ll only be 18, so unless the Wild think he can make the team right away, which I highly doubt, they can’t put him in the AHL. Also, with a great season under his belt, and playing for a great program, I’m pretty sure the Wild will leave him in place. They’ll want to see how he grows as his responsibility and role for Denver expands.

by Krotz the Wall on Mar 16, 2011 10:05 AM CDT up reply actions

As a non-fan of the WCHA, if Zucker can make an impact on the Wild, screw DU. Now, I get it, the kids need time to develop, and I’m not saying they should pull Zucker early. Matter of fact, Zucker needs at least another year in college simply to grow into his body. However, if a player can make an impact, or even if the GM feels the organization and player are better served by being in the AHL than in college, I’m all for it.

Editor:Hockey Wilderness Assistant Editor:SBN Minnesota Owner: Komissaari erämaa

Rule #17: You may not impersonate representatives of Hockey Wilderness and handout NHL themed wrist bands.

by BReynolds on Mar 16, 2011 1:38 PM CDT up reply actions

Agreed

And there’s no way he is in school 2012-2013

Proprietor of Hockey Wilderness - We take Minnesota hockey WAY too seriously.

by nathaneide on Mar 17, 2011 4:03 PM CDT up reply actions

WCHA Final Five

I’m looking forward to seeing Zucker and the rest of the hockey at the X this weekend. Even with the Gophers and Wisconsin not attending, and by extension many of their fans (insert Big Ten Hockey Conference conspiracy theory here), it should be a good tournament.

The Thursday early match-up (UMD/Bemidji) is much more intriguing to me than the evening contest (CC/UAA). UMD/Bemidji is a northern MN grudge match, but it would be fun to cheer for UAA (LEE GREEN!) to a victory. Also, take into account it is St. Paddy’s day. I will venture a guess at the over-under percentage of those that actually care there is a hockey game going on by the end of the night at 40%.

Hrm… speaking of St. Paddy’s day, Bemidji and UAA both wear green… Therefore, they must be making it through to Friday’s game! You heard it hear first (or second or third… whatever).

by redheadzeb on Mar 16, 2011 2:59 PM CDT reply actions