Wild takes winger from Sweden, Russia in the first round of the NHL draft
MONTREAL – The Future of the Wild now includes two more opportunities, but next season’s roster also got a boost on the first day of the NHL draft.
After recruiting Marc-Andre Fleury again to strengthen his goalkeeping work, Wild expanded his prospect base by selecting Swedish winger Liam Ohgren for a total of 19 and Russian winger Danila Yurov as No. 24 on Thursday from Bell Center in Montreal.
“They play a style that suits us as we do,” said Judd Brackett, the Wilds’ head of amateur scouting. “They are both heavy, skilled, ride well [and] play in time. “
This was the second year in a row and only the third time ever that Wild made two choices in the first round and after strengthening his own end last year by losing goalkeeper Jesper Wallstedt and defender Carson Lambos, Wild took on the attack.
Ohgren was crowned best forward in Sweden’s junior league last season after beating all players in goals (33), points (58) and plus-minus (plus-41) through 30 matches with Djurgården’s junior squad.
The Stockholmer at 6-1, 201 pounds also played 25 matches with Djurgården’s men’s team in the Swedish Hockey League, a line-up he returns to next season, and Ohgren was team captain for Sweden to gold at the U18 WC where he had two goals and an assist in the gold final against Team USA.
“Someone we felt could absolutely play the way we want to play: fast, hard, heavy and skilled,” said Brackett.
Ohgren is a fast left rider and has honed a two-way style.
He felt he took the most steps last season in his defensive game but said his shot is his strength. The 18-year-old was ranked as the eighth best European skater by NHL Central Scouting, which identified reigning NHL MVP Auston Matthews as a player similar to Ohgren. His father, Andreas, has been a strength trainer for the past 15 years and has trained as Colorado’s Gabriel Landeskog and Washington’s Nicklas Backström, and Ohgren has also participated in training sessions.
“I can score goals from almost anywhere,” said Ohgren, who chatted with Wild on the NHL combination but did not know where he would land in the draft. “I can score on shots and even drive to the net.”
As for Yurov, the highest drafted Russian in Wild’s history, the right wing appeared at 6-1, 178 pounds at more than one point-per-match level with Magnitogorsk’s junior team last season: 13 goals and 23 assists for 36 points in 23 games .
Yurov also skated in 21 competitions during the regular season and made 19 playoff games with Magnitogorsk’s men’s team in the KHL, and his goal is to join that group again next season. The 18-year-old is considered a power forward and has “fantastic mobility”, said Brackett, to agree on an exact shot. He was ranked one spot ahead of Ohgren by NHL Central Scouting and spoke with Wild on Thursday morning.
“He was probably the biggest wild card just with what was going to happen,” Brackett said.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Russian players and their ability to move to the NHL, which includes their own Kirill Kaprizov, Wild was not deterred from pulling up a Russian prospect.
“He was the best guy on our list,” said General Manager Bill Guerin. “That’s what we needed. We need the best players.”
With No. 19, Wild actually looked at Yurov and Ohgren before taking Ohgren first. Both players will be at the team’s development camp next week.
“There’s not a hole in their game,” Brackett said. “They can do a little bit of everything and with great detail. When we are looking for players, we want complete players and we feel we have two.”
Before making those choices, Wild withdrew Fleury on a $ 7 million two-year contract that includes a no-motion clause for the 37-year-old veteran who joined Wild on the Chicago trade deadline.
With little room left, the trading market is an option for Wild should the team decide to mix up its playlist, although Guerin said before the draft that he was not particularly involved in the talks.
That may change, but as it looks now, Wild has a close capacity list in place and a growing pool of future prospects after adding Ohgren and Yurov.
“Extremely happy to be part of such a large, strong organization,” Yurov said in Russian through an interpreter. “When I see a lot of videos on YouTube and stuff of the team inside the locker room, I can see that it’s a really good group of guys.
“So overall I’m very happy.”
Rounds 2-7 are on Friday when Wild has six more choices, including nos. 47 and 56.