Heidt’s Road to Making the Wild (Smith/Athletic/Paywall)

Link: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5751022/2024/09/12/riley-heidt-wild-roster?source=user-shared-article

A bit from the article: "But it’ll be up to Heidt to show it, starting in this weekend’s Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase in St. Louis, then at main camp Sept. 19.

The thing is, even if Heidt blows the Wild away during the preseason, it’s still complicated due to their roster and cap situation whether they give him the nine-game tryout that players of his age and junior status can get (Heidt is ineligible to play in the AHL this year).

If the Wild go ahead with the plan they’ve been considering — having three goalies on their opening night roster, including touted prospect Jesper Wallstedt — they’ll have roughly $500,000 of space left, and that’s not enough for even Heidt’s entry-level deal.

So is there a path for Heidt to make it?

“Yeah, there is,” Guerin said. “We have guys that still don’t need waivers. (Liam) Ohgren doesn’t need waivers. We don’t know if he’s going to make the team. We think he will, but we don’t know. If Riley plays so well that he pushes himself on the team, then great. That’s what it’s about. It’s about competition.” "

My thoughts: Guerin needs new material. A player "fuck you" in his game was refreshing and fun with Rossi. Now, after a couple of season with little roster turnover, I'm desperate for a breath of fresh air with this team and that line coming back it irks me.

Also the fact that Ohgren is the name that is floated as having to make the team also annoys me. It's factual, but at the same time there are players who have provided disappointing performances that have their spots effectively assured.

Maybe Guerin prefers to challenge players when they are coming up rather than kicking them when they are down. But if I'm going to watch a 10-10-20 season out of a player, I'd rather watch Ohgren and Heidt instead of another season of Marcus Johansson.