Top prospects for Minnesota Wild

Top prospects for Minnesota Wild

Stramel could push for NHL spot; Benak to test his game at Western Michigan

ByWes Crosby
August 14, 2026

NHL.com is providing in-depth prospect analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, the top five prospects for the Minnesota Wild

1.Charlie Stramel, F

How acquired: Selected with No. 21 pick in 2023 NHL Draft

2025-26 season: Michigan State (NCAA): 37 GP, 19-25-44

Stramel (6-foot-3, 212 pounds) has made considerable strides the past two seasons after a slow start to his college career

In two seasons at Wisconsin, the 21-year-old had 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) in 67 games. He transferred to Michigan State and saw immediate improvement in 2024-25, when he had 27 points (nine goals, 18 assists) in 37 games. He then made another jump as a senior before sustaining a broken ankle in late March

“Back on the ice again. Felt good,” Stramel said June 29. “All the pain’s gone. Just soreness here and there, but (I’m) getting there. Should be 100 percent here on the ice in a couple of weeks.”

Stramel is a big forward with noticeable agility, which led the Wild to sign him to a three-year, entry-level contract April 6

Projected NHL arrival: This season

2.Adam Benak, F

How acquired: Selected with No. 102 pick in 2025 NHL Draft

2025-26 season: Brantford (OHL): 48 GP, 28-49-77

Benak (5-7, 164) has turned heads since transitioning to North America from his native Czechia.  

With Youngstown of the United States Hockey League in 2024-25, he had 59 points (17 goals, 42 assists) in 56 games. Benak’s game elevated further upon moving to the Ontario Hockey League last season

Lack of size is a concern, but Benak has high marks in nearly every other facet. The skating, hockey sense and playmaking are impressive for a 19-year-old and will help in his move to Western Michigan University

“It should be a new adjustment for me,” Benak said. “It should be the next step in my career. It should be a good spot too. So we’ll see how that goes.”

Projected NHL arrival: 2028-29

3.David Spacek, D

How acquired: Selected with No. 153 pick in 2022 NHL Draft

2025-26 season: Minnesota (NHL): 2 GP, 0-0-0; Iowa (AHL): 59 GP, 7-29-36

Spacek (6-foot, 174) got a short taste of the NHL last season, playing 11:59 in his debut for the Wild, a 6-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Jan. 15. He played one more game, logging 9:31 in a 4-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 20

The 23-year-old then had one assist in five games with Team Czechia at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026

“I think one of the biggest highlights is defending (Connor) McDavid and (Nathan) MacKinnon (of Team Canada) on one line,” Spacek said Feb. 27. “That’s definitely going to stick in the back of my head. … It’s pretty fast. They’re super fast on the ice. Just have to be super aware. Overall, I think I did good against them.”

Spacek signed a one-year, two-way contract July 9 worth $850,000 at the NHL level. He’s dependable, physical and capable of chipping in offensively, and is expected to be one of Iowa’s top defensemen with a chance to push for NHL playing time

Projected NHL arrival: This season

4.Riley Heidt, F

How acquired: Selected with No. 64 pick in 2023 NHL Draft

2025-26 season: Iowa (AHL): 71 GP, 8-17-25

Heidt (5-10, 178) had a difficult first professional season. A productive forward that had 304 points (93 goals, 211 assists) in 194 games the previous three seasons with Prince George of the Western Hockey League, he averaged 0.35 points per game in the American Hockey League last season

The 21-year-old is still a talented facilitator who knows how to work away from the puck. A second season in the AHL might see him regain some of the confidence that was evident in the WHL

Projected NHL arrival: Next season

5.Hunter Haight, F

How acquired: Selected with No. 47 pick in 2022 NHL Draft

2025-26 season: Minnesota (NHL): 9 GP, 1-1-2; Iowa (AHL): 54 GP, 18-14-32

Like Spacek, Haight (5-10, 173) made his NHL debut last season, opening it with the Wild in a 5-0 win against the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 9. He was sent back to Iowa and recalled several times before playing the final two games of the regular season with Minnesota and scoring his first NHL goal in the season finale, a 3-2 win against the Anaheim Ducks on April 14

The 22-year-old has enough creativity to complement a responsible 200-foot game, making him a reliable choice for another recall

Projected NHL arrival: This season