The harsh reality of being an NHL prospect is that the next wave is always coming, and each one threatens to bring a player that pushes you further down the organizational pecking order.
When the Minnesota Wild released their roster for the 2025 Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase, which begins Friday at Tria Rink in downtown St. Paul, it was a window into the organization’s thoughts about which of their drafted players might still have something to prove, especially at defense.
As new players enter the organization each summer via the NHL draft or other means, they supplant old ones who fall by the wayside. For example, the Wild didn’t re-sign Ryan O’Rourke, a 2020 second-round pick, after three generally subpar seasons in Iowa. He signed an AHL contract with the Laval Rocket.
They also chose not to sign 2023 sixth-rounder Kalem Parker after last season, signifying their belief that he was no longer part of their future plans. Parker recently committed to Michigan Tech.
Now, Kyle Masters and Jack Peart could be the next to start feeling the heat. Each of them has been deemed “not quite graduated” from prospect status and will return for another go-round at the Kurvers Showcase.
This season is Masters’ last chance to impress the organization. The 2021 fourth-round pick will be an RFA after this year, and with more players coming, he’ll need to have a solid season if he wants to earn another contract.
Masters has spent the past two seasons bouncing back and forth between the AHL and ECHL and will face stiff competition again to make the Iowa Wild out of training camp. If he starts the season in the ECHL, it will likely indicate that he hasn’t taken enough of a step to remain a viable prospect.
Peart will be an RFA after next season, and he’ll have to show significant progress to stay ahead of the next incoming waves of defensemen. The Grand Rapids native and former St. Cloud State Husky played 53 games last season with the struggling Iowa Wild, producing a goal and six assists while playing mostly third-pair minutes.
However, big minutes might be tough to come by again this season after Iowa bolstered its depth by adding veteran defensemen Ben Gleason, Matt Kiersted, and Wyatt Newpower. They also signed former Gopher Mike Koster at the end of last season. Still, Peart should get plenty of chances to make an impact. If Carson Lambos or David Spacek end up spending time in the NHL, that will open more opportunities for him.
A smooth skater with decent skill, Peart must prove that he has the ability to be a reliable puck mover in his own zone and to defend against heavy forechecks. A deeper blue line in Iowa should put Peart in a better position to succeed this season, and you can bet that Iowa general manager Matt Hendricks and new coach Greg Cronin will be watching him closely.
The biggest competition for Peart and Masters might be 2024 sixth-round pick Stevie Leskovar, a 6-foot-3, 216-pound defenseman who’s about to play his first season of professional hockey. Leskovar is a late-bloomer who went undrafted in 2022 and 2023 before finally catching the Wild’s attention. He made his AHL debut at the end of last season.
Leskovar, 21, is a left-handed player like Peart. However, he brings a physical presence that could endear him to the organization if he proves he can play at a professional pace. He’ll be a name to watch at the Kurvers Showcase and during the season.
Lambos (1st round, 2021) and Spacek (5th round, 2022) are preparing for their third full season of professional hockey, and the organization has seen enough of them to determine that they no longer need to prove themselves in any additional prospect tournaments. Both are RFAs after this season and will likely be playing for their next contracts, whether that is in Minnesota or elsewhere.
Lambos appears to have the inside track on Spacek. He played top-pair minutes in Iowa last season and could be a contender to make the NHL roster out of camp if there is an injury. Still, Lambos has struggled with consistency in his professional career. While he has more raw talent than Spacek, it would not be surprising to see Spacek supplant him and earn a call-up at some point this season.
The Czech defenseman is rumored to be disgruntled by the influx of defensive talent that Zeev Buium and David Jiricek brought when they joined the Wild last season. He should be motivated to showcase his ability to the Wild organization and other potential suitors. Spacek saw time on Iowa’s top power play unit last year, though less so than Lambos. He has the advantage of also being a coveted right-handed defenseman.
Buium will also be playing in the prospect showcase this weekend, but all indications are that the 2024 first-round pick will start the season in Minnesota. His presence at the event will likely provide an opportunity to develop as a leader among the organization’s younger generation and also play big minutes, getting him tuned up for training camp and the upcoming season.
Remember, even Connor Bedard played at this event two seasons ago (and dazzled with a hat trick) despite being considered the best prospect in the sport at the time. Barring some sort of setback, Buium will be in the NHL on opening night.
All told, the competition to remain in the Wild’s plans on defense should be fierce this season, and there’s plenty more talent on the way soon. 2025 picks Theodor Hallquisth (2nd round) and Justin Kipkie (5th round) look like potential difference makers, and 2024 draftees and fellow Finns Aron Kiviharju (4th round) and Sebastian Soini (5th round) will likely be joining the organization down the road. Also in the conversation is 2023 5th-round rounder Aaron Pionk, a Hermantown native who put up big numbers for Minnesota Duluth last season.
While none of those players will be at the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase due to college or European hockey commitments, you can bet they’ll be at future ones. With so many defensemen already in the organization and more on the way, the competition they’ll provide each other should serve the Wild well as they watch to see which ones rise to the top.
For the players that are already with the organization but not yet established, the next step of their journey begins this weekend in St. Paul, and it should make for an exciting event. Both Wild games will be available to stream for free on Wild.com, allowing fans to see which players might have an edge entering this season.