Wild Closing In On Signing Rieger Lorenz

The Wild have been busy locking up draft picks and free agents out of the college ranks over the past few days. That’s expected to continue as they’re closing in on an entry-level pact with 2022 second-rounder Rieger Lorenz, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports. It will be a two-year deal beginning next season, although he’s expected to report to AHL Iowa on an amateur tryout to get some gameplay in now.

The 6’2″ Lorenz was an intriguing selection at the time. He went around the high end of where he was expected to go, but still within range at 56th overall. He was named the top prospect in Canada’s junior ‘A’ system in his draft year after logging 38 goals and 85 points in 60 games.

Fast forward four years, and a subsequent rocky freshman season for Lorenz at the University of Denver is a distant memory. The Calgary native has rattled off three straight 20-point seasons for the Pioneers, including a career-best 17 goals and 35 points in 43 games as a senior this year. He was the Pios’ highest-scoring forward this season en route to a second national championship in the last three years. Lorenz was named to the NCAA’s All-Tournament team on both occasions.

Lorenz ranked as the #10 prospect in Minnesota’s prospect system after removing most of the top end of their pool to acquire Quinn Hughes earlier this season, per Scott Wheeler of The Athletic. In addition to his consistent production over the last few years in Denver, he’s been a penalty-killer for them and could end up being something of a bottom-six checking force for the Wild with a decently well-rounded offensive game. His skating and passing will likely limit his ceiling, Wheeler writes, and he’ll need some serious AHL seasoning before competing for an NHL role.

Nonetheless, the 22-year-old will get a two-year window (and some change here) to prove his trajectory is strong enough to carry him to an NHL job. He’s tracking to be the fourth college signing the Wild have made this cycle. They inked 2023 first-round pick Charlie Stramel out of Michigan State to a deal beginning next season and landed free agent defenseman Viking Gustafsson Nyberg from UConn. They’re also in the process of signing Wisconsin captain Ben Dexheimer.