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Daemon Hunt

Jared Spurgeon Still Dealing With Effects From Last Season’s Surgeries

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Wild captain Jared Spurgeon is still experiencing “soreness and stiffness” following back and hip surgeries that ended his 2023-24 season in January, which general manager Bill Guerin told reporters yesterday is why he’s missed their last two games (per Michael Russo of The Athletic). Guerin said he’ll miss their next three games at least but could join the team midway through their road trip and suit up by their Oct. 26 game against the Flyers. As such, defenseman Daemon Hunt has been brought back up from AHL Iowa ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Blue Jackets, Russo reports.

It’s not an entirely unexpected absence, and Guerin says it’s “part of the healing process.” Team doctors confirmed this week that while Spurgeon isn’t 100%, he hasn’t experienced a proper setback and isn’t in danger of missing an extended period, Russo relays. He’s expected to start skating again next week after staying off the ice for a few more days to “let things calm down.”

Spurgeon’s unavailability to start the year has given Wild head coach John Hynes a lack of right-shot defensemen to work with. Zach Bogosian and Brock Faber are the only two righties on the blue line on the roster with Spurgeon out, and Hunt, their only legitimate NHL recall option from Iowa, is a left-shot. His absence isn’t sustained enough to persuade Guerin and Hynes to pursue an acquisition. However, that will change if Spurgeon still needs load management in the back half of the season.

The 34-year-old is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury, so he’s likely dealing with more ill effects from the hip procedure than the back one. Regardless, it’s been a brutal stretch for Spurgeon, who finished top-15 in Norris Trophy voting in 2021-22 and 2022-23. The 2008 sixth-round pick of the Islanders has emerged as one of the league’s premier two-way defenders over the past decade. Over that recent dominant two-year stretch, he posted 21 goals and 74 points in 144 games, averaging 21:31 per night with a sparkling +64 rating. That last mark trailed only Devon Toews (+91) and Matt Grzelcyk (+68) for best in the league during that time.

For the 22-year-old Hunt, it’s already his third recall of the season. He’s only played in one out of Minnesota’s four games, though, and there’s no guarantee he’ll draw into the lineup against Columbus tomorrow with six other defenders available. The 2020 third-round pick had two shots on goal and two blocks while playing 8:01 against the Blues earlier this week.

Wild Reassign Daemon Hunt

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Oct. 16: The Wild returned Hunt to Iowa today, the team announced. He entered the lineup as a seventh defender in Tuesday’s 4-1 win over the Blues, recording two shots on goal and a hit in 8:01 of ice time. Hunt could be recalled again before the Wild kick off a road trip later this week if Spurgeon isn’t ready to return, relays Michael Russo of The Athletic.

Oct. 14: The Minnesota Wild have added some defensive depth with team captain Jared Spurgeon sustaining a lower-body injury. The organization announced they have recalled defenseman Daemon Hunt from their AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild.

Minnesota used Declan Chisholm as the injury replacement for Spurgeon in yesterday’s overtime loss against the Winnipeg Jets. He was largely left off the scoresheet with one hit and one shot in just over 17 minutes of ice time, and Chisholm will likely fill in the void for the time being.

The 2024-25 season marks the third full season for Hunt in the Wild’s organization after concluding his WHL career with the Moose Jaw Warriors. He’s primarily played with AHL Iowa collecting six goals and 42 points in 118 regular season contests.

He made his NHL debut with the Wild last year on October 27th in a shootout loss to the Washington Capitals after securing 4:12 of ice time. He finished the year with one assist in 12 games for Minnesota while averaging 11:30 of ice time throughout those games.

Spurgeon’s lower-body ailment is only supposed to last for a few days, meaning Hunt’s second call-up this season will be shortlived. He’s already tallied one assist for AHL Iowa in two games this season and will look to expand on that when he is inevitably reassigned.

Wild Recall Jesper Wallstedt, Reassign Daemon Hunt

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Oct. 11: After Hunt was scratched as expected for yesterday’s home opener, the team announced he’s been returned to Iowa while Wallstedt is back with the NHL club. The move indicates Chisholm will likely be ready to return tomorrow against the Kraken if needed.

Oct. 10: The Wild have recalled defenseman Daemon Hunt from AHL Iowa, per a team announcement. Hunt will serve as Minnesota’s seventh defenseman while Declan Chisholm, who’s dealing with an illness, is unavailable for tonight’s home opener. Without an open roster spot to execute the transaction, the Wild sent down goaltender Jesper Wallstedt in a corresponding move. He wasn’t expected to dress tonight anyway, with Marc-André Fleury backing up Filip Gustavsson, per Michael Russo of The Athletic.

Drafted in the third round out of WHL Moose Jaw in 2020, Hunt landed in the AHL two years ago and climbed up the depth chart to make his NHL debut last season. He’s posted 41 points (6 G, 35 A) with a -2 rating in 116 games for the Iowa Wild. While a left-shot defender, he can also comfortably log time on the right side.

A strong skater with good physicality for his 6’1″, 201-lb frame, Hunt made a strong impression in training camp after logging an assist and a -1 rating in his first 12 NHL appearances in 2023-24. He’s still waiver-exempt, though, and his level of play didn’t warrant exposing a depth piece like Chisholm or Jonathon Merrill to waivers. The 22-year-old will remain waiver-exempt throughout the season and should receive frequent call-ups whenever injuries affect the Minnesota blue line.

However, Hunt will likely have to wait a bit to make his season debut in the NHL. He’s projected to sit in the press box while Merrill and Zach Bogosian comprise the Wild’s bottom pairing.

As for Wallstedt, the Wild still thoroughly plan on having him in the NHL as part of a three-goalie rotation. Since he’s one of the few waiver-exempt names on the roster, expect him to be papered down to Iowa at other points this season if Minnesota needs an open roster spot in a pinch.

Wild Recall Jesper Wallstedt, Assign Daemon Hunt To AHL

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With Marc-Andre Fleury sustaining an upper-body injury on Friday against Florida, it appears the Wild have opted to make sure they have an extra goalie around if needed.  Michael Russo of The Athletic relays (Twitter link) that netminder Jesper Wallstedt has been recalled from AHL Iowa.  To make room for him on the roster, defenseman Daemon Hunt has been sent down.

Wallstedt made his NHL debut earlier this month against Dallas, one that was a bit of a struggle for him as the 21-year-old allowed seven goals on 34 shots.  However, the 2021 first-round pick (20th overall) has had a strong sophomore year in the minors, posting a 2.61 GAA with a .916 SV% in 21 games.  His save percentage is tied for fourth among AHL goaltenders who have made at least 20 appearances this season.

As for Hunt, the 21-year-old has split the season between Minnesota and Iowa.  At the top level, he has played in a dozen games so far in his first taste of NHL action.  Hunt has a single assist in those contests in limited minutes as he’s averaging just 11:30 per night.  However, in the minors, he has been considerably more productive, collecting a goal and eight helpers in 16 appearances.

Minnesota didn’t have an open roster spot to work with and at this point, Fleury hasn’t been placed on injured reserve so someone had to be sent down to make room for Wallstedt.  Thanks to his waiver exemption, Hunt is that player for now but it wouldn’t be surprising to see this transaction reversed if Fleury is cleared to dress for tomorrow’s game against Carolina or if he lands on IR, allowing Hunt to be recalled.

Wild Recall Daemon Hunt, Place Jared Spurgeon On IR

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The Minnesota Wild have placed captain Jared Spurgeon on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. Spurgeon had only just returned from a lower-body injury that held him out for seven games in December, but now gets placed back on the shelf after three games back. Minnesota is turning to routine call-up Daemon Hunt to fill in while Spurgeon is out. Hunt has played in his first nine career NHL games this season, managing one assist as the only change to his stat line.

Spurgeon’s move to IR is almost poetically devastating for the Wild, who now have their top two forwards, top two defensemen, and their starting goalie on injured reserve – a status complete by Kirill Kaprizov and Spurgeon’s move to IR on Wednesday. The Wild has lost both of the games that they’ve played since losing Kaprizov and Filip Gustavsson in the same game, getting outscored six-to-three. Spurgeon, acting without Kaprizov, Gustavsson, and Jonas Brodin, played in 45 minutes over the last two games managing one assist, three shots, and an even 0 +/-.

This year marks Spurgeon’s 14th season in the NHL – an incredibly impressive mark for a former sixth round draft pick. Spurgeon has also served as the Wild’s captain since the retirement of legendary Wild leader Mikko Koivu in 2020. The 34-year-old defenseman has managed five points in 16 games this season, bringing his career totals up to 384 points in 867 NHL games. He’s played more than all but 10 players from the 2008 NHL Draft class, and could look to  11th among all players from the 2008 NHL Draft class.

Minnesota Wild Hire Cody Franson As AHL Assistant Coach

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The Minnesota Wild have made two moves today regarding their AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild. They have hired former NHL defenseman Cody Franson as an assistant coach, replacing Pat Dwyer, who was promoted to the NHL when the Wild hired John Hynes.

In addition, Minnesota has reassigned defenseman Daemon Hunt to AHL Iowa in a move that, based on the number of recent transactions he has been involved in, could very well be just a paper transaction. Hunt was originally recalled on December 26th, but has not actually played in an AHL game since December 12th.

That being said, The Athletic’s Michael Russo reported today that defenseman Jared Spurgeon is back at Wild practice. Spurgeon has not played since December 10th but as the Wild’s most important defenseman he would obviously draw into the team’s lineup automatically, and the ripple effect of his return to health could mean Hunt returns to the AHL on a more permanent basis.

Hunt, 21, was the 65th overall pick at the 2020 draft and is in his second professional campaign. He jumped from the WHL to the AHL full-time last season and ended up playing in 65 games for Iowa, scoring just 11 points. His offensive game has seen a real uptick so far this season (he has nine points in 11 games) and Minnesota has rewarded that growth with his first set of NHL games. He’s played in nine NHL contests this season, averaging 10:07 time-on-ice. He’s registered one assist, 15 blocked shots, and four hits in those games.

As for Franson, this hire represents the 550-game NHL veteran’s first crack at coaching. The former AHL All-Star retired after a strong 2021-22 season with the Hershey Bears, a year in which he scored 35 points.

The Wild have quite a few defensive prospects in need of development in Iowa so a hire of someone who was so recently successful at both the AHL and NHL level is easy to understand.

Evening Notes: Senators, Wild, Penguins

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The Ottawa Senators announced today that they have recalled forwards Angus Crookshank and Jiri Smejkal from their AHL affiliate in Belleville. Both players had been previously assigned to the AHL after the Senators 5-4 overtime win on Saturday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Both Crookshank and Smejkal had been with the Senators on an emergency recall prior to the break and were unable to stay with the club because the emergency conditions wouldn’t be satisfied. But with the team in Toronto tomorrow night to take on the Maple Leafs both players were able to be recalled joining the club as they get set to begin a busy stretch of games over the next few weeks. The Senators play three times before the new year and 15 times in January as they try to play catchup to the rest of the Eastern Conference.

In other evening notes:

  • The Minnesota Wild announced a pair of recalls as they brought up Daemon Hunt and Jake Lucchini from the Iowa Wild of the AHL. Both players were reassigned to Iowa on Sunday making this move a paper transaction similar to that of the Senators. Lucchini has spent most of the year in Iowa and played his first game with Minnesota on December 23rd. His recall could mean that forward Ryan Hartman will remain out of action when the Wild resume play against the Detroit Red Wings tomorrow night. Hunt will likely serve as the Wild’s extra defenseman for tomorrow night’s game.
  • Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now writes that he believes it is possible the Pittsburgh Penguins could hang on to pending unrestricted free agent Jake Guentzel until the end of the season and treat that as their big trade deadline acquisition. The Penguins currently sit five points back of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference but hold three games in hand on the Tampa Bay Lightning who currently occupy that position. Kingerski believes that the Penguins will forgo a potential trade package for Guentzel if they remain within six points of the playoffs by the end of January.

Wild Reassign Daemon Hunt, Jake Lucchini

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The Wild have reassigned defenseman Daemon Hunt and forward Jake Lucchini to AHL Iowa, per a team announcement.

These transactions must have been completed yesterday to be permitted under the NHL’s holiday roster freeze, which lifts December 28. The Wild recalled Hunt under standard conditions after December 11, meaning the Wild could send him down to the minors during the roster freeze as long as the transaction was completed by midnight today.

The same stipulation does not apply to Lucchini, who the Wild recalled under emergency conditions on Thursday. As the conditions that necessitated Lucchini’s recall no longer apply, he can be sent down any time during the roster freeze. Ryan Hartman was unavailable for Saturday’s game versus the Bruins with an upper-body injury, leaving the Wild with 11 healthy forwards on the active roster. Thus, Lucchini was eligible for an emergency recall.

Only players who cost no greater than $100K above the league minimum salary against the cap, which equates to $875K this season, are eligible for emergency recalls. Lucchini’s cap hit is $775K.

Teams can recall players at will during the roster freeze, meaning both Hunt and Lucchini could find themselves back on the Wild roster before Wednesday’s game against the Red Wings. That will depend on the health of Hartman and captain Jared Spurgeon, who remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury and has not played since December 10 against the Kraken. Spurgeon has missed the last six games, bringing his total games missed due to injury counter this season to 19. He missed the first 13 games of the regular season with an upper-body injury. Neither player has been ruled out of Wednesday’s contest.

Hunt, 21, has played nine NHL games this season and remains on track to develop into a well-rounded, second-pairing-caliber defenseman. Selected 65th overall by the Wild in 2020, Hunt is in the second season of his entry-level contract. He’s looked much more confident in his sophomore professional season, recording one goal, eight assists, nine points, and a +3 rating in 14 minor-league games. It’s a considerable step up from last season’s pace when Hunt recorded 11 points in 59 games for Iowa.

He has one assist and solid possession metrics in his major-league time this season, but it’s hard to judge his performance given his limited usage. Hunt averaged only 10:07 per game and played less than ten minutes on four occasions. He played just 4:28 over six shifts in Thursday’s game against the Canadiens and was a healthy scratch against Boston yesterday.

Lucchini, 28, made his Wild debut against the Bruins, playing left wing on a line with Marco Rossi and Marcus Foligno. The versatile long-time pro logged two shots on goal and won his lone faceoff attempt in 10:05 of ice time. The Wild controlled 46.7% of Corsi events with Lucchini on the ice at even strength. He returns to Iowa, where his nine goals in 24 games are tied for the team lead with Nic Petan. His 20 points are second on the team behind Petan’s 26.

Wild Recall Three Players, Move Jonas Brodin To LTIR

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The Wild recalled defensemen Daemon Hunt and Dakota Mermis, as well as forward Vinni Lettieri, from AHL Iowa on Wednesday, per a team release. To make the Wild salary cap-compliant, defenseman Jonas Brodin was moved to long-term injured reserve retroactive to December 9. He remains out indefinitely with an upper-body injury sustained last Friday on a hit from Oilers winger Evander Kane.

Doing so gives the Wild a 23-player active roster for the first time this season. Recalling both Hunt and Mermis gives the Wild eight defensemen to choose from on a nightly basis while Brodin is sidelined, while Lettieri will serve as injury insurance as an extra forward with the Wild slated for an East Coast road trip early next week.

This is the fourth recall of the season for Hunt, the 65th overall pick in the 2020 draft. The 21-year-old last suited up for an NHL game on November 9 and has been a healthy scratch in four out of the nine games he’s been rostered for this season.

Including his NHL debut on October 27 against the Capitals, Hunt’s played in five games, recording three shots on goal while averaging a paltry 8:36 per contest. He’s still looking for his first NHL point. The physical two-way defender is beginning to look comfortable at the professional level, notching a goal, eight assists and a +3 rating in 14 games for AHL Iowa this season. He recorded 11 points in 59 games last season, his first in the pros after completing his junior career with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors.

Mermis comes back up to the NHL promptly after being sent down Monday to extend his waiver-exempt status, which lasts for 30 NHL-rostered days after he last cleared waivers on November 18. The 29-year-old has played in a career-high 14 games this season, recording two goals and three assists while logging 15:29 per game. After playing 13 straight games between October 17 and November 12, Mermis has frequently been a healthy scratch when on the NHL roster and has played just once in the last month, logging 12:37 and a +1 rating against the Oilers on Friday.

Lettieri, 28, returns to Minnesota after a week-long stint in the minors. The high-end minor-league point producer has split the 2023-24 campaign between leagues after signing with his hometown club in the offseason, recording eight points in ten games for AHL Iowa and three points in 13 games for Minnesota. His last appearance came on November 30 against the Predators.

Wild Send Nic Petan, Daemon Hunt, Jesper Wallstedt To AHL

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The Minnesota Wild have announced a trio of roster moves, sending Nic Petan, Daemon Hunt, and Jesper Wallstedt to the Iowa Wild of the AHL. Wallstedt served as an emergency backup for the team during their trip to Sweden and wasn’t an official call-up, while Petan and Hunt were recalled prior to the trip. Dakota Mermis has also cleared waivers but remains assigned to the NHL club.

Petan was the only one of the group to slot into the lineup during his recall, appearing in the team’s Saturday loss against the Ottawa Senators. He failed to record a point, penalty, or change in his +/- in the matchup while playing just over eight-and-a-half minutes. He did record two shots and one faceoff win in the game, though.

While Hunt didn’t make an appearance on this recall, he has slotted into five NHL games earlier this season. The 21-year-old defenseman has gone without a point through those contests, a stat line that he’s matched in the AHL, going without a score in five games there as well. It’s Hunt’s second full season of professional hockey after he played in 59 AHL games last season, recording 11 points and 14 penalty minutes.

The duo return to Iowa alongside the AHL club’s starting goalie in Wallstedt. The top goalie prospect has played in eight AHL games so far this season, earning a .932 save percentage and a 6-2-0 record. Now 21 years old, Wallstedt was drafted in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft and has yet to play in his first NHL game.

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