The Minnesota Wild are riddled with injuries and after Thursday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Wild are now on their third losing streak of four or more games this season. The loss of top-end players has meant that most of their roster is made up of players elevated into roles they don’t normally play, and it’s a perfect opportunity for young prospects or fringe AHL players to stand out and grab hold of a roster spot.
Perhaps the player that was expected to make the biggest impact is 24-year-old Sammy Walker, who looked great in nine games with the Wild in the 2022-23 season on top of having 48 points in 56 games with their American Hockey League affiliate, the Iowa Wild. Unfortunately, after just two NHL games this season, Walker has been sent back to Iowa after failing to live up to the standard set by the Wild. Forward Adam Raska will take his place.
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Raska, a name most Wild fans will have forgotten, was part of the return from the San Jose Sharks earlier this season in exchange for defenseman Calen Addison. He is a 22-year-old right-winger from Czechia who has eight NHL games under his belt but has yet to collect his first point. He has just one point in his 20 games with Iowa since the trade, but the fact that he has managed to pack in 61 penalty minutes in that time tells you all you need to know about his play style.
The Wild are in a very tough portion of their schedule and are severely undermanned. Management felt they needed to bring in someone with some attitude to be a bit of a spark plug. Raska is unlikely to help their goal-scoring issues, although he did have 45 points in 57 games during his time in the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), but he should be an energizer for a team that seemed lifeless in their loss to the Lightning. It is still uncertain where Raska will slide into the lineup, but it is reasonable to assume he will take Walker’s spot on the bottom line alongside Connor Dewar and Jake Lucchini.
