Prospect Info: Riley Heidt, C, 64th Overall, 2023 NHL Draft

[Digitalbooya]

Riley Heidt

Nasty physically, despite his 5-foot-11 frame, Heidt has the handling, shooting, and vision to inflict major damage on opponents. He takes the extra stride to play the body, never passes up an opportunity to sneak in a shot behind the play, and is an enthusiastic combatant in scrums. On retrievals, Heidt establishes inside positioning early, drives through opponents’ hands, and separates them from the puck. And the use of contact to create space in the small area game allows him to spin off of defensive pressure and attack the inside

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[LastWordArmy]

The second overall pick in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft, Riley Heidt made a big impression playing for the Prince George Cougars as well as excelling on the international stage with Team Canada. Heidt started the year at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. He scored three goals and three assists for six points in five tournament games and helped his country win the gold medal. Heidt carried over this strong start into the WHL season. He was excellent for Prince George scoring 25 goals and 72 assists for 97 points in 68 games. Heidt added two goals and six assists for eight points in nine playoff games. Heidt was named to the league’s second all-star team after leading the league in assists. He finished the season donning the Red and White for Team Canada. At the Under-18s, Heidt had two assists in five games and came home with a bronze medal.

Riley Heidt Scouting Report: 2023 NHL Draft #32

Riley Heidt Scouting Report: The second overall pick in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft, Heidt led the league in assists this season.

lastwordonsports.com

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Can't argue with the consensus value, and I definitely appreciate the swing.

Not going to argue about center/wing projection. That'll figure itself out.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Can't argue with the consensus value, and I definitely appreciate the swing.

Not going to argue about center/wing projection. That'll figure itself out.

Getting Heidt at 64 makes the other two picks feel better. A couple of "safer" picks mixed with a boom or bust type of pick.

 

[landy92mack29]

2nd biggest steal of the draft after Dragicevic...gonna suck cheering for him as a Wild but him and Boldy together are gonna be deadly. Size isn't a issue as he plays bigger than it and has dominated since I've been watching him back in bantam. Might move off C to the wing in the nhl but getting a future top 6er for sure. Just flip where him and Stramel got picked lol

 

[keppel146]

I could care less about position, just like the upside for once

 

[Digitalbooya]

 

[thestonedkoala]

Something I hear is he has a bit of a nastyness to his game which Rossi is missing.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Minnesota Wild 2023 NHL Draft grade: Corey Pronman analyzes every pick

Corey Pronman evaluates the Wild's picks at the 2023 NHL Draft.

theathletic.com

64. Riley Heidt, C, PRINCE GEORGE (WHL)​

March 25, 2005 | 5-foot-10 | 180 pounds

Tier: Projected to play NHL games

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: Above NHL average
Compete: Below NHL average
Shot: Below NHL average

Background: Heidt has been a major scorer in the WHL after being the second pick in his WHL Bantam Draft. He was named a second-team All-Star in the B.C. division of the WHL this season. Heidt was on Canada’s top power-play unit at the Hlinka Gretzky, although his even-strength minutes were limited. He joined Canada’s U18 team in the spring following Prince George’s early exit, and he again ran the national team’s top power-play unit but was benched in the third period of the bronze medal game.

Analysis: Heidt’s a highly skilled and intelligent playmaker who can run a power play like a pro and has the hands to break open a shift. He hits seams at a high rate and makes a lot of creative passes. The question on him will be whether a 5-foot-10 forward with mediocre speed and compete is going to make a dent in the NHL. He is elusive enough of a skater too, even though he lacks the footspeed. He kills penalties in the WHL, but I wouldn’t call him a high-energy type who wins a lot of battles. He has middle-six forward potential and is someone who can run an NHL power play but will need to round out his game to become that. He’s been a center in junior and could be that as a pro due to his great hockey sense. He may need to be pushed to the wing, but if he hits he could be a Morgan Frost type of center.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Send him to Brayden Points skating coach and let’s go get a beer

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Future top 6 centers of Haight and Heidt?

 

[Minnewildsota]

Future top 6 centers of Haight and Heidt?

I wouldn't hate that...

 

[BagHead]

I had a weird suspicion we'd draft this kid, based off of nothing except his size, his position, and his last name.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Future top 6 centers of Haight and Heidt?

Either we will haight it or they will take this team to a new heidt.

Long term, if we've got:

Kaprizov-Eriksson Ek-Khusnutdinov
Boldy-Stramel-Yurov
Ohgren-Kumpulainen-Heidt

That's not a bad top 9 in my eyes

 

[TaLoN]

Riley Heidt

Funny, I like this pick FAR better than our pick at 21.... good value here.

 

[Minnewildsota]

Either we will haight it or they will take this team to a new heidt.

Long term, if we've got:

Kaprizov-Eriksson Ek-Khusnutdinov
Boldy-Stramel-Yurov
Ohgren-Kumpulainen-Heidt

That's not a bad top 9 in my eyes

Is Marat expected to be a wing? I thought all signs pointed to continuing to play center.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Is Marat expected to be a wing? I thought all signs pointed to continuing to play center.

I'm going to treat his playing center as a pleasant surprise. By no means should we cross it off.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Is Marat expected to be a wing? I thought all signs pointed to continuing to play center.

I went more along the lines of big bodies down the middle. I think he can play both. He's smaller than Rossi, so that has some concern at the NHL level.

 

[Circulartheory]

I never liked Heidt as a first rounder - from what I saw online, he was a pretty unspectacular. That said, excellent value at 64.

Either we will haight it or they will take this team to a new heidt.

Long term, if we've got:

Kaprizov-Eriksson Ek-Khusnutdinov
Boldy-Stramel-Yurov
Ohgren-Kumpulainen-Heidt

That's not a bad top 9 in my eyes

I would want to see a Ohgren - Stramel - Boldy line. That would a nightmare to play against, physical, big bodied, but skilled.

 

[Digitalbooya]

I would want to see a Ohgren - Stramel - Boldy line. That would a nightmare to play against, physical, big bodied, but skilled.

I like that too. Could be a great playoff line

 

[DANOZ28]

i like this pick.

 

[Wabit]

I went more along the lines of big bodies down the middle. I think he can play both. He's smaller than Rossi, so that has some concern at the NHL level.

I agree with bigger centers.

Marat is listed as a couple inches taller than Rossi (no clue on weight). Rossi didn't look any taller than Spurgeon or Zucc on the ice last year.

I think Marat ends up as a winger for MN, but I'm not completely ruling out him as a center. He doesn't look slow in the highlights I've seen.

 

[Digitalbooya]

I agree with bigger centers.

Marat is listed as a couple inches taller than Rossi (no clue on weight). Rossi didn't look any taller than Spurgeon or Zucc on the ice last year.

I think Marat ends up as a winger for MN, but I'm not completely ruling out him as a center. He doesn't look slow in the highlights I've seen.

Elite prospects has Rossi and Khusnutdinov both at 5'9" with Rossi weighing 183lbs and Khusnutdinov weighing 165lbs.

 

[Wabit]

Elite prospects has Rossi and Khusnutdinov both at 5'9" with Rossi weighing 183lbs and Khusnutdinov weighing 165lbs.

Capfriendly has Marat at 5'11 180 lbs. Hockey height/weight are all over the place, so I dunno.

 

[Digitalbooya]

Capfriendly has Marat at 5'11 180 lbs. Hockey height/weight are all over the place, so I dunno.

KHL website has him at 176cm (a touch over 5'9") and 75kg (165.3lbs). The Wild website has Khusnutdinov at 5'11" 176lbs. Really all over the place.