One of Wild's top prospects could join team in coming weeks
Remember the name: Marat Khusnutdinov.
He's the prospect who is reportedly going to come to the U.S. and suit up for the Minnesota Wild as soon as his season in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in Russia concludes.
The 21-year-old forward, who was a second-round pick (37th overall) of the Wild in 2020, has six goals and 11 assists in 47 games with HC Sochi in the KHL this season.
How soon could he join the Wild? The KHL regular season concludes Feb. 26, and HC Sochi is not going to advance to the playoffs so there's a chance he could be in Minnesota within a couple of weeks. According to Wild insider Michael Russo, the plan is to get him here "as soon as he could get a work visa."
The Athletic considers Khusnutdinov to be the fifth-best prospect in the organization, calling him more of a playmaker than a scorer who is "effective" and "talented."
"He projects as a potential third-line type who can play up and down the lineup," The Athletic's scouting report on him reads.
Khusnutdinov's scoring numbers are down this season but as a 20-year-old last season while playing on a better team in the KHL he had 41 points (11 goals, 30 assists) in 63 games.
If the Wild are going to make a push for a playoff spot, Khusnutdinov could play a significant role during the stretch run. His potential arrival may also have to coincide with the departure of a bottom six forward, which could mean the Wild get active before the March 8 trade deadline.
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