NHL draft: What you need to know
The draft will be held virtually for the second year in a row.
First round: 7 p.m. Friday.
Rounds 2-7: 10 a.m. Saturday.
Where: The draft is virtual for a second year in a row.
TV: ESPN2 (first round), NHL Network (Rounds 2-7).
Michigan connections: Three of the top six North American prospects, according to NHL.com, are from the University of Michigan — No. 1 Owen Power (a 6-6 defenseman), No. 3 Kent Johnson (6-1 center) and No. 6 Matty Beniers (6-2 center).
All in the family: The No. 4 North American prospect is Luke Hughes, a Michigan native whose brothers Quinn (Canucks) and Luke (Devils) are recent NHL draft picks.
Best of the rest: The No. 2 North American prospect is center Mason McTavish (Peterborough, Ontario Hockey League). No. 5 is right wing Dylan Guenther (Edmonton, Western Hockey League) and No. 7 is defenseman Brandt Clarke (Barrie, OHL). Two Swedish players — Simon Edvinsson and William Eklund — are among the top European prospects.
Wild picks (nine): Two first round (No. 22 and No. 26), one second round, two third round (No. 86 and No. 90), fourth round, fifth round, sixth round, seventh round.
Wild in 2020-21: Went 35-16-5 and finished third in the West Division.
First-round order
1. Buffalo
2. Seattle
3. Anaheim
4. New Jersey
5. Columbus
6. Detroit
7. San Jose
8. Los Angeles
9. Vancouver
10. Ottawa
11. forfeited (from Arizona)
12. Chicago
13. Calgary
14. Philadelphia
15. Dallas
16. N.Y. Rangers
17. St. Louis
18. Winnipeg
19. Nashville
20. Edmonton
21. Boston
22. Wild
23. Detroit (from Washington)
24. Florida
25. Columbus (from Toronto)
26. Wild (from Pittsburgh)
27. Carolina
28. Colorado
29. New Jersey (from N.Y. Islanders)
30. Vegas
31. Montreal
32. Columbus (from Tampa Bay)
about the writer
The Wild are off to one of the best starts in franchise history, and Kirill Kaprizov is tied for the NHL scoring lead.