Wild sign St. Cloud State defenseman Jack Peart

Jack Peart is leaving college to kick off his pro career.

The Wild signed the St. Cloud State defenseman to a three-year, entry-level contract that begins next season, but Peart is going to the Wild’s American Hockey League affiliate in Iowa on an amateur tryout for the rest of this season.

A second-round pick (54th overall) by the Wild in 2021, Peart played the past three seasons with the Huskies.

He had three goals and 11 assists as a junior, and the 6-foot, 195-pounder was an all-NCHC second-team selection for a second consecutive year. St. Cloud State did not qualify for the NCAA playoffs.

Overall, Peart logged 108 games for the Huskies, tallying eight goals and 47 assists for 55 points.

Before that, Peart was named Minnesota’s Mr. Hockey after his senior season at Grand Rapids High School in 2021.

Peart was also recognized with the Reed Larson Award as the state’s best senior defenseman. He went on to play for Fargo in the USHL during its run to the Clark Cup Final and has also represented the United States twice at the World Junior Championship, which included winning a bronze medal in 2023.

In Iowa, Peart, 20, will join a blue line filled with other Wild draft picks.

Daemon Hunt, Simon Johansson, Carson Lambos, Ryan O’Rourke and David Spacek have all skated in at least 40-plus AHL games this season, with Hunt also appearing with the Wild after making his NHL debut in October.

Iowa has 10 games left in the regular season after Tuesday and is currently sixth in the Central Division; the top five teams will advance to the postseason.

Joel Eriksson Ek and Jonas Brodin practiced Tuesday at Tria Rink in St. Paul, and it’s possible they return Thursday vs. San Jose when the Wild’s six-game homestand resumes.

Marcus Foligno was absent; he was out for maintenance, but the plan is for him to practice Wednesday.

Eriksson Ek has missed the past five games after getting hurt March 12 against Arizona, while Brodin sat out the past two.

Like Eriksson Ek, Brodin is dealing with a lower-body injury. He was dropped to the ice last Tuesday by Anaheim’s Alex Killorn and as he fell, Brodin’s right leg bent under his body.

“Both looked good,” coach John Hynes said. “So, we’ll see how they respond.”

The worst-case scenario played out for the Wild on Monday night in a showdown between the two teams they’re chasing in the Western Conference wild-card race.

Not only did Vegas vs. St. Louis end as a three-point game, meaning both gained ground on the Wild in the standings, but the Golden Knights prevailed in overtime to extend their lead over the Blues and Wild for the last playoff spot.

“That’s a bummer,” goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury said. “But back to business. Can’t change the way we think or play.”

Fortunately for the Wild, Vegas and St. Louis don’t have any head-to-head matchups remaining on the schedule.

Of the three squads, the only two that will play against each other again are the Wild and Golden Knights. They’ll square off Saturday at Xcel Energy Center and April 12 in Las Vegas.

“We just gotta try to play the right way, do the right thing, try to win, and we’ll see where it takes us,” Fleury said. “If you overthink stuff, it’s middle of the game, you’re like, ‘Oh, we’re down by two [goals], and we’ll be down in the standings again. This team’s winning.’ You’re watching the scoreboard.

“You can’t think about too much. Just think about your game. Try to win that one.”