Wild send Thelen packing...

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The State of Hockey News | MVN - Most Valuable Network » Blog Archive » Thelen becomes team’s first 1st round bust, as he and others go unsigned by June 1st deadline

Thelen becomes team’s first 1st round bust, as he and others go unsigned by June 1st deadline

By Derek Felska | June 2nd, 2007

AJ Thelen became the Minnesota Wild’s first 1st round bust Friday when the team decided not to sign the Savage, Minnesota native to an entry-level contract. The team had soured on the big, smooth-skating defenseman with offensive skills after he was kicked off of his Michigan State squad. He joined the Prince Albert Raiders where he got lots of ice time on one of the worst teams in the Western Hockey League. This season, as an overager he was dealt early in the season to the Vancouver Giants where he played a part in that team winning its first Memorial Cup.

There were high hopes for Thelen when the Wild drafted him 12th overall in 2004. Fans hoped he’d be the big, two-way defenseman this team has always lacked. The failure of Thelen to be signed by the Wild is a bitter pill to swallow since the team has few decent prospects for its blueline. The 6′3″ 215lbs blueliner isn’t leaving without a fight as his agent attempt to argue with the NHL Players Association that Thelen should be an unrestricted free agent since he left Michigan State first before playing Canadian junior. We’ll see where that arbitration goes; but in compensation the Wild are reported to recieve the 42nd Overall selection in this year’s draft. Thelen was not the only 2004 draft pick to fail hold onto a spot with the team. A few other Wild prospects also went unsigned, ending their opportunity to be a part of the organization.

Other unsigned 2004 & 2004 draft class casualties

Right winger Kyle Bailey and goaltender Kristofer Westblom, both picks from 2005 were unsigned by the June 1st deadline. The 6′2″ Bailey struggled in the two seasons after being drafted, and leaving a rebuilding Portland Winterhawks team to a more limited role with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Bailey was selected in the 4th Round, 110th Overall in 2005.

Westblom had little goal support with the Kelowna Rockets, but could not completely gain the #1 goaltender spot since being drafted. The Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan-native put up average numbers with the Rockets, 3.05 goals against average and .900 save percentage. The 6′2″ 165lbs goaltender was a 3rd round pick, 65th Overall in 2005. Westblom’s failure to earn a Wild contract puts the team in a bind between the pipes; as it only has Miroslav Kopriva, Anton Khudobin, Anthony Quesada, and Niko Hovinen as goaltending prospects. Luckily for the Wild, the team is not likely to need goaltending help soon, but it would like to have some more depth between the pipes. Expect the team to draft a goalie to replenish Westblom’s loss, and Josh Harding’s graduation to the big club.

What do these draft failures mean to the State of Hockey?

The combined failures of Bailey, Westblom and especially Thelen does put an element of pressure on the Wild’s scouting staff. Inevitably the questions are asked, “what went wrong?”, “how did we miss that flaw in (insert player here)’s game?” and “Why didn’t we pick (insert player here) instead?” In the long run, draft failures are inevitable and North Stars fans can toss out a fairly long list of dubious choices over the years, so to expect the Wild to be perfect in that regard is unrealistic. Yet, no team wishes to squander 1st round draft choices with any amount of frequency as it is often those picks that become the core of your team for years to come. To make poor choices in the draft can devastate a team for years, just ask the Chicago Blackhawks.