The Minnesota Wild have selected Joel Eriksson Ek with the 20th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
Eriksson Ek was not one of the most highly-touted prospects at the beginning of the 2014-15 season, but his play just kept on improving and has now been selecting in the top 20 of the NHL Draft. He split the season with Farjestad’s junior team as well as with Farjestad themselves.
He had 21 goals and 32 points in 25 games for the junior team and four goals and six assists in 34 games playing against men for Farjestad. He played for Sweden at the Under-18’s, scoring five goals and one assist for a total of six points in six games. However, the team did not win a medal.
Eriksson Ek goes to a system in Minnesota where he could eventually be a No.2 or 3 center. Definitely a couple of seasons away though.
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The Wild select 50th in the second, 111th in the fourth and 171st in the sixth. They have two picks in the seventh round, the 201st and 204th (from Vancouver via Tampa Bay).
Make sure to keep an eye on THW’s NHL Live Draft Tracker and Deal Tracker for up to the minute info on the Draft, trades and signings going down.