Before its game against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Minnesota Wild sent forward Liam Ohgren down to the AHL and recalled forward Tyler Pitlick.
Pitlick, 33, has played in 420 NHL games before his Wild debut on Saturday. The native of Minnesota has 56 goals, 53 assists and 109 points in his NHL career. He also has 54 goals, 86 assists and 140 points in 280 career AHL games.
But for Ohgren this is a chance to actually play top minutes and get more puck touches. Wild head coach John Hynes that was the big reason why Ohgren was sent back down and even Ohgren himself agreed.
The Wild’s 19th overall pick from the 2022 NHL Draft was given a chance in training camp to take the Wild’s second line left wing spot with the absence of injured forward Mats Zuccarello. Ohgren did not play the best in preseason and opened the season on the fourth line.
“It’s a situation where we’ve given him different opportunities in different situations and when you look at it, he hasn’t taken one,” Hynes said on Ohgren.
A team starving for even-strength offense and goal scoring, kept Ohgren on the fourth line and played him only 9:10 a night. He was a minus-four, had four shots and zero points in five games.
“At the same time, we are looking at where he’s playing and what he’s doing. It’s only his second year over here in North America. Let him go down, play and find his game,” Hynes said on the decision. “The big thing for us is puck touches. Without the puck, he has been responsible and his details were certainly growing but now, with a faster game and less time and space, it’s just the puck touches and establishing himself more offensively.”
Ohgren, 21, had 19 goals, 18 assists and 37 points in 41 AHL games last year. He was sent down to get more puck touches because despite the lack of scoring and being a young prospect who’s top ability is scoring, the Wild felt the need to continue to play him on the fourth line.
Last year the Wild recalled Ohgren in January. He played in the top-six for four games and had two assists. He played on a line with Marco Rossi and Matt Boldy and fit in. He had a goal and two assists in seven games during that run.
After, the Wild dropped him down in the lineup and later sent him back down to the AHL were he tore it up.
When Marcus Johansson missed a game against the Seattle Kraken in March, the Wild recalled Ohgren again and stuck him on a line with Freddy Gaudreau and Gustav Nyquist. Ohgren scored in a 4-0 win and was sent back down with Johansson coming back the next game.
Wild Youngster Scores First Of The Season
This Wild youngster scored his first goal of the season.
He finished the season with two goals and three assists in 24 NHL games. When he was in the top-six getting 15 minutes a night, Ohgren produced and looked good offensively. The defensive side was a work in progress but that is expected for a 20-year-old at the time.
But nine minutes a night on the fourth line this year is not the best thing to do when it comes to developing a scorer. So Ohgren was sent down to the AHL to play top minutes in all situations.
“I think with more ice time and with opportunities to get his confidence us is something we felt was important and he agreed,” Hynes said.
So of course in his first game with Iowa, Ohgren scored.
Point being, you can see Ohgren is an offensive player. He has one heck of a shot. But playing in a fourth line role in the NHL is not going to suit his game. Giving him more time in the AHL is the right decision.
If there is a time this year that he is recalled, Ohgren has to be in a top-six role or there isn’t a point in calling him up. Hence why the Wild recalled Pitlick to replace him on the fourth line.
Confidence is a big thing, especially for a young kid. Ruining that is not what you want to do. Hopefully this gives Ohgren confidence that he can one day score in the NHL and be a impactful top-six forward. That time is not now for Minnesota. Despite the lack of 5-on-5 scoring. But that is okay. His time will come and the Wild still believe in the youngster.
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