Minnesota Wild sign Caedan Bankier to entry-level deal

The Minnesota Wild have signed 20-year-old forward Caedan Bankier to a three-year entry-level contract with a $925,000 AAV. The deal will kick in for 2023-24.

Bankier is in the midst of his best season of junior hockey, with the 6-foot-2 forward scoring 30 goals and 62 points in 44 games. Bankier also played a depth role for Canada at the World Junior Championship, winning gold. Bankier has spent his entire four-year major junior career with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers, currently sitting at 69 goals and 165 points in 189 games.

The Blazers are one of the top teams in the league, and look stacked with NHL prospects Logan Stankoven, Matthew Seminoff, Daylan Kuefler, Fraser Minten and Olen Zellweger, among others. Ryan Hofer, a trade deadline acquisition, signed his ELC with the Washington Capitals earlier today.

Bankier is a skilled playmaker with a good eye for setting players up. He also has a quick release and isn’t afraid to get the puck on net from anywhere. Bankier is dangerous around the net, both with and without the puck, and his skating has seen some improvement since getting drafted 86th overall in 2021.

The Wild have one of the best prospect pools in the league, highlighted by goaltender Jesper Walsltedt and forward Liam Ohgren. Bankier has emerged as a potential bottom-six scoring winger, and the Wild weren’t willing to let his rights expire on June 1.