Hunter Haight Recalled by Wild Ahead of Edmonton Matchup
The Minnesota Wild are bringing up one of their promising young forwards. The team announced Monday that 21-year-old Hunter Haight has been recalled from the Iowa Wild, their AHL affiliate, as they prepare for a road tilt against the Edmonton Oilers.
Haight, who made his NHL debut earlier this season on October 9 against St. Louis, has already seen limited action with the big club-two games in total-but he’s been making a case for more ice time with his play in Iowa.
Through 14 games in the AHL this season, Haight has tallied five points (four goals, one assist), and his four goals rank second on the Iowa roster. Not bad for a second-year pro still finding his rhythm at the professional level.
At 5-foot-10 and 187 pounds, Haight plays bigger than his frame suggests. The native of Strathroy, Ontario, brings a combination of speed, offensive instincts, and a nose for the net that’s helped him climb the ranks quickly since being drafted.
Last season, his first in the AHL, he put up 34 points (20 goals, 14 assists) in 67 games, finishing second on the team in goals, power-play tallies, and shots (154). That kind of production earned him a spot among the top rookie scorers in the league-he tied for eighth among all AHL rookies in goals.
Before turning pro, Haight spent three seasons lighting up the Ontario Hockey League. He split his junior career between the Barrie Colts and the Saginaw Spirit, racking up 168 points (68 goals, 100 assists) in 193 OHL games. His final season in juniors ended on the highest of notes-he helped lead Saginaw to a Memorial Cup title, a crowning achievement in Canadian junior hockey.
The Wild selected Haight in the second round (47th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft, and he’s been steadily climbing the organizational ladder ever since. He’ll wear No. 43 when he rejoins Minnesota’s lineup.
The Wild are set to face off against the Oilers on Tuesday, December 2, at 8 p.m. CT. With Haight back in the fold, Minnesota gets a fresh injection of youthful energy-and a player who’s hungry to prove he belongs at the NHL level.