Nick Swaney

June 2023 – Swaney managed to play his first NHL game for the Minnesota Wild during the 2022-23 season. Although he went pointless in that contest, he managed to put up 18 goals and 12 assists in 48 games for the Iowa Wild of the AHL. At 25 years of age, Swaney still has the potential to be an NHL player in the future, but will be challenged by a strong team of depth. The local Minnesota native at the least will be an important cog in the AHL and will continue to get call-ups at the NHL level to see what he can bring. Nathan Leblanc

January 2023 – The Wild took a swing at a local talent in Swaney during the 2017 NHL draft. He has since had a successful career at the University of Minnesota-Duluth before transitioning to the AHL’s Iowa Wild during the 2021-22 season. In his first season, Swaney put up an impressive 38 points in 62 games, however, during the current 2022-23 season, Swaney has gotten off to a slower start putting up only eight points in 17 games. At 5-10 and already 25 years old, Swaney definitely has the potential to be a call-up for the Minnesota Wild in the near future, however, he will need to keep developing and improving if he wants to land a spot on a competitive forward core of similarly aged players. At the NHL level, he projects to be a bottom 6 energy forward who has the ability to put up some points, as shown during his time in the NCAA. Nathan Leblanc

April 2018 – Minnesota’s other overage pick in the 2017 draft had a remarkably successful year with Minnesota-Duluth. 22 points in 35 games is a solid start to a college career, and a national championship doesn’t hurt either. The undersized forward will return to Duluth and continue to develop under the close watch of the Wild. With names like Riley Tufte, Dylan Samberg, Mikey Anderson, and Scott Perunovich returning next season, Duluth will be defending their championship with a solid core of players including Swaney. He’ll be one to keep an eye on as the next year or two progress. Will Scouch

June 2017 – Minnesota closed its draft by picking this hometown boy from the Waterloo Blackhawks. Headed to an excellent Minnesota-Duluth program, Swaney is the third Wild pick above 2.5 points per hour at even strength. Undrafted twice, Swaney has improved his play continuously. The small center is skilled, and his ability to drive offense and control defense while on the ice was among the best in the USHL this year. If he can improve his strength, he could be a steal. Minnesota mentioned they selected him so that they didn’t need to try to land him as a college free agent, and I tend to agree. He may need a few years before he makes the jump, but in the seventh round, that tends to be the norm. Will Scouch