VANCOUVER -- Perhaps, in Rogers Arena -- the place where Brock Boeser calls home -- the Minnesota Wild will finally draft a UND-bound player.
It has never happened before.
Through 19 drafts and 137 picks, the Wild have never called the name of a current or future UND player. They are one of just two NHL teams to have never taken a UND player. The other is the Vegas Golden Knights, who have only participated in the draft twice.
Perhaps none are more frustrating to Wild/UND fans as Boeser.
With the local Burnsville, Minn., product still on the board in 2015, the Wild -- endlessly in search of a scoring right-winger -- instead took Joel Eriksson Ek. Boeser went to the Vancouver Canucks three picks later.
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Through the last two seasons, Boeser has scored 55 goals. The only Wild player with more during that timeframe is Eric Staal (64). Eriksson Ek has 13 goals.
Since the Wild started drafting in 2000, the only other NHL teams who haven't picked a UND player are the Calgary Flames (the last two were George Pelawa and Kevin Melrose in 1986 and 1984) and the Detroit Red Wings (the last was Rick Zombo in 1981).
The Wild will have eight picks in this draft -- one in each round and two in the sixth.
The Wild are one of just two NHL teams who haven't picked a goalie in the last three drafts. The other is Florida. That might make it more likely that Minnesota will pick at least one goalie this weekend. If so, UND has two possibilities -- sophomore-to-be Adam Scheel and 2020 recruit Cameron Rowe .
Although the Wild haven't drafted any UND players, they have signed a number of them in free agency. Brad Bombardir, Travis Roche, Curtis Murphy, Chay Genoway, Zach Parise and Chris Porter have all played for the Wild.
Parise is currently the team's alternate captain and is on a 13-year, $98 million deal.
The Wild have been plenty active in drafting area college players, especially recently. They've taken seven Minnesota Gophers all-time as well as three Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs since 2013 (Avery Peterson, Carson Soucy and Nick Swaney), a Wisconsin Badger in 2015 (Luke Kunin) and a St. Cloud State Husky last year (Sam Hentges).
Prior to moving to Dallas, the Minnesota North Stars regularly drafted UND players. In the last 15 years in Minnesota, the North Stars took six UND players in the draft.
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NHL DRAFT
First round: 7 p.m. Friday, NBC Sports Network.
Second-seventh rounds: 10 a.m. Saturday, NHL Network.
Where: Rogers Arena, Vancouver.
Of note: The last time an NHL Draft was held in Vancouver, Jonathan Toews went No. 3 overall, becoming the program's highest-ever drafted player. Toews has gone on to captain the Chicago Blackhawks to three Stanley Cups.
MINNESOTA WILD 2019 DRAFT PICKS
No. 12 (first round)
No. 42 (second round)
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No. 73 (third round)
No. 99 (fourth round, from N.Y. Rangers)
No. 149 (fifth round, from Washington)
No. 166 (sixth round)
No. 172 (sixth round, from Vegas)
No. 197 (seventh round)
MOST RECENT UND-DRAFTED PLAYER BY EACH NHL TEAM
2018 -- Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, Philadelphia Flyers
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2017 -- Nashville Predators
2016 -- New York Islanders, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche
2015 -- Florida Panthers, Vancouver Canucks
2014 -- Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, Chicago Blackhawks
2013 -- Winnipeg Jets, Anaheim Ducks, New York Rangers
2012 -- Los Angeles Kings
2011 -- Edmonton Oilers
2010 -- Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens
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2009 -- New Jersey Devils
2008 -- Toronto Maple Leafs, Phoenix Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres
2001 -- Pittsburgh Penguins
2000 -- Carolina Hurricanes
1986 -- Calgary Flames
1981 -- Detroit Red Wings
Never -- Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights
