Riley Heidt is having a fantastic draft plus one season. He has the most points per game (1.80) in the WHL of any player who has played at least 40 games. Despite this, questions remain about his NHL projection. Should he be considered a top prospect who can flourish in a top-six role in the NHL? Or is he destined to be just a great junior player? We will dig into these questions and much more.  

Riley Heidt (#27), D0. Tries to dangle around the defender, then goes to where he knows he needs to to score - right in front of the goal. Proves he’s not afraid to take a beating to make the play, he gets punished in front but scores the goal. 2022-11-13#mnwild pic.twitter.com/sVJw78kH5l

— Fantasy Hockey Doctor - Victor Nuño (@VictorNuno12) January 15, 2024

Heidt was taken 64th overall in the 2023 NHL draft by the Minnesota Wild. This was a bit late considering only Connor Bedard (drafted first overall) and Zach Benson (drafted 13th overall) were also draft-eligible and had more points than he did in 2022-23. The EP Rinkside team had Heidt rated as the 27th-best player so suffice to say we think the Wild got good value at 64.

Riley Heidt (#27), D0. Plays give-and-go with his d-man, then another give-and-go with the winger before he buries it from the top of the circle. 2023-03-17#mnwild pic.twitter.com/yuJoO7ZmSM

— Fantasy Hockey Doctor - Victor Nuño (@VictorNuno12) January 15, 2024

The EP Rinkside team rated