Quick Hits - Guerin makes a statement

Minnesota Wild go defense-first in ‘24 Draft

*It’s clear what Bill Guerin’s philosophy was in this year’s NHL Draft as the Minnesota Wild General Manager drafted four defenseman in their six picks last weekend. That included blue-chip prospect Zeev Buium, whose availability at pick 12 surprised Guerin enough to trade a third round pick to move up one spot for the University of Denver defenseman. After drafting an intriguing offensive-talent in forward Ryder Ritchie with their 45th pick, Guerin took three defenseman and a goalie with the final four, including landing Aron Kiviharju in the fourth round, an intriguing defenseman with high-upside who fell to the 122nd pick after missing most of last season in Finland due to injury.

Keep an eye out for a more detailed review in this Sunday’s Minnesota Minute.

Rah, Rah, Rah, for Ski-U-Mah

*Former Minnesota Golden Gophers hockey legends Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell-Pohl were recently announced as 2024 inductees into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

It was a good week for the Gophers as former hockey players Kyle Okposo won his first Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers and Aaron Ness won his second Calder Cup with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL). Ness is a teammate of former Grand Rapids Thunderhawk Hunter Shepard.

Three incoming freshmen for the University of Minnesota men’s hockey team: Brodie Ziemer, John Whipple, and Erik Pahlsson, were selected on day two of the NHL Draft as well, marking a fantastic week for the school.

The University of Minnesota-Duluth also had two incoming players drafted; Adam Kleber of Chaska was taken in the second round by Buffalo, along with Hermantown’s Max Plante, who was taken by the Detroit Red Wings with the 47th pick.

Twins bats among the best in June

*A Trevor Larnach blast on Sunday set a new Minnesota Twins’ franchise record with 19 consecutive games with a home run according to Josh Kirshenbaum of MLB.com. The Twins hit the fifth most homers in the month of June with 37, but even better is their fourth-best .281 team average for the month and 184 strikeouts, fourth-lowest, helping the Twins go 15-11 in month as they look to close the six-game gap between them and the Cleveland Guardians in the A.L. Central.

Mauer enters another hall of fame

*Joe Mauer was honored on July 1, with yet another induction into immortality when the National High School Hall of Fame welcomed the St. Paul legend. Mauer was a three-sport athlete at Cretin-Derham Hall, lettering in baseball, basketball, and football. Mauer famously made the choice to enter the 2001 MLB Draft rather than pursue football on a scholarship at Florida State University to play quarterback. Mauer would be selected by his hometown Minnesota Twins first overall in that draft, and the history continues to be written for the first-ballot MLB Hall of Famer.

Mauer is also a member of the MSHSL Hall of Fame, as well as the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame. He will be inducted into Cooperstown later this month.