Good luck getting top prospect Riley Heidt to talk about himself. If his answers this week at Wild development camp are any indication, he would much rather let his play do the talking.

Luckily for anybody following Heidt’s rise up the ranks, the way he carries himself on the ice speaks volumes about the player he could become.

After being selected by the Wild in the second round of the 2023 NHL Draft, Heidt filled up the stat sheet last season with the Prince George Cougars, recording 37 goals and 80 assists across 66 games.

Not only did that production put the Wild on notice, it put Heidt in position to make the team out of training camp this season.

“Personally I believe that I’ve got a good shot,” Heidt said. “I’ve worked hard my whole life. I think I fit right in. It’s just going to come down to myself.”

That’s exactly the type of attitude general manager Bill Guerin is looking for out of young players trying to break through. Asked last month at the 2024 NHL Draft about Heidt’s chances of making the team, Guerin made it clear that nothing will be handed to him.

“You have to earn it,” Guerin said. “You have to beat guys out for a spot.”

The process of doing that started this week for Heidt as he arrived at Wild development camp with a chance to separate himself from his peers. He certainly looked the part while zipping around the ice at TRIA Rink in St. Paul, showcasing his immense skill set whenever the puck was on his stick.

“I’m not trying to do too much.” he said. “Just play my own game and stick to that.”

That’s more than enough for director of player development Brad Bombardir. He lauded how talented Heidt is on the surface while highlighting the ability to make plays at high speed as arguably his most impressive trait.

“He’s a little unique in that way,” Bombardir said. “It’s a different level than a lot of other players.”

The biggest thing Wild have stressed to Heidt is turning himself into a more complete player. They don’t want him to be content operating solely as a prolific scorer. They want him to be somebody the coaching staff has trust in sending over the boards in every situation.

“Obviously I’ve talked to the development guys a ton,” Heidt said. “We had some good talks about trying to improve my all-around game.”

His willingness to do that was noticeable last season as Heidt developed into a strong penalty killer.

“We have so much respect for him doing that,” Bombardir said. “It allowed him to grow his game.

What else does Heidt think he needs to do to prove himself?

“Just be myself out there,” he said with a smile. “I think they like me.”

Indeed. There’s no doubt that Heidt will be a player to watch at training camp in a couple of months. His job is to make sure the Wild have no choice other than to keep him around.

“It’s been my dream since Day 1,” Heidt said. “I wouldn’t be playing this sport if I didn’t want to do that.”

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