Not ready to give up on Joel Eriksson Ek

Jeff Curry-USA TODAY SportsDuring the Hockey Wilderness Mock Draft way back in 2015, Joel Eriksson Ek stuck out like a sore thumb as exactly the kind of safe, two-way player that Chuck Fletcher, and Brent Flahr loved to draft. As draft day played out, players like Travis Konecny were falling in to the Wild’s spot at 20. That’s why when Eriksson Ek’s name was announced by the former Wild general manager, friend, former HW writer, now contributor for The Athletic Tony Abbott doubled over in dismay on the table at Shorty’s in Superior, Wisconsin. It was incredibly on-brand for the Wild. There are certain archetypal traits that the former front office loved to draft, and “safe” was definitely one of them.

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