Wild draft Badgers star Kunin in first round of NHL Draft
Minnesota Wild fans may need to set aside an old regional rivalry thanks to Wisconsin Badgers forward Luke Kunin.
The Wild nabbed Kunin with the 15th overall pick on Friday in the first round of the NHL Draft, adding a dynamic scorer who managed to impress as a freshman last season despite the Badgers' struggles.
The sixth American selected in the first round, Kunin was a force for Wisconsin last season, scoring 19 goals and 32 points on a team that managed just eight wins.
Kunin is a native of Chesterfield, Missouri and spent time with the U.S National Team Development Program prior to joining the Badgers, captaining the U.S. to a gold medal at the 2015 U18 World Championships.
That squad also included first overall pick Auston Matthews and sixth overall pick Matthew Tkachuk.
