Who Are the Wild's Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase Invitees?
Posted September 8, 2025
Next weekend, the Minnesota Wild will host the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks in the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase. For fans in the State of Hockey, there's a ton of reason for excitement. Zeev Buium and Danila Yurov are A-Listers in the prospect world, and for the latter, it's the first time any Wild fan hasn't made frequent vacation plans in Magnitogorsk to see him in person.
But beyond those two headliners, there are plenty of players who should figure into the Wild's long-term plans. Hunter Haight, Riley Heidt, and Rasmus Kumpulainen have impressed at showcases in the past and will be back for more. Even on the other teams, prospect heads might be excited to see first-round talents in St. Louis' Justin Carbonneau, Adam Jiříček (yes, David's brother), Dalibor Dvorsky, and Otto Stenberg. Or maybe you're a Golden Gophers fan looking to see more of Oliver Moore.
While you'll want to look at the more established names, though, the most telling information might be the players who have the INVITEE designation on the roster list. These are undrafted players for whom this showcase will be an audition. And while they might look like roster filler now, the Wild are taking an interest. They're usually good at drafting an overager every year, and just this year, Minnesota signed Riley Mercer, a goalie they invited to the showcase last September.
Maybe these players never reach the NHL, but if the Wild are noticing them now, it's worth looking into why.
So, who are these players? Let's find out.
(It should be noted that Luke Mobley and Jack O'Brien are listed on the roster as invitees. They're at least tangentially part of the organization, having played games for the Iowa Heartlanders in the ECHL last season. As such, we're skipping over them.)
Kody Dupuis, Center, Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)
Yes, the St. Paul-born Dupuis is the son of Wild Legend Pascal Dupuis. Young Kody is just 5-foot-9, and that's after a growth spurt. When he came to the Showcase last year, he was listed at just 5-foot-7. That added size might have helped last year, as he put up 36 points in 57 games for Shawinigan, after just 24 in 62 games last year.
Lest you think this is just a favor for Papa Dupuis, it should also be noted that the New Jersey Devils invited Kody to Development Camp, a team Pascal never played for.
Cash Koch, Left Wings, Tri-City Americans (WHL)
Koch got passed over in his first year of draft eligibility in June, but he's the kind of player who you can see the Wild taking a flier on in the later rounds next year. He had just 11 goals and 18 points in 61 games last season, but he brings it every night and plays hard.
Elite Prospects' staff didn't rank him in their 2025 Draft Guide, but they still had some praise for his work. "He launches himself at opponents, sprints full-speed back into the play, and battles for every inch of ice... With such an impressive motor, Koch is likely to keep improving."
Don't be surprised to see him go to the Wild in, say, the sixth round next year.
Ethan MacKenzie, LHD, North Dakota (NCAA)
One of the youngest players eligible for the 2024 Draft, MacKenzie has gone undrafted twice. This last time happened despite willing himself to a breakout year, scoring 32 points in 54 games with the Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL).
Elite Prospects loved his game. "Mackenzie's aggression stands out every night," they wrote in their 2024 draft guide. "He battles relentlessly, engaging every opponent who enters his space, and never passes up an opportunity to hit."
That sounds like a Bill Guerin kinda guy.
MacKenzie will play next season at the University of North Dakota, where he'll continue to develop his game, telling the Grand Forks Herald that he's modeling himself after Josh Morrissey and Gustav Forsling. "I'm not afraid to mix it up and get more physical," said the 6-foot-0 blueliner. "Being on the smaller side of defenseman nowadays, I like playing the grittier game, playing hard in the corners and tight areas."
MacKenzie can sign as a college free agent as soon as next year.
Luke Mistelbacher, RW, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
Mistelbacher was a late bloomer, but when he started sprouting, he took off. He went on a tear in his draft year (2023-24), potting 11 goals and 28 goals in his final 19 games for the Swift Current Broncos. He built on that with a 42-goal, 93-point season with Swift Current that saw him rank fourth in the W with goals.
As the goal total might suggest, the shot is very effective. "Mistelbacher curls pucks around sticks and fires, turns tricky passes into powerful snappers, and has a knack for always being open," wrote Elite Prospects in their 2025 Draft Guide, while noting his hands and feet could stand to take a step to put him on a course for the NHL.
Astute Iowa Wild fans already got a preview of what Mistelbacher can bring to the table, having seen him for two games in Des Moines after signing an Amateur Try-Out. It's safe to say the Wild have interest in him once his junior career is over.
Rowan Topp, RHD, Guelph Storm (OHL)
Topp is certainly never going to finish on top of the heap when it comes to points. The 6-foot-2 defenseman scored just two goals and nine points in 54 games last season, which brings his total to two goals and 16 points in his 127-game junior career. That's not the most glowing resume.
Still, he carries a lot of respect from Guelph, who named him their top defenseman of last year and have named him an alternate captain for this year. Guelph sees something in him, and so do the Wild.
Jordan Tourigny, RHD, Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)
Tourigny will be familiar to Wild fans who paid close attention to the Showcase last year, or to the team's social media during their development camp this summer. He's been on the team's radar for a while.
When he was first draft-eligible in 2023, Tourigny was on the radar of the public scouting community. McKeen's Hockey rated him the seventh-best offensive defenseman in the class, and Elite Prospects put him 103rd on their list. Clearly, NHL scouts were more tepid, having him pass through the draft three times.
Now he's the captain of Shawinigan, with three seasons of scoring between 41 and 46 points. The lack of a breakout year suggests limited upside. However, a smooth-skating, right-shot defenseman should play somewhere in an organization, whether it's in the NHL or as a longtime AHL player. Every bit of depth matters, which is why these players are worth keeping an eye on next weekend.
Myles Murphy Rising: Bengals’ Unexpected Defender Now Demanding His Spot Up the Depth Chart
It's probably not the player you're thinking of. Recognize the picture?
The Cincinnati Bengals had no shortage of defensive standouts in their Week 1 victory over the Cleveland Browns, but it might surprise you who the coaching staff views as worthy of a large role going forward.
An obvious case can be made for cornerback DJ Turner, who sealed the win with an interception in the fourth quarter and acquitted himself well most of Sunday afternoon. Rookie Shemar Stewart flashed his tantalizing potential, too, despite not recording a tackle.
It turns out that another first-round pick not named Stewart may figure into the Bengals' larger defensive plans than anyone could've anticipated. Getting warmer?
Bengals DC Al Golden hints at large role for Myles Murphy after Week 1
In a media session on Monday, Al Golden sounded off on a lot of the positivity he saw in his debut as defensive coordinator. Among the unexpected highlights was praise for 2023 first-round defensive end Myles Murphy.
As ESPN's Ben Baby reported, Golden said Murphy brought "great energy" and that he "certainly warrants more opportunities" in Week 2's home opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Very interesting indeed. Murphy admitted in the offseason that his first two years as a pro weren't up to snuff due to a lackluster work ethic. It wasn't so much that Murphy was lazy or had bad intentions as it was him simply not knowing what he didn't know about what it takes to be a real pro.
Using that as a baseline, my expectations for Murphy entering 2025 were very low. Digging into the PFF side of things, Murphy did post a decent 68.8 grade, which is well up from 56.5 mark from last season. A small sample size of 22 snaps, yes, but progress nevertheless it seems.
Trey Hendrickson should only increase his workload versus the Jags, and Stewart did plenty to merit more action with an 88.9 PFF mark. Whatever Golden saw in Murphy, though, I can't help but trust him. While the man he replaced, Lou Anarumo, put on an epic showcase of schematic mastery for the Colts, Golden answered with a fourth-quarter shutout of the Browns.
Similar to the myriad weapons in the Bengals' Joe Burrow-led passing attack, this team has a lot of mouths to feed in the defensive end rotation. Seldom do you want to take Hendrickson off the field. Joseph Ossai is a more proven, established player than Murphy at this point.
But hey, in the event that we get anything resembling a fringe starter's level of play from Murphy, that will only help Hendrickson and Stewart stay fresher for when games come down to the wire in the fourth quarter.
Jacksonville boasted PFF's third-best team pass blocking grade in its season-opening 26-10 drubbing of the lowly Carolina Panthers. It stands to reason the Jags' offensive line will face a far stiffer test on the road in Cincinnati. Time will tell if Myles Murphy is part of that prospective havoc-wreaking effort.
