Wild select shutdown D-man Ryan O'Rourke with No. 39 pick

The Minnesota Wild selected Ryan O'Rourke with the 39th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

Ryan O'Rourke

Position: Defense
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 181 lbs
Age: 18
Club: Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
Nationality: Canadian

(Stats source: EliteProspects.com)

In November, the Greyhounds made O'Rourke the youngest captain in the CHL. To be given the "C" as a 17-year-old says a lot about a player's intangibles.

He plays a mature game, too. The blue-liner is not flashy whatsoever, but he's highly intelligent and very sound defensively. He doesn't project to be a point-producer in the pros, but he's a very safe Day 2 pick who will likely be a competent third-pairing defenseman at least.

What they're saying

"He's a very good defender due to his IQ and his physicality. He kills a lot of rushes and projects to play tough defensive minutes as a pro," said The Athletic's Corey Pronman. "The main knock on him is just fine mobility. I don't think he's slow, and I have seen above-average flashes of speed from him over the years, but quickness isn't what makes him interesting from an NHL perspective."

Highlights