Ivan Lodnia has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Minnesota Wild. Lodnia was the team’s third-round pick in the 2017 draft, and currently plays for the Erie Otters of the OHL.
Lodnia was an interesting draft case last season, as he was buried on a powerhouse Erie squad that featured Alex DeBrincat, Taylor Raddysh, and Dylan Strome up front. When the Otters acquired Anthony Cirelli and Warren Foegele mid-season, Lodnia was pushed even further down the depth chart and used in a sort of shutdown role.
He still recorded 56 points in 66 games, but was a complete no-show in the Otters playoff run scoring just two points through 22 games. As Erie won the OHL title and headed to the Memorial Cup, he again wasn’t featured even as the team was eliminated. This playoff disappearance caused Lodnia to drop all the way to the third round, something the Wild must be happy about.
This season, he’s in a much more prominent role on the team and currently leads the squad in goals with 16, trailing only Raddysh and Kyle Maksimovich in scoring—both of whom are about a year and a half older than Lodnia. The 5’10” winger is a capable player at both ends of the rink, a trait that the Wild have been known for developing throughout the years. While he obviously still has a long way to go before cracking the NHL, signing his first contract is a step in the right direction.