The Minnesota Wild have reassigned forward Sammy Walker to their AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild, the team announced Friday.
Walker, 23, has appeared in eight games this season, two of them coming since he was recalled earlier this month. He’s recorded a goal in those eight appearances, averaging 10:25 per game. The Minnesota-born rookie has spent his first pro season mostly with Iowa, where he’s exploded for 25 goals and 20 assists in 50 games.
He now heads back to Iowa for the stretch run, where he’ll likely remain for the rest of the season as the Wild get healthier. While they haven’t clinched a playoff spot, they have a solid cushion, and Walker is slated to get his first pro hockey experience in the postseason beginning next month.
While viewed as undersized by some, the incredibly speedy forward has proven his game translates to the pro levels this season. He was one of the most consistent players in college hockey during his time at the University of Minnesota, where he spent four seasons before signing a two-year, entry-level contract with the Wild in free agency last August.