Wild sign Lorenz, Dexheimer to entry-level contracts
The Minnesota Wild have made moves to add prospects from the collegiate ranks to their pipeline on Wednesday.
The team announced that it has signed forward Rieger Lorenz to a two-year, entry-level contract and defenseman Ben Dexheimer to a one-year, entry level contract.
We have signed forward Rieger Lorenz to a two-year entry-level contract beginning in the 2026-27 season. Welcome to the Wild side, Rieger 🙂‍↕️ 📰 Full details » bit.ly/4cMR8JC
Lorenz, who the Wild selected with the No. 56 overall pick in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft, is coming off of a national championship-winning effort with the University of Denver. The Pioneers’ alternate captain put up 17 goals and 18 assists for 35 points in 43 games played this season, setting career bests in all three categories in his senior year.
The Calgary native scored the game-tying goal in the third period for the Pioneers in the NCAA championship game against the Wisconsin Badgers. Lorenz also helped Denver to the national title in 2024, when he was named to the Frozen Four All-Tournament team after picking up assists on both of his team’s goals in a championship game win over Boston College.
Dexheimer, a 23-year-old local product from Edina, was on the other side of the 2026 national championship game as a Badger. During his time in Madison, Dexheimer posted 84 points in 149 games played.
Wisconsin’s captain this season, Dexheimer led the group to the national championship game, where it fell short against Lorenz’s Pioneers. Dexheimer scored 7 goals and dished out 21 assists for 28 points in 39 games played this year. Dexheimer came up clutch with an overtime winner against Michigan State to send the Badgers to the Frozen Four.
Both players’ respective contracts kick in next season, and they will both join Minnesota’s AHL affiliate in Iowa, which is set to close out its season with home games on Wednesday and Friday against Grand Rapids and Minnesota.
The Wild are gearing up for their first-round series against the Dallas Stars, a highly anticipated matchup between the second and third-best teams in the Western Conference.