Wild Prospect Rieger Lorenz’s Promising Sophomore Season Ends with a National Title

“I can’t believe it.”

Those were the words Minnesota Wild prospect Rieger Lorenz said as he sat on the ice and took the whole scene in at Xcel Energy Center April 13 after his Denver Pioneers won the national championship by defeating the Boston College Eagles 2-0.

Days later, everything still hasn’t completely sunk in for him yet.

“Each day kind of sinks in a little bit more,” Lorenz said during a phone call with Wild.com Wednesday. “I get emotional thinking about it every morning I wake up and to kind of watch the videos that have been posted about us. It’s still surreal.”

The 20-year-old Lorenz capped off a promising sophomore season by leaving an impression last weekend with another strong performance on a big stage.

The Wild’s 2022 second-round pick had the primary assist on the game-winning goal and scored the insurance marker to help the Pioneers become the first college hockey program in history to win 10 national titles.

“It was crazy to help the team like that in a big game,” Lorenz said. “It’s a dream.”

It wasn’t the first time Lorenz contributed offensively in a big game this season. In fact, just three weeks earlier inside XEC, he had a goal and primary assist in Denver’s 4-1 victory over Omaha in the NCHC Championship.

But Lorenz’s difference-making performance in the championship April 13 was in front of a larger audience with everything at stake.

“Very proud of the way he played in those two games,” Wild Director of Player Development Brad Bombardir told Wild.com last week. “He had a big game in the finals, and it was great to see. It’s a testament to him and his continued hard work. … He’s become an improved player.”

What a difference a year can make.

Lorenz admits he struggled last season as a freshman with Denver. He ended the year with two goals and nine points in 37 games. It left him “disappointed,” but the change from the Alberta Junior Hockey League to college hockey was an adjustment.

But now, he’s got his game back on track and has taken a step in the right direction.

And he thrived in his third-line role, played with more confidence and saw the work he did last summer pay off this season.

“He’s done a really nice job, having to … add different elements to his game,” Denver Coach David Carle told Wild.com after the NCHC Championship. “He’s done a great job on our penalty kill, been really good five-on-five, adding a level of responsibility to his game defensively. It really actually enhanced his offense.

“I think you’re seeing more puck possession down low. He’s learning to use his big body in the right ways and get to the right areas offensively. So, he has bought into that — which makes it easier to coach him and easier for him to learn and grow. He’s done an excellent job. He’s been a willing learner and couldn’t be happier for him.”

Lorenz made significant strides as a sophomore this season and thrived on the third line with 16 goals and 30 points with a +21 rating across 44 games. He also played a key role on the penalty kill and has embraced becoming a two-way forward.

“Throughout my whole career, I’ve been a guy that's been on the ice when we’re down a goal, not necessarily when we’re up a goal,” Lorenz said. “And I think this season, I really wanted to hone in on being that guy who’s going out there when we're up by 2-1 protecting the lead. And I honestly think that kind of helped me create more offense as well — not (having) to worry about that part of my game.”

The Wild saw the growth in his game and increased confidence this season — especially in the second half where Lorenz had eight goals and 13 points in the final 15 games.

“He’s kind of added to his game,” Bombardir said. “He’s become a really powerful straight ahead skater, so he can get on pucks. He can get on top of the opponent much quicker. He’s built that habit into his game.

“So that helped him a lot and continues to help his game. … He just continues to get better in other areas, too, as far as his D-zone work and routes and supporting the play in the offensive zone and through the neutral zone. All of that stuff he continues to work on and get better at. You’re starting to see the results, and he’s doing all the work.”

Bombardir said Lorenz’s shot is another element of his game that stands out. Lorenz, who scored 38 goals in the AJHL in 2021-22, showcased exactly that in the championship.

With the Pioneers up 1-0 late in the second on a Jared Wright goal that Lorenz earned the primary assist on, Lorenz received a slick pass from Zeev Buium and beat Eagles’ goalie Jacob Fowler from the left circle on a quick, perfectly placed shot high-blocker under the bar in front of an announced attendance of 18, 694.

“He’s got a sneaky quick deceptive shot,” Bombardir said. “It comes off his stick a little bit differently and catches goalies by surprise. I think you saw that on the goal that he scored.”

Lorenz’s goal in the building he hopes to one day play in with a Wild sweater put Denver up 2-0 with 4:44 left in the middle frame, a lead it maintained to the finish line.

“It’s funny. I’ve watched the replay a few times,” Lorenz said. “I still can’t remember really what I was thinking when it happened. It’s so crazy.”

The icing on the cake? 13 of those fans were there for him — his girlfriend, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.

As for the emotions and celebrations?

“It’s been a blur,” Lorenz said. “I haven’t really had time to sit down and really think about it. We’ve just been celebrating with the guys. … It’s been unbelievable. I can’t even put it into words.”

Lorenz got rewarded for his strong play by being named to the All-Tournament Team, but his production and two-way game has made him a factor all season.

“You look at the year he's had,” Carle said in the press conference after the championship game April 13. “He's had 16 goals, 14 assists. By my DU math, that gets me to 30, which is a pretty good year in college hockey. He's turned himself into a really good 200-foot winger. I'm really proud of him for wanting to buy in and learn, and I think he's shown all of us and shown the world that he can play on an NHL roster someday.”

Lorenz is heading into this offseason in a different place than a year ago. And he learned a valuable life lesson along the way.

“I think just sticking with things, trusting yourself,” he said. “I think last year especially, I doubted myself quite a bit. I think having that self-confidence really, really helps you be happy off the ice and perform on the ice. So, that’s the main thing that sticks for me.”

While Lorenz bounced back and saw growth in his game this season, his goal is to take the next step in his junior season at Denver.

“I wanna be a main contributor on the team next year individually,” he said. “I wanna help the team like I think I did this year. And with that, I wanna become a pro. My body needs to make leaps and bounds as well in the offseason, and I’m super excited to do that.”

The Wild believe he can.

“We think he will,” Bombardir said. “We think with even a little bit more offensive responsibility there next year, it should help his game.

“He has to continue to focus on the things that give him success already, but we’re hopeful that he can take that next step and just knowing the kind of person he is and how driven he is, we have full confidence in him to continue to get better.”