The Wild announced that forward Ben Jones has been recalled from AHL Iowa. To open an active roster spot, center Hunter Haight was returned to Iowa.
Jones, 26, signed a two-year two-way deal with the Wild in the 2024 offseason. He cleared waivers at the end of last month before missing out on the opening night roster, the third time he’s passed through unscathed since signing in Minnesota. He’s presumably being recalled today to give them a more experienced option to stash in the press box. If they return him to Iowa before he plays 10 games or spends 30 days on the Wild’s roster, he won’t need waivers again.
He’s demonstrated offensive upside at the OHL and AHL levels but hasn’t converted that to NHL points. In fact, he’s yet to get on the scoresheet through 28 career appearances, 26 of them coming with the Wild in 2024-25 amid injuries to their forward group. He had a -3 rating and averaged just 8:23 per game in a fourth-line role, going 12-for-25 on draws (48.0%) and recording 11 blocks and 51 hits. While he made himself known physically, that didn’t translate into any tangible possession impacts – the Wild controlled just 39.7% of shot attempts and 46.3% of expected goals when he was on the ice at even strength.
Jones is on his third NHL organization, starting off as a seventh-round pick by the Golden Knights in their inaugural 2017 draft class. He was non-tendered in 2022 upon completing his entry-level contract and signed with the Flames, where he remained for another two years until reaching Group VI unrestricted free agency and signing with Minnesota. He’s been a legitimate top-six threat in the AHL for the past few years and is coming off one of his better offensive showings on a per-game basis, netting 13 goals and 36 points in 49 games with Iowa last season. He’s added on two assists in two AHL games to kick off 2025-26 as well.
The lack of an offensive track record in the NHL means he likely won’t see consistent deployment unless more injuries arise. Minnesota is only carrying 13 forwards, including Jones, with Nico Sturm and Mats Zuccarello on injured reserve. The Wild are understandably averse to sitting young talent in the press box for long stretches – hence Haight’s demotion – and their fourth line currently boasts two recent fourth-line picks, Liam Ohgren and Danila Yurov. That leaves right-winger Vinnie Hinostroza, who’s pointless with a -3 rating through three games, as the only spot for Jones to compete for.
As for Haight, it’s no surprise to see them move quickly to return him to Iowa after scratching him for yesterday’s win over the Kings. The 21-year-old was a late inclusion on their opening roster submission due to Sturm’s injury and drew in for Minnesota’s first two games of the year over Yurov, who was selected one round ahead of him in the 2022 draft. Haight averaged just 9:22 across his two appearances, went 7-for-16 (43.8%) on faceoffs, and recorded a -2 rating without getting on the scoresheet. He didn’t manage a single shot attempt but did record two hits. It was an unsuccessful debut for him on the whole as Minnesota was outchanced 12-4 with him on the ice at 5-on-5, per Natural Stat Trick.
Haight has three years or 158 games played remaining until he loses his waiver exemption, so he can be ferried to Iowa without risk for a while yet. The Ontario native had 20 goals and 34 points in 67 AHL games last year, his first professional season after four years in the OHL.