Welcome to Scott Wheeler’s 2020 rankings of every NHL organization’s prospects. You can find the complete ranking and more information on the criteria here, as we count down daily from No. 31 to No. 1. The series, which includes evaluations and commentary from coaches and staff on more than 500 prospects, runs from Jan. 13 to Feb. 11.



I’ve got to be honest, the run-up to the release of this ranking has been unlike any of the others so far because I began receiving messages from Wild fans fairly early expressing surprise that they hadn’t appeared yet. In recent days, those messages ramped from surprise to shock.



That’s rare from a fan base, where the typical reaction normally goes the other direction. Most fans think their favorite team’s prospects should be ranked higher, not lower. The inverse reaction probably speaks to the way recent memory has soured Wild fans.



Therefore, if you’re looking for good news,...