Inside look at Minnesota Wild

NHL.com is offering in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy evaluation for every of its 32 groups from Aug. 8-Sept. 8. Immediately, the Minnesota Wild.

The Minnesota Wild are hoping for a deeper run within the Stanley Cup Playoffs with nearly all of their roster returning following a record-setting season.

Minnesota (53-22-7) completed second within the Central Division, behind the Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche, and set a crew document with 113 factors and 53 wins. Ahead Kirill Kaprizov adopted up a rookie season by which he gained the Calder Trophy by changing into the primary participant in Wild historical past to have greater than 100 factors, ending with 108 (47 targets, 61 assists) in 81 video games.

However the Wild misplaced in six video games to the St. Louis Blues within the Western Convention First Spherical and haven’t reached the second spherical of the playoffs since 2015.

“This crew had one thing particular about it,” normal supervisor Invoice Guerin mentioned Might 17. “And we made super steps within the path that we wish to be moving into.

“I have been right here three seasons now. That is my first season that administration, coaches, and gamers alike had been capable of do issues precisely the way in which we needed to do them. And we took such a giant step in the suitable path in my thoughts, that that offers me loads of hope and loads of encouragement for what’s to come back.”

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Minnesota must change the offensive manufacturing from Kevin Fiala, who had 85 factors (33 targets, 52 assists) in 82 regular-season video games final season, and was second on the crew with 67 even-strength factors. The ahead was traded to the Los Angeles Kings on June 29 for defenseman Brock Faber and the No. 19 choose (Liam Ohgren) within the 2022 NHL Draft.

“The child had an amazing 12 months,” Guerin mentioned June 30 concerning Fiala. “We do not have (NHL wage) cap house. Truthfully, to maintain him we might must commerce three guys or two guys and deplete our crew extra. Then the next 12 months, we’ll want much more. It simply did not match.

“We’d like youthful guys. We’d like guys that do not make tens of millions and tens of millions of {dollars}. We simply must do it that method. And I feel for long-term success, as properly, we’ve got to maintain including to our prospect pool.”

Along with signing Ohgren to a three-year, entry-level contract July 16, Minnesota has pegged Marco Rossi as somebody who can fill the offensive void left by Fiala. The No. 9 choose within the 2020 NHL Draft led Iowa of the American Hockey League in assists (35), tied for first in factors (53), and was fourth in targets (18) in 63 regular-season video games final season. 

“I really feel prepared,” Rossi mentioned July 13. “Final season, that was actually good for me. I might play loads of minutes in Iowa. I performed in each scenario, and I performed lots, so I feel that was for me the very best factor to get higher as a participant. So, I really feel prepared now.”

The Wild additionally hope to get a full season from goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks on March 21 and signed a two-year contract on July 7. Minnesota traded Cam Talbot 5 days later to the Ottawa Senators for Filip Gustavsson, who will function Fleury’s backup. 

“Yeah, that’ll be good to get there from camp and begin with all people else,” Fleury mentioned July 8. “The crew hasn’t modified an excessive amount of, so it’s going to be good to know all people as a substitute of ranging from scratch. I will know the fellows already and it is going to be simpler to get began.”

Video: Mike Russo with the most recent from the Minnesota Wild

Minnesota additionally re-signed Jacob Middleton, who was acquired from the San Jose Sharks on March 21 for goalie Kaapo Kahkonen and a fifth-round choose within the 2022 draft. The 26-year-old defenseman is anticipated to play with veteran Jared Spurgeon on the highest pairing.

Dean Evason, getting into his third full season as coach, mentioned profitable face-offs will probably be a spotlight throughout coaching camp. The Wild ranked twenty seventh in face-off win share final season (47.6 p.c).

“We’ve to make an emphasis on it from Day One,” Evason mentioned on Might 17. “Our face-off guys have gotten higher. We checked out them. (Joel) Eriksson Ek received higher each single 12 months that he is been right here, however he must get higher. All of us have to get higher within the face-off (circle), and that is not simply the [centers]. That is all people. We are going to make [it] extra of an emphasis.”