NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 8-Sept. 8. Today, the Minnesota Wild.
The Minnesota Wild are hoping for a deeper run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the majority of their roster returning following a record-setting season.
Minnesota (53-22-7) finished second in the Central Division, behind the Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche, and set a team record with 113 points and 53 wins. Forward Kirill Kaprizov followed up a rookie season in which he won the Calder Trophy by becoming the first player in Wild history to have more than 100 points, finishing with 108 (47 goals, 61 assists) in 81 games.
But the Wild lost in six games to the St. Louis Blues in the Western Conference First Round and have not reached the second round of the playoffs since 2015.
“This team had something special about it,” general manager Bill Guerin said May 17. “And we made tremendous steps in the direction that we want to be going in.
“I’ve been here three seasons now. This is my first season that management, coaches, and players alike were able to do things exactly the way we wanted to do them. And we took such a big step in the right direction in my mind, that gives me a lot of hope and a lot of encouragement for what’s to come.”
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Minnesota will have to replace the offensive production Kevin Fiala, who had 85 points (33 goals, 52 assists) in 82 regular-season games last season, and was second on the team with 67 even-strength points. The forward was traded to the Los Angeles Kings on June 29 for a defenseman Brock Faber and the no. 19 picks (Liam Ohgren) in the 2022 NHL Draft.
“The kid had a great year,” Guerin said June 30 regarding Fiala. “We don’t have (NHL salary) cap space. Honestly, to keep him we’d have to trade three guys or two guys and deplete our team more. Then the following year, we’re going to need even more. It just didn’t fit.
“We need younger guys. We need guys that don’t make millions and millions of dollars. We just have to do it that way. And I think for long-term success, as well, we have to keep adding to our prospect pool “
In addition to signing Ohgren to a three-year, entry-level contract July 16, Minnesota has pegged Marco Rossi as someone who can fill the offensive void left by Fiala. The no. 9 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft led Iowa of the American Hockey League in assists (35), tied for first in points (53), and was fourth in goals (18) in 63 regular-season games last season.
“I feel ready,” Rossi said July 13. “Last season, that was really good for me. I could play a lot of minutes in Iowa. I played in every situation, and I played a lot, so I think that was for the best thing for me to get better as a player. So, I feel ready now.”
The Wild also hope to get a full season from the goalie Marc-Andre Fleurywho was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks on March 21 and signed a two-year contract on July 7. Minnesota traded Cam Talbot five days later to the Ottawa Senators Filip Gustavssonwho will serve as Fleury’s backup.
“Yeah, that’ll be nice to get there from camp and start with everybody else,” Fleury said July 8. “The team hasn’t changed too much, so it’ll be good to know everybody instead of starting from scratch. I’ll know the guys already and it will be easier to get started.”
Video: The latest from the Minnesota Wild with Mike Russo
Minnesota also re-signed Jacob Middletonwho was acquired from the San Jose Sharks on March 21 for goalie Kaapo Kahkonen and a fifth-round pick in the 2022 draft. The 26-year-old defenseman is expected to play with the veteran Jared Spurgeon on the top pairing.
Dean Evason, entering his third full season as coach, said winning face-offs will be a focus during training camp. The Wild ranked 27th in face-off win percentage last season (47.6 percent).
“We have to make an emphasis on it from Day One,” Evason said on May 17. “Our face-off guys have gotten better. We looked at them. (Joel) Eriksson Ek got better every single year that he’s been here, but he needs to get better. We all need to get better in the face-off (circle), and that’s not just that [centers]. That’s everybody. We will make [it] more of an emphasis.”
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