The Minnesota Wild have spent the better part of the last decade trying to future-proof their blue line. With the eventual departures of stalwarts like Jared Spurgeon, Ryan Suter, Jonas Brodin, and Matt Dumba always looming, the organization made a concerted effort to stockpile young defensive talent. Draft picks were used, trades were made, and the pipeline was built with the hope that when the time came, the next wave would be ready.
Some of that investment has already paid off. Brock Faber has been everything the Wild hoped for-and then some.
He’s not just a fixture on the blue line; he’s a foundational piece. Zeev Buium, meanwhile, became the key asset in the blockbuster deal that brought in Quinn Hughes.
That’s a major return on investment. But for the rest of Minnesota’s young defensemen, the picture is a lot murkier.
Ryan O’Rourke is already out of the organization. Daemon Hunt, Carson Lambos, Jack Peart, David Jiříček, and David Spacek are still in the system, but none have truly grabbed hold of an NHL role.
And part of that comes down to a simple numbers game. When healthy, the Wild are deep on defense, especially in their top four.
Faber and Spurgeon have played all 48 games so far this season. Buium and Hughes have missed just one combined.
Brodin has suited up for 42. That doesn’t leave a lot of ice time for the kids.
But it’s not just about opportunity. It’s also about performance.
Jiříček has had the most extended look, appearing in 18 games, but his decision-making has raised enough red flags that head coach John Hynes has been hesitant to give him more responsibility. Hunt has been the de facto seventh defenseman, logging 16 games, but hasn’t done much to demand more.
Lambos has played just once. And while Spacek just made his NHL debut, he’s been a steady producer in Iowa, leading the AHL club’s defense in scoring the past two seasons.
Now, though, the Wild are facing a test-and a potential turning point. With Brodin sidelined week-to-week, there’s a significant void on the left side of the defense.
That’s over 21 minutes of ice time per night that need to be absorbed. Jake Middleton, who’s spent most of his time in Minnesota as a top-four guy before the team transitioned to Buium and Hughes, is stepping up in Brodin’s absence.
But Middleton is best suited for a third-pairing role. He’s reliable, physical, and steady-but not someone you want logging huge minutes night in and night out.
This is where the Wild need someone-anyone-from that young defensive group to step up. Because right now, Hughes is being leaned on far too heavily.
He’s already leading the league in average time on ice, clocking over 27 and a half minutes per game. And that number’s gone up since joining Minnesota.
In a recent game where the Wild trailed 6-1 entering the third period, Hughes still played 28:28-including over nine minutes in the final frame. That’s not exactly load management.
Yes, special teams can skew ice time, but the Wild had just one power play in that third period. Hughes logged more than eight minutes at even strength, while Hunt played less than half of that.
That’s telling. If Hynes isn’t willing to trust Hunt in a blowout, when exactly is he going to?
Hughes is a machine, no doubt. One of the best skaters in the world.
But he’s not invincible. And with the Olympics on the horizon, the Wild have to be careful not to run him into the ground.
They’ve seen what fatigue can do-Faber, another elite mover on the back end, has experienced dips in play when overworked. Minnesota can’t afford to repeat that mistake with Hughes.
The challenge is that this group of young defensemen is still, well, young. Hunt and Lambos are 23.
Jiříček and Spacek are 22. None of them have played more than 30 NHL games in a Wild sweater.
But time is running out. The trade deadline is just 14 games away.
If no one steps up soon, the front office may have no choice but to look outside the organization for help. And if they bring in a veteran to stabilize the third pair, that could effectively close the door on this group for the rest of the season.
Then comes decision time. All four-Hunt, Jiříček, Lambos, and Spacek-are restricted free agents this summer.
Only Hunt has arbitration rights. None are expected to command big raises, but the Wild could still choose to non-tender any of them, just like they did with O’Rourke last offseason.
Or they could move one or more of them at the deadline in a deal to help the current roster.
There’s talent here. There’s upside.
But there’s also urgency. The Wild need answers on these young defensemen-and soon.
Otherwise, they risk heading into another offseason wondering if, or when, these prospects will finally turn into contributors. The next few weeks will go a long way in determining which direction things go.