It’s officially that time of year again in Minnesota, and Brock Faber wasted no time putting a name to the mood at Wild camp.
“There is a new bar. A new expectation,” the defenseman said after the club’s first official practice of the 2026-27 season.
That tone hangs over everything right now, especially with the Quinn Hughes extension situation looming and a few new pieces trying to carve out real roles. The biggest of those fresh faces is Maxsim Shabanov, who opened camp on the top line alongside Kirill Kaprizov and Ryan Hartman.
Shabanov’s first season in North America didn’t light up the scoreboard - he finished with five goals in 44 games last year - but the Wild are betting there’s more there. Former KHL coach Ben Groulx sounded convinced the 25-year-old just needs time and the right environment.
“I told everyone, ‘Give him two, three years in the NHL, he’s going to figure it out,’” said former KHL coach Ben Groulx. “He’s got to feel comfortable.
He’s got to feel connection with the coaches. And I know the NHL is different from the KHL, but he’s got to feel that someone in the coaching staff is in his corner.”
Minnesota is clearly hoping John Hynes and his staff can be that support system. Hynes recently got extended, and the Wild also brought back his entire staff and video crew, keeping the full group together for the foreseeable future.
Hughes addressed his own contract situation with a familiar, calm message.
I wouldn’t say there are any issues here. I just think that we’re going through the process, specifically myself, and just taking the time.
I don’t feel pressure to do anything. I’m really happy here.
I love the guys. I love the team.
And I fit in really well. Obviously, there’s a draw to playing with (my brothers) at some point.
But I think Jack said it perfectly at (the recent NHL/NHLPA Player) Media Tour: I’m not going to sacrifice a great spot for me to play … with them.
The Foligno brothers also showed up together in the early camp combinations, with Marcus and Nick lining up as wingers on a line centered by Michael McCarron.
In goal, the Wild’s plan is straightforward: Jesper Wallstedt and Calvin Pickard are each slated to get two full preseason games as they get ready for the season. Filip Gustavsson won’t be back until November, so the crease belongs to those two for now.
Charlie Stramel could also be headed to Iowa to begin his pro career, though Wes Walz said he looked excellent in limited camp minutes on day one.
The schedule is tight from here. With the extended season trimming down the number of official practices, Minnesota has just one more before its first preseason game, a home date with the Chicago Blackhawks and newly minted captain Connor Bedard.
The lineup doesn’t figure to change much by then, but there will be enough to watch. The new top-six pieces should get a first real test, the Wild likely won’t ice a full group on Saturday, and Stramel is expected to be one of the names worth tracking.
In Other News...
Blue Jackets Suddenly Face A Worrying Core Contract Problem
Contract chatter around the Blue Jackets has a way of spilling into the rest of the league, and the latest round only adds to the sense that this is not a simple housekeeping matter. Around the NHL, other front offices are already navigating their own delicate situations, from Detroits internal debate over Dylan Larkin to Winnipegs awkward stance around Connor Hellebuyck, while Minnesotas Quinn Hughes has been trying to keep extension talk from becoming a distraction.
For Columbus, the bigger issue is whether its core pieces can stay aligned long enough to keep the group together. Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko sit at the center of that uncertainty, and with contract questions lingering on both fronts, the Blue Jackets are staring at the kind of problem that can reshape a teams direction before the season ever gets moving. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Opening Night Roster Comes With One Huge Question
Minnesotas roster makeover for 2025-26 gives the opening-night group a much different look, and in a few spots, a stronger one. The Wild kept Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt in goal, added Quinn Hughes to the blue line and brought in forwards Bobby Brink, Blake Coleman and Maxim Shabanov, a mix that gives the lineup more skill, experience and flexibility than it had a year ago.
The defense now looks like a real strength, and the goaltending still gives the team a sturdy foundation. The bigger question sits up front, where departures and fresh faces leave the forward group with more uncertainty than the rest of the roster, even as the overall talent level has improved. Whether this version of the Wild takes a clear step forward may come down to how quickly those new pieces settle in and how well the lineup finds its scoring balance. [Read more 🡒]
Quinn Hughes Just Made Minnesotas Biggest Offseason Question Even Tougher
Quinn Hughes has become one of the most intriguing names on the Wilds summer radar, and not just because of what he can do on the ice. The defenseman said he does not feel pressure to finalize a contract extension, even as Minnesota is believed to have put a record-setting eight-year offer on the table. For a club trying to build around a core and keep its future pointed in the right direction, that leaves a major decision hanging over the rest of the offseason.
Hughes also acknowledged the pull of playing with his brothers, which only adds another layer to a situation that already had plenty of moving parts. Around the league, players are making their own intentions known, with Winnipegs Kevin Cheveldayoff recently addressing Connor Hellebuycks suspension and Detroits Dylan Larkin confirming he asked for a trade. For Minnesota, though, the focus stays on Hughes and whether the Wild can turn a powerful pitch into something more concrete. [Read more 🡒]