The Wild finish up their three-game road swing tonight in Florida, where they’ll face the Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena with puck drop set for 5:00 p.m. CT. Fans can watch on Wild+ or listen on KOOL 107.9 FM.
Minnesota comes in at 0-1-1 on the trip after an overtime loss to Buffalo and a regulation loss in Tampa Bay on Thursday. The schedule doesn’t get any kinder, but the matchup history offers some encouragement: the Wild are 22-10-5 all-time against Florida and have picked up a point in six of the last seven meetings, going 4-1-2 in that stretch.
Florida has started 2-0-2, with three of its first four games going to overtime. The Panthers haven’t played since beating Los Angeles on Tuesday night, and tonight marks their first home game of the season after opening in Carolina and then heading west for games against San Jose, Anaheim and Los Angeles. Even with the return home, Minnesota has handled this building well lately, winning the last three games at Amerant Bank Center.
Minnesota’s injury situation continues to force changes, and forward Rieger Lorenz is expected to make his NHL debut. He was recalled yesterday after starting the season with the Iowa Wild, where he posted three points (2-1=3) in two games, leading Iowa in goals and ranking tied for second in points.
The former Denver Pioneer was also a major college producer, finishing his senior season in 2025-26 with 35 points (17-18=35), good for second on the team in goals and tied for second in points. He helped Denver win an NCHC Championship and later the NCAA Championship in St.
Louis.
The injury list also includes Nick Foligno, who was placed on Injured Reserve yesterday, and Filip Gustavsson, who was moved to Long-term Injured Reserve while continuing to rehab from off-season hip surgery. On the blue line, Olli Maatta, who sat out Thursday’s game in Tampa Bay, is expected back tonight and should line up with Jonas Brodin.
Matt Boldy remains one of the key offensive names to watch. He has 19 shots on goal in four games, tied for fifth in the NHL, and has already produced 10 points (3-7=10) in nine career games against Florida.
Another player with momentum is Quinn Hughes, who is riding a four-game point streak with six points (2-4=6). Hughes and defensive partner Jared Spurgen have tied Ryan Suter for the longest season-opening point streak by a defenseman, and Hughes has also been effective against the Panthers over his career, with 11 points (2-9=11) in 13 games.
In Other News...
Wild Reshuffle Top Line As Kaprizov Tries To Spark Stars
Early in the 2026-27 season, the Wild have already begun looking for a different spark up front, shifting Kirill Kaprizov onto a line with Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy after opening with him beside Danila Yurov and Maxim Shabanov. The change reflects how quickly Minnesota is trying to settle its top six, and it also underscores how much the team is leaning on Kaprizov to drive a lineup that still has not found its offensive rhythm.
John Hynes and Kaprizov have both acknowledged the potential of the new combination, which was used late in a recent game and then carried into practice afterward. The hope is that the new look can help Boldy and Eriksson Ek get going, but the Wild are still waiting for that trio to translate the experiment into actual scoring. [Read more 🡒]
Wild's Quinn Hughes Gamble Suddenly Feels Far More Dangerous
The Wild took a calculated swing when they brought Quinn Hughes over from Vancouver, betting that adding a defenseman of his caliber would be worth the price and the planning that would follow. Hughes has said he is open to an extension, which at least gives Minnesota a starting point, but the deal remains unfinished as both sides work through the kind of details that can shape a players long-term future.
For the Wild, the uncertainty is where the gamble starts to look more complicated. Contract length is part of the conversation, and so is the possibility that a shorter arrangement could leave Hughes positioned for a much larger market next summer, when other teams may come calling. The New Jersey Devils, with Hughes brothers in the mix, are already an obvious team to watch, and until Minnesota closes the book on the extension, the story around this trade is going to keep lingering. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Need More From Kaprizov Before Slow Starts Become A Problem
The Wilds latest loss had the kind of early hole that can make a night feel uphill from the opening shift. Minnesota fell 3-2 to Tampa Bay and dropped to 2-1-1 after a second straight defeat, with an early deficit and too little sustained offensive pressure to offset a game in which the shot totals never fully translated into momentum.
John Hynes pointed to intensity and execution, and the search for a sharper start goes hand in hand with getting more from Kirill Kaprizovs line. The chemistry around Kaprizov, Danila Yurov and Maksim Shabanov has become a point of interest because the Wild need that group to start tilting the ice their way before these slow openings turn into a bigger issue. [Read more 🡒]