Calvin Pickard has spent the opening stretch of the season doing the work long before the spotlight arrived.
Minnesota has leaned on Jesper Wallstedt in net to start the year, but Pickard has stayed busy behind the scenes, grinding through practice and extra sessions so he’d be ready the moment the call came. That moment is here. He is set to make his Wild debut Tuesday night in Winnipeg, nearly two weeks after the team opened its regular season in Nashville.
Wild coach John Hynes pointed to Pickard’s approach and effort since arriving in Minnesota.
“Extremely competitive guy and a hard worker,” Hynes said of Pickard. “His teammates love him and he’s put a lot of work in through training camp.”
He also stressed that Pickard hasn’t been waiting around in passive mode.
“He went over with Freddy, and he wanted to work,” Hynes said. “So he’s prepared himself to play, and you know we’re looking forward to having him in the net.”
Pickard, a veteran of plenty of stops and plenty of stretches without game action, said the waiting game is nothing unfamiliar.
“Yeah for sure, but I’ve been through it before. Nothing new for me,” Pickard said when asked about the challenge of going without game repetitions.
“Practice has been really big for me and I’ve done a lot of good work with Freddy and Wally. Lot of good reps in practice and I’m excited to get out there.”
For him, the emphasis has been on keeping the basics sharp: positioning, fundamentals and the kind of compete level that travels no matter how long the gap has been between starts. That mindset has shaped his NHL career, and he still leans on it now.
“My battle level has always got to be high for me to have success,” Pickard said. “My techniques have definitely taken a lot of steps forward over the years, but you know, I want to go out there and do my job. Not chase anything and just play my part and let the chips fall where they may.”
That plays into why Minnesota looks like a natural fit. The Wild have built their identity around structure, defense and cutting down quality chances, which should ease the landing for a new goaltender.
Pickard knows that side of the Wild well from the other end of the ice.
“Structure is huge,” Pickard said. “Playing against the Wild over the years a big calling card is their defensive play and it’s been nice to see it firsthand. It’s a treat for me to be a part of this group so I’m definitely excited to get out there.”
Tuesday’s game also comes with a layer of familiarity beyond the sweater he’ll wear. Pickard, who is from Moncton, New Brunswick, has family ties to Winnipeg and calls the city home. He has skated there plenty of times over the course of his NHL career.
“Honestly I think my last start I had in the league was playing in there last year,” Pickard said. “It’s home for me, you know, always got family there. Definitely played a lot of games there over the years so nothing new for me.”
There could even be a familiar face in the other crease. Pickard said he may line up against Stuart Skinner, his former goaltending partner with the Edmonton Oilers.
“They got some good weapons and I’ll probably be playing against my former goalie partner in Edmonton as well,” Pickard said.
After two weeks of work, repetition and waiting, Pickard finally gets his turn. The chance comes in a building he knows well, against a team he knows well, with the Wild giving him his first regular-season start in their colors.
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Gustavsson is expected back later in the year, and when he does return the Wild will have a decision to manage rather than a simple handshake and a thank-you. Two capable goalies can be a luxury, but they can also become a logjam when the offseason arrives and the club has to weigh contracts, roles and possible trade interest. For Minnesota, the upside is obvious. The harder part may be figuring out how to keep both goalies happy, and whether that is even realistic. [Read more 🡒]