The Minnesota Wild enter the week of Oct. 12 through Oct. 19 with a lot happening at once: a packed schedule, their first back-to-back of the season, and injuries that are already forcing them to keep shuffling pieces around. That means more new faces in the lineup, at least for now, but it also means several players are getting chances to carry more of the load.
One of the biggest names to watch is Matt Boldy, who finally got on the board after going scoreless in the first four games of the season. It has not been a case of a lack of effort; he just could not finish the chances he was creating.
For a player who usually does not stay quiet for long, that goal matters. The Wild need that spark to turn into a stretch of production, because when Boldy is going, his linemates usually follow, no matter who is skating with him.
The same kind of upward trajectory is showing in goal with Jesper Wallstedt. Minnesota knew it would be without Filip Gustavsson for a while as he recovers from surgery, so Wallstedt was asked to step into the No. 1 role for now.
He has made mistakes along the way, but the overall trend has been positive, and he has gotten better with each outing. At 23, he is still young, but he carries himself with maturity and is hard on himself in a way that suggests he is taking the job seriously.
The early returns point to a Wild team in good hands between the pipes.
Another name worth tracking is Maxim Shabanov. With so much attention naturally on the top group - especially if it remains Kirill Kaprizov, Boldy, and Joel Eriksson Ek - Shabanov has quietly made a strong first impression in his first handful of games with Minnesota.
He has already shown he can connect with Kaprizov, but the fit has carried over elsewhere too. When the top line was adjusted and he moved down to the second line, he still looked comfortable alongside Ryan Hartman and Blake Coleman.
That kind of flexibility should matter a lot as the Wild keep adjusting around injuries, and Shabanov has already shown he can score and set up goals.
Here’s how the week looks for Minnesota:
- Mon.
Oct. 12 vs. Vegas Golden Knights, 7:00 PM CT at Grand Casino Arena - Golden Knights are always tough
- Tues. Oct. 13 at Winnipeg Jets, 7:15 PM CT at Canada Life Centre - First back-to-back of the season
- Thurs. Oct. 15 vs.
St. Louis Blues, 7:00 PM CT at Grand Casino Arena - Another divisional opponent
- Sun. Oct. 18 vs.
Columbus Blue Jackets, 7:00 PM CT at Grand Casino Arena - Blue Jackets have gone through some troubles
In Other News...
Wild Blue Line Suddenly Has A Chance To Change This Start
The early weeks have given Minnesota something it has not always had on the blue line: steady production from the defense as well as cleaner play in its own end. Quinn Hughes and Jared Spurgeon have helped stabilize the group while also chipping in offensively, giving the Wild a more balanced look than the one that so often leaves the forwards carrying the load.
Spurgeons start has been notable enough on its own, but the pairing of his production with Hughes has pushed it into unusual territory for the franchise and, apparently, for the league record book as well. For a team trying to build a more reliable foundation this season, the fact that both defensemen have kept contributing every night is a welcome development, even if the full significance of the run is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Forward Depth Already Looks Tested After Hynes Foligno Update
The Wilds forward group is taking an early hit, and it comes with two familiar names in the middle of it. Head coach John Hynes said Marcus Foligno is dealing with an injury that has him listed day-to-day, while Nick Foligno is also out and has already forced the team to adjust its look up front. For a club that leans on depth and structure, losing two veterans in the same area of the lineup is not exactly a gentle way to open the season.
Marcus Foligno is still waiting on a medical evaluation that should provide more clarity, which leaves Minnesota in a holding pattern on one of its more physical and dependable forwards. Nick Foligno, meanwhile, is expected to need more time before returning, even if the team is not treating it as a long-term situation. For now, the Wild are trying to manage those absences without letting the ripple effect spread too far through the rest of the forward rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Kaprizov Just Led The Kind Of Wild Win Fans Needed
Kirill Kaprizov gave the Wild exactly the sort of night they needed in South Florida, piling up a hat trick and an assist in Minnesotas 4-1 win over the Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena. Matt Boldy chipped in a goal and an assist, and Jesper Wallstedt backed it up with 29 saves as the Wild handled a Florida team that never found much traction offensively outside of Matthew Tkachuks lone goal.
The result stood out even more because Minnesotas special teams held up well while Floridas power play sputtered throughout the night. For a Wild club looking for a confidence-building road win, the combination of Kaprizov driving the attack and Wallstedt settling things down in net was the kind of formula that can travel, even if one key scoring sequence from the star winger will be the part everyone wants to go back and see. [Read more 🡒]