Minnesota’s season opener in Nashville gave Wild fans something they don’t always get to enjoy right away: a clean, convincing win and a few reasons to feel good about what’s coming next.
It was only one game, and the schedule doesn’t exactly get kinder from here, but Thursday night offered a strong first snapshot. The penalty kill held up, the new pieces showed up, and several players made their mark in a 3-1 win over the Predators.
Jesper Wallstedt was one of the biggest reasons it stayed that way. Less than five minutes in, Nashville’s power play had a chance to strike, and Steven Stamkos nearly opened the scoring around the 16:40 mark.
Wallstedt shut it down with a big save that kept the game scoreless and gave Minnesota exactly the kind of early steadiness it needed. After the Wild’s penalty kill got exposed in the playoffs last year, that kind of stop mattered for more than just the moment itself.
Minnesota ended up killing off almost all of the penalties it faced, and Wallstedt’s work helped keep the night from tilting the wrong direction.
Quinn Hughes also wasted no time reminding everyone why Minnesota needs to figure out a contract for him before it gets too late. He made his presence felt in a couple of key spots, first by drawing a penalty in the opening period after keeping a puck alive in the zone, which helped lead to a power play goal and a 2-0 lead.
Later, in the third period, he scored himself by doing something the Wild seemed reluctant to do much of all night: shoot. That goal stretched the lead to 3-1 and helped put the game away.
Bobby Brink had a strong start of his own. He picked up an assist on Minnesota’s power play goal and was around the puck in all the right ways throughout the night.
He also should have had another assist if Ryan Hartman hadn’t been called for goalie interference. After what happened in the postseason last year, this was the kind of early response Brink needed as he starts to carve out a role in the Wild’s depth scoring.
Hartman, though, was one of the night’s frustrations. The disallowed goal was the most obvious example, and it came on a call that was at least debatable, but the broader issue was how quickly he found himself in the middle of another rough sequence.
He later whiffed badly on a breakaway chance that could have turned into Minnesota’s third goal and a real dagger. One game doesn’t define anything, but it wasn’t a clean start.
The night’s best payoff came from Blake Coleman. Minnesota paid a heavy price to bring him in this summer, sending Jake Middleton and three draft picks to Calgary, and he looked every bit like the kind of player the Wild were hoping to get.
Coleman scored what counted as the game-winning goal and finished with first-star honors. If that performance is a preview of what he can bring, Minnesota just found a major boost to its offense.
In Other News...
Wild Fans Just Got A Much Easier Way To Watch
Wild fans who have been looking for a simpler way to follow the team are getting a helpful boost this season. Minnesota announced that its Wild+ package will put 10 regular-season games on over-the-air television through KSTP-TV, KSTC-TV and other regional stations, giving viewers a more accessible option beyond the usual pay-TV setup.
The games will come with a full broadcast crew of announcers and analysts, and the coverage will reach additional stations across the Upper Midwest as well. For fans spread around the region, it is a meaningful step in making the Wild easier to watch, and the league is still working on ways to widen Wild+ distribution even further through more cable and satellite providers. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Now Face A Costly Blue Line Decision After Brock Faber Injury
Brock Fabers injury has put the Wild in a difficult spot on the blue line, one that could ripple beyond the next few games. Losing a key defenseman at this stage forces Minnesota to weigh short-term stability against longer-term planning, especially with the roster built to stay competitive while keeping enough flexibility for future moves.
One possible answer would come with a steep price, and the kind of deal being discussed would not be a simple patch. Minnesota has been linked to Detroits Dylan Larkin as part of a larger idea to address the defensive hole, but any move that aggressive would likely cost significant assets and could affect the clubs broader efforts to keep its core intact. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Foligno's Return Already Put One Wild Bet In Focus
Nick Folignos return to Minnesota already looked like the sort of move a team can feel immediately. After signing a one-year deal and talking about unfinished business from last springs playoff loss, he was right back in the mix for the season opener against Nashville, where the Wild leaned on their fourth line for energy, edge and penalty-killing work. Foligno, Michael McCarron and Marcus Foligno gave Minnesota the kind of heavy, physical shift-by-shift presence that can settle a team in early-season hockey.
It also helped that Foligno wasted no time making his presence felt on the scoreboard, giving the Wild an early jolt in the first period. For a player who came back looking for one more run with this group, it was the kind of start that reinforces why Minnesota wanted him back in the first place. The bigger question is how much that line can keep tilting games as the season unfolds, especially if the Wild need those minutes to matter in tighter matchups later on. [Read more 🡒]