The Minnesota Wild are heading back on the road with a few things worth watching, and the biggest one might be Brock Faber. He’s not guaranteed to play on this trip, but he is traveling with the team and has been cleared to play.
Even if his season debut doesn’t happen right away, just having him around gives the group a lift. If he does get into a game, the Wild would finally have their top defensive pair back together for the first time since the preseason, when Faber was hurt.
That return would matter beyond the blue line. The Wild have managed to hold things together without him, but getting Faber back would give the locker room a jolt and add some energy to the lineup. They’ve been fine without him, but they want him back as soon as he’s ready.
Another area that needs attention is faceoffs. The Wild have gotten their special teams moving in the right direction, but the draw remains a problem.
Joel Eriksson Ek anchors the top line with Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov, yet his faceoff win percentage sits at 49.2 percent. That’s not disastrous, but it’s not where it needs to be either.
Minnesota is still finding ways to win, but that edge can disappear fast if they keep losing too many puck drops. Unless they add another center from outside the organization, this is something they’ll have to solve internally.
On the other side of the ledger, Quinn Hughes has been rolling. He has played in all 19 games so far and has put up six goals and 20 assists for 26 points.
His connection with the top line keeps getting sharper, and the group seems to know where each other is without needing to check twice. Even with Faber out, Hughes has kept adjusting to different defensive partners and has handled each change well.
He’s skated with Jared Spurgeon and most recently Jonas Brodin, and both have fit into his game while often raising theirs too.
Minnesota’s week starts Tuesday, Nov. 10, in Montréal against the Canadiens at 6:00 PM CT at Centre Bell. The trip continues Thursday, Nov. 12, against the Toronto Maple Leafs at 6:00 PM CT at Scotiabank Arena, where Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and company await. Then it’s on to Boston for Saturday, Nov. 14, when the Wild face the Bruins at 6:00 PM CT at TD Garden, with a chance to complete a series sweep.
In Other News...
Wild Could Suddenly Have A Superstar Opening Next Summer
Minnesotas long view may suddenly look a lot more interesting next summer if Quinn Hughes reaches the market without an extension in place. A major cap opening would give the Wild a rare chance to chase a true star, and one name that naturally fits that kind of conversation is Nikita Kucherov, whose offensive pedigree would change the ceiling of any roster in a hurry.
Kucherov is in the final year of his contract with Tampa Bay, and his situation is already drawing attention around the league because of the possibility that he could become available in some form before free agency arrives. He also carries a modified no-trade clause, which only adds to the complexity, and multiple teams are expected to watch closely if his status shifts. For a Wild club trying to position itself for a bigger swing, it is the sort of opening that can change the entire summer. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Face A Tough Kucherov Reality Fans Need To Consider
Nikita Kucherovs request to move on from Tampa Bay has instantly turned into one of those league-shifting situations that forces every contender to take a hard look at itself, and Minnesota is no exception. For the Wild, the appeal is obvious: a player of that caliber changes the ceiling of any roster, and any rumor involving a star of his stature naturally invites questions about fit, cost and whether the door is even worth opening.
But the harder part is what comes after the initial intrigue. Minnesota would have to decide whether it can assemble a package Tampa Bay would actually want while still protecting the pieces it needs to stay competitive, and the conversation gets even trickier when you consider how the roster is built. For a team trying to make the right kind of move rather than just a loud one, this is exactly the sort of reality check that can shape the rest of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Contender Dreams Suddenly Hinge On One Audacious Offensive Swing
The Wild have a chance to get healthier on the blue line just as the conversation around their long-term ceiling gets louder. Brock Faber is nearing a return after recovering from a skull fracture, and his presence has already been back at Wild practice, a welcome sign for a team that has had to manage its defensive picture carefully while keeping an eye on bigger roster decisions ahead.
At the same time, the offseason speculation swirling around Nikita Kucherov gives Minnesota a far more ambitious kind of possibility to consider. With Kucherov approaching free agency, there is at least some thought that the Wild could explore that route if Quinn Hughes does not remain available, a scenario that would force the front office to balance patience, need and star power in a way that could reshape the franchise's outlook almost overnight. [Read more 🡒]