The Minnesota Wild are moving deeper into training camp, and the next week is going to tell us a lot. After opening camp and getting their first preseason game out of the way, the team now faces a stretch that includes more practice, more exhibition hockey and, according to head coach John Hynes, roster cuts.
That first preseason game carried no standings impact, but it mattered plenty for the players fighting to stick. Most of that group is expected to head back to the Iowa Wild in the American Hockey League or to another minor league team. Still, the door isn’t closed - if someone makes the right impression, they could be the next man up when injuries hit.
There are a few things worth watching as the Wild work through the week of Sept. 21 to Sept. 28, and the biggest one is how the new faces are fitting in.
The Wild’s additions are already starting to settle into place after a few captains’ practices and several days of camp. Blake Coleman has landed alongside Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy, and while that trio may not stay together forever, they’ve shown early signs of chemistry.
The same idea applies to another group that has looked lively in practice: Ryan Hartman, Kirill Kaprizov and Maxim Shabanov. That line had a noticeable spark, especially between Kaprizov and Shabanov, and it’ll be interesting to see whether that energy carries into games. The question now is whether Shabanov can be the piece that completes the line.
On the back end, Olli Määttä may have found a partner in Zach Bogosian. Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber are already set as a pair, as are Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin, which leaves Bogosian and Määttä as the likely match. They’ve looked comfortable together, even if Daemon Hunt remains another possible option.
There’s also a contract-year angle hanging over the room, with Jared Spurgeon and Ryan Hartman both in the final year of their deals. Hartman made it clear he’s not spending much time thinking about it.
“No, just play. Do what I can do, play the same way…,” Hartman said to the media following his practice session when asked if he thinks about it being a contract year.
Spurgeon, meanwhile, sounded more reflective when asked about where things go from here. He said he isn’t sure what next season will look like, and he acknowledged how quickly the years move.
“Yeah, I don’t really think about that. Just go out there and play and be a part of the team, but it does go by fast.
Some tough days, some tough stretches, but it flies by. I remember hearing it my first couple years, but it’s definitely true, so I don’t take anything for granted.
So just getting out there, having fun being out there with the guys and competing again,” Spuregon said to the media following his practice when asked about his contract.
The schedule ahead keeps the focus on evaluation. The Wild visit the Chicago Blackhawks on Mon.
Sept. 21 at 7:00 PM CT at United Center, with the roster still expected to be heavy on prospects trying to force their way into the lineup. They then face the Dallas Stars on Weds.
Sept. 23 at 7:00 PM CT at American Airlines Center, where it will be worth seeing whether more established roster players take over. The final game of the stretch comes Fri.
Sept. 25 at 7:00 PM CT at Grand Casino Arena, and that one will serve as the last preseason tune-up before the regular season begins.
In Other News...
Wild Suddenly Have A Stake In Dylan Larkin's Messy Red Wings Standoff
Dylan Larkins trade request has turned an already awkward stretch in Detroit into a situation with ripple effects far beyond the Red Wings. Minnesota has emerged as one of the teams with at least some interest, which makes the Wild part of a conversation that still feels fluid and unresolved. Larkin has not explained publicly why he wants out, and the Red Wings were reportedly caught off guard when the request became public, adding another layer of uncertainty to a front office that is already dealing with management changes.
For the Wild, the real question is whether this can become more than background noise. Detroit has not made a final decision on what to do with Larkin, and so far it has not gotten the kind of offer it would need to seriously move him. Minnesotas involvement matters because the market is still taking shape, but it also leaves the Wild waiting on a standoff that could drag on without a clear end in sight. [Read more 🡒]
Charlie Stramel Is Already Creating A Wild Roster Debate
The Wilds preseason overtime win over the Blackhawks offered more than just a late result on the scoreboard. It also gave Charlie Stramel an early chance to show why Minnesota is already paying close attention after he left college hockey to begin his pro career, and the prospect was on the ice enough to be part of the nights bigger talking points.
Nico Sturms postgame praise only added to the buzz around Stramels fit, with the veteran drawing a lofty comparison based on his own view of the young forwards skating and shot. For a roster that is still sorting out its mix ahead of the regular season, Stramels presence has already turned a routine preseason look into a small but real debate about how quickly he can push his way into the picture. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Preseason Crowd Got A Viral Moment Fans Will Love
The Minnesota Wilds preseason opener had the usual warmup-game rhythm until a fan named Colin turned it into the nights biggest buzz. Selected for the teams Shoot for Seasons contest, he stepped to center ice and buried a shot through a narrow opening to win season tickets, giving the building one of those instant crowd-pleasing moments that preseason games always hope to deliver.
Colins celebration made it even better, skating down the ice and jumping into the corner glass while fans around him soaked it in. It was the kind of unscripted, communal moment that travels fast online, and it came during a night that ended with the Wild beating the Chicago Blackhawks in overtime, giving the crowd a win on and off the scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]