How far can the Minnesota Wild go this season?
Sam Navarro-USA Sports TODAY
Could this really be the year of the Wild? NS Minnesota Wild?
Franchising has been largely mediocre since its inception in 2000? The organization has proven the mushy mid lane – where you’re good enough not to hit the best odds on first overall pick in the NHL draft, but you’re also so bad you’re out of the playoff picture more often than not – in the NHL? That Minnesota Wild team?
The Wild have certainly started the season strong, winning five of their first six games and recording six wins in their past eight. They currently stand with Winnipeg at the top of the Central Division, with an 11-6-0 record. Minnesota has the 5th best offensive line in the league, with an average of 3.47 goals scored. Wild Dean Evason head coach rode veteran goalkeeper Cam Talbot, who played 14 games and scored 9-5-0 in that span. If they have the luck to replace some of those four all-timed losses with a loss in extra time or a penalty shootout, giving them another point or two, then Minnesota’s lead. in the central region will be larger than it actually is.
And that’s where you can see the possibility that Wild might not play at their current pace for most of the season. For one thing, Talbot may have put out great numbers at some point in his career, but there’s a reason why the 34-year-old has come back to tend to score goals for five NHL franchises: he can’t always play well. It is true that Talbot had solid numbers for the Wild last season, and the Calgary Flames the season before that. But in 2018-19, he has a savings rate of 0.887.
If Talbot falters, Wild won’t have a proven performer in the grid to go in and stop the bleeding. His substitute for today is Kaapo Kähkönen, a 25-year-old Finn who has only had 32 NHL games. According to CapFriendly.com, Wild has about $2.9 million in salary cap to address any scoring shortfalls, but there are few goalkeepers who are just above average with the team right now. at theirs. Help beyond Kähkönen will be a prayer.
Up front, Wild has been bestowed with some really offensive-minded talent to build around by the hockey gods. Russian AD carry Kiprill Kaprizov tops that list, but Minnesota’s increase in goalscoring numbers can also be attributed to the team’s infractions as a whole. Fifteen of their players have scored two or more goals this season. Eight of them have at least one goal this year. How long can that go on? You would have to expect some regression there, don’t you think?
I didn’t come here to make Wild a wet blanket. I’ve said long ago that I think their massive fanbase deserves to enjoy a season where Minnesota wins more than one playoff round. That hasn’t happened since the 2002-03 campaign. And that’s not good enough.
I hope Wild continues to defy expectations. I hope Wild fans have a football-filled season. I’m just trying to point out their current ride at the top of the Center may not continue for long. Are they a playoff team? It certainly seems so. But the difference between the first place in the Central region and the fourth place is only three points on the chart. That means you could just have a bad week and find yourself in fourth place, trying to fend off the playoff contenders instead of preparing for home advantage in the playoffs. You have to be incredibly good, extremely consistent, to be an elite NHL team, and so far, Wild has no history of being truly elite.
That doesn’t mean it can’t happen. But this is an ego business where teams and players have to prove themselves. Until now, Wild has not done that. Be patient to praise them until they do.
https://www.si.com/hockey/news/the-minnesota-wild-are-showing-positive-signs How far can the Minnesota Wild go this season?
