With a critical push for playoff contention, the injury-riddled Minnesota Wild are eagerly looking for a resurgence as their once-promising start to the season starts to wane.
With the NHL’s trade deadline looming this Friday, the Wild will likely need to rely on internal resources to ignite their performance. The financial pressures imposed by previous buyouts of significant players Zach Parise and Ryan Suter will ease noticeably this summer, yet for the present, the team must hold their ground against rivals in the Western Conference. Notably, they will have to do this amidst the absence of key players like superstar Kirill Kaprizov and standout center Joel Eriksson Ek, who are both sidelined due to lower-body injuries.
General manager Bill Guerin assured during a media session prior to Minnesota’s tight 1-0 victory over Boston on Sunday that both Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek are anticipated to return before the regular season wraps up. Similarly, defenseman Jonas Brodin, who also missed Sunday’s game due to a lower-body ailment, is expected back after a short break. This development bodes well for the team’s playoff hopes, but it also signifies that the Wild can’t count on any salary cap relief from placing any of them on long-term injured reserve. As a result, the acquisition of veteran forward Gustav Nyquist from Nashville on Saturday may represent the Wild’s primary enhancement, as they reached mid-season with a 26-11-4 record but have regressed to 9-11 since.
“We have to approach it day by day. What is true today might change in five or six days,” Guerin explained. “I’m not relaxing; we’re continuing to operate as usual and remain vigilant for opportunities.”
The Wild took Monday off before heading out to play Seattle on Tuesday, marking the return of suspended forward Ryan Hartman. Following this, the Wild, holding the league’s top road record (21-9-3), will face Vancouver on Friday—mere hours post trade deadline—before coming back to Minnesota for a significant seven-game stretch at home. With 21 games on their calendar, the Wild are stationed in third within the Central Division, narrowly ahead of Colorado by two points, who occupy the first wild-card position. They currently maintain a nine-point buffer above the cut-off for the Western Conference playoffs, a relatively secure yet still precarious status with over a month left in the season.
When questioned on what instills his confidence in the team’s ability to sustain their playoff ambitions until Brodin, Eriksson Ek, and Kaprizov are back, Guerin emphasized: “It’s based on what I’ve observed this year. When we play to our potential, making smart decisions, staying focused, and executing well, we can not only compete but also defeat any opponent,” explained Guerin. “It’s on the players in that locker room. They need to be committed every night, perform at their best, and bide time until the team is whole again.”
