The Minnesota Wild’s common season is correct across the nook, and with that comes predictions, expectations, and a listing of questions. As coaching camp continues, the primary subject on everybody’s thoughts is who will make the ultimate roster with so few spots open. After all, the discussions additionally embrace goaltending, line mixtures, and particular groups.
On this article, we’ll look at a few of the questions the Wild will face in the beginning of the season. These will vary from goaltending to consistency to every little thing in between. First up will probably be goaltending as a result of that’s simply the most important query and one thing mentioned in almost each article concerning the season.
1: Are the Wild Going to Use Three Goaltenders?
Merely put, sure, they’re, however only for the start of the season. They wish to give Marc-André Fleury, Filip Gustavsson, and Jesper Wallstedt an opportunity to indicate what they’ll do. Whereas Fleury and Gustavsson will probably be the primary two goaltenders all through the season, that doesn’t imply Wallstedt hasn’t earned an opportunity.
Nonetheless, the most important downside with three goaltenders is the Wild’s present cap area, which may be very small at $756,410, in accordance with PuckPedia. At the moment, that’s not sufficient to deliver up anybody in case of harm, which is able to change as soon as the common season begins, however not with out assist by sending somebody like Wallstedt again to the Iowa Wild within the American Hockey League.
Additionally, as head coach John Hynes identified on the primary day of coaching camp, they need Wallstedt to be taking part in, whether or not within the NHL or AHL. He must play video games, and no matter scenario is greatest at the moment will probably be the place he lands. He’s a younger goaltender who remains to be gaining expertise, so being within the AHL is not going to be detrimental to him. Hynes additionally used the phrase “fluid” to explain their goaltending, which is one of the simplest ways to explain it as a result of it’s all the time altering.
2: Will Ryan Hartman Preserve His Mood in Examine?
Everybody who’s seen Ryan Hartman play is aware of his recreation has a bit of fireplace to it, and he runs fairly scorching, however that’s what makes him arduous to play towards. The issue is when he lets it boil over and results in the penalty field or worse, because it did on the finish of final season, when he needed to watch from the sidelines because of a suspension.
Nonetheless, Hartman has proved he can maintain himself in examine and nonetheless play a tough recreation, so when Hynes was requested what he expects of Hartman this season, his “play good” reply wasn’t a shock. So sure, Hartman ought to be capable to maintain his mood in examine, however the larger query is, will he? Hopefully, he’s discovered from final season and can use his abilities with out ending up within the penalty field. The group wants his uncooked model and vitality, however he wants to have the ability to maintain it in examine.
Hynes is aware of Hartman’s model of play and made it clear he doesn’t need him to cease being that participant, however he needs him to concentrate on maintaining that facet of his recreation in examine. If there’s an occasion that may’t be prevented, that’s tremendous, but when it’s in any respect avoidable, it needs to be. Each participant can enhance their recreation by some means, which is what Hartman must concentrate on this season.
3: Can the Group Discover Consistency?
That is an space the Wild have all the time struggled with almost each season. They’ll get on a scorching streak the place they do every little thing proper however can’t maintain it going. No matter who or what’s in charge, whether or not it’s teaching, gamers, schedule, accidents, and so forth., the group should discover a technique to pull it collectively and keep constant. The quick reply as soon as once more is sure; they are often constant; the arduous half is discovering out how to do this night time in and night time out when every little thing modifications.
Once they discover one thing that works, they need to maintain doing it, and when it stops working, they need to adapt. They’ve struggled with this prior to now as a result of generally the teaching workers was reluctant to alter and simply wished to push by means of till it began to work once more. Hynes shouldn’t be that kind of coach in most conditions. It looks like if one thing isn’t working, he both figures out the issue or modifications it to strive one thing new.
The Wild have had some nice coaches over time with totally different approaches to the sport, however Hynes appears to have one thing the others didn’t: adaptability. He’ll make modifications and adapt to his environment to make issues work. Some could argue he had loads of time to do this final season when he took over in November, they usually nonetheless struggled, however it’s additionally essential to level out he was nonetheless in his first season with the group, and that takes time.
Associated: Minnesota Wild Coaching Camp Day 1 Reflections
He tried to make modifications and exhausted a few of them, and that’s when it was time for the group to step up and make the mandatory modifications to win. It’s essential to acknowledge that he tried as a result of generally, it doesn’t matter what is completed, the group simply can’t discover a groove, they usually must tough it out till they discover their manner once more. He’s now skilled in each conditions and can probably have a a lot better deal with on issues when this common season will get underway.
Wild’s Remaining Ideas
There are nonetheless many questions on the Wild’s listing which have but to be answered, however because the season approaches, these solutions will grow to be clear. The very first thing that involves thoughts is the lineup mixtures. We’ve seen glimpses of what it’s going to appear to be in coaching camp, however Hynes can also be not afraid to combine issues up.
Then there’s the query of if sure gamers will step up and lead if gamers can keep away from harm, and so forth and so forth. Whereas we don’t have all of the solutions but, what we’ve seen in these first few days of coaching camp, the group has promise.
