As the Minnesota Wild close out their first day of training camp, they welcome back much of the same core group as the past two seasons. Player interviews provided an interesting insight into what to watch for during this preseason. Between the few and far-between roster battles to the young players that need to prove themselves, the preseason training camp and games have a few interesting things to watch for.
Can Marco Rossi Make the Team for Opening Night?
One of the biggest stories this summer has been about Rossi and his decision to stay in Minnesota. He commented in his post-practice interview that “it wasn’t hard [to stay in Minnesota] because my goal is to be an NHL player.” Rossi said that he’s willing to sacrifice everything for it. Not only did he work to change up his skating stride this summer, but Rossi has put on 10-15 pounds of muscle by working with the Wild’s weight training staff. Rossi says that more weight and muscle have given him more confidence, but it was important that he kept his agility on the ice. Rossi plans to focus on the day-to-day. His goal is not only to make the team but to make an impact through his point production.
Ryan Hartman’s Injury Could Benefit Jujhar Khaira
Hartman left practice early today, avoiding all of the drills that were more physical. According to coach Dean Evason, his departure was pre-planned. Hartman is dealing with an upper-body injury that was sustained in the offseason and isn’t connected to his injury during the playoffs. During practice, Freddy Gaudreau stepped in to take Hartman’s place on the first line. If Hartman remains out of commission, that could be a great thing for Khaira. He signed a two-way deal but is fighting to stay in Minnesota.
Khaira is the Wild’s newest player. He went all summer without a contract until signing in Minnesota on September 17th. While the salary cap limits what moves the Wild can make, Khaira is determined to stay in Minnesota instead of going down to the AHL. He said, “playing hockey is something I care about, and the unknown is always a scary thing. It’s finding that mindset to kind of overcome that and be prepared for whatever opportunity arises.”
If Khaira can play the same game he has in the past, he should be a good fit in the bottom six of the Wild. When asked to describe his game, he said, “I think I bring grit…I know what keeps me here, and that’s my defensive game. Being hard in the corners and on the forecheck and penalty kill.”
Kirill Kaprizov is a Charmer
Starting his fourth season with the Wild, Kaprizov conducted most of his interview in English. While his translator was on the phone and ready to go, there were only a few times that Kaprizov needed help from him. Kaprizov even cracked a few jokes, including that his golf game is “so bad” and that he picked up more English because “no Russian players.”
But Kaprizov is back and ready to play. He said, “Last year…for me, it was sad because I have injury.” He said that even when he played in the KHL, he never had to sit out for an injury more than a handful of games at a time. This was the first time that it took an entire month to heal.
Kaprizov mentioned that his focus is on remaining consistent this year and trying to have more good games than bad. He’s going to stay calm but also stay hungry. It isn’t hard to imagine him achieving all of that because, like Coach Evason said, “Kirill just wants to play hockey…his work ethic is tremendous.”
Marcus Foligno Wants His Hardnose Game Back
Two seasons ago, Foligno had a career year with 42 points, 23 goals and 19 assists. Last season came as a bit of a surprise when that newfound offensive side took a nosedive. Foligno ended the 2022-23 season with 21 points, 7 goals, and 14 assists. Despite being a 20-point-per-season player his entire career up until that year, everyone, including Foligno himself, gave him a hard time about the drop in points.
This year, though, Foligno is focusing on going back to his old, hardnose game. Foligno said in his post-practice interview that he put too much pressure on himself to be a more offensive player last season. This season, he plans on cutting himself slack and reminding himself that he does plenty away from the puck that helps the team. But he’s also got “a lot of confidence” to get his offensive side back.
Brock Faber is Ready for the Grind
While Faber stayed humble about his spot next to Jonas Brodin (saying that “being able to call him my D partner, even just the first day of training camp, it’s pretty cool.”), Faber has worked all summer to prepare for skating next to Brodin. Brodin and former partner Matt Dumba had great chemistry, and Faber is hoping to find a way to gel with Brodin in a similar way. He said that communication is key but that they’ll take it one day at a time, mentioning that “I think we’ll grow together as a unit.”
As a long-time Minnesota Wild fan, Faber has been watching Brodin play for quite a few seasons. With some time on ice together, they could become an effective shut-down pairing. When Evason was asked about what sticks out about the Faber/Brodin pairing, he said, “Their skating ability, both of them. We know what Brods can bring with his legs, but Fabes can do the exact same thing.”
Calen Addison Wants to Stay in Minnesota
Addison, who said it was a “big relief” to sign his contract on the eve of training camp, chose to stay in Minnesota over the summer to prove how committed he was to the Wild team. After being a healthy scratch for a significant chunk of the end of last season, Addison has been putting in the work during the offseason and is ready to show it during preseason.
At his end-of-season meeting, Addison was asked to work more on his defensive play. Addison has already shown his offensive prowess by how well he quarterbacks the top power-play unit. When asked, Addison said, “I think it’s just another season for me, and I think the more games, the more seasons you play, the more you learn…For me, it’s just learning how to defend, learning when to pick my spots and when to be a little bit riskier and when not to.” The real test will be if his work in the offseason will translate into the game.
