The Minnesota Wild came into the NHL Global Series with a losing record. They flew to Sweden a day after a massive 8-3 loss to the Dallas Stars at home. They faced the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs. If there was ever a time that the Wild needed a kick in the rear, this was it. And the trip to Sweden looks like it might’ve done the trick.
Penalty Kill Was Better
Before this trip, the Wild special teams were downright horrible. During the Senators game, the Wild killed all four penalties. During the game against the Leafs, they only killed one of the two penalties. But when compared to the five power-play goals that they handed to the Stars before flying across the pond, it was a complete improvement.
The Gus Bus Was Back
Filip Gustavsson has struggled. Goaltending in general has struggled for the Wild this season. But against the Senators, Gustavsson put on a goaltending clinic, keeping the Wild in the game all the way to a shootout. He played so well that they considered starting him against the Leafs a short 18 hours later, but ended up turning to Marc-Andre Fleury instead.
Marco Rossi Is Carrying the Team
While the superstars of the team have been invisible since the start of the season, Marco Rossi has stepped up. After being a highly touted prospect who needed extra time to develop, many weren’t sure how to feel about him. But after committing to a summer in Minnesota, Rossi has played the first quarter of the season as one of the best rookies in the league. Rossi is currently tied for 4th among rookies for points and 2nd among rookies for goals. During the first 17 games of the season, Rossi has 10 points (six goals and four assists). Recently, he’s started to get rewarded for his good play with a promotion to the top line and increased ice time. If Rossi keeps it up, he’ll be considered the 3rd star of the team.
The Regular Roster Is Back
For the first time this season, the MN Wild roster will be back to full strength. While most of the call-ups from the Iowa Wild held their own in the NHL, the last injured player is expected to be in the line-up this week. After dealing with injuries with Jared Spurgeon, Matt Boldy, and Freddy Gaudreau, Alex Goligoski is the last roster regular to come back. Technically, he’s still on Long Term Injured Reserve but is expected to be taken off soon.
Getting Back to Basics
The Wild are known for their gritty, physical play. They are good at applying pressure and keeping teams out of the Wild’s side of the ice. When they aren’t playing that way, it is a very obvious struggle. They’ve been soft on the puck with lots of turnovers. Then, they get frustrated and take stupid penalties. All the while, they’re trying for pretty plays instead of taking a greasy goal to get points on the board. But in Sweden, the Wild were back to their gritty identity.
What Now?
Hopefully, this trip to Sweden is a turning point in the season. Things are slowly getting back to normal for the Wild and they are certainly still a team who can secure a spot in the playoffs.
If you’d like more of a recap of the trip to Sweden, listen to the newest episode of Her Wild Side Hockey Podcast below.
