After a whirlwind first two games for the Minnesota Wild, the lineup continues to change. Jared Spurgeon’s injury during the preseason seems to have set off a chain reaction of other lineup changes. So, who will be in the lineup? Here’s a preview of how the Wild might handle it.
How is Jared Spurgeon’s Injury?
The more updates we get about Spurgeon’s injury, the longer it feels like he will be out. His upper-body injury is still classified as “week-to-week” meaning he won’t be back anytime soon. Currently, he is not listed on the Long-Term Injured Reserve (LTIR), which is good news. The bad news, however, is that they can add him at any time if they feel they need to and date it retroactively to when he was injured.
To qualify for Long-Term Injured Reserve, a player must be expected to miss at least ten games AND at least 24 days of the NHL season. While that player is on LTIR, the team is able to exceed the salary cap. Spurgeon isn’t on LTIR as of right now, which means they don’t expect him to be gone more than ten games and 24 days.
How Long Will Matt Boldy Be Out?
Matt Boldy was injured during the third period of the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs when defenseman Morgan Rielly hit him. Bill Guerin announced on Monday that Boldy’s upper-body injury is considered week-to-week. Once they’re home from their Canadian road trip, they’ll know more about it. As of now, he is also not considered eligible for LTIR. This will be a big blow to the Wild, as Boldy is their second-highest goalscorer. The Wild will need to depend on depth players to put up points.
Can They Call Someone Else Up?
Defenseman Dakota Mermis is traveling with the team during their Canada trip. He is the only defenseman that they can currently afford to carry as an extra player. He will most likely find himself in the lineup on Tuesday as the Wild are expected to play 11-7 with Boldy out of the lineup. The Wild can’t afford to pull up another forward to join the lineup.
Playing 11-7 means that the Wild will most likely double-shift Kirill Kaprizov during Tuesday’s game. Kaprizov has consistently had a slow start to his seasons, so extra ice time could help spark his goal-scoring.
Are They Switching Up the Blue Line After the Last Game?
During the game against the Maple Leafs, the defense seemed to fall apart. Brock Faber ended up being the best defenseman on the ice both on Saturday and during Thursday’s home opener. As a result, it seems like the coaches are mixing up the defensive pairings. On Monday’s practice, Jonas Brodin and Calen Addison were on the top pairing. Jake Middleton and Faber were on the second pairing. The third pair was Jon Merrill and Alex Goligoski, with Dakota Mermis mixing in.
This blue line shakeup might solve some of the problems that were exposed against the Maple Leafs. Middleton seems to need a stronger defensive partner than Goligoski. While Brodin and Faber skate great together, it might be necessary to split them apart until Spurgeon can come back from his injury.
What About the Other Injuries From Saturday?
Everyone else is expected to be back in the lineup. Freddy Gaudreau had the wind knocked out of him and was pulled by the league’s concussion spotters but was cleared. Marco Rossi was roughed up during the Leafs game but still expecting to play on Tuesday. Pat Maroon was hit in the ear by a puck but has also recovered. Only Spurgeon and Boldy will be out.
Who Will Be In the Net?
Marc-Andre Fleury will take the net on Tuesday night in Montreal. Fleury is from Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, which is close to Montreal. As he comes closer and closer to a likely retirement, this may be the last time for him to play in front of a hometown crowd.
Is It Time to Panic?
While it isn’t great to have both Boldy and Spurgeon out of the lineup, the Wild have only played 2 out of 82 games of the season. There really isn’t any reason to panic this early in the season. Of course, the Wild will need to buckle down and play hard, considering that there isn’t any money to pull up another player. They will also need to try and avoid any more injuries, if possible.
