The Minnesota Wild finished up their preseason this last week and came out with a record of 2-1-0 that extended their overall record to 6-1-0. They faced the St. Louis Blues, Chicago Blackhawks, and the Dallas Stars, and while they won against the Blackhawks and Stars they fell to the Blues. The Wild now have a few days off before their regular season starts on Thursday, Oct. 13.
During this last week, several prospects stepped up to prove their worth and some veterans had a chance to get in some ice time and shake off any rust they had from the offseason. Their final game against the Stars showcased what their lineup will most likely look like when they hit the ice on opening night – and things looked great.
Wild’s Zuccarello & Eriksson Ek Find Their Way
Once again, Marco Rossi and Kirill Kaprizov led the way in points for the Wild this past week, but some other players took a big step forward as well. Both Mats Zuccarello and Joel Eriksson Ek found their scoring touch with a combined seven points between them. Zuccarello played in the final two games and recorded five of those points while Eriksson Ek played in just the final game and tallied the other two.
Being on a line with Kaprizov has done wonders for Zuccarello both in points and his overall performance level. Ever since they were paired together, Zuccarello plays like he’s 10 years younger and his speed is incredible. He’s still a great player when he’s not paired with Kaprizov, but it’s clear he doesn’t play to the same level as he does when they’re together.
The same can be said for Erikkson Ek, as the center of the “GREEF” line, he is the glue that holds that line together. However, that trio hasn’t been whole all preseason and won’t be for a while yet due to Jordan Greenway still recovering from off-season surgery. Thankfully, both Eriksson Ek and Marcus Foligno have picked up the slack and contributed points in his absence.
Eriksson Ek didn’t have the greatest start to the preseason. He played in the first game and recorded zero points, a giveaway, and four penalty minutes. He had a few games off, but when he came back this past week, he looked to be in game shape and put some points on the board. His line is typically known more for physicality but they’ve also proven they can score goals and hopefully, this is just the start for Eriksson Ek.
Wild’s Beckman & Spurgeon Have Quiet Week
Last season Adam Beckman was the hero of the preseason and it appeared he’d be on the roster to start the regular season. He did play but not until a month in after several injuries occurred and it was just a short three-game stint. This preseason he wasn’t so lucky, as he was very quiet and this past week of games was no different.
Beckman played in one game and recorded zero points, following that game he was sent back down to be with the Iowa Wild in the American Hockey League (AHL). With the limited number of open spots plus the long line of talented prospects, Beckman won’t be joining the Wild right away this season.
Jared Spurgeon had a pretty quiet week too and while that may not seem unusual since he’s a defenseman, he typically finds a way to tally points. He has accumulated a lot for his team in the past including last season’s 40 points which were just three shy of his career-high of 43. While he may not have had any points this past week, he did have two shots on goal plus two blocked shots.
The important thing to remember about Spurgeon, and one of the reasons he is the captain of the Wild, is his game isn’t one-dimensional. Even if he doesn’t record points, he’s contributing in other ways like blocking shots and keeping opponents away from his goaltender. However, now that the regular season is starting up it would be great for him to start scoring again.
Wild’s Upcoming Week
It’s going to be a quiet but important week for the Wild as they start the regular season. They’ll face the New York Rangers on Thursday night at home to open the season and then on Saturday evening, they’ll continue their homestand when they take on the Los Angeles Kings.
When the Wild take on the Rangers, they’ll have to find a way to stop their leading scorers Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, and Adam Fox. While Marc-André Fleury and the Wild’s defense are busy with them, the Wild’s forwards will have to find a way past the brick-wall goaltending of Igor Shesterkin or possibly Jaroslav Halak.
Related: What the Wild Lost and Gained in the Fiala Trade
The Rangers will be a tough test, but so will the Kings as they’ve made some big changes during the offseason, and the Wild were a major part of it. Fans won’t have to wait long to see former Wild forward Kevin Fiala in his new uniform and watch their defense attempt to stop him.
The defense will also have to watch out for Anze Kopitar, Adrian Kempe, Phillip Danault, and Victor Arvidsson while the offense has their hands full with the Kings’ goaltending of either Jonathan Quick or Cal Petersen. These two games will be a big test for the Wild plus it’s an exciting time for fans to finally see their team hit the ice after a long offseason, and hopefully, they’ll get to see them come out of it with two wins.
Mariah Holland is a contributing Minnesota Wild writer for THW. She’s been covering the Wild at THW since October of 2020 and specializes in game takeaways and weekly check-ins. She is always looking for different angles to cover the Wild and dig deeper into the stories surrounding the team to help fans connect on a more personal level and to keep an eye on the latest follow her on Twitter @MariahEStark.
