The Minnesota Wild have had an ideal begin to their season regardless of going through many harm points to completely different stars on their staff. They’ve struggled with lacking gamers however discovered methods to persevere and succeed, and so they have already been doing so for practically two weeks since Mats Zuccarello was injured. 

They’ve been enjoying with out Jonas Brodin on and off all season, however now he’s listed as week-to-week on injured reserve. Jakub Lauko was additionally added to that listing, however he’s day-to-day. Zuccarello was placed on long-term injured reserve, which is not any shock given his restoration from surgical procedure. 

Now to the largest information, Joel Eriksson Ek was injured in the direction of the top of their win over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night, Dec. 3, and the next day was listed as week-to-week with a lower-body harm. These accidents are laborious on the Wild’s roster, with Eriksson Ek most likely being the toughest to beat. On this article, we’ll take a look at who the staff must step up, beginning with Yakov Trenin. 

Wild Want Extra From Trenin 

Whereas Trenin has performed his job defensively on the penalty kill and throwing hits, he hasn’t produced the way in which they hoped on the offensive aspect. He’s not the quickest skater and hasn’t been capable of make up for that simply but. Nevertheless, this may be an ideal time for Trenin to search out his scoring sport with two of their prime forwards lacking. 

He has just one help in 25 video games performed and 17 photographs on aim. He’s by no means been a giant producer, however his tempo this season is slower than the previous couple of seasons, and it’s unclear why. He struggles to remain within the play and infrequently will get circled. Nevertheless, in an article revealed by The Athletic’s Michael Russo not too long ago about Trenin, head coach John Hynes believes in his skills. 

“I’m not even happening the street with him with the scoring. I feel that there’s a bit of little bit of sentiment now on that. This man kills penalties; he’s massive, he’s bodily, he performs laborious. If he had 2 or 3 factors, nobody could be speaking about that. And he may, for certain. However I feel he’s a dependable two-way participant, he brings quite a bit to our staff, and I feel that when it does go in for him, there’s going to be extra. You take a look at his level totals all through his profession. He’s a man that can get them, however the worth that he brings to the staff is massive,” stated Hynes of their postgame media availability after their win over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday, Nov. 21 (from ‘Yakov Trenin has been marketed for Wild, besides scoring: ‘I wish to have factors,’’ The Athletic, 11/22/2024).

Hopefully, he can step up and get that aim to spark extra whereas these gamers are out. His staff may use the enhance in offense whereas they get by means of these accidents. 

Wild’s Khusnutdinov Too Quiet

Marat Khusnutdinov has made an impression on and off this season with flashy strikes however has not scored any targets. He’s assisted on two targets in 22 video games performed this season however has not scored any targets. He missed just a few video games not too long ago attributable to an harm and has solely been again for one sport, however he seemed rusty. 

The Wild want him to determine methods to harness his bits of flashy play and switch them into targets constantly. It’s essential to keep in mind that he’s nonetheless in his first full season within the NHL, and it takes time to regulate and discover his play. In his rookie debut, he confirmed lots of confidence and didn’t hesitate, however this season, he’s enjoying extra rigorously. 

He wants to search out that confidence once more and power it into his sport. In fact, getting back from an harm may cause a participant to play in another way, however hopefully, after a sport or two extra, he’ll discover that sport once more as a result of his staff wants it. 

Wild Anticipate Extra Out of AHL Gamers

With all of those accidents, the Wild have needed to name up gamers from the Iowa Wild within the American Hockey League (AHL), and as an alternative of calling up the identical participant every time, they’ve been rotating completely different gamers in. Michael Milne, Liam Öhgren, Travis Boyd, Ben Jones, and Devin Shore all had turns. 

Jones and Shore have been up the previous couple of video games and have had a number of scoring possibilities, however sadly, none have gone in but. The Wild want whoever is within the lineup on the time to step up and contribute to the perfect of their skills. Whereas that is at all times an expectation, it’s much more so now when lacking items are key to the lineup. 

Associated: David Jiříček Brings Dimension & Youth to Wild Defensive Core

Hopefully, whoever the Wild put onto the roster these subsequent few weeks will have the ability to produce some wanted offense and physicality in the event that they’re on the fourth line. These subsequent few weeks will probably be robust, but when the Wild have high quality efforts from their AHL gamers, it is going to assist them get by means of. 

Wild Want Everybody

Many would most likely assume Kirill Kaprizov ought to be on the prime of the listing, however he’s already stepped up quite a bit this season, and it’s anticipated that he’ll proceed to take action all yr. If the Wild anticipate to get by means of these subsequent weeks with out a few of their prime gamers, they’ll want gamers who’ve been quiet this season to step up and assist the others produce. Hopefully, everybody on the staff can discover one other degree to their sport, and the quiet gamers, and so they’ll succeed.