CreaseAndAssist

Eriksson Ek's OT Game Winner Gives the Wild a 3-0 Start What a game! Had a little bit of everything, including things never really seen before. A Spartan / Superman punch, an actual Wild challenge being successful and giving us the opportunity to WIN A GAME! Fans on hand were certainly given a helluva treat tonight. I have a game recap and some thoughts on their start, some Iowa Wild news and a TON of prospect updates too. Check it out!

Wild vs. Jets Game Preview Minnesota Wild (2-0-0) 4pts 2nd in the Central 2.50 Goals For Per Game (20th in the NHL) 1.50 Goals Against Per Game (5th in the NHL) 16.7% Power Play (21st in the NHL) 75% Penalty Kill (20th in the NHL) Top 5 Scorers: 1. #17 Marcus Foligno ~ 1G 1A = 2pts 2. #22 Kevin Fiala ~ 1G 1A = 2pts 3. #97 Kirill Kaprizov ~ 0G 2A = 2pts 4. #49 Victor Rask ~ 1G 0A = 1pt 5. #38 Ryan Hartman ~ 1G 0A = 1pt Top 3 PIM’s: 1. #17 Marcus Foligno ~ 19 PIM’s 2. #24 Matthew Dumba ~ 4 PIM’s

Rossi had his 1st goal tonight. Beckman has still been held scoreless. I think they have plenty they can learn at the AHL level.

Oh, you're not going to mention the good starts of Canadians Josh Pillar and Caeden Bankier? Sam Hentges and Jack Peart had goals last night in SCSU's 4-3 loss to the Gophers on Saturday.

Kulikov has looked real good. He can help at both ends and doesn't mind throwing his body around too. I thought Bjugstad was far more physically active than we've seen in the past and Duhaime adds speed and assertiveness. I thought it was a much better effort all around against Los Angeles than the season-opener against the Ducks.

(shrugs) While I thought Rask had a good game last night, whether its Rask / Pitlick...IMO its still a line with Kevin Fiala at this point. Against the Ducks he was active but frustrated through the lack of help. They were better against the Kings. Beckman / Rossi are playing on a line together in Iowa. They didn't have any points in Saturday's game against Texas. Meanwhile Rask and Gaudreau scored last night...so maybe it will work out just fine.

Wild vs. Ducks Game Preview Minnesota Wild (35-16-5) 75pts* 3.21 Goals Per Game For (9th in the NHL)* 2.84 Goals Per Game Against (15th in the NHL)* 17.6% Power Play (24th in the NHL)* 80.8% Penalty Kill (12th in the NHL)* Top 5 Scorers: 1. #97 Kirill Kaprizov ~ 27G 24A = 51pts* 2. #22 Kevin Fiala ~ 20G 20A = 40pts* 3. #36 Mats Zuccarello ~ 11G 24A = 35pts* 4. #18 Jordan Greenway ~ 6G 26A = 32pts* 5. #14 Joel Eriksson Ek ~ 19G 11A = 30pts* Top 3 PIM’s: 1. #17 Marcus Foligno ~ 49 PIM’s* 2. #18 Jor

It's not an excuse. Rossi and Boldy are not bottom 6 players and to be 100% honest neither is Adam Beckman. Top ice time and power play minutes in Iowa should be beneficial for all of them. The Wild have screwed up more prospects by rushing them into NHL action BEFORE they were really ready. All we got were mediocre years and confused players as to what their role should be. IMO, this is about the long game...and in the next season or two this organization will probably be leaning heavily on all of these young players because the salary cap situation is going to mandate it on

Well Russo aptly pointed out how the Wild can push Rossi's contract back another year by slow playing it and whether you choose to accept it or not its the smart move in terms of money given the team's future cap crunch. IMO, after missing a season last year with myocarditis I don't blame them for wanting to be careful and giving him time to adjust by hopefully thriving in the AHL. As for Boldy, he wasn't exactly tearing it up in pre-season before his injury so I don't think he deserved a roster spot just yet. The only one I'd argue got jobbed was Adam Beckman. Be

(shrugs) I guess, however I only thought Beckman was the only young player to have earned a spot. Boldy and Rossi I would've sent down with no regrets or hesitation. IMO, they need to season more and the pre-season showed some of that. Rossi looks promising, but sliding his deal another season is a smart move. I think it was kind of a Anthony Bitetto move. Where they make it on an impulse and then another young player has a pretty special game and they're like...oh, maybe we shouldn'tve done that.

I think he could be an asset on either the 3rd and 4th line. IMO, ever since the Wild picked him up as a college free agent, he's done just about everything the team has asked of him. He can chip in offense, throw his body around and plays responsible defensively too. Perhaps the question shouldn't be where Nico Sturm fits in, but rather...why did we bring back Nick Bjugstad?

Well they're cousins. I don't really understand this move. I don't think it gives us anything more than what they already had. Unless they feel he's a bit more able to plug and play if needed while they keep the younger players in Iowa to season & mature.

Winnipeg - Even

Glad to hear it! The other question I didn't ask was about the rest of the division. I think it will be a tougher road to go through the Central Division gauntlet than the Pacific. IMO you have to ask who has improved and who has stayed the same or gotten worse. Colorado - Even St. Louis - Downgraded Chicago - Improved Nashville - Downgraded Dallas - Improved Arizona - Downgraded So is 4th really all that unreasonable? I don't think so. But that's just my opinion.

Beckman had another good game. He had another goal and again looked good on his shifts. You can even tell when they used him on the 2nd power play unit they were doing all they could to try to set him up to shoot. Everything I've heard is the team really really likes what he brings to the club. I guess he's vocal for being a youngster, but in a positive way and even gets the vets to laugh a bit. Plus I think this club likes his confidence. I think so far, one could argue he's making the strongest impression of the young players hoping for a spot with the big club. Even more than Boldy a