A Wild "Flower" Blooms in Minnesota

I remember learning about the Minnesota Wild's debut into the NHL two years before it actually happened. The Wild were part of an expansion wave that spread out during the 1990s and entering the 21st century; in fact they were one of four teams who debuted in three straight seasons. 1998 gave us the Nashville Predators, 1999 gave us the Atlanta Thrashers (who moved to Winnipeg in 2011), and 2000 gave us not only the Wild, but the Columbus Blue Jackets as well. It only took them three seasons to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time, and it would see them reach the Western Conference Final.

Now, as a fan of the Colorado Avalanche, I hate the Wild with a passion. The reason is this: the Wild and Avalanche have been division rivals since the former debuted in 2000. They can't get away from each other! They were the only two U.S.-based teams in the Northwest Division from 2000-2013, and when the divisions were aligned to what they are today, both teams were placed in the Central Division. Even in the shortened 2020-21 season, the Avalanche and Wild were in the localized West Division. So yeah, it's definitely a "familiarity breeds contempt" situation. However, as an overall NHL fan, I do enjoy watching the Wild's games, and quite honestly, they are a fun team to watch...and the fun's about to improve.

Here's why.

They got him. The Wild got the Flower. On Trade Deadline Day--March 21, 2022--the Wild received reigning Vezina winner Marc-Andre Fleury in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks, and all they had to give up was a conditional 2nd-round pick--which will become a 1st if the Wild reach the Western Conference Final, and Fleury wins four games in the first two rounds. Fleury was notoriously traded to the Blackhawks by the Vegas Golden Knights after a Vezina winning 2020-21 campaign, and during his time with the Hawks, Fleury struggled: 19-21-5, 2.95 GAA, and a .908 save percentage. Now that Fleury's with a playoff contender, he will flourish, and I'll be honest, that scares me as a fan of a division rival. Nothing motivates a player more than a taste of the playoffs. Fleury's won three Stanley Cups and was part of Vegas' big run in 2018. He's had a few tastes.

With the arrival of Fleury, it's likely that Cam Talbot will serve as the backup goaltender. What a backup, though. Talbot is 24-12-1 this season, with a .907 SV% and a 2.92 GAA--the latter two need improvement, but he's still getting the job done. Talbot had been the main goaltender with Kaapo Kahkonen being the backup, but the deadline saw the Wild trade Kahkonen to the San Jose Sharks for defenseman Jacob Middleton. In 25 games with the Wild this season, Kahkonen went 12-8-3 with a .910 SV% and a 2.87 GAA. The Wild's overall GAA is 3.15, which is 20th in the league. Fleury should definitely lower that number during the home stretch.

I cannot write a story about the Minnesota Wild and NOT mention Kirill Kaprizov. This kid is a marvel! He ran away with the Calder Trophy in 2020-21; in fact, I remember saying in March of 2021, "Just put his name on the Calder." No surprise, the man dubbed, "Kirill the Thrill," is leading the Wild again: 32 goals, 44 assists, 76 points. He does have a bit of a chance at 100 points this season. I'm in five fantasy hockey leagues, and I hate that he's not on any of my teams; and it's not for a lack of trying--I've tried to draft him and trade for him.

So who's right behind Kaprizov in points? None other than Mats Zuccarello with 62 (19 G/43 A). Kevin Fiala has 55 points of his own (20 G/35 A), and while Ryan Hartman is behind Fiala with 47 points, 26 of them are goals, putting him second in that category behind Kaprizov. Alex Goligoski leads Minnesota's blue liners with 28 points (2 G/26 A), while Jared Spurgeon is close behind with 27 points (5 G/22 A). Regarding team stats, the Wild are one of the top scoring teams in the league, scoring 3.66 goals per game. The average matches the Toronto Maple Leafs at 3rd overall, and only the Florida Panthers and Colorado Avalanche have averaged more. Regarding special teams, the Wild have a power play percentage of 19.6, which is 20th in the league, but their penalty kill is a big detriment. Their PK% of 76.3 is 22nd in the league, and they have only scored one shorthanded goal, which is tied with the Nashville Predators for the fewest in the league. Even worse: the one player who scored the shortie for the Wild is no longer with the team. It was Nico Sturm, who was traded to the Avalanche for Tyson Jost.

The Wild are in a dogfight with the Predators and St. Louis Blues for 2nd place in the Central Division, as all three teams are leagues behind the Avalanche. The lowest team in that triple threat will be a Wild Card, but with the way the standings look, it'll most likely be the #1 Wild Card, which means facing whoever wins the Pacific. Not to sell the Pacific Division short, but that might be the second most desired spot out of the three. The most desired spot, of course, is 2nd place in the Central, as it means home ice advantage in the Division Semifinals. The 2-3 battles in each of the four divisions are always hotly contested and close. In that series, you want to be 2, because it's home ice in a potential Game Seven.

However, this is the Central Division, the most monstrous of the four divisions, and that means that this triple threat race will be absolutely brutal. For the Wild to survive, their defense has to improve. Giving up three goals per game won't do it, especially considering the fact that the Avalanche, Blues, and Predators are all in the top 10 in scoring. This will be an interesting home stretch for the Wild.

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