Mikko Koivu about to pass up buddy Nick Schultz as 'Mr. Wild'

PHILADELPHIA – If anybody was to pass Nick Schultz as the Wild's all-time leader in games played, the Philadelphia Flyers defenseman is glad it's good friend and former road roommate Mikko Koivu.

"I didn't think my record was going to stand forever," Schultz said, laughing. "It's neat that it's Mikko. Very well-deserving. I'm glad it's him jumping in front of me. It should be."

Friday night in Washington, Koivu is expected to play his 743rd game for the Wild, tying Schultz's team record. Sunday at home against Florida, Koivu should pass his longtime teammate.

"When I first came into the league, Nick was there for a lot of years," Koivu said. "He was one of the veterans and guys I always look up to the way he prepared himself, so it means a lot."

Of course, Schultz and Koivu love to rib each other. Schultz first joked he planned to take Koivu out Thursday night so he could never break the record. Then he said he hoped GM Chuck Fletcher traded Koivu before Sunday's game.

"He mentioned that to me [Wed­nesday] night when I was paying for his dinner … again," Koivu said.

In all seriousness, Schultz said: "I think he's the face of the franchise. I know with Zach [Parise] and [Ryan] Suter there now, they're more local guys, but you take a step back, Mikko was drafted [15 years ago] and his longevity with the team and him being the first [full-time] captain of the team, he's the face.

Drafted sixth overall in 2001, Koivu, the Wild's all-time leader with 386 assists and 542 points, has played at least one game with 164 teammates (152 skaters and 12 goalies) since debuting in 2005. He is the sixth-longest serving captain in the NHL and one of 16 players who debuted in 2005 who remains on his original team and played every game of his career for that team.

"He's probably one of the most underrated players in the league just with his capabilities of playing two ways at the center position," Schultz said. "He's a hard guy to play against. We had a lot of good times and a lot of laughs. We hung on for a couple years as roommates even when we could have had our own rooms.

"My hope is he has a chance to win. Every player's big goal is to get established, play for a while and win a Cup. He wants to do it in Minny. That's what he's striving for."

With Parise out with an upper-body injury, Jordan Schroeder was slotted right into Parise's first-line left wing spot against the Flyers next to Koivu and Charlie Coyle.

"We need some more speed because now with Zach and [Jason Zucker] out, it's a lot of speed missing in your lineup," coach John Torchetti said. "So we want to instill it. It's a good opportunity for him. Let's see what he does with it and we'll go from there."

"I'm going to try to take advantage of it every way I can," Schroeder said.

Torchetti said Parise is day-to-day: "We'll see how he does with the treatments."