ANAHEIM, Calif. – The Wild will have five players make their team debuts in the season opener Friday against the Ducks at Honda Center, but the significance of the evening isn't the same for everyone.
This will be winger Brandon Duhaime's first NHL game.
"Trying not to think about it too much," Duhaime said. "Just another hockey game. But obviously this is my first one and definitely a little anxious to get out there and get that puck drop going. I'm definitely excited."
Fellow forward Frederick Gaudreau and defensemen Alex Goligoski, Dmitry Kulikov and Jon Merrill are the other newcomers to the lineup, a group that highlights just how much roster turnover the Wild had in the offseason.
Gone are former faces of the franchise Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, but other regulars from last season like Nick Bonino, Marcus Johansson, Ian Cole and Carson Soucy have also moved on to different teams.
Most of these changes are on the blue line where Merrill will get first crack at being the sixth defenseman next to Kulikov on the Wild's third pairing. Jordie Benn is out for now, while Rem Pitlick is the extra forward.
"We're excited about having the depth of our defense," coach Dean Evason said. "All seven guys have conducted themselves extremely well, not only through preseason games but practice and off the ice [they've] fit in wonderfully with our group.
"It's too bad everybody can't play, but we had to make a decision."
