Wild's scoring is up — with added depth putting team among NHL's most offensive

The Wild has treated each of its recent opponents the same, whether it's been a division rival, reigning Stanley Cup champion or last-place team.

Everyone has been peppered with goals.

"I love the way they play, or I hate it," Coyotes coach André Tourigny said Tuesday night after his squad's defense was the latest to get picked apart by the Wild.

That 5-2 win was the sixth time over the last seven games the Wild has scored at least four goals. The only team to limit Minnesota to fewer was the Devils, who are the Wild's next opponent Thursday at Xcel Energy Center, and the Wild still prevailed to begin its current four-game win streak.

But as impressive as this stretch has been, it isn't exactly unusual.

For the last season-plus, the Wild has boasted one of the most productive lineups in the NHL — a surge that is now being buoyed by the team's balance.

"It's not one line," coach Dean Evason said. "It's not two guys. It's not one defenseman. Everybody's involved in the offense. That's what we like, and it's more fun to play that way."

Since Evason took over the Wild, getting promoted from assistant after Bruce Boudreau was fired on Feb. 14, 2020, the Wild has racked up 304 goals in 90 regular-season games.

After Tuesday's action, that total was tied for the most in the NHL with the Capitals, and the Wild's 3.38 goals-per-game average was second to only the Avalanche (3.44).

NHL team stats: Goals scored:

During the remainder of 2019-20, Kevin Fiala was on a roll as one of the top scorers in the league.

Last season, Kirill Kaprizov dazzled as a rookie to rank eighth overall in the NHL in goals with 27, and the team also received a career-high 19 from Joel Eriksson Ek and another 20-goal campaign from Fiala.

Through the first month and a half of this season, though, offense has been supplied by several sources.

"I think the depth is the best," Evason said. "We're not teaching, we're not coaching any differently. I just think that we've got some depth scoring that everybody's producing."

Kaprizov is still setting the tone, especially lately.

Over his past seven games, he has a league-high 14 points and was tied for sixth in NHL scoring (25 points) and tied for seventh in assists (18) after a two-point effort vs. Arizona.

Others, though, have also been key for the Wild.

"You're not sure who's going to be the line that steps up," Evason said. "From our end of it, if we're playing teams like that, it's difficult. It's a difficult matchup."

Ryan Hartman's 12 goals lead the team, and his 11 at even strength are the third-most in the NHL. Marcus Foligno's nine are only two shy of his final output from each of the last two seasons, and Eriksson Ek is on pace to set another career high in goals.

Everyone currently on the roster has scored at least once except Jordie Benn, who's played just six games, and the Wild has 11 players in double digits for points; only the Panthers have more at 12.

"They're not trying to overhandle the puck in the offensive zone and be fancy and hope you can pickpocket them, create a turnover and attack," Tourigny said. "Nope, they play simple. They win battles in the corner. They put pucks on the net. They play a low-high. Their 'D' are putting pucks on the net.

"So, you're in the battle all the time. You're never in an easy situation where you got a play and you have a quick counter with a lot of space. It's always a grind, always a lot of work. They're really well-coached. They're a really good team."

Where the Wild sits in the standings reinforces that take, with the team jostling for first place in the Western Conference as the Central Division leader.

And the team's aggressive, up-tempo style is contributing to this stature.

"It's the hockey that we want to play," Foligno said. "It's exciting. It's fast. It's physical. It's just something that we're trying to change into, and we're doing a really good job of it right now."