Five questions as the Wild start NHL training camp

With most of their lineup already under contract and a modest allowance to spend in free agency, the Wild didn’t overhaul a roster that finished sixth in the Central Division and out of the playoffs.

But they’ll still have personnel decisions to make once training camp opens Thursday at Tria Rink in St. Paul.

The Wild are reuniting Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello after the longtime duo was split up last season.

Kaprizov went on to form a dominant line with Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy, climbing to 46 goals and 96 points. Zuccarello, meanwhile, had his least productive showing (12 goals, 63 points) since the shortened 2021 campaign.

If he and Kaprizov can rekindle the chemistry that led each to a career year two seasons ago, that improves the Wild’s chances of having a more balanced offense. But who plays between them is a question that needs to be answered.

Ryan Hartman, who centered the two in the past when they were clicking, will get first crack at camp. Marco Rossi will also take a test drive, and possibly Eriksson Ek, too.

Wallstedt could stick around as the team’s third goaltender or return to the minors and backstop Iowa in the American Hockey League.

Last season, Wallstedt rebounded from getting scored on seven times in his NHL debut to winning his next two starts with the Wild, which included a 24-save shutout for the 21-year-old.

A first-round pick in the 2021 draft, Wallstedt looked deserving of more opportunity after that turnaround, but he’s currently stuck behind Marc-Andre Fleury and Filip Gustavsson on the depth chart. The team is prepared to carry three goalies, and how Fleury and Gustavsson perform in camp will help the Wild finalize their plan.

But President of Hockey Operations Bill Guerin has made it clear Wallstedt will be with the Wild more than he was last season.

Although he finished last season with the Wild, appearing in his first four NHL games after getting drafted 19th overall two years ago, Ohgren still has to earn a roster spot.

But he has a favorable case: The 20-year-old winger wasn’t in over his head during his trial run, tallying his first career goal and picking up an assist. He’s played meaningful hockey, such as when he captained Sweden to a silver medal at the World Junior Championship earlier this year. Plus, he has experience facing off against older competition after suiting up in Sweden’s top league.

Ohgren trained in Minnesota during the summer, which is also what Rossi did last year before becoming a regular.

A four-year, $14 million contract made Trenin the Wild’s most notable acquisition of the offseason, and it’s understandable why the team targeted the defensive forward in free agency.

The Wild have been abysmal on the penalty kill, ranking 30th in the NHL last season at 74.5%, and Trenin is a shorthanded specialist. He’s also a handful on the puck and has a knack for prying possession away from the other team. That skill should help the Wild generate more time in the offensive zone.

Overall, the 27-year-old’s style has the same peskiness the Wild want to rediscover in their game.

Camp isn’t all about the veterans: This is a chance for prospects to update Wild brass on their play.

Riley Heidt, a second-round draft pick in 2023, will get a serious look after eclipsing 100 points in the Western Hockey League last season. If he doesn’t remain with the Wild, he has to go back to his junior team.

Heidt scored a goal at the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase last weekend. Caeden Bankier scored twice, and he could be a call-up option from Iowa.

Hunter Haight, Carson Lambos and Michael Milne are other Iowa players who could see action with the Wild during the season.