The Wild has hatched a new setup for the power play, appointed two alternate captains and run the gamut in practice, from shootouts to defensive-zone coverage.
Three Wild training camp questions: Defensive pairs, fourth-line candidates and chemistry
The lineup is mostly set for the season opener, but there are still openings as Coach Dean Evason replaces veterans like Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.
September 29, 2021 at 4:10PM
But a week into training camp, the Wild still has questions about its roster as it readies for an Oct. 15 season opener at Anaheim.
Those answers should begin to emerge as camp resumes Thursday with a preseason game in Colorado.
What does the depth chart on defense look like?
Free-agent signee Alex Goligoski has joined captain Jared Spurgeon on the top pairing, and Jonas Brodin is reunited with Matt Dumba. But the third pairing remains a mystery.
Veteran Dmitry Kulikov, another addition in free agency, is penciled in, but the team is auditioning Jon Merrill and Jordie Benn to be Kulikov's partner. (All three are left shots, but Kulikov has been lining up on the right side.)
Performance in preseason games will be a significant factor in the debate.
"Just a complete game," Kulikov said when asked about the style he envisions for the third pairing. "I'm liking the philosophy of the coach. Dean [Evason] talked about the defensemen should always join the rush. I like it. I feel I can show my offensive side a lot more with this system. Be responsible in your end and I like to hit, too, and just the physical element as well when needed.
"It's not just running and trying to hit guys all the time. It's when it's necessary."
Who will fill out the forward group?
The team's top three lines haven't wavered so far in camp, but the Wild has a vacancy on the fourth unit; one spot as an extra is also probably up for grabs.
Adam Beckman, Matt Boldy, Connor Dewar, Brandon Duhaime and Marco Rossi are among the players that have taken turns practicing with the Wild's NHLers. Even though it looks like these forwards are competing for a depth role, the team is looking for the best player to emerge from camp.
"I kind of approach it more just as an opportunity," Boldy said. "Just approach it that way and go out there and do well and do the drills right and make them keep me there."
Will the new-look lines develop chemistry?
Joel Eriksson Ek has been elevated to the top line to work with Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello after scoring a career-high 19 goals last season, a trio that's also been together for the power play where Kaprizov has moved from the middle to the wall.
Newcomer Frederick Gaudreau is with Kevin Fiala and Victor Rask, and Ryan Hartman has replaced Eriksson Ek between Jordan Greenway and Marcus Foligno, who was named an alternate captain along with Dumba to replace Zach Parise and Ryan Suter after their off-season buyouts.
These lines aren't set in stone, but Evason likes what he's seen. The evaluation for chemistry will continue in the team's remaining five preseason games, with Evason keeping an eye on each line's communication and how well the players are reading off each other.
All regulars will participate in at least three exhibition games, while most will appear in four; a few will even suit up for five.
After the 6-2 loss last Saturday at St. Louis in the Wild's first preseason game featured a younger lineup, the team will run out a more veteran look Thursday against the Avalanche.
"We've got our practice legs under us," Evason said. "We've been competing. We scrimmaged a little bit, and now we can actually get going and play some games before the regular season. So, it's setting up nice for us."
After letting a 135-footer bounce in between the wickets early, Fleury steadied himself in a 5-3 victory.
