The Minnesota Wild go into the 2024-2025 season with optimism after missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2018-2019 season. Last season was a rollercoaster for the Wild with injuries to key players, regression from others, and head coach Dean Evason being fired in November after a slow start. New head coach John Hynes took over last season and is going into his first full season to install his systems and schemes for this roster.
The elephant in the room that has hindered this team for several years is still here but will be gone after this season. The Zach Parise/Ryan Suter buyouts haven’t allowed them to do anything meaningful in free agency and are ending. It was a necessary move by Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin for the locker room but it has been frustrating for fans. Still, the Wild should be competitive in 2024-2025.
Offseason Additions and Departures
As mentioned above, the Minnesota Wild couldn’t make any meaningful moves in free agency due to the buyouts for several years. They added F Jakub Lauko in a trade with the Boston Bruins and signed F Yakov Trenin to a four-year deal in free agency. Although these are not needle-moving trades for the Wild, they strengthen the depth of the bottom six forwards for the upcoming season.
Minnesota parted ways with two defensemen who played meaningful minutes last season. Alex Goligoski retired after 17 seasons and Dakota Mermis signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in free agency. These aren’t back-breaking losses, but they open up opportunities for other players to step up and prove they can fill the void.
The Minnesota Wild secured contract extensions for Brock Faber and Jake Middleton. Faber signed an eight-year extension and Middleton signed a four-year extension. Locking up two of your top four defensemen is a massive win for the future of this franchise.
Preseason Recap
Even though it’s just preseason, the Minnesota Wild looked to be in mid-season form. They averaged 4.5 goals per game with the majority coming from the top lines while also inserting young players in spots to accelerate their development. The scoring outburst they produced is promising for the upcoming season and will give them a much-needed boost after a slow start last season.
The goaltending was a mix of good and bad for all three Wild goalies in the preseason. Marc-Andre Fleury, Filip Gustavsson, and Jesper Wallstedt each displayed great moments and things to improve before the puck drops on October 10.
Line Combinations And Players To Watch
The Minnesota Wild want to return to the playoffs in 2024-2025 and their success hinges on the top six forwards staying healthy and the bottom six stepping up offensively. They will try to recapture their success in 2022-2023 and place superstar Kirill Kaprizov with, Ryan Hartman, and Mats Zuccarello on the top line. The second line is projected to be Marcus Johansson, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Matt Boldy. The notable defensive pairings are projected to be rising star Brock Faber with Jonas Brodin and captain Jared Spurgeon with Jake Middleton.
The Kaprizov-Zuccarello connection has been an electric combination, especially on the power play. If Ryan Hartman struggles to start the season, don’t be surprised if Eriksson Ek or Marco Rossi takes the top-line center spot. Marat Khusnutdinov and Liam Ohgren are players to watch for the upcoming season. They showed potential in limited games last season and look to bring more scoring to the bottom six for Minnesota in 2024-2025.
Final Thoughts on the Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild haven’t missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 2011-2012 and if they want to keep Kirill Kaprizov happy, they can’t afford to miss again in 2024-2025. He is not only the most important player on the roster but, the best player in franchise history. His contract is up after next season and he may look elsewhere if Minnesota doesn’t show they can win soon.
The Wild need Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Marco Rossi to take a step forward offensively to alleviate some of the weight off of the shoulders of Kaprizov. They need to stay healthy and trust the young players to contribute. This is a make-or-break year for a handful of players with the cap restrictions ending for Minnesota next offseason. Do the Minnesota Wild have enough to make it back to the playoffs in 2024-2025?
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