Good Morning, the Minnesota Wild (2-2-1) are set to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets (2-3) this evening at the Excel Energy Center in St. Paul. After just five games it seems premature and reactionary to call tonight's game as MUST Win but in a 48 game sprint of a season it is just that. The Blue Jackets in the post Rick Nash-Era is a team comprised of a collection of young players acquired either through the draft or through the three franchise defining trades completed in the last two years. First the Blue Jackets traded Jacub Voracek and draft picks to Philadelphia for Jeff Carter. They then in same season trade Jeff Carter to the LA Kings for Jack Johnson and a first round pick. Then this summer Columbus GM Scott Howson finally pulled the trigger on a trade of Rick Nash to the New York Rangers for Artem Anisimov, Brandon Dubinsky, Tim Erixson, and a first round pick. While it has been said GM Howson's return for Nash was not peak value, the return brought the Blue Jackets NHL-caliber talent and culture changing leadership. Add to the trades the free agent acquisition of James Wisnewski and a trade for net minder Sergei Bobrovsky and this is no longer your lovable loser expansion Blue Jackets.
Although the results have yet to be optimal for the Wild, it is clear to see the difference between its current roster and its teams of the previous two years. For stretches of the games in Detroit and St. Louis the Wild dominated play in the offensive zone having their opponents on their heels scrambling. No longer is the identity of the Wild play defense and wait for the counter punch, steal a win 2-1 type of team. That said scoring opportunities are awesome but if you don’t put the biscuit in the basket you have issue that need to be addressed. Coach Mike Yeo dating back to last season, his first as an NHL Head Coach, has been quoted time and again as pleading with his team to shoot the puck early and often. Coach Yeo has made a point to indentify and address the Wild's need to make the perfect play or complete the magical pass. In my opinion Coach Yeo has hit the nail on the head. Players such as Mikko Koivu and Pierre-Marc Bouchard are pass first players that will need to adjust for the Wild to be successful. Mikael Granlund is another player that the Wild will need to require more shots from. Granlund needs to develop that killer instinct goal scorer mentality with his game at the NHL level. The Wild has really starved for a primary goal scorer since the free agent departure of Marian Gaborik and the trade of Brian Rolston. The Wild has for whatever reason been a magnet for playmaker first type of players.
So what needs to happen for the Wild to be hitting on all cylinders? I still contend that although the 1st line of Heatly-Koivu-Parise has been scoring (Mostly on the Power Play) there needs to be a better matchup of skill sets with the Top 6. I think that top line has supreme talent individually and as a unit in addition to already having developed chemistry. Coach Yeo has repeatedly stated through their three losses he does not want to split them up but I think it is inevitable unless GM Fletcher pulls the trigger on a deal. In my opinion those three(Heatly-Koivu-Parise) should stay together on the 1st unit Power Play as they have been running very hot but at even strength they have struggles with their entry into the offensive zone and have not put enough shots on the net from farther away than 2 feet. I think the Wild needs a puck possession speed player to play with both Heatly and Parise. I contend that the Wild has that player on its roster in Mikael Granlund and Devin Setogucci. Both of those players should be matched up with Heatly and Parise on their left wing at even strength. If as Coach Yeo requires keeping Kyle Brodziak and Cal Clutterbuck together on his third line because of their physical play and ability to matchup against opponents top line, then to make the changes I am mentioning it would require either Pierre-Marc Bouchard or Matt Cullen to center the 2nd line. Bouchard is small to play the center position but on a line with Heatly and Setogucci who have been especially physical this season I think he could make it work. The alternative would be Cullen who playing out of position at Left Wing has battled and been brutalized in each game to the detriment of him scoring points. Cullen is truly a man without a role as of yet in this young season. Maybe centering Heatly and Setogucci gets him going.
GM Fletcher and Coach Yeo have been provided five games to diagnose their new look Wild team. Sitting at 2 wins 2 losses and an overtime loss giving the team 5 points can’t allow for them to feel comfortable. Some defining changes could be on the horizon, already there has been whispers about Devin Setogucci. Also with top end prospects sitting in Houston, the Wild AHL affiliate, the fans are chomping at the bit to see them on display in a Wild jersey. The other pressing issue besides the forward lines and secondary scoring is the blue line. With the call up of Marco Scandella and Jonas Brodin, players like Nate Prosser and Clayton Stoner were put on notice. The Setogucci trade rumors involved a big body physical defenseman. If a trade is completed under these circumstances it would address the Wild's biggest need. If it is the case GM Fletcher is shopping for the blue line, basically every defensemen on the roster needs to be looking over their shoulder other than Ryan Suter. Fans need to be very aware that as it stands right now Scandella and Brodin are virtual locks for 2 defensemen spots with Suter and Gilbert slotted into another two. Coach Yeo loves what tiny Jared Spurgeon brings in form of playmaking and puck moving so once healthy he can be penciled in. That leaves one spot and three one-way contracts in Justin Falk, Clayton Stoner, and Nate Prosser. Push comes to shove in my opinion and in this order the first to go assuming everyone is healthy is Nate Prosser. Juston Falk has been very good this season and has committed himself to being more physical. His development has really accelerated in the last year and a half. Clayton Stoner is a blue collar heart and soul guy but is maybe outclassed talent wise in the NHL so after Prosser I think he would be the next to go. Also be mindful that the Wild has 12 of their forwards on one way contracts as well so the roster numbers are going to push one defensemen off the ledge sooner rather than later.
I have posted my Key to the game on Twitter @AWKD and I will tweet live during the game so please FOLLOW ME @AWKD. Please tear me apart, ask questions, make comments, and share my blog and twitter name on facebook or twitter. I would love to develop a community of Wild fans that engages each other in discussion and banter or whatever. Thanks for taking the time to read please leave comment below to let me know you were here! GO WILD!
Here are the lines for tonight's Wild vs. Blue Jackets Matchup:
Minnesota WILD:
Line 1
Zach Parise-LW
Mikko Koivu-C
Dany Heatley-RW
Line 2
Pierre-Marc Bouchard-LW
Mikael Granlund-C
Devin Setoguchi-RW
Line 3
Matt Cullen-LW
Kyle Brodziak-C
Cal Clutterbuck-RW
Line 4
Torrey Mitchell-LW
Zenon Konopka-C
Darroll Powe-RW
Defense Pairings
Pairing 1
Ryan Suter
Jonas Brodin
Pairing 2
Tom Gilbert
Clayton Stoner
Pairing 3
Justin Falk
Marco Scandella
Power Play Lines
Line 1
Zach Parise-LW
Mikko Koivu-C
Dany Heatley-RW
Ryan Suter-D
Pierre-Marc Bouchard-PD
Line 2
Matt Cullen-LW
Mikael Granlund-C
Devin Setoguchi-RW
Jonas Brodin-D
Tom Gilbert-D
Goaltenders
Starter
Niklas Backstrom
BackUp
Josh Harding
Colombus BLUE JACKETS
Line 1
Derek Dorsett-LW
Artem Anisimov-C
R.J. Umberger-RW
Line 2
Nick Foligno-LW
Ryan Johansen-C
Vaclav Prospal-RW
Line 3
Matt Calvert-LW
Brandon Dubinsky-C
Derick Brassard-RW
Line 4
Jared Boll-LW
Mark Letestu-C
Colton Gillies-RW
Defense Pairings
Pairing 1
James Wisniewski
Jack Johnson
Pairing 2
Nikita Nikitin
Fedor Tyutin
Pairing 3
John Moore
Adrian Aucoin
power play lines
Line 1
Nikita Nikitin
Vaclav Prospal
Fedor Tyutin
Ryan Johansen
Nick Foligno
Line 2
Derick Brassard
Jack Johnson
Brandon Dubinsky
James Wisniewski
R.J. Umberger
Goaltenders
Starter
Sergei Bobrovsky
Backup
Steve Mason
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