Checking in and Looking Forward for the Wild

(Rick Scuteri/The Associated Press)

In the midst of a trade freeze and the final game before the break being played, now is a good time for Wild fans to reflect on the season so far. The first 58 games have been a whirlwind for Minnesota. The team sits at second in the Western Conference trailing only the Colorado Avalanche. Of course, the biggest moment of the season came on December 12th when the Wild landed star defenseman Quinn Hughes. The first part of the season also saw the emergence of young goaltender Jesper Wallstedt. Paired with Filip Gustavsson, the duo was one of the most dominant in the NHL early on. Matt Boldy has been on a tear putting in 32 goals, which already surpasses his career-high in a season (31 in 2022-23). All this while Kirill Kaprizov succeeds on his record-breaking contract signed this offseason. The Wild go into the break having won 5 games in a row, good for 3rd in the league. 

The big question going into the trade deadline is whether or not the Wild nab a top-tier center. There already have been many big names floated around by insiders, expect to continue to hear players like Ryan O’Reilly, Vincent Trocheck, and Robert Thomas attached to Minnesota. Now, this sounds great for Wild fans looking to make a run at the cup this year. But, the key to this trade would likely have to be Wallstedt. Is Bill Guerin ready to let go of a player who has the potential to be a franchise goaltender for years to come? 

Looking forward to the final 27 games of the regular season, Minnesota sits firmly in the middle of the league for strength of schedule. The team will play a huge game on the road in Colorado for their first game back from the Olympic break. This will be their final regular season matchup with the Avalanche this campaign.

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