Zach Parise's style of play as a hockey player invites punishment. He fights and scratches and claws for every inch on the ice.
Parise treats each shift like his house is on fire and he's trying to save valuable possessions. He parks himself in front of the net, jabbing at loose pucks, a worker bee who refuses to stop until someone grabs him in a headlock. Read more
St. Louis didn't just outscore the Wild in last April's playoffs. The Blues were more physical, too. Their big, strong defensemen dominated corner battles and controlled chaos in front of the net, making things easier for red-hot goaltender Jake Allen.
After that first-round exit, Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher turned an eye toward adding size and toughness when he made roster changes. Read more
Last year, when the Wild was adapting to the leadership of new coach Bruce Boudreau, the team finished with the best regular season in its history. Despite a franchise-record 106 points and 49 victories, a first-round playoff loss to St. Louis made for an abrupt and unsatisfying end to the season — and a long wait for the chance to try for a better conclusion. Most of the key players are back, and they have the benefit of familiarity with Boudreau's systems and style. The cutthroat Central Division, though, leaves little room for error. Here are five elements that will be critical for the Wild to replicate — or surpass — last season's performance.
1. Getting reliable production from its backup goaltenders.Last season, Devan Dubnyk was among the top goalies in the NHL until the staggering workload wore him down. Boudreau lost faith in backup Darcy Kuemper and used him sparingly, including only three starts in March and April. Though Dubnyk insisted he wasn't weary from his 63 starts, Boudreau believed the stress took a toll. The coach hopes that South St. Paul native Alex Stalock — who spent most of last season in Iowa after being signed as a free agent — can play 20 to 25 games to help keep Dubnyk fresh. He thought Stalock's "energy and life'' fit well with the Wild in limited duty last season, and the goalie compiled a goals-against average of 1.51 and a save percentage of .947 in two preseason games. Niklas Svedberg, assigned to the Wild's AHL affiliate in Iowa, also had an impressive preseason and should provide depth. Read more
