Wild’s three Team USA Olympians go to Washington, D.C., as rest of team practices in Minnesota

With multiple practices dedicated to finding their timing and rehashing their style and structure, the Wild look like they’re back in training camp.

But instead of cutting players, they’re awaiting additions to get their roster ready to play.

All the Wild’s Olympians practiced Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Tria Rink in St. Paul except Matt Boldy, Brock Faber and Quinn Hughes, but the gold medal-winning Americans are scheduled to fly with the team Wednesday to Colorado, where the Wild will resume the season Thursday night against the Avalanche.

After capturing the country’s first gold in men’s hockey since the “Miracle on Ice” in 1980, Team USA was invited by President Donald Trump to the State of the Union address Tuesday night in Washington, D.C., during a controversial call that included Trump saying that he must invite the women’s team that also won gold or else he “probably would be impeached.”

Hughes, during an appearance on “Good Morning America” alongside his brother Jack, who scored the golden goal in overtime against Canada on Feb. 22, said they were excited to attend and “it’s going to be special for us.” The U.S. players toured the White House after flying in from Miami on Tuesday.

Some NHL teams are back in action Wednesday, Feb. 25, but the Wild will have one more skating session before beginning a 24-game, 48-day sprint to the playoffs that will unite recent opponents at the Olympics.

“I don’t think you really think about it when you start playing,” said Joel Eriksson Ek, who went head-to-head against Boldy, Faber and Hughes in the quarterfinals when the United States knocked out Sweden 2-1 in overtime. “Once you’re going, you’re just kind of so into the game. But, yeah, like seeing them before the game is a little bit weird.”

Gustavsson was in net for the first two before getting replaced by Jacob Markstrom, and Jesper Wallstedt backed up Markstrom. Marcus Johansson was in the Swedish lineup twice but actually played only once, with the Olympics allowing teams to dress 13 forwards instead of the typical 12.

Jonas Brodin, who was named to Sweden’s team but sidelined from the Olympics because of surgery on a lower-body injury, is back skating.

Nico Sturm also didn’t make it past the quarterfinals with Germany, getting eliminated by Slovakia.

“It’s a bit of a bummer that I don’t think we got the full Olympic experience, to be honest with you,” Sturm said. “Kind of goes with the setup: Half the athletes, you don’t see them. They’re up in the mountains, and it’s snowy there, and I feel like they get the Olympic vibes.

“We’re kind of in the city, in the village. It’s cool to see some of the other athletes, and there was a nice gym there. But the food gets old after four days, and then it’s kind of like, all right, I’ve kind of had enough of the village.”

“The whole hockey setup and living-wise, food-wise, it would have been cool if I was 10 years old maybe,” Gustavsson said. “It would have been cool to just have your own room with nothing else.”

Gustavsson got to keep one Olympic jersey, and his gear was sent to Sweden.

“Probably put it up in the attic,” Gustavsson said, “and then open it in 10 years or something when the kids climb up there: ‘What’s in this one?’”

The monthslong trek to the Stanley Cup is much different than parachuting into the Olympics mere days before the tournament begins, but Sturm believes the experience he gained could spill over into his return with the Wild.

“You feel you can take something from those high-pressure situations,” he said.