Neal: Is it time to alter the 2025-26 expectations for the Wild?

The Wild are now 3-5-3, folks.

They have lost seven of their last eight games, including the first three of what was supposed to be a “get-right” homestand.

They have the worst penalty kill in the NHL.

The goaltending has been poor, partly because of the defense playing in front of Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt. They are allowing too many shots in the slot, and their checking has been substandard.

The Wild are now behind the pace of two seasons ago, when they came out of the gate 4-5-2 with a minus-7 goal differential. This year, their goal differential is minus-12, worse than all but three teams.

How did things go two years ago?

Dean Evason was sacked after 19 games, and fans had to endure the trauma of a late-season scramble to reach the postseason. A scramble that fell short.

The record currently doesn’t reflect it.

I’m asserting that the expectations for the 2025-26 Wild need to be changed. From demanding that they finally get out of the first round of the postseason to praying that they make the postseason at all.

We’re just a few weeks away from the season no longer being early, and they are setting themselves up for another stretch of high-stress hockey like two seasons ago.

No one saw this coming when the Wild entered the season on a high after inking star forward Kirill Kaprizov to the richest contract in NHL history.

Combine that with President of Hockey Operations Bill Guerin no longer having salary cap restrictions following the buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter four years ago, and everyone was looking forward to the future.

There is a path to a Stanley Cup for this squad in the coming years. But there are some immediate challenges before that can be realized.

They still need scoring depth.

Kaprizov and Matt Boldy have been elite. Marco Rossi continues to improve.

But Vladimir Tarasenko, whom they dealt for during the offseason, has one goal and five points in 11 games. And how long will Marcus Johansson’s heater — well, a heater for him — last? They await the return of forward Mats Zuccarello, but let’s face it, there’s always going to be someone injured.

And Hynes has to win while developing young players like Zeev Buium and David Jiricek, who are playing like rookies. They are going to be good players, Buium especially. But they have very little NHL experience and Hynes is managing their ice time carefully.

It has been a struggle for the Wild to find their best form in this early season, so there was a sense of urgency before Tuesday night’s game against Winnipeg. Coaches put their heads together to figure out how to stop their slow start. Then they met with players to point out things they do well but weren’t.

“We had a good meeting this morning,” Hynes said before the game. “Showed some areas we feel that can be improved and some areas that make us a good team that we are lacking a little bit right now.”

Then they took to the ice to face the Jets following these skull sessions.

How did that go?

They fell behind 2-0 as they allowed too much traffic in front of net. They admirably rallied and even took a 3-2 lead in the third period on Johansson’s fifth (?!) goal.

“There are certain aspects in his game that I need to talk with him about,” Hynes said of his superstar winger. “But it’s not for a lack of effort or a lack of care. I just think there are times when you have to have some better decisions.”

Players, after the game, wanted to focus on what they accomplished. Like not getting frustrated when they fell behind, getting back into the game against a quality goaltender in Connor Hellebuyck and getting some puck luck that they haven’t been receiving.

“It’s a moral victory, which is pointless, but it’s true,” defenseman Jake Middleton said. “Now, talking to you guys about it, it is more frustrating. But we are sticking to it. We are grinding. We’re trying.”