Wild gets Winter Classic dress rehearsal by practicing at Target Field

The chill wasn't the only element the Wild had to combat when players tested the ice at Target Field ahead of the Winter Classic. A Friday afternoon snowfall coincided with their practice, adding even more fluff to an outfield already blanketed in white.

"It was a little bit funky at the start," coach Dean Evason said. "A lot of snow coming down in our eyes, and the shields were getting fogged up. When it stopped snowing there, it got a lot better. It was tough to move the puck on a few drills, but good to have that experience here today if we have that again tomorrow."

Although snow isn't in the forecast for Saturday, subzero temperatures are. The forecast calls for a high of 5 below, with windchills during the day of 20 below to 30 below.

Goaltender Cam Talbot strapped on a vest to fend off the wind, and winger Nick Bjugstad threw on a hat to cover his ears.

"The rest of it, the body, the hands were fine," winger Marcus Foligno said.

After the team skated, players had their families join them on the ice before the Blues had their own session.

"It's special," defenseman Matt Dumba said. "The Winter Classic, there's just so much involved and what goes into it and to be able to share that with your family, it's just a really special moment."

Brodin update

The Wild is still waiting to learn whether defenseman Jonas Brodin will play in the Winter Classic, Evason said. Brodin tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday and went into the protocols on Tuesday after his result was confirmed. On Wednesday, the NHL shortened the isolation period for positive players to five days.

"We're anticipating that he's not [playing]," Evason said. "If he's there, it's going to be a huge bonus."

If Brodin is out, Calen Addison will draw into the lineup.

Sticking together

Foligno called the new contracts for the Wild coaches "well deserved."

Evason and his entire staff received three-year deals, extensions the team announced Thursday.

"I speak on behalf of all the guys; it's been such a great group to work with in that dressing room," said Foligno, who's in his first season as an alternate captain. "There's a reason we're at the top of the league. Obviously, a big credit to both sides. But the coaches just seem to get it. We have a group that respects each other, and it's great to have [Evason] here for a long time."

Schedule change

Two more Wild games in Canada have been postponed because of attendance restrictions: Monday at Ottawa and Jan. 12 at Edmonton. That makes seven games that need to be rescheduled, including four on the road in Canada.

General Manager Bill Guerin expected make-up games for the Wild to start popping up in mid-January. After the Winter Classic, the Wild's next game is scheduled for Thursday at Boston.

Roster unveiling

There won't be any 2022 Olympians playing in the Winter Classic, after the NHL chose not to send its players to Beijing for the Winter Games. But another group of Beijing-bound skaters will be at Target Field on Saturday, when the roster for the U.S. women's Olympic team is announced.

The team will be presented during an on-ice ceremony at the second intermission. Earlier this month, the roster was reduced to the Olympic size of 23 players. Nine of those have Minnesota ties: Maddie Rooney (Andover/Minnesota Duluth), Lee Stecklein (Roseville/Gophers), Megan Bozek (Gophers), Hannah Brandt (Vadnais Heights/Gophers), Dani Cameranesi (Plymouth/Gophers), Amanda Kessel (Gophers), Abbey Murphy (Gophers), Kelly Pannek (Plymouth/Gophers) and Grace Zumwinkle (Excelsior/Gophers).

The group has been training together at the Super Rink in Blaine since October, and all 23 members are expected to be at Target Field.

Staff writer Rachel Blount contributed to this notebook.