Joel Eriksson Ek

Central Notes: Crawford, Morrow, Greenway, Granlund, Zadorov

September 16, 2018 at 4:52 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg Leave a Comment

The Chicago Blackhawks are hoping that goaltender Corey Crawford returns to action sooner than later after admitting that he’s been dealing with concussion issues when he went down last season. Still experiencing difficulties with concussions, head coach Joel Quenneville said the goal is to have the veteran goaltender out on the ice during practice as long as he can manage it, according to the Chicago Sun-Times Mark Lazerus.

“Good progress. Comparable over the last week and a half that when he’s on the ice, he’s better and he’s stronger and he’s feeling better. It’s all encouraging.”

The team desperately hopes that Crawford, upon return, will return to his elite form. He posted a 2.27 GAA and an impressive .929 save percentage in 28 games before going down. While it is unknown how much longer Crawford will be out, the Blackhawks are preparing to use Cam Ward as their primary starter if they have to.

With the loss of Toby Enstrom, who opted to leave the NHL after 11 years with the Winnipeg Jets, the Jets have an opening for a defenseman and that candidate is likely to be Joseph Morrow, according to Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun. Morrow, who the team acquired at the trade deadline a year ago. The blueliner didn’t get a lot of playing time when he arrived in Winnipeg as his ATOI dropped from 17:47 in Montreal to 14:30 with the Jets. However, he now has a chance to crack a spot in the top four as he did fare well in limited time next to Dustin Byfuglien. “Yeah, that’s a dream to play with Big Buff and be able to match that guy’s personality,” Morrow said. “I got to play with him a bit last year and we were pretty successful together.”
The Minnesota Wild and head coach Bruce Boudreau have added a couple wrinkles into the early stages of camp as rookie Jordan Greenway has been playing the center position, while Mikael Granlund has been quarterbacking the first-unit power play, according to Mike Russo of The Athletic (subscription required). Greenway, normally a winger, was used at center during his junior year at Boston University by David Quinn. Boudreau wanted to keep him there as he led a line along with Joel Eriksson Ek and Charlie Coyle, which was a big success in their first scrimmage. Granlund also showed that he could handle the pressure of running a power play on the left wall and looked impressive in that role. “I thought the best testament was all the other forwards want to play the right half wall the way he was feeding them up there,” Boudreau said. “He can make that play. He can even put the behind-the-back pass to Suts. Granny has probably been our most skilled player. I don’t think I’m dissing anybody by saying that. When he’s got the puck, he’s pretty special.”
Unlike last year when Colorado Avalanche defenseman Nikita Zadorov came into camp overweight and out of shape, this year, the bruising 23-year-old did just the opposite, according to Mike Chambers of the Denver Post. He’s come into camp in good shape and has changed his diet to accommodate his conditioning. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound blueliner started in Jared Bednar’s doghouse for the early part of the season due to his conditioning, but slowly worked his way back into the rotation before finally settling in next to veteran Tyson Barrie and that hasn’t changed so far in training camp. Now, with the team much happier with his development, he has a chance to develop into a solid NHL defenseman.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Minnesota Wild

September 15, 2018 at 8:05 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg Leave a Comment

Navigating the Salary Cap is probably one of the more important tasks for any general manager to have. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2018-19 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Minnesota Wild

Current Cap Hit: $77,729,424 (under the $79.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Luke Kunin (two years, $925K)
F Jordan Greenway (two years, $917K)
F Joel Eriksson Ek (one year, $894K)

Potential Bonuses:

Kunin: $500K
Eriksson Ek: $425K
Greenway: $400K

Total: $1.35MM

The team has just three entry-level players and all three will be critical to the team over the next couple of years. Their 2016 first-rounder, Kunin, suffered an ACL injury in April that required surgery. While he is close to be ready to return, he’s still being held out to allow his knee to fully heal. Regardless, the team has high expectations for him. He struggled to capture a full-time role with Minnesota last year, but scored 10 goals in the AHL in just 36 appearances there, while getting 19 games in with the NHL club. The team will need him to step into a full-time role as soon as he’s healthy. Eriksson Ek, the team’s 2015 first-rounder, got himself a full-time role, but struggled to put up points in the bottom-six, posting six goals in 75 games. A bigger role could allow him to take that next step.

The team also has big hopes for Greenway, who the team pried away from Boston University this spring. The 6-foot-6, 226-pound winger should provide the team with a solid power forward, who could jump into the team’s top-six immediately.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

F Eric Staal ($3.5MM, UFA)
F Eric Fehr ($1MM, UFA)
D Gustav Olofsson ($725K, RFA)
F Matt Hendricks ($700K, UFA)
F Matt Read ($650K, UFA)
D Nate Prosser ($650K, UFA)
G Alex Stalock ($650K, UFA)
G Andrew Hammond ($650K, UFA)

The team will have an interesting decision to make on Staal at the end of this season. Staal, who was coming off a disappointing 13-goal season a few years ago, signed a three-year, $10.5MM deal, which has been one of the team’s best signings in their history. Staal, who many thought might be slowing down, responded with 28 goals in 2016-17 and followed that up with a 42-goal season last year. Now at age 33, what will Minnesota do in a year when he’s 34 and in need of another deal? If he posts another impressive season, the Wild will have to pay up to keep his services. A disappointing year could mean the end of a thrilling ride.

The rest of the group are full of one-year deals in which the players must prove their worth. The team brought in Fehr, Hendricks and Read to shore up their fourth line, which struggled at times last year, while the team also has a pair of veteran netminders fighting for the backup goalie spot in Stalock and Hammond.

Two Years Remaining

F Mikael Granlund ($5.75MM, UFA)
F Mikko Koivu ($5.5MM, UFA)
D Jared Spurgeon ($5.18MM, UFA)
F Charlie Coyle ($3.2MM, UFA)
F J.T. Brown ($688K, UFA)

The team gave Koivu a two-year extension a year ago, but the 35-year-old is starting to fade after a 14-goal, 31-point performance last season and could be moved down a line, especially if Eriksson Ek continues to improve. Koivu still remains the all-time leader in both games played and points, however, but this could very likely be his last contract.

Granlund could also be an interesting situation. The 26-year-old has improved his game over the last two season, posting a combined 47 goals and he had a career-high in assists last year with 46. His second half was also a big success as he posted 45 points in 46 games, almost a point a game. If he can keep that production up, the Wild should look good. Fortunately, the team has two more years to monitor his success before they have to offer him a new contract. Coyle is another player, who has the ability to put up big points, yet Coyle has struggled more recently, posting just 11 goals and 37 points in 66 games. However, a broken fibula could have been a cause of his on-ice struggles. The team hopes that he can bounce back and prove he belongs in the team’s top-six.

Spurgeon has been perhaps the team’s best defenseman this season. The 28-year-old missed 21 games with a partially torn hamstring and rushed back for the playoffs, but wasn’t 100 percent. Already injury-prone, the team still has the veteran for another couple of years before they have to decide on another long-term contract.Read more

Three Years Remaining

G Devan Dubnyk ($4.33MM, UFA)
D Jonas Brodin ($4.17MM, UFA)
F Marcus Foligno ($2.88MM, UFA)
D Greg Pateryn ($2.25MM, UFA)
D Nick Seeler ($725K, UFA)

Dubnyk has been solid for the team even though plenty have their doubts about the goalie. Regardless, he has played 60 or more games for three straight years and hasn’t had a save percentage lower than .918 in any of those year. The 32-year-old is locked up for three years, so the team will have to look into a long-term replacement soon as the years will eventually add up on Dubnyk. While his 2.52 GAA last year was the worst in several years, the veteran still posted 35 wins.

Brodin will likely end up playing alongside Spurgeon this season and should be able to complement them well. He adds a highly-regarded defensive presence to the team’s top-four. Both Pateryn and Seeler could conceivably fill out the team’s third pairing. Pateryn may be one of the team’s more underrated signings this offseason, while Seeler impressed with his toughness and mobility in a 22-game limited viewing at the end of the year.

Foligno struggled early on last year after coming over from Buffalo, but started to figure out the Wild’s system by the end of the year and was impressive in the playoffs. If he continues on that same course, he should provide the team’s fourth line with some much-needed hard-hitting.

Four Or More Years Remaining

F Zach Parise ($7.54MM through 2024-25)
D Ryan Suter ($7.54MM through 2024-25)
D Mathew Dumba ($6MM through 2022-23)
F Jason Zucker ($5.5MM through 2022-23)
F Nino Niederreiter ($5.25MM through 2021-22)

The team’s toughest contracts are the ones that will be held over the team for another seven seasons, but it’s Parise’s deal that will prove truly costly. The Wild signed both Suter and Parise to matching 13-year, $98MM contracts back in 2012. While Suter is still providing solid value (albeit his recent injury), Parise has struggled with injuries. The 34-year-old sat out most of the first half due to back surgery, the veteran came back and performed quite well during a 16-game stretch when he scored 12 goals. However, a broken sternum at the end of the year, knocked him out of the playoffs. The team hopes he can bounce back this year, while Suter also suffered a broken fibula which could have ended his career. However, he has fought back from that injury and is expected to be ready for the start of the season. Suter had 51-point season before going down with his injury.

The team locked up both Dumba and Zucker in the offseason as they both received five-year deals. Dumba provides offense as he’s scored double-digit goals in three straight seasons and could find himself playing next to Suter this year if coach Bruce Boudreau gets what he wants. The 24-year-old had a breakout season as he posted a career-high 50 points. Zucker was handed a two-year “prove it” bridge deal two years ago and he responded with a combined 55 goals, and was rewarded for that with a five-year, $27.5MM contract and will stay on the team’s top line.

The big unknown is Niederreiter, who had three straight 20-goal seasons, but struggled with injuries all season. If he can bounce back, his contract may not look too bad, but the team had high hopes he might take that next step and develop into a 30-goal scorer, which he has so far failed to do. The team really needs Niederreiter to show that he is as good as his contract if the Wild want to return to the playoffs for a seventh straight year.

Buyouts

F Tyler Ennis ($2.17MM in 2018-19; $1.22MM in 2019-20)

Retained Salary Transactions

None

Still To Sign

None

Best Value: Staal
Worst Value: Parise

(Excluding entry-level contracts)

Looking Ahead

The Wild have a new general manager in Paul Fenton, but so far there has been little change. Whether he’s waiting to see if some of his players have bounce-back seasons before shipping some of them off or whether the team has too much money invested in its veterans, the team is at a crossroads. If players like Coyle, Niederreiter, Parise and Granlund can return to form, the team may be able to take that next step in the playoffs. However, the team just as easily could go the other way and start a rebuilding project around players like Zucker, Dumba and Greenway and do a proper rebuild. This will be the year that will determine which direction the team intends to go.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Central Notes: Blackhawks, Kovar, Seguin, Eriksson-Ek, Yeo

July 7, 2018 at 3:31 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 7 Comments

Many teams in the Central Division have been quite active this offseason as they attempt to force their way to the top of the standings next season. However, the Chicago Blackhawks who need to move up in the standings more than anyone have been quite quiet so far this offseason.

If fact, the team have made just a handful of small moves, which included signing a 39-year-0ld forward, a backup goaltender and a depth defenseman in Chris Kunitz, Cam Ward and Brandon Manning. However, after a season that saw the Blackhawks drop from perennial playoff powerhouse to a team that lost more games than they won with a 33-39-10 season, these moves aren’t going to propel them back to the top of the Central. Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times writes that the team is likely done with the free agent market and if there is any plan to improve the team, it will need to be done through the trade market.

The Athletic’s Scott Powers (subscription required) adds that the team must address its defensive deficiencies and Manning doesn’t add anything to a team that showed its defense has slowed down considerably. While the team has quite a few defensive prospects, none are likely to be ready to help the team next year, suggesting the team must address that deficiency via trade.

Both writers suggest the team must engage the Carolina Hurricanes for defenseman Justin Faulk, who would complement the team’s defense. Now with Dougie Hamilton and Calvin de Haan in place in Carolina, Faulk would seem to be quite expendable.

NHL.com’s Chris Kuk reports that the Blackhawks are not in the mix of teams to land KHL forward Jan Kovar, who has expressed interest to come to the NHL this season. His agent, Allen Walsh tweeted that Kovar is considering various offers and will make a decision Sunday.
In a mailbag segment, NHL.com’s Mike Heika writes about what the likely scenario could be if the Dallas Stars are unable to work out an extension with star center Tyler Seguin. He suggests that Seguin, whose six-year, $34.5MM contract expires after next season, very likely will want to look at options, much like Steven Stamkos and John Tavares did. The fact that the Dallas Stars have only reached the playoffs once in the past four years isn’t in the team’s favor when they are trying to convince him to stay. Heika writes that if an extension isn’t reached before the 2018-19 season ends, the team would trade his rights rather than lose him for nothing. However, there is also high hopes that new head coach Jim Montgomery will have a major effect on the team as well as on Seguin.
In another mailbag, The Athletic’s Mike Russo (subscription required)writes that the team hasn’t made many moves as they are in a precarious position where they are left with many unmovable contracts to go with a group of young, talented players, who they would like to develop, leaving the team with few trade assets. The injury to defenseman Ryan Suter at the end of last season also has hindered the team’s trading ability as the team does have excess defense they could move, but won’t now that Sutter’s target date for a return is still up in the air. However, Russo writes that team has high expectations for Joel Eriksson Ek, who they want to move into a top-six center position and he could envision a position battle between Eriksson Ek and Mikko Koivu, who coach Bruce Boudreau wouldn’t mind moving to a checking role in the near future.
In yet another mailbag, Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that with the acquisition of top talents in Ryan O’Reilly, David Perron and Tyler Bozak, that much of the team’s success will now fall on head coach Mike Yeo who could find himself on the hot seat quickly. If the team falters early on, Yeo is likely to be replaced with Gordon suggesting that Dave Tippett or Alain Vigneault would be candidates to replace him midseason.

West Notes: Koskinen, Wild, Gulutzan

April 24, 2018 at 7:36 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

With the Oilers believed to be the frontrunners to sign goaltender Mikko Koskinen, Postmedia’s Jim Matheson speculates that the deal could be one of the richer ones for a backup, suggesting that it could be in the range of $2MM per season. While on the surface, that may seem pricey for someone with next to no track record in the NHL (just four underwhelming appearances with the Islanders in 2010-11), it’s still somewhat understandable as he has been one of the top KHL netminders in recent years and would undoubtedly command a sizable contract if he were to remain there. However, if the final deal winds up being around that cap hit, that will further whittle away at Edmonton’s somewhat limited cap room heading into 2018-19.

Anaheim Ducks Sign Olle Eriksson Ek To Entry-Level Deal

April 7, 2018 at 2:14 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg Leave a Comment

The Anaheim Ducks have added to their goaltending depth today when they signed Olle Eriksson Ek to a three-year entry-level deal, according to TVA’s Renaud Lavoie. Eriksson Ek is the younger brother of Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek.

The 18-year-old left-handed goaltending prospect was Anaheim’s fifth-round pick in the 2017 draft. He played 11 games for BIK Karlskoga in the Allsvenskan League, Sweden’s second-best league, putting up a 2.33 GAA and a .907 save percentage. He has since been promoted to Farjastad of the Swedish Hockey League, the top league in Sweden.

At 6-foot-3, Eriksson Ek has the size that most NHL teams are looking for in a goaltender and was listed as a prospect to watch by Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News in January.

Minor Transactions: 01/26/18

January 26, 2018 at 5:29 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

The All-Star break is upon us, and players all over the league will be flying away to get a few days of rest and relaxation. For some, the destination will be Tampa Bay to suit up and represent their team among the best of the best. For others, the minor leagues might be at the end of that flight, with no rest awaiting them. Many waiver-exempt players will be sent down this weekend, though not all of them will actually suit up for their AHL squads. We’ll keep track of all the minor movement right here.

The Carolina Hurricanes have sent Haydn Fleury to the minor leagues, where he’ll be able to suit up tonight and tomorrow before likely returning to the NHL. The 21-year old defenseman has played 39 games for the Hurricanes this season, recording six assists but still looking for his first NHL goal.
Minnesota, who have used every opportunity to bank cap space this season, have sent Kyle Rau and Joel Eriksson Ek to the AHL for the time being. Both players have spent time in the minors this season, but are expected to get the call back up to the NHL after the weekend.
The Colorado Avalanche have three players on their way back, sending A.J. Greer, Dominic Toninato and David Warsofsky to the minor leagues today. The surprising Avalanche are hoping to get a few healthy bodies back after the break, which might mean a longer stint for a few of the above players.
Michael Dal Colle, Tanner Fritz and Ross Johnston are all on their way back to the AHL, the New York Islanders announced today. Dal Colle, the fifth-overall pick in 2014 is still looking for his first NHL point through four games with the club.
The Buffalo Sabres have returned Matt Tennyson to the AHL, as he’s still able to be demoted without clearing waivers. Tennyson hasn’t had much of an impact on the Sabres this season, playing in just 14 games.
Anthony DeAngelo, Peter Holland and Vinni Lettieri are all on their way to the minor leagues, though whether they’ll actually play for the Hartford Wolf Pack isn’t certain. All three should be back up with the New York Rangers following the break.
The New Jersey Devils have sent Kevin Rooney and Mackenzie Blackwood back down, and with Cory Schneider and Keith Kinkaid coming closer to returns Blackwood likely won’t be back. The young goaltender will have to wait for his next opportunity in the NHL.
The Calgary Flames have returned Andrew Mangiapane, Marek Hrvik and Ryan Lomberg, and you can expect at least two to return after the break. Mangiapane has been quite the find for the Flames, drafted in the sixth round but showing he could be a legitimate NHL open down the road. Though he’s still scoreless through his first eight games with Calgary, the 21-year old has 35 points in 30 AHL contests.
Ottawa has sent Erik Burgdoerfer, Colin White and Chris DiDomenico to the minor leagues, though all three will likely return after the break. The Senators roster may look very different in the coming weeks, which could provide an opportunity for White, a top prospect, to take hold of a bigger role.
Troy Grosenick has been sent down by the San Jose Sharks, and Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News reports that Martin Jones should be ready after the break. Even though Aaron Dell has been one of the league’s best stories, getting Jones back only strengthens a beat up Sharks team.
David Booth has been brought back up by the Detroit Red Wings, while Dominic Turgeon is on his way to Grand Rapids. That’s probably to get Turgeon into some games over the break, but it is interesting that Booth is back up. On a two-way deal, he earns more money while in the NHL.
Samuel Montembeault is on his way back to the AHL, leaving the Florida Panthers without actually getting into a game. The 21-year old goaltender could be back up if James Reimer isn’t ready to go after the break.
Dillon Heatherington, Jason Dickinson and Julius Honka have all been loaned back to the Texas Stars, a huge upgrade for the team if the trio all play this weekend. Heatherington has shown that he might be a surprise option for the Dallas Stars on the blueline this season, while Honka and Dickinson both still hold huge upside.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have loaned defenseman Rinat Valiev back to the minor leagues, and he might not get a chance to come back if either Morgan Rielly or Nikita Zaitsev are ready to come off injured reserve after the break. As James Mirtle of The Athletic points out, short stints have huge financial ramifications for minor league players two-way contracts, even if they don’t get into any games.
The Winnipeg Jets have swapped goaltenders, recalling Jamie Phillips and sending Michael Hutchinson back to the AHL. Hutchinson will stay sharp with some games for the Manitoba Moose during the break, and then likely return to backup Connor Hellebuyck while Steve Mason deals with a concussion. The team has also returned Brendan Lemieux to the AHL for the time being.
According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, Markus Hannikainen, Dean Kukan and Joonas Korpisalo are the Columbus Blue Jackets on their way down, with Jeff Zatkoff coming up to fill roster requirements. The trio will all likely be back up after the weekend.
Pittsburgh has sent Jean-Sebastien Dea to the minor leagues, where he has 23 points on the season. Dea scored his first NHL goal just a few days ago, and has played in four games now for the Penguins.
Not long after calling him up to replace the suspended Brad Marchand, the Boston Bruins announced that they have returned Anders Bjork to the AHL. Although Bjork was bumped down the lineup out of Marchand’s top line spot in the Bruins’ game last night, chances are he will be called back up after the All-Star break with Marchand set to sit for four more games.

Minor Transactions: 1/20/18

January 20, 2018 at 3:20 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 1 Comment

With the bye weeks now over with, the schedule is in full swing today with 13 games on tap. As a result, there should be plenty of roster movement throughout the day. We’ll keep tabs on those minor moves here.

The Sharks have recalled goalie Troy Grosenick from San Jose of the AHL, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic reports (Twitter link). This comes on the heels of starter Martin Jones being seen limping following their last game so it appears that Grosenick will be an insurance policy for the time being. The 28-year-old has seen limited action in the minors this season, playing in just 15 games while posting a 2.91 GAA and a save percentage of .891.
The Blue Jackets announced via Twitter that they have recalled winger Markus Hannikainen as well as defenseman Dean Kukan from AHL Cleveland. Hannikainen has spent most of the season with Columbus but had been sent down on Thursday to get into a minor league game last night. As for Kukan, he has been up with the team on three other occasions already this season but has yet to play an NHL game in 2017-18. He is their top scoring defender in the minors though with 15 points in 31 games.
Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen tweeted that the Vegas Golden Knights have sent veteran defenseman Jason Garrison back to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. The transaction was announced on the AHL transaction wire, according to Schoen. The 33-year-old blueliner was recalled Wednesday to fill in for injuries to defensemen Luca Sbisa and Jonathon Merrill. Many felt he was also brought up to face his old team Thursday, the Tampa Bay Lightning, but Garrison proved to be just the team’s extra defenseman in both games and was scratched both times. He was originally placed on waivers by the team on Oct. 27 after playing just four games with the Golden Knights.
The Minnesota Wild recalled forward Joel Eriksson Ek today after the team sent the 20-year-old to the Iowa Wild to get in some playing time while the team went on their bye-week. With Minnesota slated to play the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight, the youngster will return to the team’s fourth line. The 2015 first-round pick has struggled adjusting to the NHL with just one goal and five assists in 39 games so far this year.
While talk that defenseman Brett Pesce might be close to returning soon, the Carolina Hurricanes announced they have recalled defenseman Roland McKeown from the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL to hold his roster spot. The 22-year-old, 2014 second-round pick currently is tied for fifth in the AHL with a plus/minus of +22 and has three goals and 10 assists in 37 games for the Checkers. It will be his second trip to join the Hurricanes. He was recalled in early November and played in two games, garnering two assists.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Minnesota Wild

December 14, 2017 at 3:44 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

As the holiday season approaches, PHR will look at what teams are thankful for as the season nears the quarter point of completion. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We take a look at what’s gone well in the first month and what could improve as the season rolls on. So far we’ve covered the following teams: ANA, ARZ, BOS, BUF, CGY, CAR, CBJ, COL, DET, EDM, FLA, LAK, NSH, NJD, NYI, NYR, PHI, PIT, SJS, STL, TOR, VAN, VGK and WSH.

What are the Minnesota Wild most thankful for?

A deep prospect pool.

When the Wild approached the expansion draft last year, they were in trouble. They had too many assets that needed protection, and were destined to lose an excellent player. In order to sway the Vegas Golden Knights’ decision in a certain direction, they gave up prized prospect Alex Tuch. Though the team had drafted Tuch in the first round just a few years prior, his upside and potential impact wasn’t seen to be as high as some of their other prospects.

Well, six months later and Tuch is starring alongside Erik Haula (the other player lost in the expansion process) in Vegas, and the Wild are struggling to stay relevant in the playoff picture. Surely they’d like to have Tuch back, but luckily those other high-end prospects still remain.

Though the relationship with Kirill Kaprizov—or lack thereof—makes the Russian a complete wildcard, there are others who should have Minnesota fans excited for the next few years. Joel Eriksson Ek and Luke Kunin have both played roles in the NHL this season, while Jordan Greenway continues to dominate players even older than him in the college ranks. Ivan Lodnia was just signed after a blistering start in Erie, and the team has four picks in the top three rounds this upcoming draft.

Who are the Wild most thankful for?

Eric Staal.

General managers around the league must be hitting themselves over not pursuing Staal in the summer of 2016. Coming off a horrible season, in which he was traded from the team he’d been drafted by and captained for seven years, Minnesota happily scooped him up on July 1st. Much was said about how Staal might be on the way out of the game, until he immediately found success in Minnesota to the tune of 28 goals and 65 points.

The three-year, $10.5MM contract that he signed was just $1MM more in total than he’d earned in 2015-16 alone. Minnesota got a legitimate number one center, and borderline Hall of Fame candidate for the price of a third or fourth-line player. You can still hear Chuck Fletcher laughing to himself somewhere in St. Paul.

Staal has been everything for the club this year, leading the team in points with 26 through their first 30 games and coming through with one of the best possession seasons of his career. Playing nearly 19 minutes a night and hitting the ice in all circumstances, Staal’s contract is one of the best in the entire league. While now 33 years old, he’ll still be exceptionally valuable in the final year of his deal next season.

What would the Wild be even more thankful for?

Some “puck luck” for Mikko Koivu.

Despite still being an excellent possession player, used in all situations, Koivu can’t seem to get much going offensively this season. Coming off another one of his patented solid-if-not-spectacular seasons with 58 points, he only has 15 in his first 30 games and eight of those are on the powerplay. He’s now been held pointless in his last eight games despite being on the ice for more than 147 minutes, and hasn’t found the back of the net himself since October.

Amazingly, a lot of that has to do with pure bad luck. Koivu is carrying a pathetic 5.1% shooting percentage this season, far below his career average. Though he’s never been a sniper that carries a high percentage, he’s due for some luck going his way at some point. During his 21-game goalless streak he’s fired 58 shots on net without a single one trickling through.

He’s not only used for his offense, but a bounce here or there would be a big help for the Wild as they try to claw their way back into the playoff picture.

What should be on the Wild’s Holiday Wish List?

Another center.

When the Wild lost Haula and let Martin Hanzal walk in free agency, their center depth was tested. Though they brought in Matt Cullen, who has done a fine job for them so far, their unyielding ability to throw an effective center over the boards every single shift has left them. Charlie Coyle can play the position but the team likes him better on the wing, and Kunin isn’t quite ready for a full-time role.

There is the possibility that when Zach Parise eventually returns from injury they’ll move Coyle back to the middle, but an addition would be the best option. It’ll be tough, as the Wild are pressed right up against the cap thanks the the hefty cap hits of Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno, both who’ve been healthy scratches at times this year. That fact may force them to go with what they have right now, but it will be interesting to see if they find a way to get involved as the deadline approaches.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Minor Transactions: 10/29/17

October 29, 2017 at 1:07 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 1 Comment

Here’s where we’ll keep tabs on the minor news and notes throughout the day with the most recent moves at the top:

After a fleury of goaltending moves in the last few days that saw the team trade for New Jersey goalie Scott Wedgewood and place backup Louis Domingue on waivers, Elite Prospects tweeted that the Arizona Coyotes have called up goaltending prospect Hunter Miska today. Miska, who signed in April this year after dominating year at the University of Minnesota-Duluth in which he took the team to the Frozen Four finals, wasn’t fairing as well with the Tucson Roadrunners, where he had a 4.02 GAA and a .884 save percentage in four games. The call-up suggests that starting goaltender Antti Raanta may not be as healthy as the team thought.
Mark Divver of the Providence Journal tweets that the Boston Bruins will recall Providence Bruins’ goaltender Zane McIntyre today as an emergency backup. The 25-year-old AHL goalie has been called up for this reason before, but has not made it into a game yet for the Bruins. He is currently 4-1 with Providence and has played well, with a 1.81 GAA and a .928 save percentage. Divvers adds that he believes it’s due to the fact that Bruins’ starting goalie Tuukka Rask kept getting run into during Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings.
The Minnesota Wild announced they have also sent three players down to the Iowa Wild of the AHL, including two former first-round picks, including 2015 first-round pick Joel Eriksson Ek and 2016 first-round pick Luke Kunin as well as Zack Mitchell. No corresponding moves have been made yet. Eriksson-Ek who many believed might have a breakout year has struggled in nine games with the Wild. The 20-year-old center has had just one goal and two assists in that span after putting up better numbers in a 15-games stint with the team last year when he put up three goals and four assists. Eriksson-Ek struggled in the preseason and was a candidate to not make the team at one point, but the team instead sent down Kunin instead. Kunin has been going back and forth between Iowa and Minnesota all year. However, Kunin has been more successful lately as his minutes and numbers have started to increase. The 19-year-old has a goal and two assists that all have come recently, as his short-handed goal against the Islanders Thursday makes him the first player in team history to score his first goal short-handed. Mitchell has also been up and down quite a bit this year, helping out the team’s fourth line while the team deals with multiple injuries. Mitchell has a goal and an assist in five games.
Vancouver Canucks’ general manager Jim Benning announced the team has recalled center Jayson Megna today. The 27-year-old returns to the team after having played in 54 games for Vancouver a year ago, tallying four goals and four assists. He has been with the Utica Comets since the start of the season, putting up an assist in four games this year. The move was expected after the team sent Michael Chaput down to Utica on Friday, leaving the team with only 12 healthy forwards.
The Colorado Avalanche tweeted that they have assigned forward Andrew Agozzino to the San Antonio Rampage today. He was recalled yesterday for their evening game against the Chicago Blackhawks, but was a healthy scratch. Agozzino has been an offensive force for the Rampage, putting up two goals and six assists in seven games so far this year. He was called up as an emergency forward after the team placed Gabriel Bourque on injured reserve due to an upper body injury.

Minnesota Confirms Back Surgery For Zach Parise

October 24, 2017 at 9:23 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

As noted yesterday by The Athletic’s Michael Russo and now confirmed by the team, Zach Parise has undergone microdiscectomy (back) surgery and will be out for eight to ten weeks.

The surgery was to relieve a herniated disc that was causing Parise pain in his leg, and will likely keep him out through Christmas. It’s a big blow for the Wild, who were relying on Parise’s play to help them stake their claim as a Stanley Cup contender. The 33-year old is one of the most consistent offensive producers on the club, though he did take a slight step backwards last year.

Instead, the Wild will have to rely on their next wave of talent in players like Luke Kunin and Joel Eriksson Ek. While the veteran core of the team remains, Charlie Coyle, Mikael Granlund and Nino Niederreiter have dealt with their own injuries this season. The club, now 2-2-2, will take on the Vancouver Canucks tonight.

With Minnesota so close to the salary cap ceiling, they will likely place Parise on long-term injured reserve to free up some of his $7.54MM contract. While they’re already in LTIR with Coyle’s deal, both are expected back at some point. Both will provide some level of relief, but the team will likely still have to remain fairly fiscally responsible in the coming weeks. By adding any new contracts, they could put themselves in an impossible situation when the pair of forwards get back on the ice.

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