NHLHS Minnesota Wild Correspondent Josh Sargent gives you the 5 players that have made this team an early success.
I get it, it is early in the season but 7-4-2, that is the record of the Minnesota Wild after the first month of the hockey season and 6-3-1 in the last 10 games. Most Hockey enthusiasts and fans coming into the season never expected this, yet here it is. Starting the season the Wild were but one thing, inconsistently consistent. Now it looks as if this team has found its ice legs; and are playing as a top team in the Western Conference not just the Northwest Division.
Why is this team doing so well? Answer, solid play from key players. Last year was full of change. Players that needed to be on the ice could not due to injury or just not playing up to par in the new system. Year two and familiarity is setting in, players are back, and the team seems to be coming together more. Here are the players I feel are making this team what it is……a possible contender.
Cal Clutterbuck. I know what you’re thinking, “WHAT! You must be out of your mind; in the last 2 seasons combined he has less than 40 points!” Yes that is true, but the one thing that Cal brings to this team every night without exception is his physical play. There isn’t a player on this team other than him that makes it his personal goal to crush their opponent and throw them off their game. He has led the league in hits the last 2 years with 356 in 08-09 and 318 last season, this year he is already at the top of the list with 62. Despite being called “Cal Buttercup” by a certain Canadian icon Cal set the record for hits in that 08-09 season. The best play by far was his last game Vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets when he took out 2 of their player with one hit, got to the top of the crease, and scored the game winning goal. His aggressiveness on the ice makes up for what you don’t see on the box score.
Mikko Koivu. Mikko has matured into one of the top two way players and arguably the best Finn in the NHL right now surpassing his brother Saku Koivu. Before the departure of Marion Gaborik everyone was staying that it was Gabby’s team but on the ice you could see who the player respected and trusted. Last year at the beginning of the Todd Richards era, Koivu was made the first permanent Captain in franchise history. Koivu has continued to improve his game year after year finishing with 71 points last year when the team was down. This year it is not unreasonable to say that he could have up to 80-90 points at the end of this season being that he is already on pace for it. Signing a big deal in the offseason the Wild will have his leadership and playmaking ability to build off of to try and make a run at the cup.
Matt Cullen. The big offseason acquisition Stanley Cup Champion, Matt Cullen comes back to play Hockey for his home state. At the time of the signing Cullen he said “That it just feels right.” Coach Richards has used Cullen more than any other player on the Wild. Cullen centers the second line for the team with Martin Havlat and Guillaume Latendresse on his wings. On the power play he is point man at the blue line breaking down the oppositions PK making the team the second most potent team on the power play in the league, and also plays on the teams top ten penalty kill. Although he is not a “big” name that fans were screaming for in the offseason he is what this team needed. Second to only Mikko in points this year with 12, Matt is focused on breaking personal records and helping this team make a solid run at the Cup.
Brent Burns. In a season last year filled with injury Burns is coming back to what fans have expected and known is there in being a dominate defensive player. Tied for 4th in points on the team Burns had his first multi goal game playing Columbus where he scored twice on the power play. As much as people put into scoring and player points the best games he has played this year have been against Washington and San Jose. Versus Washington he was able to shut down the high flying Alexander Ovechkin. Throughout the game you could see how frustrated Alex was getting not being able to get by Burns’s long reach and physical play. Playing San Jose he didn’t have just one player to worry about but the top line in the league with Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, and Danny Heatley. Playing solid defense he was able to help the Wild to a big shutout at home. With a bright future here Brent is a defensive force that teams will have to game plan for every time they face the Wild.
Niklas Backstrom. Coming into the season the big questions were, “Can he find a way back to his old form and was he just another product of the Jaques Lemaire system?” Well, the main reason why the Wild are where they are can be found between the pipes. Backstrom has been a dominate player in big time situations when the team has been undisciplined and in penalty trouble. With his 1.80 GAA and .941 save percentage Backstrom has been slowly and quietly climbing the ranks of top goalies in the league this year. His play versus the Sharks gave him his first shutout win in 41 home games and first since Coach Richards has taken over. Everyone in hockey knows that a team can excel or die by how the goalie plays and if Niklas can continue to play at top for is it too far out of the question for this team to make a solid run to and in the playoffs.
Those are my top players on the team right now and you may think it is way too early to be talking playoffs but in honesty this team needs to be thinking about it every night. They walk a fine line of being really good and really bad. Any kind of early season slip ups will cost this team down the road when it really matters. All 5 of these players can keep the momentum going, if they can set up and motivate the rest of the team it could be a great year if not the front office better reduce ticket prices
Josh Sargent
Twitter: Josh_Sargent
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