Wild Make MORE Moves... This is Absurd | Minnesota Wild News

The Minnesota Wild have made multiple massive moves as this team is in the midst of one of the worst injury bugs we have seen in a long time, and that has forced John Hynes to make multiple moves to this lineup ahead of tonight's game against the St. Louis Blues. We're going to be taking a look at what this means, not just for tonight, but also how this is going to line up for the foreseeable future as more moves seem to be on the horizon to help the Wild get through this problem. Folks, we have a lot to break down here in today's video. Before we do get into it, I want to say, be sure to drop a sub here on the channel. I urge you to do so right now, because tonight, we are having a watch-along with the game against the St. Louis Blues. You see the time there, 9:15 my time, regular time, 15 minutes before the game to get things rolling. So, be sure to tune in for that. We're going to be covering all of this game here on the channel. So, be sure to drop a sub so you do not miss out on that. But we got to get into it because as of today, Oli Mada has also joined the team that we have on the IL pretty much. And you see this here from John Hynes surrounding the medical report. And this comes from Joe Smith. Sturm is still in concussion protocol. Marcus and Nick Foligno skated, but there's still no timeline for return. Spurgeon, upper body injury, no timeline. Mata, upper body injury, no timeline. All are out for tonight. And Matt Kucharsted is in for Oli Määttä. So, folks, this is getting to a point where it's genuinely insane, because we're out literally a full line. You know, if you have Storm and the Foligno, Spurgeon and Määttä, that's five players there, and that's five players who have made a pretty big impact on this team so far this season. I mean, we're looking at Jared Spurgeon, the first line with Quinn Hughes, Oli Määttä, the second line with Maple, I mean Maple, excuse me, with Jonas Brodin, you know the fourth line pretty much entire fourth line of Nick Foligno Marcus Foligno and Nico Sturm and McCarron being the extra forward there on that right now that is your regular fourth line centerman being the only one healthy there now this is something that the Wild have been quite familiar with over the past couple of seasons I'm sure we all remember but when we're looking at this as a you know a thing early on in the season to be dealing with it's way too early to have to see this happen and John Hines did say this as well surrounding when they happened Spurgeon's was Monday against Vegas Mărta was Tuesday in Winnipeg neither were lingering but just to sprinkle out a bit of good news Brock Faber did get his stitches out and has another doctor's appointment next week regarding the next steps but all positive so far and there still is no timeline for him but this just means one thing and it means that with Mata being out now Jared Spurgeon already being out you're going to need some big guys to step up because if we look at the ice time from at least in this case Ole Mata this season he has eaten a major major chunk of ice time and you're looking at the most recent game from him being a little bit less because he did not return to that game in Winnipeg but he is a guy that has been really putting on some very good performances for the Wild this season so far with you know the absence I guess now was who was traded for in Jake Middleton but especially when you have all right an already injury-plagued team you want to make sure that you have everybody going and now You're going to have to get some more names to step up here, and we're going to touch on the adjustments here in a few minutes, but with these injuries, I mean, you're looking at the timeline pretty much pile up here. Spurgeon, Stern, Mata, and then ultimately, Kierstead is replacing Määttä against St. Louis, so, you know, the Wild are adjusting to it well. I think that's a pretty good way of putting it, because, you know, they're not kind of being left out to dry. They're not deciding that, hey, there's nothing we can do about it. They're making the notable changes that they have to make, and, you know, being out for St. Louis with no timeline necessarily is not the most kind of settling thing on your mind but if we do look at the adjustments when it comes down to the lineup this is what we're looking at for tonight's lines Kaprizov, Ekman-Larsson, Coleman, Hartman, Shabunov, Riga Lawrence, Daniil Yurov, Bobby Brink, Tyler Pitlick, Michael McCarron, and Yakov Trenin so overall the offense hasn't changed a whole lot I mean you're looking at Riga Lawrence who's being a very good replacement here for no matter who he's been in the lineup for I guess each game it's really been one of the Polinobrothers but now Tyler Pitlick coming in with some experience it's still a thing that you know I'm content with because it could be a lot worse on the offense but you still want to make sure things look good there so far they have but to me where it gets a bit you know scary I guess is the defense because we're looking at right now second line left defense pairing Jonas Brodin be on the first pairing with Quinn Hughes and he has been able to over his career fill in in many many many different roles and he does a phenomenal job at that but this is going to be a big test for Jonas Brodin to see if you know the bigger chunk of ice time that he will continue to get because overall it's not that I don't trust Matt Kucharsted and Zach Bogosian as that second pairing but you know comparing that to Brodin and Spurgeon of your normal second pairing it is a major major downgrade so you know we're going to have to see the offense really step up tonight as well as yes for wallace to help out the defense here we're going to need to see big games from Erikson, Hartman, McHare and down the middle of winning face offs helping out in the defensive zone but overall i think this defense still could be in a much worse spot but it still is not pretty when it looks like this at all i mean that's of course no disrespect to any of the defensemen but you're just having a lot of players punch above their weight class and I mean when you're looking at Spurgeon for this season so far five points four assists and a goal he's played very very well alongside Quinn Hughes no it's going to be another big loss as we're really seeing Jared Spurgeon off to the best start of his career thus far he's getting in front of pucks he's eating a big chunk of ice time as well but very good so losing the captain is not something that anybody on any team wants to see but especially the Wild right now given their scenario and how things have really lined up so i mean looking at at least the forward lines you know the projections i don't hate it once again very similar to what we've been seeing and you know although that these lines are a little bit different Jurav and Hartman should be switched on this one you have your guys though that third line's been fantastic the second line's been very good and of course the first line has just been absolutely dominant so you could be in a worse scenario there and you know the defense it's really just a matter of time until we see what happens i don't know why Mikko Rantanen is on the ice there in that picture i didn't mean to put that one there, it's my fault folks but you know the defense has a very interesting look tonight and of course we're going to be watching it live here on the channel in the watch along so you're going to want to make sure to tune in because we're going to have a lot of talk a lot of conversations about how this team's ultimately playing together now on top of that the special teams is going to be something very interesting to watch because that has also been something that's been reshuffled with these injuries the power play still the best in the league 36.8%, i mean that's just absolutely fantastic the penalty kill fifth best in the NHL 91.7, that is still very good as well but you're down arguably your best penalty killer in Jared Spurgeon and looking at the on as Brodin having him jump into some more minutes and having him really not another you know another set of series where he's going to have to jump into a much bigger role but not one that he's unfamiliar with we got to make sure that you know first of all of course i think everybody stays healthy you know that's going to be tough because we know how hard this Wild team loves to play but you're going to see him take another big role on this penalty kill and the first line for the projected penalty kill teams are Brodeur and Kozym second line going to be Kierstead and Hun David Spalcheck going to be on the second power play unit so with the new names that we're seeing in here or i guess the new names plus the reshuffled lines this is what at least the spell the special teams penalty kill power play could look like here tonight, and of course we'll really know once we see the lines going and start to see at least the special teams appearance in this game if there is but this is a game where like I said, people are going to have to step up, but I think majorly, it's going to be Quinn because we look at Quinn Hughes versus the Blues in his career, a little bit less than we've seen him so far in this season eight games, but he's off to a very hot start so I'm not really looking at this, but Two points, two points, two points, one point, one point. I guess if history shows and if history repeats itself, he should be slated for zero points. But that's not how Quinn Hughes operates. That's not how he works. He's very good. He's been very good this season. And we can get some offense driven from Quinn Hughes, but also playing a very defensively sound game. We'll be in a great spot. And I mean, he's on a very good point streak. And it's not more than four. He's at a point every game so far this season. So he is going to be super exciting to watch here in this game. and can't go as well without mentioning Jesper Wallstedt, who still has been very busy, did get a break against Winnipeg. Calvin Pickard didn't play the greatest game, but of course, you need to make sure you're getting Wallstead breaks, so it was good to see a big game from him, a big game from the offense, and just, honestly, some satisfactory play from the defense will put this Wild team in a very good spot, as the Central is on a very tight race, and, you know, we're looking at it right now. The Wild card is where the Minnesota Wild currently stand. I guess we're tied with Colorado and Winnipeg. So, folks, give me your thoughts on this tonight. Obviously, we're looking at a few different things. You're looking at the times here. Be sure to tune in to the Watch Along. We're going to have 9.30 Newfoundland time for me, of course. Very different than Central. But you guys know, tune in here on the channel. If you can't watch the game, if you can watch the game, if you're on the go, we're going to have all the play-by-play and everything. So, give me your predictions down below. Can the Depleted Wild lineup beat this St. Louis team? the depth holds up Wallstedt steals it or the injuries prove to be too much give me your prediction down below A, B, or C but that is all I have here in this one folks if you did enjoy give it a like hit the sub button as well I am indeed signing out thank you for watching hope you have a great day see you later