The Minnesota Wild Are in it to Win it in 2022

The Minnesota Wild are in a dog fight with the St. Louis Blues in the first round of the 2022 NHL playoffs. The series has been back and forth, as well as physical.

The Wild, under the leadership of coach Dean Evason, has carved out quite the future for the franchise.  Once a bottom feeder of the NHL, the Wild has grown into a successful, competitive franchise that could reach the Stanley Cup Finals this year.

They added some key pieces that are not only for this year but for the foreseeable future. Over the past several months the Wild organization has acquired goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, left-winger Nicolas Deslauriers, defenseman Jacob Middleton, and center Tyson Jost.

Not only are these pieces to fill voids in the roster, but they are also pieces that fill every position on the roster. Fleury adds experience and has Stanley Cup rings, Deslauriers adds toughness and grit, Middleton adds toughness on the backend, and Jost is a good center who adds depth and scoring.

All of these players also have a solid two-way game that is crucial in the playoffs. Toughness was also an issue before the Wild addressed those with the acquisitions of Deslauriers and Middleton, and now both players fit right in with the Wild culture, and Minnesota is a serious playoff contender.

The Minnesota Wild are in it to win it in 2022.

They have a roster that is built for playoff hockey and are showing what difference a few additions can make. The entire roster has scoring, toughness, defense, and a 200-foot game.

In the playoffs, the Wild are led by Kirill Kaprizov, who has 5 goals and 1 assist for 6 points in 4 games. He is followed by Joel Eriksson Ek, who has 3 goals and 2 assists for 5 points in 4 games, Ryan Hartman who has 5 assists in 4 games, and Jonas Brodin, who has 1 goal and 2 assists for 3 points in 4 games.

They are led in goal by Fleury, who is 2-2, with a 2.33 GAA, and a save % of .914 in 4 games.

The Wild have scored 13 goals while giving up just 11 goals, and have added 48 penalty minutes. They have been in every game, while playing Wild hockey, and have been getting solid goaltending from Fleury.

There are no holes in this Minnesota roster. The fourth line could be a second line on most teams, with winger Jordan Greenway putting the league on notice with this Cam Neely style of play. Every player in the lineup has the ability to score, play defense, and play the physical game.

The Wild also have a capable backup in goaltender Cam Talbot who, for a while, was playing well enough to be a starter and had a winning streak. If need be, Talbot can be that guy again if Fleury falters in the net.

Keep an eye on this team. Although most eyes in the Western Conference are on the Colorado Avalanche, the Wild could be dangerous for years to come. The team is loaded and could compete for multiple Stanley Cups. The Minnesota Wild may not be on your radar but they should be.