Minnesota Wild: Eric Staal Looks for Resurgence
By David Fagan
Veteran Minnesota Wild center Eric Staal is showing early season value for General Manager Chuck Fletcher’s off season signing. Staal’s active stick and vision on the ice continue to generate offensive zone time and scoring chances for the Wild.
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Staal was signed to a 3 year $10.5 million contract on the first day of free agency and is looking to reinvigorate a once stellar career that has flagged over the past few seasons. The former Carolina Hurricane’s captain joins a long list of former top goal scorers who have come to Minnesota looking for a resurgence. The former 100 point scorer will hopefully avoid going the way of Dany Heatley and Thomas Vanek. Both struggled to reignite their offensive touch during their time in Minnesota. So far it seems he may be able to buck this trend.
In his first seven games with the Wild Staal found himself with numerous scoring chances. Most notably has been on the breakaway. So far he has managed to capitalize once but even when the puck isn’t going in he’s drawing penalties and giving the Wild a chance to score on the power play.
Staal’s five points (3g – 2a) after seven games are tied for second on the team. Perhaps more important are the chances generated and the chemistry developing with Wild winger Charlie Coyle.
In the home game against the Toronto Maple Leaves Coyle’s spinning pass off the wall in the neutral zone sent Stall in on the breakaway for his first of two goals for the game. Staal’s work behind the net coupled with veteran vision has also allowed him to generate chances by sending the puck into dangerous areas.
News Lines
Wild coach Bruce Boudreau has swapped out Zach Parise for Nino Niederreiter on the line with Staal and Coyle. Boudeau hopes to see a large, dominant line that grinds down opponents in the offensive zone. As Boudreau told the Star Tribune’s Michael Russo, “It’s a very big line. I’m hoping it’s a domination, below the circles type of line. I’ve been used to having whether it’s Getzlaf, Perry and whomever, whether it be Maroon or not, a big line like that or I had Ovechkin, Kozlov, Backstrom, big, cycling down low line too. So this could be that. “
The Niederreiter-Staal-Coyle line showed signs of being able to be the dominant line envisioned by their coach. The Bruins were successfully hemmed into their own zone during the second period in Boston. It was their sustained pressure and physical play that set up Coyle’s game-winning goal and opened the flood gates for a four-goal second period.
Next: Minnesota Wild: Eriksson-Ek Earned His Debut Night Goal
Christmas approaches and the Wild are acclimatizing to Coach Boudreau’s system as the memory of Mike Yeo fades. Look for the Wild and Staal to continue putting up points and W’s on the board.