Jason Pominville has turned out to be one of the better trades in recent Minnesota Wild history. At least, the Wild appear to have gotten what they were looking for over the last two seasons. The price was steep. The Wild gave up forward Johan Larsson and goaltender Matt Hackett as well as the draft picks that would become defenseman Nikita Zadorov and winger Vaclav Karabacek.
That’s a lot of prospect talent for a Sabres team that’s been rebuilding and has an incredible stockade of young talent.
Nonetheless, Pominville’s impact has been invaluable for the Wild, who are a contender in the present. He led the team in scoring last season with 30 goals, the first Wild player to hit the 30-goal threshold since the 2007-08 season when Marian Gaborik and Brian Rolston both did.
He was a leader on and off the ice and stayed healthy all season as the Wild saw Mikko Koivu, Zach Parise, Mikael Granlund, Jonas Brodin, Keith Ballard, Jason Zucker, and Jared Spurgeon all go down with injuries at different points in the year.
Also, it’s worth noting that he re-signed with the team, making the steep price more palatable. Notable since the Wild traded with Buffalo again this year at the trade deadline, acquiring Matt Moulson and Cody McCormick, both of whom re-signed with the Sabres once free agency hit on July 1.
Now, watch the team-leading 30 goals (plus two postseason markers) from Pominville.
#1
10/05/13 vs. Anaheim Ducks
ANA 4 – MIN 3 (OT)
Pominville hit the first of his team-leading total from the point on the power play, a spot he may return to this season, which would make for a hell of a top power play unit with him and
on the point and Koivu, Parise, and
down low.
#2
10/14/13 vs. Buffalo Sabres
MIN 2 – BUF 1
After a great series of quick passes, Pominville scores in his first game in Buffalo since being traded to the Wild the season before.
#3
10/15/13 vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
MIN 1 – TOR 4
His hands are pretty good. Otherwise, let’s all agree to forget this painful game where the Leafs scored four goals on 14 shots and the Wild got 1 on 37.
#4
10/22/13 vs. Nashville Predators
NSH 0 – MIN 2
#5
10/26/13 vs. Chicago Blackhawks
MIN 5 – CHI 3
Pominville from Granlund. If only FSN announcer Anthony LaPanta knew how many times he’d yell that last season.
#6
10/26/13 vs. Chicago Blackhawks
MIN 5 – CHI 3
One more time. Pominville from Granlund. Coach Q furiously takes notes again.
#7
10/28/13 vs. Chicago Blackhawks
CHI 5 – MIN 1
One more time. Pominville from Granlund against Chicago, two nights later.
#8
11/01/13 vs. Montreal Canadiens
MTL 3 – MIN 4
Different opponent. Same formula. Pominville from Granlund.
#9
11/01/13 vs. Montreal Canadiens
MTL 3 – MIN 4
We’ll have to check the replay. It looks like Pominville scored, but I don’t see Granlund on the ice.
#10
11/03/13 vs. New Jersey Devils
NJD 0 – MIN 4
That goes in with 2:25 left on the clock. Eat your heart out
.
#11
11/09/13 vs. Carolina Hurricanes
MIN 3 – CAR 2 (SO)
This one is reminiscent of the goal earlier in the season when Granlund hit Pominville on the stretch pass for the breakaway.
#12
11/15/13 vs. Florida Panthers
FLA 2 – MIN 3
Pominville off a great, cross-ice feed from Spurgeon. This is why
told Spurgeon “you’re going to be sick” during the handshakes at the end of the playoffs. That or Kane had the flu and was trying to warn him against shaking hands.
#13
11/20/13 vs. Ottawa Senators
MIN 4 – OTT 3
Pominville is great at finding the open ice on the weak side and being patient. This is how they drew the power play on the whiteboard.
#14
12/02/13 vs. Philadelphia Flyers
PHI 0 – MIN 2
This goal is for everyone who thinks that Koivu doesn’t add enough to the Wild. He’s a playmaker. Not many players make that pass work.
#15
12/11/13 vs. Anaheim Ducks
MIN 1 – ANA 2
#16
12/19/13 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
MIN 2 – PIT 5
That’s a great play. That slight cut to the outside, then drive to the net make a nice opening and angle for him to make that tip.
#17
12/22/13 vs. New York Rangers
MIN 1 – NYR 4
It was a secondary assist, but Granlund to Pominville makes a return.
#18
01/02/14 vs. Buffalo Sabres
BUF 1 – MIN 4
Pominville loves playing against the Sabres.
#19
01/16/14 vs. Edmonton Oilers
EDM 1 – MIN 4
Great play by Granlund, which he follows by unsurprisingly feeding Pominville.
#20
01/23/14 vs. Chicago Blackhawks
CHI 1 – MIN 2
Yeah, that’s one of the best goals of the year. Granlund and Pominville have some sort of ESP going on.
#21
01/28/14 vs. Anaheim Ducks
MIN 4 – ANA 2
Pominville scores from everywhere, even behind the net. (He’ll do it again this season.)
#22
01/30/14 vs. Colorado Avalanche
MIN 4 – COL 5
You’ll never guess who passed Pominville the puck for this one.
#23
03/09/14 vs. St. Louis Blues
STL 3 – MIN 2 (SO)
#24
03/11/14 vs. Edmonton Oilers
EDM 4 – MIN 3 (SO)
What was almost a beautiful play from Parise and Graunlund, becomes a beautiful play from Granlund. Then the Wild choked on their 3-0 lead and lost the game.
#25
03/15/14 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
CBJ 2 – MIN 1 (SO)
#26
03/17/14 vs. Boston Bruins
MIN 1 – BOS 4
Oh, yeeeeeeah. Those shattered stick goals are the stuff rivalries are built on. That’s probably why the Wild v. Bruins is getting a nationally televised Wednesday Night Rivalry game. Right?
#27
03/23/14 vs. Detroit Red Wings
MIN 4 – DET 3 (OT)
#28
04/08/14 vs. Boston Bruins
BOS 3 – MIN 4 (SO)
Pominville like playing against Boston as much as he likes playing against Buffalo.
#29
04/08/14 vs. Boston Bruins
BOS 3 – MIN 4 (SO)
Pominville’s second of the night.
#30
04/13/14 vs. Nashville Predators
NSH 7 – MIN 3
And in the 11th hour, Pominville hits 30 goals.
#31
04/28/14 vs. Colorado Avalanche
COL 2 – MIN 5
Pominville’s first of the playoffs comes on an empty net, but ices Game 6 for Minnesota.
#32
05/09/14 vs. Chicago Blackhawks
CHI 2 – MIN 4
The Wild probably needed a little more out of the regular season scoring leader than just two playoff goals, especially when the first was an empty-netter and this one was scored by banking the puck off of Corey Crawford’s back from behind the net.