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Minnesota Wild: Suter On Top of Wild Scoresheet

By Danny Lambert

Oct 2, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild forward Eric Staal (12) celebrates his goal with defenseman Ryan Suter (20) during the third period of a preseason hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild defeated the Hurricanes 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 2, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild forward Eric Staal (12) celebrates his goal with defenseman Ryan Suter (20) during the third period of a preseason hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild defeated the Hurricanes 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Minnesota Wild have an unexpected leading scorer in this young 2016-17 season.  Ryan Suter normally not known for high point totals is off to a strong start leading the Wild on the scoresheet and earning every minute he’s playing.

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After eight games the top scorer for the Minnesota Wild isn’t exactly who you’d think.  Before the season started the big money would have been on names from the forward corps like Staal, Parise, Koivu, or Coyle but none of them are at the top of the Wild’s season scoresheet.

At the conclusion of tonight’s tilt in Buffalo the Wild’s leading scorer is (drumroll please)…Ryan Suter.  Yes, the normally defensive minded and not known for scoring defensemen Suter is not only leading the team in points, he’s leading by two points over the top forwards of Staal and Coyle.

Oh it’s gets better.  Suter’s goal tonight puts him up to three on the season and ties him for the team lead with Staal and Coyle.  Assist wise Suter is actually is the Wild leader with five.  Once again not bad stats for a player who has at times been criticized for his lack of offense.

Related Story: Boudreau Pressing All the Right Buttons

Oct 13, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Minnesota Wild defenseman Ryan Suter (20) skates with the puck during the third period against the St. Louis Blues at Scottrade Center. The Blues won the game 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 13, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Minnesota Wild defenseman Ryan Suter (20) skates with the puck during the third period against the St. Louis Blues at Scottrade Center. The Blues won the game 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports /

This also seems to be a huge development considering that before the start of the season many people including Bruce Boudreau doubted that Suter should be playing so many minutes.  But he kept the conversation open ended as he told Michael Russo of the Star Tribune before the season that “It depends how good the rest of the defense is.  All I said is my thing is I’ve never had a defenseman play the kind of minutes he plays, but that doesn’t mean he won’t play those kind of minutes.”

Obviously Suter has given his new head coach a reason to play him for his normal monster amount of minutes.  In this young season Suter has averaged about 27 minutes of ice time a game, which is only about one minute less a game than he played last season.  He’s sitting third in the NHL in average ice time a game and obviously making the best of his time on the ice.

He’s also sitting at a +1 in plus minus and a 50% Corsi which really hammers the idea home that Suter is a two-way threat.

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And if that wasn’t enough, so many people have called for him to be off the power play.  Right now Suter is one of three Wild players with a Power Play tally, and also has an assist on Coyle’s lone power play goal.  That’s not too bad considering the rest of the team’s performance on the man advantage.

Still I’m sure there’s many people out there that are persisting in their call for Suter’s minutes to be reduced even after reading this.  The thing is maybe his big minutes are just part of his game.  Some players thrive in situations that are not exactly what we would call normal.  Suter’s efficient skating and just mentally being in the game for a full 60 minutes is how he plays the game.  Why change it?

Next: Defensive Depth Paying Off For the Wild

He’s been successful again this season with big minutes, and if things continue on this pace he could find himself in the mix for the Norris Trophy.  Suter is the Wild’s best defenseman and he’s proving in on both sides of the puck thus far this season.  When a player is hot, you play him.  Boudreau doesn’t give out playing time, he expects his players to earn it.  Right now Suter is earning ever minute.

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