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Minnesota Wild Finding Success Through Chemistry

By Brett Marshall

Feb 7, 2017; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Minnesota Wild right wing Jason Pominville (29) celebrates with teammates on the bench after scoring a goal during the first period against the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 7, 2017; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Minnesota Wild right wing Jason Pominville (29) celebrates with teammates on the bench after scoring a goal during the first period against the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Wild have done something that few thought they could ever do going into the season, they have built the NHL’s deepest scoring threat.  Line combinations and overall play chemistry has been the reason for this depth as the Wild players are motivated and playing well.

Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild /

Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild have finally developed into the team that everyone thought that they could be this season. They sit atop the Western Conference with 80 points, reflected by a record of 37-13-6. Perhaps the biggest surprise, though, is the Wild’s +57 goal  differential.

One could add together the Wild’s end of season goal differentials from the last four years and it would still fall abysmally short of +57. Many hockey minds argue a team needs a Top 15 Point Producer to be successful and have that high goal differential, but the Wild are defying that statement.

Minnesota has eight players with 30 or more points (Granlund-50, Staal-44, Coyle-44, Niederreiter-42, Koivu-40, Zucker-38, Pominville-35, and Suter-30). Of those eight, seven have scored ten or more goals. Zach Parise, Chris Stewart, and Erik Haula also contribute to that 10 or more goals crowd giving the Wild 10 players with 10 or more goals–an insane statistic.

Related Story: Coyle’s Move to Center Not About Scoring

Feb 12, 2017; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise (11) celebrates his goal in front of Detroit Red Wings forward Andreas Athanasiou (72) during the third period at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild defeated the Red Wings 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 12, 2017; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise (11) celebrates his goal in front of Detroit Red Wings forward Andreas Athanasiou (72) during the third period at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild defeated the Red Wings 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /

So what exactly does that mean? It means that the Wild are perhaps the deepest offensive team in the NHL. This creates a problem for opposing teams because they have to focus on four lines that are a threat to score as opposed to a usual one or two lines.

A reason the Wild may be finding so much success offensively is because of line chemistry. That chemistry can be attributed to the lines remaining consistent, which is something that didn’t happen often under Mike Yeo. Players are getting the chance to develop chemistry with each other and it’s showing in vibrant colors.

The most notable chemistry is in the Granlund-Koivu-Zucker line which has been together since Thanksgiving. There aren’t many second lines in the NHL with three forwards that have produced a combined 48  goals, 80 assists, 128 points, and a +86 rating.

Feb 8, 2017; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild forward Charlie Coyle (3) takes a shot on Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (50) during the third period at Xcel Energy Center. The Blackhawks win 4-3 over the Wild in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 8, 2017; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild forward Charlie Coyle (3) takes a shot on Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (50) during the third period at Xcel Energy Center. The Blackhawks win 4-3 over the Wild in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports /

Granlund and Zucker are in the midst of career seasons, and Mikko Koivu looks like he did in the 2009-2010 season when he put up 71 points. Koivu needs just seven goals in the Wild’s final 26 games to eclipse his career high of 22 (2009-2010).

Another line finding some chemistry is the newly formed Zach Parise-Charlie Coyle-Jason Pominville line. Pominville is red hot lately accumulating 8 points (2 goals and 6 assists) in his last five games. The Wild made it evident Coyle and company would stay together by placing Tyler Graovac on waivers on Monday.

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This move was significant because it indicated Bruce Boudreau wants Coyle, who has a goal and 5 assists since moving from the wing, to stay at center instead of wing where he’s spent much of the season. The move was also a statement to the Wild’s other fourth-liners, Christ Stewart and Jordan Schroeder, that they need to shape and start playing better. Alex Tuch and fresh-off-injury Zach Dalpe are getting looks in the line up as well making a good pressure to produce to earn playing time.

Next: Staal Needs to Pull Out of Second Half Stall

Obviously the Wild can’t be fortunate  enough to have all four lines clicking every game; however, all four lines do pose a threat night in and night out. A four-line offensive threat coupled with–when healthy–one of the league’s best defensive cores , and an All-Star goalie in Devan Dubnyk, make the Wild one of the most dangerous teams in the NHL. The depth in the State of Hockey could be just the right formula needed to finally bring Lord Stanley to Minnesota.

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