Minnesota Wild: Charlie Coyle Is Struggling

Minnesota Wild forward Charlie Coyle is continuing a downward trend in the second half of the season after a strong first half. No one is sure if he’s close to rock bottom, but this latest nine game stretch highlights just how deep Coyle is in this slump and begs the question of how he gets out of it.

Minnesota Wild /

Minnesota Wild

Charlie Coyle is struggling. There’s no real way to sugar coat it. One of the Minnesota Wild’s most counted on forwards is having a hard time putting points on the board. Just like he has in the last two seasons previous, it seems that he’s encountering a second half slump of epic proportions after enjoying a very strong first half of the season.

Before entering tonight’s game in Tampa Bay, Coyle is pointless in his last nine contests. And to make matters worse he has also been scoreless in 15 of his last 20 games, so it’s not like this is just your run of the mill slump. Something else seems to be at the heart of this dramatic downturn.

After today’s practice, Michael Russo of the Star Tribune is reporting that Coyle will be playing on the 4th line on left wing in a move that seems to be a demotion for play. Bruce Boudreau when asked by Russo didn’t call it a demotion and explained it as “I’m always trying to get balance. If we’re using [Hanzal] as a secondary checking unit type thing, then this makes sense.”

Give props to Boudreau for deflecting a reporter’s question and not painting his guy in a negative light. Still that being said let’s call this move for what it is…a demotion for lack of play. At best you could call it a shake-up to get a guy going, but none the less the Wild are having to make lineup changes to see if they can at least get a slumping Coyle to breakout.

Feb 8, 2017; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (50) makes a save on the shot by Minnesota Wild forward Charlie Coyle (3) 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 /

When asked by Russo, Coyle explained his way to break out of this slump is to “I’ve just got to play my game night in and night out, and don’t worry about the points.” That’s all well and good, but this is a Wild team that has struggled to score mightily in its last three contests. (They may have tallied 3 against SJ but one was an empty net goal.) They could have used a goal or two from Coyle in the last couple of games.

So if he’s not scoring then he’s obviously playing great defense. You’d think so, but in the last nine games Coyle is an abysmal minus 7 in plus/minus. So you really have to question some of the effort, and if it’s not effort then what is the issue?