Training camp is officially underway for the Minnesota Wild; and that meant first medicals and then time for Bruce Boudreau’s skating test.
Already, this camp has created intrigue; first up, the new boss is there, Minnesota Wild General Manager Paul Fenton. Secondly, there are players returning from season-ending injuries; are they going to make training camp let alone opening night.
Finally, there’s going to have been youngsters partaking in the gruelling skating and fitness test that Boudreau has made his trademark. Will they have all passed with flying colours or have some of them been slacking off with the summer gym work?
At this time of year, there’s always a sense of intrigue about line pairings; does the coach stick with what worked last season, does he experiment with something new?
Does a rookie steal the limelight and force his way onto the Minnesota Wild opening night roster?
All of these questions make this possibly the greatest time of year for a hockey fan. Gone is the long summer and as winter nears, hockey season inches ever closer.
One thing hasn’t differed too much for Minnesota and that’s the core make-up of the team; Fenton hasn’t been working the phones that intently yet. Last season’s roster has had a couple of tweaks, but the simple hope will be that everyone stays healthy as that was the primary undoing last time out.
What other stories are coming out of camp early on?