Minnesota Wild: Four things they can be thankful for

The play-off streak is reason enough to be thankful

The Minnesota Wild have an impressive streak of post-season appearances, especially when there is now such parity in the league.

Looking around at former powerhouses like the aforementioned Chicago Blackhawks, the Lose Angeles Kings and even the Detroit Red Wings; all of these teams had play-off streaks that drew envy from fan-bases of other teams.

Only the Pittsburgh Penguins, courtesy of the Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby era, have a better active streak going than the Minnesota Wild with 12 consecutive post-season appearances.

Of course, the Minnesota Wild would trade the streak in a heartbeat for the level of success that team has had, but conversely to be that consistent in the regular season over the years says a lot about the roster that the Wild have.

The Anaheim Ducks and the Minnesota Wild both have been to the play-offs the last 6 years straight.

For their recent success in the Western Conference, divisional rivals; the Nashville Predators tie current Stanley Cup champions, the Washington Capitals on 4 trips to the play-offs.

Right now, it’d seem quite likely that the streak will be extended to a seventh year for the Minnesota Wild. Long may it continue too!

No truer challenge exists though than to take those appearances, convert them into series wins and ultimately into lifting the Cup.

Getting to the post-season feels almost easy compared to achieving those sort of heights.

Minnesota Wild are lucky to have a young right-sided defenseman

Matt Dumba is definitely a player that the MInnesota Wild should be thankful for. As of the current moment, he is the league-leading defenseman in terms of goals scored.

His 10 goals is one ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Morgan Reilly and four ahead of the next best, Thomas Chabot of the Ottawa Senators.

His overall point-scoring ability places him 14th among the league’s defensemen, whilst his 24:04 average ice-time ranks him 20th in the league currently. All of that despite the fact he is just 24 years old.

When the Minnesota Wild drafted him in the first round (7th overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, they’d have been hoping for such a development curve but there were no assurances that he’d pan out that way.

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In fact, it’d be fair to look at his statistics across previous years and expect maybe a 30 point per year player, at a stretch a 40 point guy.

This year, he’s looking firmly on-track to better his first 50 point campaign last year and almost certainly top his year-on-year best goal-scoring total; also last year with 14.

Such is the ability of Dumba that he is consistently floated in rumours in big one-for-one trades akin to that of Seth Jones or P.K. Subban; that’s pretty decent company to be holding.

When your name is floated by none other than the Toronto media in return for William Nylander, you know your stock has to be at least somewhat high!

Finally, the sheer fact he’s locked up at $6 million for 5 years may seem like a steal if he can continue his current form.

The future seems sorted for the Minnesota Wild

To look through the depth chart of the Minnesota Wild, you might be somewhat shocked that this is a team that has so often traded away draft picks in the hopes of finding that elusive rental that makes the difference.

Despite that, they have actually accrued quite the group of future prospects, including a quartet of Russians that could all prove difference-makers in years to come.

Leading that contingent is Kirill Kaprizov, who has been on the end of direct talks with the Minnesota Wild General Manager, Paul Fenton. Not just direct talks, but ones that involved the GM travelling across the Atlantic to Russia to chat!

Kaprizov was actually a fifth round pick, so to be held in such high regard already points to an absolute steal on behalf of the Wild. He’s a fast, two-way player with an impressive shot and not only that, he’s sitting at almost a point-per-game in the KHL, by no means an easy league.

Additional to Kaprizov, the Minnesota Wild have their future goalie in Kaapo Kahkonen, who is making waves in the AHL with the Iowa Wild. Just this past week he saw himself named AHL Player of the Week after two shut-outs in two games.

To have depth in net and depth that is developing so successfully in the American Hockey League bodes very well for the future.

Also in the AHL and thus not being instantly thrust into the NHL are guys like Luke Kunin and Mason Shaw, both of whom are still young enough to form a decent part of the Minnesota Wild’s future.

Not forgetting either, Connor Dewar who sits on 32 points in 21 games with the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League. Those sorts of numbers certainly gain you some attention; with any luck, the young center will be debuting in Iowa next year too.

And all this shouldn’t be a slight on young guys like Joel Eriksson Ek and Jordan Greenway who have already made their way to the big-time!

Devan Dubnyk is elite for the Minnesota Wild

There have been plenty of occasions where Devan Dubnyk has proved the difference-maker for the Minnesota Wild. That is the difference between good goaltending and elite goaltending.

When you look at Dubnyk, you have to view his performances with the Wild as elite. Time and again, he bails the team out – his save percentage and goals against average may fluctuate year-on-year and he may have his average years versus his better years, but the Wild should be thankful for him.

Just look at the struggles the St. Louis Blues have with Jake Allen not able to put up strong performances. Or the Calgary Flames with Mike Smith failing on them. Or even the Pittsburgh Penguins since Marc-Andre Fleury went to Vegas.

If you can find a goaltender that you’re a) willing to entrust 60+ starts a year to and b) he performs in those starts, you’re wise to keep them.

What’s even better is that you’re getting a player at a skill level that is near elite but at a cost of just $4.3 million a year. That is highway robbery when you look at what someone like Carey Price is taking home, despite numbers that look very much average this year.

Of the starters with better goals against averages and save percentages above him currently, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better deal.

Not only this; if you keep Devan around a few more years, he’s the perfect teacher for Kaapo Kahkonen when he no doubts finds himself promoted to the NHL in a year or two.

So as you celebrate Thanksgiving, be sure to be thankful for all the good things the Minnesota Wild have going!