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What the Minnesota Wild Rebuild Should Look Like

By Lake Martin

ANAHEIM, CA - NOVEMBER 5: Jordan Greenway #18 of the Minnesota Wild skates during the game against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on November 5, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Debora Robinson/NHLI via Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA - NOVEMBER 5: Jordan Greenway #18 of the Minnesota Wild skates during the game against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on November 5, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Debora Robinson/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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How Soon Can We Expect This?

SAINT PAUL, MN – OCTOBER 26: (L-R) Brad Hunt #77, Mikko Koivu #9 and Marcus Foligno #17 of the Minnesota Wild celebrate after scoring a goal against the Los Angeles Kings during the game at the Xcel Energy Center on October 26, 2019, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
SAINT PAUL, MN – OCTOBER 26: (L-R) Brad Hunt #77, Mikko Koivu #9 and Marcus Foligno #17 of the Minnesota Wild celebrate after scoring a goal against the Los Angeles Kings during the game at the Xcel Energy Center on October 26, 2019, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images) /

I have a tough time projecting when this rebuild could be completed. You always want to shoot low and expect to be in solid form way sooner than is realistic. Look at the Rangers! They went from being in serious long-term trouble to signing Panarin and drafting Kaapo Kakko. They’re currently sixth in the Metro Division, but they went from four to five-year rebuild to maybe a year rebuild.

I don’t see that kind of acceleration happening for Minnesota. NYC is a desirable place to be and that’s what I’ll chalk up the quick turnaround for the Blue Shirts.

That said, if my rebuild plan is followed and successful, I think the Minnesota Wild could be in good shape two or three seasons from now. I think adding Kiril Kaprizov is going to be huge for the team and help facilitate a mindset that the organization needs to be a contender in the division for the coming years, and getting the Boston College Kids during that time frame is going to be huge for the team. With where our Goaltending Prospects are at currently, I can’t imagine them being anything less than instrumental to the future. If both are as good as stated, they could run a dominant 1A-1B tandem. And you have to imagine three or four of Anas, Bitten, Dewar, Duhaime, Khovanov, Lodnia, Mayhew, Menell, and Sokolov will be real NHLers.

It might be painful to watch. Fan Favorites will likely leave. It could feel like there’s a permanent cloud over Xcel Energy Center.

But have faith Wild Fans.

It could very well have us hoisting Lord Stanley’s Chalice in the State of Hockey.

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