Minnesota Wild’s familiar, and new, faces to take ice in preseason opener

The Minnesota Wild return to on-ice competition on Sunday for the first time since being eliminated in Game 6 of a first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against St. Louis last spring.

Well, at least a portion of the Wild regulars will be on the ice as well as a number of prospects who are hopeful to make the roster this season.

Minnesota begins its seven-game preseason schedule Sunday afternoon with a matchup against the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche to cap the opening week of training camp.

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The tandem of Kirill Kaprizov and Ryan Hartman are listed on the top line along with Freddy Gaudreau, and two-third of the GREEF line — Marcus Foligno and Joel Erikssson-Ek — are scheduled to play as well.

But the preseason is mainly a chance for some younger players to make an im[ression.

The Wild’s lineup on Sunday includes Hunter Haight and Servac Petrovsky, who were selected in the in the third and sixth rounds, respectively, of the NHL Entry Draft in June. The two are penciled in on a fourth line that includes Caedan Bankier, who was selected in the third round of the ’21 Draft.

Two other key members of that draft class are also scheduled to play against the Avalanche: goalie Jesper Wallstedt and defenseman Carson Lambos, who were selected six spots apart in the first round.

Both players took part in the World Junior Championships this summer, and Wallstedt put on a show in net for Sweden that had more than a few Wild fans dreaming about him in an NHL net in the near future.

Fans will also have their eyes on another first-round draft pick on Sunday as Marco Rossi, selected ninth overall in ’20, is penciled in on the third line with Mason Shaw and Mitchell Chaffee. Rossi, who made his NHL debut last season and played in two games with the Wild, is a strong contender to make the Wild’s opening night roster after he played a full season in the AHL last year.

Another contender for a roster spot is Adam Beckman, who was drafted in the third round in the ’19 Draft. Beckman made an impression during the Wild’s training camp last year and totaled an assist in three games in the NHL.

Minnesota is scheduled to travel to Denver on Tuesday for another matchup. It is the start of fourth straight road preseason games for the Wild before the team returns home for a matchup with Chicago on Oct. 6.