Minnesota Wild: Tough Lineup Decisions for Team Looming

The Minnesota Wild got back on track Wednesday night against the Mighty Ducks in Anaheim. Kirill Kaprizov scored twice and the team rebounded to score four goals after being shut out for almost eight consecutive periods.

Some traditional depth players were elevated in the lineup and really showed out. With the everyday players out of the lineup right now, Dean Evason and the rest of the Wild coaching staff will face some difficult choices coming up as fellas return from injury.

When we look at the injured reserve for the Wild we see Ryan Hartman and Brandon Duhaime. Marcus Foligno and Jordan Greenway were both out of the lineup but are on track to return against the Seattle Kraken on Friday.

The Wild had a bit of a shuffled lineup with some reinforcements from Iowa in Adam Beckman and former Duck Joseph Cramarossa. Greenway sat out after playing the first half of the back-to-back. Marc-Andre Fleury sat out and Filip Gustavsson got into his fourth game so far this year.

The newly formed young gun line of Mason Shaw – Marco Rossi – Connor Dewar played incredibly well as a third line. Shaw has been electric as of late and is going to be very difficult to send him back down 94 with the way he has been playing. Rossi has not been the offensive dynamo he was heralded to be but he has been getting playing time and is adjusting to the NHL game. Dewar, who has logged a lot of fourth-line minutes made the most of his elevation in the lineup.

As shown in the tweet above, this line was awesome at the Honda Center.

Dewar was one goal away from recording a Gordie Howe hat trick as he added an assist on the Matt Dumba goal. Shaw got on the scoresheet as well with a good tip to Dumba on the doorstep for an easy goal early in the third period to give the Wild the lead.

With the imminent return of Greenway and Foligno, who has to ride the pine pony of the press box?

Although Cramarossa scored against the Ducks he won’t take the spot of anyone on the team. Does Beckman get rewarded for his strong play and get to suit up for another game?

Who’s to say, but Dean Evason will probably reunite the GREEF line despite the numbers this year showing that they have not been as effective. Old habits die hard (in 6 games). Despite conventional wisdom, Freddy Gaudreau will stay as the top line center for Kapriozv and Mats Zuccarello. So that leaves Matt Boldy to play wing for Rossi and let us say Mason Shaw. Someone like Connor Dewar could slide in there as well and then the other would play fourth line wing. Neither Shaw or Dewar will have to be in the press box. Sam Steel was alright against his former team and has been an alright piece this year. The pickle is with Tyson Jost.

Jost’s play has been uninspiring. He was very good in the preseason as a point per game player but that success has not translated to the regular season so far. I would not be surprised if Dean Evason gave Beckman or Cramarossa another look and put Jost or Steel with Gologoski in the press box.

There is no way you can justify taking Shaw or Dewar out of the lineup. Cramarossa and Beckman outshined Steel and Jost when given the chance. The first round pick buffer of Steel and Jost may be wearing off as they start to run out of opportunities and get pushed out of the lineup by hungrier forwards.

The management and coaching staff in Minnesota has a good problem on their hands. Having an excess of good forward options is nothing to complain about.

It’ll be interesting to see how Deano deploys the troops in the revenge game in Seattle Friday night.