This could be the Wild's best lineup entering training camp

After a long and surprisingly quiet offseason, the Minnesota Wild will report to training camp this week. This year’s camp doesn’t have much suspense unless you count Quinn Hughes’s contract drama and the continued pursuit of Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin. But the intriguing part of this year’s team is where each piece will fit into the lineup.

The Wild lost 150 points from last year’s lineup and several new faces will be tasked with replacing that production. Head coach John Hynes also needs to push the right buttons to maximize his core pieces including Hughes, Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy and Brock Faber.

The roster is still a work in progress, but the next few weeks will determine what the Wild could look like on Opening Night. It gives line heathens everywhere a lot to talk about and a good idea of what the lineup could look like for the Oct. 1 opener against the Nashville Predators.

Projecting the Wild's best lines ahead of training camp

Forward Line 1

On a roster with plenty of questions, Kaprizov is something that Wild fans don’t have to worry about. Two years ago, he was in the running for the Hart Trophy before a lower body injury limited him to 41 games. Last season, Kaprizov had 45 goals and 89 points and the Wild reportedly believed they can get more out of him by transitioning to a more downhill style of play.

That belief led to Mats Zuccarello’s departure, but it also left a big hole in the top line. The Wild have several candidates to fill Zuccarello’s spot, but unless they want to frontload their lineup with Matt Boldy and Kaprizov on the same line, Shabanov is the most intriguing option due to his playmaking and his ability to sneak into the open areas of the ice for scoring opportunities.

That leaves the top center position. Ideally, the Wild would swing a trade for Larkin at the 11th hour. But until that happens, Hartman may be the top candidate. Hartman isn’t a prototypical top line center and may be suited for a third-line role. But he has the trust of the coaching staff and should enter training camp as the favorite to be on this line.

Forward Line 2

The reason that Boldy isn’t on the top line is due to his chemistry with Eriksson Ek. The winger and center have a strong connection on the offensive end, which could get Boldy closer to a potential 50/50 campaign this season. But their defense is also a factor as they represent a couple pillars that create a shutdown line.

The only question is who will be playing in the left wing spot. Last season, Marcus Johansson filled that role, netting 15 goals and 49 points. But his play tailed off in the second half before he decided to return to his home country of Sweden this offseason.

While Johansson’s play drove fans wild (no pun intended), it’s still a big role to fill in the top six. Coleman could get the first shot at that spot as a player that has averaged 20 goals and 38 points per game and having Eriksson Ek and Boldy on the same line could get him closer to that ceiling. If that comes to fruition, the Wild could have one top-six question answered and could have the scoring depth they missed a year ago.

Forward Line 3

Of the four forward lines, the third line may have some of the most intrigue. At first glance, it feels like a group that has been thrown together and having the skill and speed of Yurov and Brink, doesn’t appear to mesh with the physicality of Trenin. It could also see Yurov play more on the wing if he hasn’t improved on the 39.2 percent win rate in the face off circle last season.

But it’s also a group that could have some upside. Brink is a middle-six forward, but he could also get closer to his 2024-25 performance (12 goals, 41 points in 79 games) playing alongside more talent. Yurov also has the playmaking skills to create opportunities and it could lead to a solid pairing on the third line.

The only question is what the Wild will do with Trenin. Putting him on the fourth line with Marcus Foligno and Nick Foligno makes sense. But it would also elevate Michael McCarron, who could man the center position if the Wild want to put Yurov on the wing. Trenin could also be a formidable part of a checking line, but it largely depends on how Hynes wants to use him going into this season.

Forward Line No. 4

The foundation of this line was created at last year’s trade deadline. Nick Foligno brought veteran leadership and a strong penalty killer after he was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks. The WIld were also criticized for giving up a second-round pick to acquire Michael McCarron from the Nashville Predators, but his audition went so well, the Wild signed him to a six-year, $20 million contract before the start of free agency.

The Wild are not looking for offense from this line, which may have McCarron playing on the third line as Minnesota gets into the flow of the season. McCarron’s success in the face-off circle could also help him earn a higher role as he won 52.5 percent of his draws last season and has a 52.7 percent win rate over his nine-year career.

Whoever is the center, this line will be trusted to bring some physicality to the bottom six and there’s a good chance all three players could form a trusted penalty kill as well.

Defensive Pairing No. 1

The defensive pairings are pretty clear and the top line won’t be touched unless things really go south on Hughes’s contract negotiations. Hughes made an immediate impact after coming over from the Vancouver Canucks last December, scoring five goals and recording 53 points in 48 regular season games. But he could be even better this year due to his established chemistry with the Wild going into this season and a 3.7 percent shooting percentage that was well below his career rate of 5.9 percent.

In addition to some positive regression for Hughes, he also has a strong partner in Faber. The 24-year-old is coming off a career year after setting career highs with 15 goals and 51 points in 80 regular season games last season and his playoff performance should create more excitement after he scored four times and recorded 10 points in 11 games.

Simply put, the Wild’s top defensive pairing is locked in and fans hope that remains the case if Hughes signs an extension in the coming weeks.

Defensive Pairing No. 2

For years, Brodin and Spurgeon were the Wild’s top pairing. But it feels like the sun is setting on this duo as they enter this season. 

Brodin is still a strong defender, posting a plus/minus rating of plus-19 last season. But his durability is a big question mark after being limited to 62 games and missing the Wild’s second-round playoff loss against the Colorado Avalanche. In addition, Brodin has played over 70 games just once since playing in all 82 games during the 2018-19 season and at age-33, his health will be a big storyline going into this year.

The same could be said for Spurgeon. While he played in 79 games last season, he’s played in 70 games just twice since playing all 82 games during the 2018-19 season. In addition, Spurgeon’s skills seem to be eroding, managing just six goals, 22 goals and a plus-2 rating last season.

If anything, Brodin and Spurgeon are a steady baseline. But it won’t matter if either defenseman can’t stay on the ice.

Defensive Pairing No. 3

The Wild pulled the plug on Jacob Middleton after he had a disastrous showing against the Avalanche in last year’s playoffs and the Wild are hoping that Maatta can stabilize the group. Maatta played in just 43 games between the Calgary Flames and Utah Mammoth last season, but has strong ties to Wild general manager Bill Guerin as a former first-round pick during Guerin’s time as assistant general manager.

Bogosian also brings a level of comfort as an established veteran, but he also could be splitting his time between the third pairing and the press box with Daemon Hunt also filling in.

This pairing won’t have much upside and it could be an area the Wild could look to improve as the season goes along. But for now, the Wild are going to lean on what works and hope that Maatta and Bogosian will find chemistry quickly.

Goaltender

Playing in his first full season in the NHL, Wallstedt broke out for the Wild last season, going 18-9-6 with a .915 save percentage, a 2.61 goals against average and four shutouts in 35 games. Wallstedt’s year went so well that he even took over the Wild’s net during the playoffs, going 5-5 with a .909 save percentage and a 2.77 goals against average in 10 starts.

Wallstedt’s play was an encouraging development a year ago, but it’s a necessity while Filip Gustavsson recovers from offseason hip surgery. Pickard should carry some of the load, but he was average last season, going 5-6-2 with a .871 save percentage and 3.68 goals against average in 16 starts.

The Wild will likely lean on Wallstedt heavily to begin the year and how he responds to the increased workload early could determine whether he builds on the momentum he established last year.

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