Wilderness Walk: Should The Wild Trade For Some Insurance? As key players on long term injury

The Minnesota Wild find themselves just a few points away from a playoff spot, but their journey is marred by a series of injuries to key players, including Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin, and the recent addition of Mats Zuccarello to the sidelined list. The absence of these pivotal players has exposed vulnerabilities in the team, with rookie Brock Faber shouldering a significant load, reminiscent of the playing time of defensive stalwarts like Duncan Keith in 2010 or Zdeno Chara in 2011. Faber has been on the ice for nearly half the game since the injuries to Spurgeon and Brodin, presenting a concerning situation.

To address this issue, there is speculation about the Wild exploring options in the market to acquire a player at a reasonable cost. The idea is to prevent situations where a rookie is forced into playing extensive minutes, especially when compared to established players like Jon Merrill and Alex Goligoski. Despite the recent addition of Zach Bogosian, there is a suggestion that the Wild may need to take a more proactive approach to shore up their defensive depth.

In other Wild news, there’s a discussion about whether the team’s recent decisions to extend contracts for several older players might be impeding the chances for certain prospects to break into the lineup. The article also touches on Kirill Kaprizov potentially rediscovering his form during a recent overtime win against the Boston Bruins. Additionally, Mats Zuccarello has officially been placed on Injured Reserve, compounding the team’s injury woes.

On a broader scale, the article references trade tier rankings and encourages readers to keep an eye on top prospects from each NHL team at the upcoming World Juniors. The piece also delves into the importance of unlocking Cole Caufield’s shot for the Montreal Canadiens to have an effective power play.

Overall, the Wild’s predicament with injuries raises questions about their strategy moving forward, both in terms of potential trades and player development, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the team’s season.