With the holidays here and everything that has gone on with the Minnesota Wild in the past month since the firing of Dean Evason and the hiring of John Hynes as well as the team’s complete turnaround of their season, it’s time for another roundtable.
The Hockey Writers Wild Team of Tyson McKay and Mariah Stark answered the questions that you’ve been wondering about in the past month, from the coaching change to who’s stepped up and what’s going on this holiday break. We’ll start with the coaching change since that’s been the most significant piece of news and move on from there.
Did You Agree with the Firing of Dean Evason?
Tyson: Unfortunately, we live in a world where NHL coaches have a very limited lifespan and despite Evason having a very good record with the team, it just reached a point where it was the only possible move the team could make to create a spark. I really liked Evason as a coach, liked his style, and hope that he ends up behind another team’s bench soon (just not in the Central Division).
Mariah: I was shocked and not shocked. I think the timing shocked me the most, but deep down, I knew it was coming. I was a fan of Evason, but like Tyson said, the Wild really had no other moves to make, and they had to do something. Could they have ridden it out? Possibly, but in professional sports, unfortunately, there’s not much time to wait things out. I know he’ll find a coaching job somewhere, and I hope he does well.
We Have to Ask, What Do You Think of John Hynes?
Tyson: From all of the media that has surrounded Hynes since the Wild hired him as well as the team’s dramatic improvement, he seems like a very intelligent person. It is difficult to get a read on what a coach is like as a person separate from their coaching style, but he seems like a very dedicated person who has great potential.
Mariah: Every time a new coach steps behind the bench, you have to be a little skeptical, even if it’s someone you’re familiar with. I was not extremely familiar with Hynes, so I did some reading, and I have to say, I’m quite impressed. I think what I liked the most about him is he didn’t come in and try to change everything to what he wanted. He made little adjustments here and there and tried to get to know the team first, which I think is great, and I can’t wait to see where he goes with them.
Since Our Last Roundtable, Who Has Impressed You the Most?
Tyson: This one is easy because Brock Faber is an absolute revelation for the Wild. Anyone who has watched any amount of hockey can see that he is special, and the statistics back it up. He was impressive to start the season, but he is taking it to another level lately with the Wild’s blue line being so depleted from injuries. Sorry to Kevin Fiala fans but that trade is paying dividends already and we haven’t even seen what Liam Ohgren can do.
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Mariah: I think everyone knows who I will say, and yes, I will match Tyson. Faber has been an absolute rockstar, and while everyone was impressed with his debut last postseason, I think most were thinking to themselves, is he the real deal? Well, he is, and then some. He’s done everything asked of him and more. I mean what 21-year-old rookie will take over the power play, penalty kill, and play 30+ minutes a night when you’re top two defensemen are out? Not many, but Faber has.
Again, Since Our Last Roundtable, Who’s Disappointed You?
Tyson: I jumped on the Brandon Duhaime bandwagon a couple of seasons ago when he had 17 points, was a physical presence, and could break past defenders with pure speed. I have been quietly sliding off that wagon as he is looking more and more like a replacement-level fourth-liner. He is on a one-year deal and had a big opportunity to really grab a spot in the lineup with the coaching change and injuries, but five points in 32 games is just not good.
Mariah: Jon Merrill is a great guy, but his play has just been struggling. He’ll occasionally make little improvements, but then it seems he goes backward. I’m a fan of his, but lately, he’s been driving me a little nuts. It seems like almost every goal scored against the Wild, he’s on the ice for. While that could be as simple as bad luck, I would like to see his play improve a bit too.
The Wild Have Improved Quite a Bit Since Hynes Took Over; What Area Has Impressed You?
Tyson: It has to be goaltending. I am not positive that the two are completely related, as Filip Gustavsson was looking better before Hynes came in, but even if it is a coincidence, it does not matter. The Wild have been getting consistent, impressive goaltending every night and it makes it a whole lot easier to win games when you are getting the big saves.
Mariah: I would have to say their penalty kill, and while it did improve a bit before Evason left, it seemed to improve quite a bit when Hynes had them play more aggressively. Obviously, they’ve struggled a bit on and off with it lately, but every team does. I hope they can continue to improve it, and it would help to get their top defensemen back to help out Faber.
Same Question, But What Area Has Disappointed You?
Tyson: This feeds into the Duhaime question as well, but the depth has not been there for the forwards or the defense. There is a perfect opportunity for guys to step up with the injuries to Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin, Mats Zuccarello, and Ryan Hartman, but instead, they have been forced to ride their stars for massive minutes every single night. It is not bad that their stars have been able to win them games, but eventually, that will catch up to them.
Mariah: I have to say their power play. I know it’s starting to find success, but with their star power, it should be successful almost every night. Of course, you’re going to run into teams with a stellar penalty kill, but that power play should be rifling shots off all the time. They’ve started to improve in that area, but I’d like to see them take it up a notch and shoot every chance they get.
What’s on Your Christmas Wish List for the Wild? (Apart From Playoffs, Etc)
Tyson: This might be a little cliché, but it would just be for them to get healthy. They have a good team, they underperformed to start the season, and they are rolling now without four of their top players. If they can get all those guys back in the lineup and manage to avoid any other massive game-loss situations, they could become a very competitive team.
Mariah: Normally, I would say injuries, but I will go from the top of our Wild Wish List article and say win faceoffs. It’s an area they always seem to have trouble in, and it could really help them be successful going forward if they could figure out how to win some faceoffs.
What Are You Most Excited About for the Christmas Break, Personally?
Tyson: It has always been and will always be the World Junior Championship. Something about the tradition of watching the games with family, being able to cheer for your country, and watching the pure emotion that exudes from some of the games is just special. It is what you expect from a best-on-best tournament, and since the NHL deprives fans of that at a higher level, this is as good as it gets.
Mariah: I would say the World Junior Championship, but it’s really difficult for me to watch any games where I’m located. So, I’ll have to go with spending time with family and seeing all the fun content from players spending time with their families as well.
Wild’s Next Month
The Wild will start back up following the holiday break on Tuesday, Dec. 27, against the Detroit Red Wings at home before they head out to Winnipeg to face the Jets on Saturday, Dec. 30, and back home on Sunday, Dec. 31, to face the Jets again. The Wild still have a way to go regarding any playoff hopes, but hopefully, they can keep the good things going. We hope everyone enjoys their holidays and can’t wait for the Wild to win some more games.