In the last two weeks, Matt Boldy and Brock Faber play like Olympians for Team USA, with both Minnesota Wild stars being major minute-munching contributors in the 4 Nations Face-Off. In Minnesota’s return from the two-week break, Marco Rossi came through with a Herculean effort of his own via an overtime-forcing assist and follow-up game-winner in Detroit on Monday.
That was the latest of several moments when the team’s future looked bright because of these three young stars. Boldy, Faber, and Rossi were born within an 18-month span and are a foundational under-25 trio for the Wild. The three players are each dynamic in their own, complementary way. Boldy brings the flash on the wing, Faber’s mobility and defense are invaluable, and Rossi does the dirty work on both sides of the ice. It’s the kind of group you can see defining the organization for the next decade.
Or, right now. Like, exactly at this moment.
The Wild’s apocalyptic string of injuries got worse on Tuesday when the team put Joel Eriksson Ek on IR after getting injured in Monday’s practice. According to NHL Injury Viz, only the Colorado Avalanche have lost more Wins Above Replacement to injury than the Wild. Even then, Gabriel Landeskog is among Colorado’s injured players, and he hasn’t played for over two seasons, may never play again, and has his money off the books.
Eriksson Ek’s week-to-week status suggests he’ll be back before the end of the season, and Kirill Kaprizov isn’t expected to remain on LTIR until then — at least, as far as we know.
Until we get confirmation that one or the other won’t be back until the playoffs, the Wild can’t assume either star player’s contract will be off the salary cap for the trade deadline. As much as we’d like to will a way for Minnesota to bring in reinforcements for a playoff run, a trade deadline addition isn’t coming through that door.
And that’s how the Wild went into Tuesday night’s game icing a second line of Marcus Johansson, Freddy Gaudreau, and Vinnie Hinostroza. Combined, that trio entered the game with 18 goals and 47 points in 121 games. For context, that’s fewer goals and points than Boldy or Rossi, individually. No disrespect, but no one drew that combination on the second line when the season started.
I’m not trying to pile onto the Wild, who have been dealt a tough salary cap hand that means that depth is non-existent. When Kaprizov, Eriksson Ek, and even Ryan Hartman are out, this is the kind of thing you have to do.
But it highlights how much the Wild depend on their young core. After losing to the Detroit Red Wings in regulation on Tuesday, the Wild have 72 points and a nine-point lead in the standings over the Vancouver Canucks, the first team outside of the playoff bubble. (Note: Vancouver has a game in hand). Minnesota has 24 games left to secure a playoff spot, and a significant portion of it will be without two of the Wild’s most important players.
Now, the most important players on the team are their three emerging stars, and the time on ice is proving it. Tuesday saw Faber leading the team in time on ice (26:40), with Rossi (21:34) and Boldy (21:04) finishing first and third among forwards, respectively. According to Natural Stat Trick, John Hynes tried to keep those three out on the ice together as often as possible, playing Faber, Rossi, and Boldy for about 10 minutes of 5-on-5 time.
As well he should. Injuries or no, the Wild are a top-heavy team, and the young stars being on the ice makes a huge difference between getting the better of the goals and caving in.
Let’s look at how the Wild have done at 5-on-5 with…
None of Boldy/Faber/Rossi: 31 GF, 38 GA (44.9%)
One of Boldy/Faber/Rossi: 37 GF, 37 GA (50.0%)
Two or all of Boldy/Faber Rossi: 40 GF, 24 GA (62.5%)
Since Kaprizov’s injury, the gap between having multiple of their young stars on the ice and zero of them has slightly widened.
As recently as last season, these players were seen as “The Future” in Minnesota. They no longer are. Boldy and Rossi are about to pass up Kaprizov for the team points lead (albeit in significantly more games), and Faber has been a top-pairing defenseman on the Wild for over 100 games.
They can’t lean on Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek, not for several weeks, at least. Liam Öhgren and Marat Khusnutdinov aren’t quite ready for prime time. Top prospects Danila Yurov and Zeev Buium won’t be in Minnesota until (at least) the end of the year. Unless something changes, the Wild aren’t getting a veteran lifeline to save the day.
So “The Future” is now. The Wild’s playoff hopes rest squarely on the shoulders of three guys in their early 20s. All three have shown that they’re capable of brilliance and success over sustained stretches.
What they haven’t done is proven that they can carry a team to the playoffs without a safety net in Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek, two top-flight, veteran NHLers. Doing that will prove that Minnesota isn’t a one-man team in Kaprizov and that the core of their next wave of talent can stand on its own.
No pressure.