The Minnesota Wild are gearing up for an electric night with the first preseason game of the 2023-24 season on home turf as they face off against the Colorado Avalanche. This isn’t the first time these two teams have clashed this preseason; the Wild celebrated a 4-3 win over the Avalanche in their initial matchup on Sept. 24. However, still fresh from their recent defeat against the Dallas Stars on Sept. 26, the Wild are hungry for redemption and another win.
Setting the Stage
Minnesota Wild Roster
More preseason action means that the lines can be fluid throughout the game, and while we do have the official roster available there has not (at the time of release) been a full list of line combinations confirmed. Looking at the roster and putting together the Wild’s regular lines while adding in some of my best guesses gives the following:
Kirill Kaprizov – Ryan Hartman – Mats Zuccarello
Freddy Gaudreau – Marco Rossi – Sammy Walker
Adam Beckman – Jujhar Khaira – Vinni Lettieri
Kale Kessy – Nic Petan – Jake Lucchini
Alex Goligoski – Jared Spurgeon
Jonas Brodin – Brock Faber
Carson Lambos – David Spacek
Marc-Andre Fleury – Jesper Wallstedt
Where to Watch/Listen
If it wasn’t bad enough that there was no way to watch the previous game, it appears that once again the only confirmed way for fans to consume this game is to tune in to KFAN 100.3 FM starting at 7:00 p.m. Central Time. It is very strange to not have any sort of video feed for these games but it’s possible that the Diamond Sports Group bankruptcy is causing some issues.
Keys to the Game
Increased Veteran Presence
Last season there was very little veteran presence during preseason action and it led to the Wild falling flat on their face out of the gate during the regular season. That is not the case this season as most of their projected roster for opening night has already had some preseason action and the rest of the big guns are coming out to play tonight. The entire top line of Kirill Kaprizov, Ryan Hartman, and Mats Zuccarello will make their debut along with Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin, and Brock Faber (the lone rookie yet to play) on defense.
Related: Minnesota Wild Prospect Report: Walker, Wallstedt, Hunt, & More
It has been made abundantly clear over the offseason that head coach Dean Evason and president of hockey operations Bill Guerin are on the same page when it comes to developing team chemistry on and off of the ice. They want the Wild to be a tight group and that has started early this season by putting together the forward lines and defensive pairs that they are likely to utilize in the regular season.
Battle for 13th Forward Continues
The lack of cap space for the Wild means that they are going to be relying on veteran forwards making the league minimum of $775,000 as call-ups for the 13th forward position, at least that appears to be the plan. The recently signed Jujhar Khaira will be playing in his third game in a row as the only player to be active in every one of the Wild’s preseason games so far. He has a goal in each game and is likely the current favorite for the only remaining roster spot.
Khaira is not a runaway favorite by any means and the entire bottom six could be made up of players battling to make the NHL lineup with Lettieri, Lucchini, Petan, Walker, and Beckman also active. Walker has been the most noticeable competition for Khaira as the best offensive force on the team going all the way back to the Tom Kurvers Prospect tournament. Unfortunately for Walker his current salary of just $855,000 is more than the Wild can afford unless circumstances change regarding their current financial issues.
Next on the Docket
The Wild’s preseason action will continue with two games in a row against the Chicago Blackhawks. The next game on Sept. 30 will be played in Minnesota, while fans will have to wait until Oct. 5 for the second game that will be held in Chicago. Expectations are that the Wild’s roster will continue to become closer to the actual lineup expected to hit the ice for the regular season.
