Wild Vs Avalanche: Lineup, Olympic returns and practice notes ahead of Denver game
The Minnesota Wild travel to Denver to challenge the league-leading Avalanche at Ball Arena in what the club billed as wild vs avalanche on the night’s slate. The team released a projected lineup that is subject to change as it heads into the game.
Projected forward lines and the Ball Arena matchup
The Wild’s projected forward lines for the visit to Ball Arena list the top trio as 97 Kirill Kaprizov, 38 Ryan Hartman and 36 Mats Zuccarello. The second line is 90 Marcus Johansson, 14 Joel Eriksson Ek and 12 Matt Boldy. The third line pairs 13 Yakov Trenin, 22 Danila Yurov and 91 Vladimir Tarasenko, while the fourth line shows 17 Marcus Foligno, 78 Nico Sturm and 18 Vinnie Hinostroza. The team noted the projection is subject to change ahead of the game against the league-leading Avalanche in Denver.
John Hynes on missing an Olympic medal but gaining experience
Wild head coach John Hynes was an assistant coach on Team USA’s gold-medal run at the Winter Games, but he does not possess an Olympic gold medal because, as he put it, medals at the Olympics go only to players. Hynes said, "World Championships you do. But Olympics they don't. In any [Olympic] events they don't. " Still, he called the trip a great experience that improved his coaching chops and will benefit the Wild as they try to hold their ground as one of the NHL’s top teams when the season resumes Feb. 26 at Colorado.
Feb. 25 practice, absent players and the White House visit
Hynes returned to the ice with the Wild on Feb. 25 for the club’s last practice before traveling to play the Avalanche, but Matt Boldy, Brock Faber and Quinn Hughes were absent from that session. After Team USA outlasted Canada 2-1 in overtime on Feb. 22, the U. S. players were invited by President Donald Trump to the State of the Union; most players, including Boldy, Faber and Hughes, attended the White House and the speech. The Wild players were scheduled to fly with the team to Colorado, and Hynes said the plan is for all three to be in action versus the Avalanche.
Hynes on life experience at the White House and team diversity
Hynes stressed the White House visit was a life experience for players rather than a political statement, noting the club includes Democrats and Republicans. "It's not a political thing, " he said. "On the team there's Democrats, Republicans. It's more about the celebration of the team, and I think the life experience for the players to be able to do what they were able to do, which is go to the White House, meet the president, be at the State of the Union. It doesn't really have anything to do with politics. It's about a life experience for the players, and I'm happy that they had the opportunity to do it if they chose to. "
Wild staff with Team USA in Italy and Bill Guerin’s role
The Wild sent athletic trainers John Worley and Travis Green and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Joel Boyd to Italy to support Team USA, and assistant general manager Chris Kelleher joined the U. S. management staff helmed by President of Hockey Operations Bill Guerin as its GM. Hynes said it was nice to see Guerin relieved and proud — noting Guerin had tears in his eyes on the bench — and that he was very happy for him for how he led the players and staff.
Standings, Avalanche games in hand and Marcus Foligno’s take
When the NHL paused for the Olympics the Wild were tied for the second-most points in the league with 78, trailing only first-place Colorado by five. The Avalanche used up one of their three games in hand on Feb. 25, and the Wild see closing that gap as within reach. Alternate captain Marcus Foligno said, "It'd be awesome to catch them and surpass them. For a team that's been in the NHL kinda looked at as the Goliath a little bit, to be right there with them as the break was huge. We feel confident. We want that No. 1 spot, for sure. We're happy with the way we've been playing, and getting into the playoffs is the most important thing. "
