2020-21
Record: 35-16-5, 75 pts; Third in Honda West Division
Playoffs: Lost in First Round of Stanley Cup playoffs to Vegas
Key Losses
D Ryan Suter
F Zach Parise
F Marcus Johansson
F Nick Bonino
D Ian Cole
Key Additions
D Alex Goligoski
D Dmitry Kulikov
D Jon Merrill
Jerseys
2021-22 Preview
The Minnesota Wild are going to be in for an interesting season. As this team preview is being written on September 3rd, Kirill Kaprizov still remains un-signed. Ryan Suter and Zach Parise’s albatross contracts have been bought out, which I will touch on in a bit.
Minnesota is going to be one of those teams that is in the middle of the pack. The Wild, after buying out Parise and Suter, do lose some scoring, but not a lot. The buyouts on those two did not hurt Minnesota this season but going into next offseason, Minnesota will not have a lot of room to work with.
Kaprizov, who led all first-year players with 27 goals, with eight on the power play, 157 shots, and 51 points in 55 games played, must be re-signed.
The team does have excitement coming with the Wild hosting the Winter Classic this season and it’s expected to be a big time event for Minnesota. But as this team is currently constructed, this is going to be a team that is in the middle of the pack in terms of overall standing.
Minnesota is going to be back in the Central Division this season after being in the West for the 2020-21 abbreviated season and the competition there is going to be brutal.
2021-22 Prediction: 5th in Central Division
Projected lineup
Kirill Kaprizov — Victor Rask — Mats Zuccarello
Jordan Greenway — Joel Eriksson Ek — Kevin Fiala
Marcus Foligno — Ryan Hartman — Nick Bjugstad
Kyle Rau — Nico Sturm — Frederick Gaudreau
Jonas Brodin — Matt Dumba
Alex Goligoski — Jared Spurgeon
Dmitry Kulikov — Jon Merrill
Cam Talbot
Kaapo Kahkonen
