By Robert Brent -
The NHL preseason is officially underway, and it's great to have hockey back. Hockey’s return is cause for celebration, even if the preseason can be a bit dry.
Unfortunately, the Wild will likely have an uneventful slate of preseason games. Players returning from injuries will have the chance to get some seasoning, but there are few roster spots up for grabs. John Hynes has already confirmed that.
"Are there a ton of spots? No," Hynes confirmed to The Athletic. "Are there some spots? Yes. But at the same time, you want to be able to see the players that are on the team — they're also competing for roles, responsibilities, ice time, and all those types of things. You want to be able to give players the opportunity to make the team."
As Hynes states, Minnesota has solidified most of its roster, but some players are vying for minutes and a role on the team. Jakub Lauko, a newcomer to the lineup, is one of the most interesting of these players. He’s a depth forward who brings NHL experience and some exciting traits.
Lauko has an inside track to making the 23-man roster. Still, we don’t know if he'll grab a spot in the lineup immediately or serve as an extra forward.
Lauko’s road to Minnesota
Before examining Lauko’s fit with the Wild, we must understand where he came from. In June, the Wild acquired Lauko from the Boston Bruins for Vinni Lettieri and a swap of fourth-round picks. Boston drafted Lauko in the third round of the 2018 draft after he played in the Czech league. He experienced his first hockey in North America in the QMJHL for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in 2018-19, where he won the Memorial Cup.
The Czech forward broke into the NHL in 2022-23, playing 23 games for the Bruins. He had an even more significant role last year, appearing in 60 games. Lauko was a well-liked figure in Boston and will bring his trademark grit and big personality to Minnesota.
In his 83 games, Lauko hasn’t shown much offensive acumen, with six goals and 11 assists for 17 career points. Last season, he only scored on 4.7% of his shots, so there may be more goal-scoring upside than expected if that climbs toward the NHL average.
As we all know, players are more than their box scores; what Lauko does on the ice is far more critical.
What can Lauko bring to the team?
Jakub Lauko has much to offer the Wild. However, his skating speed, competitive edge, and willingness to make the game hard for opponents are the most prevalent. He’s willing to block shots and rack up hits in limited ice time.
Lauko was credited with 176 hits in 60 games last season. It’s important to note that scorekeepers don’t have a consistent definition for what constitutes a hit in the NHL, but Lauko’s aptitude for using his body is hard to deny. The Bruins also asked Lauko to play a lot of defense in his limited experience. According to Moneypuck.com’s stat-keeping, Lauko started only 5.7% of his shifts in the offensive zone last year.
However, Lauko’s game isn’t without its warts. His possession metrics are relatively poor, and he doesn’t score often. Still, he exhibits traits that could benefit the Wild’s bottom six. He’s fast, physical, and plays the game in a way that delights coaches.
“He’s another guy that brings a certain identity to his game, and brings a certain identity to a team. He’s quick, he’s got good speed, he plays the game with an edge.” Hynes told The Hockey News, “He’s a guy when you play against him, you all hear that term ‘hard to play against.’ His style of game is hard to play against.”
Lauko has already displayed his speed and willingness to get in front of a shot this preseason. In the opening game of the 2024 preseason slate, Lauko got in the lane of a shot from the blue line and sped his way past the defender to score a breakaway goal.
https://players.brightcove.net/6415718365001/D3UCGynRWU_default/index.html?videoId=6362288294112
Fans should take nearly everything that happens in the preseason with a grain of salt, especially a goal by a forward who has shown little offensive ability in his NHL career. Still, the play was high effort and showed off Lauko’s speed. It’s hard to imagine any better qualities out of a depth player gunning for a fourth-line role. Lauko can be an asset, but seeing where he fits with the current roster will be interesting.
Where will Lauko play?
Pundits and fans alike aren’t sure where Jakub Lauko fits on the roster. The consensus seems that he’s a shoo-in to make the 23-man roster, but does he have a spot in the lineup?
When camp opened, Michael Russo reported that the Wild deployed Lauko on a line with Marat Khusnutdinov and Frederick Gaudreau. Lauko and Khusnutdinov are gritty and could be a pain to play against. Still, Michael Russo’s recent article projecting the Wild’s opening-night lineup had Lauko on the outside looking in as an extra forward.
Unfortunately for Lauko, the team has too many veterans who will likely get the first look in the opening night lineup. Players like Gaudreau, Marcus Johansson, and Marcus Foligno had down years last season. However, they’re still veterans the team has employed for years.
It isn’t hard to imagine them getting the first shot at minutes out of camp, barring extenuating circumstances like an injury or disastrous preseason. Liam Ohgren is another player who seems to occupy a similar role as Lauko, and Russo projects the Wild to slot him into the fourth-line left-wing position.
At first glance, it may seem that Lauko will struggle to find minutes, but his style will be desirable for Hynes. If a player who struggled last year continues that into this season, Minnesota’s new forward will be waiting in the wings for his opportunity. Lauko will certainly have minutes this year. Still, how many and in what role will there be an exciting storyline to track this preseason and early into the regular season.
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