Declan Chisholm Is Making Himself Impossible To Ignore

I’m not an NHL coach, and that’s for a good reason. However, to me, there is no good reason that Declan Chisholm shouldn’t be skating every game for the Minnesota Wild. 

The Wild acquired Chisholm on waivers from the Winnipeg Jets on January 29, 2024, more than halfway through last season. Chisholm was a standout offensive defender in the AHL but was a relatively unproven NHL player. There was no room for him in Winnipeg, and the Wild swooped in and got him off waivers. 

Minnesota dealt with injuries on the blue line last season. Therefore, allowing the former fifth-round pick to see what he could do in a lost season made sense. The results were mixed, as the third-year defenseman from Bowmanville, Ont. recorded eight points in 29 games. 

Chisholm had earned an NHL opportunity. However, with Minnesota’s D-core returning to full strength, could he crack the lineup with Zach Bogosian and Jon Merrill under contract?

The answer to that question during the early parts of the season was no. 

Chisholm was not touching a spot in the top four, with Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin, Brock Faber, and Jake Middleton holding it down. However, he got his shot to play when the Wild wanted to get him some time and sit Merrill down. Chisholm didn’t have a point in his first five games but had four points in six games while occasionally getting a look at the second power play for Minnesota. 

In the 13 games he’s played, the 24-year-old has only four points and no goals. However, he’s been playing important minutes for the Wild, including on the top power play against the St. Louis Blues. 

However, John Hynes’ decision to elevate Chisholm says more about Faber's errant play than it does about Chisholm. The Wild are demoting Faber and rewarding Chisholm by giving him a shot on the top power-play unit in St. Louis. While the power play didn’t produce a goal, it was buzzing and effective in the third period. That pressure led to positive momentum for the Wild in a huge road win. 

The Wild has rewarded his play by placing increasing faith in him. With Brodin out against the Dallas Stars last week, Chisholm played 18:52 against Dallas in a top-four role with Spurgeon as his partner. 

Chisholm has proven he can perform in the top four and play a more significant role when called upon. The Wild acquired Chisholm for free, and he only made $1 million last year, so they got fantastic value. 

Statistically, Chisholm is in the bottom three group with Merrill and Bogosian. However, he’s proven he is better at moving the puck and defending. 

Chisholm has a better GF% and GF/60 than Merrill and outranks him in nearly every other defensive metric. Chisholm ranks third on the team in CF%, CF/60, and xGF% while leading the team in xGA/60 with only 1.5. The Wild also aren’t sheltering him. Chisholm is second on the team in defensive zone start percentage (9.22%) behind Brodin (percentage). 

Merrill and Bogosian have started the season playing better than last year. However, Chisholm’s physicality better suits Minnesota’s play style. 

Bogosian is a load at 6-foot-3, 230 lbs., and Merrill is 6-foot-3. The veteran pair is bigger than Chisholm, who is 6-foot-1, 190 lbs. However, the Wild should play Chisholm over Bogosian and Merrill because of his puck-moving ability, offensive flair, and underlying metrics. 

The Wild also have nothing to lose at this point from playing Chisholm. At 24, he doesn’t have as long of a development runway as younger prospects. Everyone knows what Bogison and Merrill are at this point in their careers. While their games will fluctuate, neither one will get drastically better. Chisholm still has the opportunity to prove he can be more than a bottom-pair defender. 

It took him a bit to get into the lineup. However, Chisholm’s play demands that he never spends another second in the press box. 

All stats and data via HockeyDB, Evolving Hockey, Money Puck, Cap Wages, and Natural Stat Trick unless otherwise noted.