By Tony Abbott -
A 13-4-4 record out of the All-Star Break gave the Minnesota Wild some hope of turning what looked like a lost season into a playoff berth. However realistic it was, a 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings was the beginning of the end. An overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues and a rare pointless overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights later, and it's over.
We can spare any mentions of the word "mathematically." True, they're not eliminated, but their playoff odds entering Sunday's action were at 2.0%. Eight points out of a playoff spot with nine games remaining is a death sentence for the 2023-24 Wild, and that's without considering their poor record in "must-win" situations.
Teams that fall out of playoff consideration usually turn things over to their youth. Play the kids has been a refrain that's popular in the State of Hockey this year. The problem is that the Wild haven't had access to the kids most consider to be their franchise's future.
Going by Scott Wheeler of The Athletic's ranking of Wild prospects, Minnesota's No. 2 (Danila Yurov), 3 (Liam Öhgren), 4 (Riley Heidt), and 6 (Charlie Stramel) prospects have been playing in leagues outside of the Wild's pro system. That leaves Jesper Wallstedt (No. 1) and Marat Khusnutdinov (No. 5) in that higher tier of prospects who have been available to Minnesota this year.
Barring bringing over Öhgren from overseas (his season in Sweden is over), the Wild won't be able to see many of their best prospects in action. But what can they do over the next nine games?
Here's a Hockey Wilderness Wish List:
Give Jesper Wallstedt Five Starts
Minnesota needs a better idea of their future in net going into the summer. Marc-Andre Fleury has said he's open to returning only to Minnesota, which would likely be amenable to the front office. If Filip Gustavsson comes back alongside Fleury, that solidifies the goalie tandem for next season, barring injury.
That could theoretically block Wallstedt from the NHL for a third-straight season backstopping the Iowa Wild. It's not like the top prospect who turns 22 in November will rot on the vine. He may well benefit from another full season in the AHL, where he had a dominant start and a dominant finish but struggled in the middle for a .912 save percentage in 42 games (so far).
Still, it'd be great for Wallstedt to get a final exam in the NHL. Maybe an Iowa Wild team low on experience and talent isn't a true test of his readiness? Five games in the NHL, playing behind an NHL defense should give Minnesota an idea of whether or not he's ready to beat the door down next year. If nothing else, he should get an opportunity to finish 2023-24 with a better taste of NHL experience than one seven-goal shellacking by the Stars.
Play Marat Khusnutdinov On the Top Line
If there's any question about Joel Eriksson Ek's health, Minnesota would be wise to shut him down. He's already crossed the 30-goal milestone, and there's no team benefit to him risking further injury. That opens a spot in the top-six for a young player to step in, as would Ryan Hartman getting suspended if the league determines he threw his stick toward officials on Saturday.
Even if everyone can play, we already know what Eriksson Ek, Hartman, and Marco Rossi look like centering Kirill Kaprizov. Is there any special benefit to getting more looks at those combinations for the final nine games? Probably not, which makes getting a good look at Marat Khusnutdinov an attractive proposition for a team with nothing to gain.
Averaging just over 12 minutes per night in seven games, Khusnutdinov hasn't had much opportunity to shine. His most common linemates at 5-on-5 have been the struggling Freddy Gaudreau, the frustrating Marcus Johansson, and the injured Marcus Foligno. Combine that with the transition to the NHL, and it's little wonder why Khusnutdinov hasn't popped on the scoresheet.
Elevating Khusnutdinov to center Kaprizov down the stretch gives Minnesota an idea of what they have in their Russian prospect in a top-six role for next season. It also offers Khusnutdinov a chance to have a bit of an on-ice coach in Kaprizov, as Russian is both players' first language. That isn't something they had to do with the luxury of a playoff chase. But now? Go for it. Why not?
Give Carson Lambos NHL Minutes
The Wild have given Daemon Hunt the nod when they've needed to call up a young defenseman this season. The 21-year-old didn't exactly pop, but at least got NHL experience and can build on that stint over the summer.
It might be easiest to give Hunt some minutes down the stretch, but Minnesota might be better served seeing what Carson Lambos can do with some NHL minutes. The 2021 first-round pick has taken some lumps in the AHL this season, along with an Iowa blueline that has talent but little experience.
Lambos has only three goals and 13 points in 62 games with Iowa this season. We don't have many advanced stats to work with, but Iowa has scored 41.7% of the goals with him on the ice at 5-on-5. Believe it or not, the only 20-game defensemen with a higher percentage of the goal share on the Baby Wild are veterans Brenden Miller and Will Butcher, and then Hunt.
Maybe you wouldn't say Lambos has "deserved it" when it comes to an NHL call-up, but the move could benefit Minnesota in multiple ways. For one, it can give them a good idea of how his mobility looks in the NHL. On Lambos' side, it can be a motivator this summer. The Wild would be giving him a vote of confidence, saying, Hey, we know this was a tough season, but we still believe in you. Now work your ass off so you can be back here next year. It'd be even more of a confidence booster if he can show flashes in Minnesota.
It's true that the Wild haven't had too many chances to work in their top prospects this season. Their top prospects haven't been ready to meaningfully contribute to a playoff contender. But with the playoffs out of reach, they can still make the most of an otherwise meaningless final nine games and get some crucial looks at players who should be important parts of their future. There's no excuse to pass on that now.
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