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  • Marat Khusnutdinov Came As Advertised For The Wild

    Image courtesy of Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
    Luke Sims

    By Luke Sims -

    It’s safe to say Marat Khusnutdinov should never play a single game in the AHL. After years of speculation about what the 21-year-old could do, his time finally arrived to throw on a Minnesota Wild sweater and show everyone what he could do in the NHL. After three years of professional experience in the KHL, he didn’t look out of place as Minnesota’s third-line center. 

    The young Russian recorded his first point, an assist, versus the Anaheim Ducks on a Jon Merrill goal (lol). While his box score doesn’t pop out at you, his underlying numbers paint a better picture of what he brings to the Wild. 

    Sadly, Khusnutdinov has had to spend almost all of his time tied to everyone's favorite Wild players: Marcus Foligno, Freddy Gaudreau, and Marcus Johansson.

    It’s a fate I would not wish on my worst enemy. But it’s the reality that John Hynes has created for young Marat. The only times that Khusnutdinov has been away from Fred, Moose, and JoJo have been on special teams. But Khusnutdinov has seen just under four minutes of powerplay time and another two on the penalty kill. 

    Khusnutdinov has seen almost exactly 50 minutes of ice time across four games, which is only more than the quartet of fourth-liners the Wild have in Adam Beckman, Vinni Lettieri, Mason Shaw, and Jacob Lucchini. 

    While a big deal has been made about how good he’s been on the faceoff dot, that’s not the be-all-end-all of his time in Minnesota. There are pros and cons to his debut, which is to be expected with a rookie. 

    His possession statistics are not good or bad. His 49.43 Corsi For % is third-worst among forwards over the last four games. But overall, it’s ninth on the team at even strength over the entire season. 

    The points on the scoresheet are not there, and the underlying offensive metrics back that up. Khusnutdinov is among the worst on the team in GF/60 (goals for per 60 minutes of play) at 1.52. Only Gaudreau is worse among Wild regulars. 

    While he may not be producing that much, opponents are not scoring on Khusnutdinov. Khusnutdinov is among the best Wild forwards in limiting goals and shots. Currently, Khusnutdinov has a GA/60 (goals against per 60) of 0. Yep, zero. A big ole goose (not Goligoski) egg. Khus has allowed 29.06 shots per hour, which is not the best but not bad. 

    The Wild have a 100% save percentage from their goaltenders, with the Russian on the ice. It’s a fun but unsustainable stat. Still, Khusnutdinov has established a precedent of being a net-positive defensive player. 

    As the third-line center, Hynes has not put Khusnutdinov in favorable starting positions. His 20.75 defensive zone start % is third-highest on the team, just behind Lettieri and Gaudreau. That role fits Khusnutdinov well, and he’s excelling in it. But it doesn’t help the offensive side of his game. 

    Khusnutdinov also puts his body on the line. Over his first four games, Khusnutdinov is third among forwards in blocks with four, two more than anyone else. His discipline has been impeccable so far, too. Khusnutdinov has drawn a penalty while not taking any, which is impressive. It’s not always an easy adjustment for Russians to North American ice. 

    However, Khusnutdinov wins faceoffs. It is a small sample size, but he has won 17 of the 30 draws he has taken. That’s good for a Wild-best 56%. In high-leverage situations, Minnesota may have found a guy they can count on to win a draw. 

    While the lack of offense is disappointing, it will come. Khusnutdinov has his name in the KHL record books as one of the highest point-producing players at his age ever. His name is next to the likes of Artemi Panarin, Vladimir Tarasenko, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and the Wild’s own Kirill Kaprizov. It’s only his first few NHL games, and in the role he’s in and the players he is playing with, it’s not the best opportunity for him to light up the scoresheet. 

    Khusnutdinov has been all the Wild could have asked for and more. 

    All stats and data via HockeyDB, Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick, and Capfriendly unless otherwise noted.

    By Luke Sims  

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    mnfaninnc
    1 hour ago, mnhockeyfan03 said:

    I keep seeing people saying they have had bad injury luck this year and would be better without that.  It’s so untrue.  You create your own luck and good teams find a way.

    I disagree with this statement, in the comment. I also think the turnover of half the team is a bit drastic, unless you've got 6 forwards and 3 defensemen rotating in and out of the lineup/Iowa. 

    First things first: The Wild have been on a 4/5 year penalty run where they've made the playoffs in 3/4 years (yes, I'm waving the white flag this year). For the roster, any roster, to overcome the penalties, and compete for playoff positions, they knew that injury luck had to be far better than average. And, in the past 3 years, they've pretty much gotten that, except for the last few games starting with Shaw tearing his ACL. 

    Even good teams sometimes cannot overcome that. However, they do usually have bounce back years when the injuries are behind them, and this would be my expectation next season. 

    Puck luck usually comes and goes and over time it evens out. Injury luck, though, and especially to very important players, doesn't necessarily do that. In a year where we were up against the wall cap wise, not having enough cap to bring up the best candidates was a risk that backfired. Even more, not being able to carry 23 in that type of situation was even worse. That was self-inflicted. 

    As for the turnover comment, I just don't think going out into free agency is going to be much help. As Guerin's plan unfolds, it is pretty clear that he believed in building through the draft, and developing. We are even closer to that transition point where you can almost see a 3-line team where you cycle guys ready to almost ready through the lineup. With our current situation, I think it is unlikely that anyone more than Hunt is ready on defense, and next season Lambos should be ready enough to get a taste. Dino, Yurov, Ohgren, Beckman, Firstov, and possibly Walker can be cycled through. Lettieri and if we resign Lucchini can probably also have some time up. I would doubt that Haight and if we sign Petrovsky would be ready for a turn, Heidt could get a look out of camp but I suspect he will be a little small for the type of game he plays. 

    By seeing these guys in spots and how they look would determine what would need some help at the TDL. Some of these guys won't be ready yet. Some of these guys won't make it. But, we don't know which ones those are yet and where we need the help. One thing we do know for sure, though, is we need help with RHS forwards that have a lethal shot. If there's one place where we need to look outside, this is the one. Goaltending comes in a close 2nd regardless of what we do with Fleury. We simply do not have depth here, as McIntyre and Jones have played themselves out of a job. Even Jones isn't the #1 starter for the Heartlanders.

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    Will D. Ness

    We are a young team in cap hell that just went through the worst year injury wise.  Our older vets are not our talent.  Yeah they were given extensions a year too long but they should not be cluttering up the top 6 in two years.  We have a top talent in the KHL that should be here in two years.  The Wall hopefully is our guy in two years.

    Future looks bright dudes.

    Next year might be another inconsistent year offensively but we might have some guys really break out.  We should have a very solid D corp.  I like our new coach.  He is way more dynamic than DE.  Let's see what he can do with a full year to work with.

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    mnfaninnc
    1 hour ago, Protec said:

    Just my opinion but there's a spot about 18" off the ice, low, stick-side, where when the goalie reacts into the butterfly, that spot opens and is very hard to stop unless the goalie guesses it's going there. 

    Just my opinion again, but I think a good shooter has the advantage greatly if he hits that spot. It was just inside the post and a perfect shot. Much like Schenn's goal last week.(Perfect shot)

    I think you're right here, but as I remember it, Fleury was not butterflying on the shot and was standing with a pretty wide base. His reaction/reflex time was just too late, and I'd suggest that this area of his game is starting to fade. Big time goalies make that save when they have to, Fleury couldn't get it done and I think he would want it back.

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    mnfaninnc
    1 hour ago, Protec said:

    Additionally, Boldy can't be counted on like a Saad, Schenn, or Kyrou. For NSH it's Forsberg, or Josi.

    Boldy has some improving to do. I hope he's got the golf tour out of his system and works more on strength and strength on his stick. These soft passes into danger have just got to stop. He's getting better, perhaps he can get more clutch.

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    mnhockeyfan03
    1 hour ago, mnfaninnc said:

    I disagree with this statement, in the comment. I also think the turnover of half the team is a bit drastic, unless you've got 6 forwards and 3 defensemen rotating in and out of the lineup/Iowa. 

    First things first: The Wild have been on a 4/5 year penalty run where they've made the playoffs in 3/4 years (yes, I'm waving the white flag this year). For the roster, any roster, to overcome the penalties, and compete for playoff positions, they knew that injury luck had to be far better than average. And, in the past 3 years, they've pretty much gotten that, except for the last few games starting with Shaw tearing his ACL. 

    Even good teams sometimes cannot overcome that. However, they do usually have bounce back years when the injuries are behind them, and this would be my expectation next season. 

    Puck luck usually comes and goes and over time it evens out. Injury luck, though, and especially to very important players, doesn't necessarily do that. In a year where we were up against the wall cap wise, not having enough cap to bring up the best candidates was a risk that backfired. Even more, not being able to carry 23 in that type of situation was even worse. That was self-inflicted. 

    As for the turnover comment, I just don't think going out into free agency is going to be much help. As Guerin's plan unfolds, it is pretty clear that he believed in building through the draft, and developing. We are even closer to that transition point where you can almost see a 3-line team where you cycle guys ready to almost ready through the lineup. With our current situation, I think it is unlikely that anyone more than Hunt is ready on defense, and next season Lambos should be ready enough to get a taste. Dino, Yurov, Ohgren, Beckman, Firstov, and possibly Walker can be cycled through. Lettieri and if we resign Lucchini can probably also have some time up. I would doubt that Haight and if we sign Petrovsky would be ready for a turn, Heidt could get a look out of camp but I suspect he will be a little small for the type of game he plays. 

    By seeing these guys in spots and how they look would determine what would need some help at the TDL. Some of these guys won't be ready yet. Some of these guys won't make it. But, we don't know which ones those are yet and where we need the help. One thing we do know for sure, though, is we need help with RHS forwards that have a lethal shot. If there's one place where we need to look outside, this is the one. Goaltending comes in a close 2nd regardless of what we do with Fleury. We simply do not have depth here, as McIntyre and Jones have played themselves out of a job. Even Jones isn't the #1 starter for the Heartlanders.

    I just think a long hard look has to be taken at our whole roster.  We have 5-6 NHL forwards and 3 NHL Dman.  Yurov, Ohgren, Firstov can’t get here soon enough. Walker and Beckman are not NHL forwards.  Our goal should be to win the cup and right now we are no where near deep enough.  We have to make big changes.  That should start now.  Bigger, Stronger, Faster.  

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    Protec
    8 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

    I think you're right here, but as I remember it, Fleury was not butterflying on the shot and was standing with a pretty wide base. His reaction/reflex time was just too late, and I'd suggest that this area of his game is starting to fade. Big time goalies make that save when they have to, Fleury couldn't get it done and I think he would want it back.

    I 100% agree, Fleury would want a mulligan on that one but I'm telling ya, that is the perfect shot for a right handed guy. It was in the perfect spot. If you look again, above the ankle, below the knee, stick side is a go to spot for right handed shooters. I used to practice that shot. I had a goalie once who got so frustrated in practice that I told him exactly what I saw when beating him. It took concentration not to flinch or react instinctively. Even knowing I was gonna shoot there, I could beat him almost every time. If the goalie's angle is off just a little, you can score goals there 1v1 pretty consistently IMO. NHL scorers are smart. Fleury might be getting old. The combination contributed to that hat-trick goal. I just see it more of a perfect shot by a hot player. 

    If Fleury stops that, he's the hero and maybe MN wins. I just think the tendy doesn't always get credit for those stops other times because it looks kinda like a routine wrist shot. It's easy to say "that's a save the goaltender needs to make." Does each tough save in a team win get singled out for a highlight? No. Routine NHL saves that might look easy against Kyrou, Pavelski, MacKinnon, or Forsberg are actually not much different than the shot that go in the net. 

    It's a team game so I'm defending Fleury overall. He didn't steal the game obviously but I didn't see brutal goals where he mishandled a puck behind the net or something. The easiest one to criticize was probably the long one from through Chisolm.

    If the Wild were healthy and Fleury let in 5 goals on lesser quality chances it would be worse. All things considered it was a good game from some guys.(Rossi) Bad game for Fleury and Knudi who kinda just got screwed on some bounces and plays that went unfavorably against them. Important game nonetheless and MN came up short. I do like their chances better in a 5v5 OT situation if they made the playoffs. Just not looking too likely unless injuries and losses stack up for other teams.

     

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    MacGyver
    14 hours ago, mnhockeyfan03 said:

    Yurov, Ohgren, Firstov can’t get here soon enough. Walker and Beckman are not NHL forwards.

    Seems not so long ago everyone was hyping and counting on Walker and Beckman now it's Yurov, Ohgren and Firstov. That's the cycle we have been in for too many years. Always hoping on guys who aren't here yet and have proven only that they just might be good enough to play somewhere on a NHL roster or maybe not. Many times they aren't who we wanted them to be. Just like this article. We are already telling ourselves Marat is what we billed him as. After less than an hour ice time in a Wild jersey?? C'mon man do we really know what we got here yet? 

    Eagerly pinning labels on guys so quickly will keep you disappointed much of the time. 

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    Protec
    4 hours ago, MacGyver said:

    Seems not so long ago everyone was hyping and counting on Walker and Beckman now it's Yurov, Ohgren and Firstov. That's the cycle we have been in for too many years. Always hoping on guys who aren't here yet and have proven only that they just might be good enough to play somewhere on a NHL roster or maybe not. Many times they aren't who we wanted them to be. Just like this article. We are already telling ourselves Marat is what we billed him as. After less than an hour ice time in a Wild jersey?? C'mon man do we really know what we got here yet? 

    Eagerly pinning labels on guys so quickly will keep you disappointed much of the time. 

    Some good points. Hopeful enthusiasm for a new player with a goal-scoring history like Beckman or a KHL-proof is one thing. Crowning somebody a middle-six substitute in a few games is too soon. 
     

    I think it highlights the mediocrisms of the Wild overall coming away from Fletcher and Fenton. Those guys hurt the Wild’s depth by getting rid of Tuch and picks, bad trades,(Neideriettr) and their inability to build for long-term success.

    The Wild had some good success early which was essentially the Kaprizov bump. That made Wild fans think we were closer to the next level than reality. When you combine the cap penalties and injuries, the Wild just caught lots of bad breaks. 
     

    Get em next year and hopefully, “Mean Bill” can do some cleanup and pick the right guys to promote this Summer.

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    mnfaninnc
    19 hours ago, mnhockeyfan03 said:

    I just think a long hard look has to be taken at our whole roster.  We have 5-6 NHL forwards and 3 NHL Dman.  Yurov, Ohgren, Firstov can’t get here soon enough. Walker and Beckman are not NHL forwards.  Our goal should be to win the cup and right now we are no where near deep enough.  We have to make big changes.  That should start now.  Bigger, Stronger, Faster.

    I agree with the Bigger, Stronger, Faster conclusion....absolutely. I don't think it's quite as dire as 5-6 NHL forwards though. I can think of 9 that are true NHLers, although they are not all average or above. The thing is, that with our young guys, are they NHL players, or are they NHL players right now. That's my main issue here. I would project Beckman as an NHL player but not Walker. Walker could be a good callup guy. 

    But, with your mantra of Bigger, Stronger, Faster, Beckman can match that at 6'2" and gain strength/weight. I think he's fast enough to play, he's got an NHL shot, the only thing he's really missing is the ability to go in and dig out pucks and take punishment. 

    The same can be said for Yurov, Ohgren and Firstov as we have no idea what their actual playing weight is at this time. They may also need to be BSF. But, are they NHLers, or are they projected NHLers. 

    At some point these guys are going to have to come up, gain experience, and turn themselves into NHLers. Same on defense. I believe we have 6 NHL defenders. 1 is on LTIR, Middleton, Faber, Brodin, Bogosian and Chisholm are all NHL defenders capable, though Chisholm is still learning. If he plateaus where he's at, he won't be for long, he must continue to improve, and, I believe BSF this offseason. Hunt is a projected NHLer, and I think has better attributes than Merrill at this time. But, he's got to clearly beat out Merrill and right now Merrill's game is far more consistent. A coach knows what he gets in Merrill and that's what coaches like. Hunt will be inconsistent as he simply hasn't seen some moves that set him up to get deaked. 

    I want a cup too, but don't see us competing for one next year, and likely the year after. That transition time will require patience and tempered expectations. We will see some fabulous plays, but also some awful gaffes. It's just growing pains, but they need the freedom to be able to do both....and learn from the gaffes.

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    mnfaninnc
    18 minutes ago, Protec said:

    I think it highlights the mediocrisms of the Wild overall coming away from Fletcher and Fenton. Those guys hurt the Wild’s depth by getting rid of Tuch and picks, bad trades,(Neideriettr) and their inability to build for long-term success.

    Sadly, they didn't even sell right, both were sold like they were in the scratch and dent section of an appliance store. The allocation of these resources were terrible and both fireable offenses. Hmmm, and both are gone. My hope is that Guerin does not make these same mistakes.

    Speaking of which, during Fletcher's reign, we really missed the black hole of 1sts that we whiffed on in the mid 2000s. During Shooter's watch, we have really missed the 1sts and 2nds we traded away in the teens. If you want to blame where we are right now, the holes Fletcher traded away is a good place to look, because those guys would be in their prime right now!

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    raithis
    On 3/24/2024 at 9:43 AM, Pewterschmidt said:

    Now to Foligno…I know he’s supposed to be a statistical darling but he continues to fail the eye test.  He assisted STL first goal when he turned over puck at offensive blue line when he attempted a cross ice pass thru stl sticks.  Foligno is incapable of consistently making hockey plays.  Tape to tape passes that maintain possession are not his strength.  His hands are terrible.  This guy continues to collect a large nhl paycheck for one season when the Greef line caught lightning in a bottle.  I like 17’s consistent effort and passion, but we’re watching him go full big-body-pylon right before our eyes.  Next year we’ll pay $1M for each post fight helmet spike 

    I'm fairly certain it was Hartman who did that, but maybe I am misremembering.

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