Ryan Hartman Looks Recharged After A Tumultuous Year

Ryan Hartman had a turbulent season with the Minnesota Wild last year. He only registered 26 points in 69 games, his lowest scoring total since the 2020-21 campaign. The pesky forward also drew the longest suspension in the league when the NHL banned him for 10 games (later reduced to eight) after a roughing incident.

It seemed Minnesota’s front office might be running out of patience, with general manager Bill Guerin stating there would be “no more leeway” for the forward. Despite media reports of trade discussions, the move never materialized.

Keeping Hartman turned out to be a wise decision, because he became one of the Wild’s bright spots during their brief playoff run. His postseason performance made it worthwhile to keep Hartman on the roster to see if he could regain his form as a crucial member. 

If the first three games of the 2025-26 campaign are any indication, Hartman is continuing that momentum from the postseason.

It’s important to note that we’re only three games into the season, so we’re dealing with a small sample size. It could just be two solid efforts from Hartman. Still, Hartman has given plenty of reasons for enthusiasm.

Hartman started his season with two goals in the Wild’s 5-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues. His first goal highlighted the unique skill he possesses, even as a physical depth forward. He stickhandled around two defenders and beat Jordan Binnington to score Minnesota’s first goal of the season.

His second goal of the game was also admirable, demonstrating his ability to reach a soft area of the ice. Hartman one-timed a nifty pass from Yakov Trenin to finish off a strong game.

For comparison, Hartman had just one multi-goal game all of last season and only scored two goals in October. He’s also been incredibly assertive with the puck. The forward has already put 13 shots on goal despite averaging around two shots per game during his career.

Hartman didn’t find his way onto the scoresheet in the Wild’s second game of the season, but it didn’t stop him from being one of the team’s most effective play drivers. Hartman had seven shots on goal and finished fourth on the team among forwards with a 59.4 Corsi-For Rating.

His strong outing resulted in Hartman having the highest expected goals percentage of any player in the game.

(Source: Moneypuck)

The versatile forward had a similarly solid performance in Minnesota’s third game against the Los Angeles Kings, where he impacted the game on the defensive end. While he was on the ice for LA’s game-tying goal, he made an impact defensively 5-on-5. Hartman ranked fourth on the team, behind Joel Eriksson Ek, Marcus Foligno, and Yakov Trenin, with .28 expected goals against in the game.

Hartman has also been the only player on the team who has been able to win a faceoff draw. He was especially effective in the first two games with a 65.4% faceoff win rate, compared to 39.5% for Joel Eriksson Ek, 37.9% for Marco Rossi, and 43.8% for Hunter Haight. 

He had a slightly worse showing in the Kings game (seven wins and 11 losses), but is still currently at better than 50% this season.

Hartman’s acumen in the faceoff dot is invaluable, given that the Wild sorely need help in that department after Nico Sturm’s injury. Minnesota brought Sturm in partially due to his faceoff success, so the Wild needed a way to replace that deficiency until Sturm’s return.

The forward’s early success is due primarily to strong play on the ice, but he’s also maintaining one of the main attributes that make him valuable as a player. 

He’s still a pest.

As long as Hartman is channeling his tenacity into being a useful pain, it’s a good thing. He needs to tow the line instead of crossing it, and he has maintained that balance. 

While it's only been two games, John Hynes believes Hartman can sustain his success throughout the season.

“[Hartman’s play] should be sustainable because it’s a conscious choice to play that way,” Hynes said. “If you have a player that turns it on, turns it off, that’s a choice. It’s not an ability issue, right? It’s a conscious choice to play with the right intentions and play the game the right way. And do that consistently. And when you do that, now you’re really making an impact as an individual player and a player as a team.”

Hartman continuing to play this well would be a massive addition to the team. The Wild have struggled with depth scoring over the last several years. 

Minnesota made a significant effort in the offseason to retain players like Kirill Kaprizov and Marco Rossi. Still, it did little to enhance its prospects for meaningful production from the bottom six. Their most notable addition is 33-year-old Vladimir Tarasenk, and he didn’t find the scoresheet in the team’s first two games.

Hartman has shown the ability to be a scoring threat in the past. His high watermark of 34 goals and 65 points in 2021-22 seems like an aberration. Still, there’s no reason he can’t produce closer to the 45 points he scored in 2023-24.

The Wild didn’t make many additions to address their depth problems, but “acquiring” this version of Ryan Hartman might go a long way in making up for their lack of movement. 

It’s too early to declare this season a complete comeback for Hartman, but he’s already set an exciting tone. If he can sustain this form and keep his emotions in check, he could once again become a glue player that ties Minnesota’s forward group together.