The Wild Should Be Holding Their Breath Ahead of the Olympics

The Minnesota Wild have faced their share of challenges over the years. While getting out of the first round of the playoffs remains their largest hurdle, they also haven't been able to stay healthy or put together a full season recently.

The Wild ran into that roadblock this week. Matt Boldy, Jonas Brodin, and Joel Eriksson Ek all headlined Minnesota’s injury report as they went on a three-game road trip. Brodin will miss the Olympics, but the Wild feel confident Boldy and Eriksson Ek can play in the Winter Games.

Boldy and Eriksson Ek, along with the seven others slated to represent the Wild in the Olympics, are cherishing the opportunity. Still, Wild fans must ask themselves what their team will look like when they return from the break.

Again, this is a big deal to the players. The NHLPA fought to have its players return to the Olympics for the first time since the 2014 Sochi Games in Russia, and you could hear the emotion as Wild and Team USA general manager Bill Guerin called those who made the team a few weeks ago.

There’s also interest from fans who ate up the 4 Nations Tournament a year ago, creating buzz for what will be another best-on-best tournament.

But for Wild fans, the bigger goal is chasing a Stanley Cup. Minnesotans don’t need to be reminded that it’s been a decade since the Wild have gotten out of the first round of the playoffs, and this year may be their best chance, even with the NHL’s lopsided playoff format.

Minnesota has been in the Central Division playoff bracket with the Colorado Avalanche and the Dallas Stars for most of the season. Therefore, how the Wild look coming out of the break will be one of the biggest factors in whether they can make an actual playoff run.

Still, look at what the 4 Nations did to the Wild a year ago. Minnesota appeared to be a lock for the playoffs at this time last year, and the 4 Nations gave some of their best players a spotlight. Boldy benefited greatly from playing alongside the game’s elite. Meanwhile, Faber introduced himself to national hockey fans as an up-and-coming blueliner.

All of this was great until the Wild returned from the break. Brodin and Eriksson Ek suffered injuries that knocked them out for a significant portion of the home stretch. Faber and Boldy managed to stay on the ice. Still, Faber appeared gassed, and Boldy went on one of the longest cold streaks of his career with his most skilled teammates on the shelf.

Kirill Kaprizov’s absence from a lower-body injury suffered around Christmas time also played a role in Minnesota’s slump. By the time the regular season ended, the Wild needed to produce one of the greatest moments in franchise history, forcing a tie with the Anaheim Ducks in the final game to clinch a playoff spot.

In a Final Destination sort of way, it’s not hard to see the same thing happening again. The Olympic arena in Milan was put together in the same way a college student puts together a midterm essay the night before it’s due. The rink, which is three feet shorter than the 200-foot rink used in the NHL, resembles a roller derby on ice. Many players aren’t sure of what they’re skating into when they make the trip next month.

The good news is they've played test games on the surface. Aside from a giant hole in the ice during the first game, it feels like they've ironed out all the issues. But it also creates a tighter game than normal.

Olympic hockey isn’t as physical as what fans saw during the 4 Nations, but the risks are still there. If Hughes, Boldly, or another top Wild player ends up in a freak accident, it could take a team that should be in the thick of the playoff race to one that’s just hoping to make it into the party and hanging on for dear life when they get there.

It also could affect the Wild’s plans ahead of the trade deadline. While teams can't make deals after February 4, a severe injury could require Guerin to pony up at the deadline for an organization that has already gone for broke twice in trading for Hughes and David Jiricek.

More recently, hearing about the banged-up Olympians on the Wild roster during the break is a disheartening development. It has people gritting their teeth when they hear, But they’ll be ready for Milan. 

Ultimately, it’s a risk-reward proposition. The Wild have already used some caution by shutting Brodin for an extended period of time. While Brody and Eriksson Ek are currently on the shelf, they should return soon and be able to play in Milan. Other players, like Faber, have also experienced the grind of an international tournament thanks to the 4 Nations and may be better prepared to leave gas in the tank down the final stretch.

In the end, it might just be a case-by-case basis, and the Wild aren’t the only team sending players to Milan. But fans will also have their fingers crossed, hoping this year’s tournament doesn’t have the same effect as last year’s did.