Wild Weekly Planner: February 9th-15th

This Week's Schedule

Tuesday 7:00 PM @ Winnipeg Jets (FS-N, FS-WI)

Game of the Week

A regulation win against Winnipeg would be a big help for Minnesota, but a regulation win over the Canucks (who we play tonight in the second of three match-ups in eight games), and a regulation loss by Calgary against San Jose, puts the Wild just one win away from a playoff spot. And it could very well happen tonight. Minnesota is 5-3 against Vancouver the past three seasons, but a better 3-1 since moving to the more competitive Central Division. Perhaps more games against the Patrick Kanes, Tyler Seguins, Matt Duchenes and Shea Webers of the world have better prepared Minnesota for occasional clashes with their old Northwest Division rivals?

Key Player of the Week

Though he'll likely get a break Tuesday against the Jets, head coach Mike Yeo will need his stud netminder to be at the very top of his game against a tough Vancouver team, a Panthers squad playing with damaged pride and a late surging Hurricane from Raleigh looking to make land this weekend. Fortunately, there hasn't been a better goalie in the league than Dubnyk as of late. With a strong defensive system in front of him, there's no reason why Minnesota shouldn't continue rising through the standings.

If he can keep up the impressive standard he has set, and lift the Wild into the postseason, it's not unrealistic for him to be in the running for some end-of-season hardware in addition to a hefty pay raise. Lord knows he's earned it thus far.