One Game Left In Arduous Wild Road Trip

That's Wild

•  Because of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championships taking place in Minnesota, the Wild have been on a very long road trip and still are on the very same road trip that started 12 days ago in Winnipeg. It has been a difficult trip -- maybe not for the actual record, since the Wild have gone an adequate 3-1-2 over the six games since Dec. 27, but lately it's really worn on the team. Back-to-back losses to the Los Angeles Kings, a team that is in the tier below them, and now facing a Seattle Kraken team, who is certainly in a tier or two below the Wild. Just one last game. [StarTribune]
• On Wild prospect Adam Benak soaring up through his path to the NHL. Now dominating the OHL, who knows what comes next? [The Athletic]
• One specific thing failed the Wild when they last went to the playoffs. And, well, they still haven't really addressed it. [Hockey Wilderness]

Off the trail...

• Glenn Hall, the legendary goaltender whose consecutive games played streak of 502 will never, ever be broken in the NHL, has passed away at the age of 94. [NHL.com]
• Nick Kypreos weighing in on what some teams, who are in crucial positions, are thinking about two months before the trade deadline. [Sportsnet]
• Standouts and surprises (both good and bad) from the 2026 World Juniors. [ESPN]