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  • Wild Remain Unbeaten In Quinn Hughes Era


    Image courtesy of © Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
    Thomas Williams

    That's Wild

    • The Minnesota Wild have not lost a game since they acquired Quinn Hughes. The latest showing was a 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets -- earned by Joel Eriksson Ek scoring a game-winning goal on a scramble in front of the net in the third period. This team sure seems good. [StarTribune]
    • Danila Yurov is finding some comfort among his Russian teammates and it's leading to some production on the ice. [Pioneer Press]
    • If we're jumping ahead to the playoffs, it feels very important that the Wild aren't just another first-round exit team that gives a contender a solid fight. And adding Quinn Hughes can certainly do that. [Hockey Wilderness]
    • Tyler Pitlick has worked all around the continent but now the hockey journeyman has come home and is contributing to the Wild's success as a depth forward. [Hockey Wilderness]

    Off the trail...

    • NHL power rankings but with a twist of giving each team the Christmas gift they need. [ESPN]
    • Team Canada is going to unfortunately be a team to look out for at the World Juniors here later this month. Led by Gavin McKenna and even prospects like Brady Martin, could push this team beyond their disappointment last year. [NHL.com]
    • Tristan Jarry just arrived in Edmonton as the Oilers' big get in the crease, and now he's injured. [TheScore]

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    Werenski looked good last night. He doesn't have the team around him to support winning, much like Hughes prior to this trade, but Werenski has 16 points(5G, 11A) in his last 10 games.

    I'm sure Evason had them ready to play. Luckily, the Wild have one of the best goalie tandems in the NHL. Hynes doing a nice job despite injuries taking so many starters out of the lineups.

    Vancouver plays tonight in New York(Islanders) and Saturday night in Boston. I'm interested to see if they can remain unbeaten in their first 4 games following the trade as well.

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    4 hours ago, Scalptrash said:

    In those three games the Wild scored 16 goals. Quinn had 1 goal and 1 assist and is a +2. Surprising.

    Did you actually watch the games or just the box scores? 

    Quinn Hughes is playing a huge role in setting up a lot of those goals. Its not all him, obviously, but he's getting the puck in the offensive zone far more regularly than we've typically seen from this team prior to his arrival. They've scored 16 goals and 7 of those have come with Hughes on the ice. 

    Not surprisingly, the team has scored the most goals in any 3-consecutive game sample of the season since he got here.

    Edited by B1GKappa97
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    17 minutes ago, B1GKappa97 said:

    Quinn Hughes is playing a huge role in setting up a lot of those goals. Its not all him, obviously, but he's getting the puck in the offensive zone far more regularly than we've typically seen from this team prior to his arrival.

    Bro is literally a one man breakout AND a neutral zone merchant.  

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    1 hour ago, B1GKappa97 said:

    They've scored 16 goals and 7 of those have come with Hughes on the ice.

    The funny thing is that due to his insanely high minutes(nearly half of the game), the 9 goals with Hughes off the ice is the slightly higher pace of scoring per 60.

    Can you explain why the pace of scoring for the Wild is higher when Quinn Hughes is not on the ice in the games he's played with the Wild?

    tumblr_myiwvjkiO51rhmne4o1_500.gif

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    4 minutes ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

    The funny thing is that due to his insanely high minutes(nearly half of the game), the 9 goals with Hughes off the ice is the slightly higher pace of scoring per 60.

    Can you explain why the pace of scoring for the Wild is higher when Quinn Hughes is not on the ice in the games he's played with the Wild?

    tumblr_myiwvjkiO51rhmne4o1_500.gif

    He wore out the opponents on his insanely too long shifts.

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    11 hours ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

    The funny thing is that due to his insanely high minutes(nearly half of the game), the 9 goals with Hughes off the ice is the slightly higher pace of scoring per 60.

    Can you explain why the pace of scoring for the Wild is higher when Quinn Hughes is not on the ice in the games he's played with the Wild?

    tumblr_myiwvjkiO51rhmne4o1_500.gif

    Stats. That's how. You're extrapolating a smaller sample size. 

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    13 hours ago, Pewterschmidt said:

    Bro is literally a one man breakout AND a neutral zone merchant.  

    Yeah its been an absolute joy to watch him skate the puck coast to coast and find guys at the blueline to carry it in at times for him too. He's very creative and his passing is unreal. I've never seen a guy, on the Wild, use the boards for geometrical passing as much as he does. 

    Idk how anyone could have watched him in these 3 games and not been highly impressed. Both with his individual play and how the team has looked when he's been out there. 

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    6 hours ago, B1GKappa97 said:

    Idk how anyone could have watched him in these 3 games and not been highly impressed. Both with his individual play and how the team has looked when he's been out there. 

    Hughes is very impressive. I was mainly suggesting that I'm more impressed with how the Wild are playing when he isn't on the ice because they are down guys and still scoring over a 4.5 goals per 60 pace(even removing the empty net goals). It's around 5.5 goals per 60 with the empty net goals.

    Considering the Avalanche lead the league in scoring at 4 goals per game, I'm fairly certain that the scoring pace will cool down, but pretty much the whole team has been impressive in that 3 game window so far.

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    And the extra impressive part of this "streak" is it's happening with a third of the roster filled with press boxers or outright AHLers.  Can't wait to see what happens when we get everyone back.

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    I think the most impressive thing has been how the infusion of Hughes has unlocked another level of play for Faber. 

    I've also been very impressed with how the chemistry of the Russian line has progressed. Yurov has looked better and better with these linemates. Trenin has been getting assists, something very new for him during his career. 

    The bump we got from adding Hughes was equivalent to a new coach bump. Everyone is playing better. And that isn't a knock on Rossi, Buium or Ohgren, it's just something that happened. Everyone looks better.

    Hughes came in with an "average" label on his defense. While every player appears to be going north better, but I wonder if Hughes gets better defensively with Brodin, Faber as teammates?

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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    Well the 'Nuks are also undefeated in the Rossi, Buium, Ohgren era.  Ohgren with a goal and assist in regulation last night and the game winner in the shootout. And he was the throw away guy in the trade. 

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    On 12/19/2025 at 3:34 PM, Pewterschmidt said:

    neutral zone merchant

    So very true!! Hey I heard the Wild are looking for another hockey opps guy. Mind if I drop you into the mix? I’m letting them know P Shooter wants in. 

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    On 12/19/2025 at 10:34 AM, Scalptrash said:

    In those three games the Wild scored 16 goals. Quinn had 1 goal and 1 assist and is a +2. Surprising.

    I see a trend, after last night, the total is 21 goals, Quinn had an assist and a +1.  He makes this whole team so much better. 

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    On 12/19/2025 at 6:10 PM, Imyourhuckleberry said:

    The funny thing is that due to his insanely high minutes(nearly half of the game), the 9 goals with Hughes off the ice is the slightly higher pace of scoring per 60.

    Can you explain why the pace of scoring for the Wild is higher when Quinn Hughes is not on the ice in the games he's played with the Wild?

    tumblr_myiwvjkiO51rhmne4o1_500.gif

    Not sure but maybe empty net goals?

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    3 hours ago, MacGyver said:

    Well the 'Nuks are also undefeated in the Rossi, Buium, Ohgren era.  Ohgren with a goal and assist in regulation last night and the game winner in the shootout. And he was the throw away guy in the trade. 

    Players play when they are given a chance. Credit the Nuks organization for letting them play their game. 

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    2 hours ago, Burnt Toast said:

    So very true!! Hey I heard the Wild are looking for another hockey opps guy. Mind if I drop you into the mix? I’m letting them know P Shooter wants in. 

    Updating my resume now.  Ironing the shirt is next. 

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    18 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

    impressed with how the chemistry of the Russian line has progressed. Yurov has looked better and better with these linemates.

    The success of the Red Line bodes well for Yurzy’s trajectory and ceiling.  Everyone succeeds with 97, but to see Yurzy un-lock the two Russian potatoes might mean 22 is already legit top 6 center

    Edited by Pewterschmidt
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    18 minutes ago, Pewterschmidt said:

    The success of the Red Line bodes well for Yurzy’s trajectory and ceiling.  Everyone succeeds with 97, but to see Yurzy un-lock the two Russian potatoes might mean 22 is already legit top 6 center

    I think Trenin has become my favorite player 🤫 he reminds me of clutterbuck w his hit hunting but has a better wall game, a surprisingly good motor and stick work (most times) - if only he could score! But then he’d be a God

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