With Matt Dumba departing from the Minnesota Wild roster, the franchise will need to select a new Alternate Captain. This article will explore leadership qualities the Wild need, and which players have the calibre to captain.
Minnesota’s Leadership and Core Values
Written on the walls inside of Minnesota’s locker room are the words and phrases “community,” “accountability,” “sacrifice,” “communicate,” “trust,” “discipline,” “work ethic,” and “earned, not given.” Looking at these words, it can be seen that the Wild values a team culture that is positive and a locker room that is driven to be their best. For this hockey club, a key part of bringing the Stanley Cup to the Twin Cities is establishing a winning culture.
“Grit First” was their 2023 playoffs motto. While their grit only led the team to another first-round exit, qualities such as intense focus, determination, and perseverance all remain a part of Minnesota’s identity. In a way, the trait sums up the hockey club’s attitude toward Zach Parise and Ryan Suter Buyouts. These buyouts will inflict about $14 million of dead cap space for the next two seasons. For Owner Craig Leopold and General Manager Bill Guerin, rebuilding is not an option. With this, Minnesota is challenged to compile together a Stanley Cup contender with less money. To achieve this, the Wild need leaders that can help their young core hone in on their skills.
Wild Captain Leads By Example
With his smaller size and few words, Captain Jared Spurgeon is the embodiment of an underdog. If anyone can lead this team with limited funds to victory, it is him. This leader is an example of how hard work, discipline and a no-quit attitude can mould a player into a shutdown defenseman. Spurgeon captains the Wild with demonstration and positive reinforcement. Furthermore, the veteran brings 851 games played with the Wild and 12 years of NHL experience to his team.
Alternate Captain Marcus Foligno is an in-your-face player. Foligno fills the locker room with his mammoth-sized personality and readily supports his teammates as a rugged enforcer. The forward best serves his team by bringing his energy. The 31-year-old has 743 NHL games of wisdom to share with his team.
Minnesota already has two very different captains established. With Spurgeon and Foligno, there are many possibilities for which kind of character would fit into this leadership group. Outlined below are some options that would fit well alongside current Wild captains.
Minnesota Wild Alternate Captain Options
Joel Eriksson Ek
Any words painted on the locker room could be used to describe Minnesota’s centerman Joel Eriksson Ek. The forward’s work ethic, playing style, and ability to act in several different roles are all qualities which make Eriksson Ek irreplaceable on the Wild roster. After 421 games in a Wild jersey, placing the Letter A on the front of number 14’s jersey would be a fitting choice.
The 26-year-old Swede’s calm demeanour, discipline and efforts to stay healthy are model behaviours for the wave of young players the Wild continues to welcome. Eriksson Ek’s gritty and in-your-face playing style often makes him a contender target. Yet, the skater never chirps the other team and emerges from scruffs calm and collected. In many cases, his opponents struggle to contain their anger.
Jonas Brodin
Severely underrated defenseman Jonas Brodin is a difference-maker for the Wild. The Swede is one of the few players in the league that can keep in stride with superstars such as Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel. Teammates widely respect Brodin for the intensity he brings to the ice.
Brodin’s goofy personality allows him to connect with younger players. For example, many Wild players affectionately refer to Brodin as “Jimmy” after a member of his favourite band, Rae Sremmurd. As an Alternate Captain, Brodin has earned the respect of his teammates, consistently models a successful style of play and has 741 games of background with the Wild.
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Superstar Kirill Kaprizov is one of the best players the Wild has ever put on the ice. After only playing 203 games with the Wild, the 26-year-old is already well on his way to breaking several franchise records. Minnesota could entertain giving Kaprizov the letter A on his talents alone. However, the forward possesses several other qualities that have already launched him into the Wild’s leadership group.
Foligno describes Kaprizov as a player “with a fourth-line work ethic and the attitude of a captain.” Teammates respect Kaprizov’s love for the game, his production, his creativity, and his dedication. The superstar often stays on the ice long after practice ends to continue working on his game. The Russian has shown leadership skills when he texted prospect Danila Yurov ahead of his arrival for the Wild’s training camp. When asked about the exchange, Yurov claimed Kaprizov welcomed him, answered a few of his questions and said to the youngster, “I’m waiting for you.”
Ryan Hartman
Ryan Hartman’s contributions to the team are egregiously undervalued. If Hartman has proved anything from his last four seasons with the Wild, it is his dedication to the franchise. During the 2020-21 season, before he could even test the free-agency market, Hartman signed a team-friendly three-year extension worth $5.1 million. The contract was a significant pay cut for the center, roughly $200,000 per year. Above all, Hartman took the pay cut because he loves playing in Minnesota and he knew the franchise needed the funds to re-sign Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek.
In addition to his dedication, Hartman models behaviours coaches want to see. In the middle of last season, Hartman struggled with his discipline and drew several unnecessary penalties. Fresh off an undisciplined game, Hartman took accountability: “I felt like I let my team down. I’m responsible for some of the things that have gone on.” The centerman’s willingness to own up to his mistakes sets a good example for the young wave of players the franchise is building off of.
Mats Zuccarello
Mats Zuccarello started his career as a New York Ranger in season 2010-11. In season 2019-20, the forward made his way to Minnesota. Zuccarello’s uncanny chemistry with Kaprizov is widely known around the league. The pair of them together is what makes Minnesota’s topline productive. With nearly a decade-wide age gap between the wingers, Zuccarello has naturally become a mentor to the superstar. Which is exactly the kind of Alternate Captain the Wild need.
The veteran brings an aura of intensity to those he is unfamiliar with. However, he eventually eases into the comedian he is. These two sides of Zuccarello allow him to be blunt, and vocalize what his team needs for improvement. Yet, his fondness for dancing, and rapping the staring line-up card before games are what helps his team brins the energy onto the ice.
Minnesota Wild Options Bring Something to Leadership Table
The Wild will miss Dumba. The character and leadership that Dumba brought to Minnesota’s locker room will not be easy to replicate. Luckily, the players listed above indicate the team has plenty of worthy candidates to choose from. Each player could potentially bring something different to the role of Alternate Captain. It all depends on which qualities painted among the Wild walls are valued most.
If “discipline” is the trait the Wild wants the most in their leadership, Eriksson Ek is their guy. Brodin is a veteran Wild player that brings a sense of “community” and “trust” on and off the ice. Point leader Kaprizov is the epitome of “work ethic.” Hartman’s “sacrifice” and sense of “accountability” make him a great choice for Alternate Captain. Zuccarello is a leader who can “communicate” the needs of the team.
Whilst there is only one open spot for Alternate Captain, each player listed above will continue to bring their contributions to the team, regardless of who gets the second “A.”
Main Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
