{"id":43045,"date":"2019-03-04T11:40:12","date_gmt":"2019-03-04T16:40:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=43045"},"modified":"2019-03-04T12:24:22","modified_gmt":"2019-03-04T17:24:22","slug":"resurgent-minnesota-wild","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2019\/03\/04\/resurgent-minnesota-wild\/","title":{"rendered":"Resurgent Minnesota Wild Fuel Playoff Hopes After Big Moves"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Minnesota Wild<\/a> have re-entered the playoff battle after rather a miserable run. It was all powered with a message sent to the players by General Manager Paul Fenton<\/a><\/strong>. After big moves, the Wild responded to the call as Head Coach Bruce Boudreau<\/a><\/strong> wanted to fulfill his commitment. Resurgent Minnesota Wild looks to fuel their playoff hopes in an unexpected way.<\/p>\n

Resurgent Minnesota Wild Completed Big Moves<\/h2>\n

It wasn’t\u00a0an easy assessment of the Trade Deadline for the Wild. The struggling team needed a spark and a salary cap relief. They got what they sought in a rather painful way. Seeing guys like Nino Niederreiter<\/a><\/strong>, Mikael Granlund<\/a><\/strong> or Charlie Coyle<\/a><\/strong> go was not a popular thing in St. Paul. But it was all necessary as it seems.<\/p>\n

The fans in Minnesota were unhappy with the way their team has been performing with big stars over the past years. That\u00b4s one of the reasons why Fenton went for a shake-up. Just a few days before the Trade Deadline rumours said that Paul Fenton has received a green light in order to make changes. All that happened only\u00a0a\u00a0couple of days following Boudreau promising that the Wild would make the playoffs.<\/p>\n

What occurred next in St. Paul? They lost their captain Mikko Koivu<\/a><\/strong> to the season-ending injury and traded away Coyle and Granlund. It was rumoured that Jason Zucker<\/a><\/strong> was close to the trade to the Calgary Flames<\/a>, but he stayed put. For Niederreiter, the Wild received Victor Rask<\/a><\/strong>. Swedish center played in just 10 games, collecting two points and is out injured. Niederreiter has 18 points in 19 games in Carolina since his trade to the Hurricanes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That\u00b4s a bummer. The Wild got a salary cap relief, but not the immediate result. However, Rask is still just 26 and both players clearly necessitated\u00a0a change of scenery. Seeing a point production of Swiss winger, you would understand why they needed it.<\/p>\n

The Impact of Ryan Donato<\/a> on the Wild<\/h3>\n

In a trade with the Boston Bruins<\/a>, the Wild received Ryan Donato<\/strong><\/a> and a fifth-round draft pick for Charlie Coyle. Coyle has been struggling\u00a0in his past two seasons in Minnesota. Unlike Rask, at least in the immediate term, they got a very nice return in Ryan Donato. Donato has recorded two goals and five assists in his first five games with the Wild. That was quite an impressive start.<\/p>\n

Donato has averaged\u00a013 minutes in the time on ice per game with the Wild while being 51,27 in relative Corsi. He has taken 11 shots on goal and two of those ended up with a tally. In his 34 games with the Bruins this season prior to his trade, he had six goals and three assists. Donato clearly attempts to become a better all-around player in his tenure with the Wild as he already has two more assists than with Boston. Nevertheless, Donato has a cannon of the shot. But he doesn’t\u00a0want to end up being a player who is solely acknowledged\u00a0by his shooting.<\/p>\n