Can banged-up Wild hold on and make the playoffs? Marcus Foligno’s take

If you told somebody on Jan. 1, 2025 that the Minnesota Wild would be fighting to hold onto a playoff spot, they’d be wondering what could have possibly gone wrong. Having your star forward get injured just 25 days after the turn of the calendar is a tough way to start the final stretch of the regular season. Kirill Kaprizov, who was leading the team with 52 points in 37 games, has now missed the past 26 games with a lower-body injury. His absence has completely changed the course of the Wild’s season. Before Kaprizov’s Jan. 26 injury, they were 29-17-4. Since then, they have skated a record of 12-11-3. Not only have they been missing Kaprizov, but another key piece in Joel Eriksson Ek also went down on Feb. 22 and hasn’t returned since. 

As the regular season winds down, the Wild are still holding onto a Wildcard spot, but the latest stretch hasn’t been ideal. That said, the injuries are out of their control. So, how have they shifted their identity without these two important pieces? 

“It’s been a bit of a grind, it’s not an excuse, but you’re missing two guys for a long time, and a lot of in-and-out of the lineup things and it’s been about two and a half months or three months now that we’re dealing with stuff like this, and it wears on you,” Wild left winger Marcus Foligno told Daily Faceoff. “We’ve always been a good team when we play fast and defensive-minded, and I think when we get away from that we hurt ourselves a lot and it shows. On offense, I find that it always trickles from how stingy we play and how fast we can move the puck and get going. This past couple of weeks we’ve been in and out of it and we’ve been getting beat by teams that have a little bit more skill in the lineup, and that’s okay, that’s gonna happen.”

Foligno used specific examples from the team’s recent games where they came up short, just like Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, where they fell to the New York Rangers 5-4 in overtime.

“Like New Jersey, they keep it 1-0, we score two goals, it’s alright, that’s the way we have to understand how we have to play. Then there are nights like Seattle where we rattle three off in the first period. The belief is there for our offense, we just have to understand that we’re a defensive team. When teams come to play us, they have to understand that it’s a hard-fought game and there’s not a lot of space. When we waver from that, we get exposed a little bit.” 

The Wild were able to tally four goals Wednesday night, but it’s still evident that this team has a completely different look when Kaprizov is in the lineup in terms of what they’re able to do. The group has had to try and figure out who they are without him. 

“It’s just dynamic what he brings,” Foligno. “Those guys that are special like that hold onto pucks a little bit longer. They have a little more hockey I.Q. out there, where they think the game easier and differently, and can create so much out of nothing. He’s different because a lot of his creation comes out of puck battles and stuff, being really strong on it and giving a little bit of extra time with a pull-up here and there.

“That’s the thing, we’re missing that piece, so you’ve really got to mold to it and understand that it’s got to be more mentally ready for the defensive side of things and we’re not going to get those second opportunities that Kirill makes out of nothing. And that’s okay, but at the same time we’ve got to get guys to step up and do things the right way all the time.”

The Wild weren’t necessarily the better team against the Rangers, but all they were missing in that contest was the player who can make a big-time play at a time when the team needs it most.

“Kirill can get you that extra goal, that big-time tying goal or whatever,” Foligno said. “He’s just one of those guys. If you take MacKinnon or McDavid off of their teams, it’s a different-looking team. That’s what makes him so special and we just have to mold ourselves to be a better team around that.” 

Even though times are hard right now for the Wild, they still have a ton of personalities that try to keep things light and understand that this is the best point of the season. There’s nothing better for team bonding than a trip to the metropolitan area to play against teams like the Rangers, New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders. 

“You’re thinking about it, yeah. You see teams getting closer and we haven’t really separated ourselves fully yet…it’s up to us, the experienced guys, to keep it light,” Foligno said. “We’ve been in situations like this before and if you grip the stick a little bit tighter it’s not going to do you well. That’s my job. I’ve got to come in here and rally up the boys and make it light.” 

When it comes to keeping it light, New York City has so many incredible things to offer. The Wild had a big team dinner at Bar Pitti and a group of them went to the Comedy Cellar, where Ray Romano showed up and performed. 

“It was great, we had a fun time and it’s just something to keep it light, that’s pretty much how this trip has to be right?” Foligno said with a smile. “In a tough time where we’re trying to find some good comedy and some guys to make us laugh and loosen us up a bit.”

The Wild may have come up short last night, but they picked up a big point in the standings. With just six games remaining, and the Calgary Flames only seven points back, the Wild need to continue to find ways to pick up points and remain steady without their best player in Kaprizov and an important player in Eriksson Ek. That said, the good news is that both players are working to get back in the lineup by the time the playoffs roll around.