The Minnesota Wild are in free fall. No. They don’t deserve that. Free fall is freeing – exhilarating. The Minnesota Wild are coming apart at the seams. Yeah. That’s it. The stitching that once held this delicate comfort blanket together has frayed and come undone. It’s lost so much of itself that the stuffing is showing. It’s embarrassing. Mother is about to throw it out in the night while we sleep.
MN Wild looked like a contender in Carolina
Honestly, this team hasn’t brought me real comfort since Jan. 4, 2025. That was the last time the Wild played the Carolina Hurricanes, whom they host tonight. I was in Raleigh to witness utter domination of the highest shooting team by volume in the league at the time. The Minnesota Wild stole my cousin’s soul. Just sucked the life right out of his body and out of the building with damn good defense and possession hockey.
There was no Kirill “The Thrill” in that game. No Captain Spurgeon. No Jake Middleton. The Minnesota Wild won 4-0.
Minnesota allowed just 21 shots despite losing more than 60 percent of the faceoffs and committing five penalties. My way of soothing my cousin was saying “you won another faceoff” over and over. It likely had the opposite effect.
Even when the Hurricanes had it they couldn’t get it on goal. They had 20 shots. The Minnesota Wild blocked 17 shots and played their high-quality chances perfectly. Mats Zuccarello told Rossi to “stop taking all the glory” and pass the puck. He had four assists. He was a goddamn genius with the puck on a string.
Tonight, Rossi is back on the MN Wild top line with the hope it sparks some offense to comfort coach John Hynes. But that’s not the only move he made at skate-around today.
Wild coach John Hynes hoping for offense from blue liners vs Carolina
John Hynes scratched Jon Merrill, and Jon Merrill didn’t take it very well. In fact, he was pi--ed. Good. He should be pi--ed. I want a guy willing to rip into his coach when he’s benched. But I’d prefer I guy I don’t have to bench.
“This is the most I’ve ever seen a player state his case,” Michael Russo said of Merrill’s tantrum. Paul Allen was there to provide play-by-play, but his color commentary was actually better and more on-point.
In that spot, with Brods [Brodin] having just returned, this, for Jon Merrill, with all due respect, it might need to be ‘yes, Hynsey. Yes, Heinsey. Three bags full. Yes, Heinsey.
Paul Allen, KFAN
Merrill needs to just take his medicine there and bring the energy whenever he’s next on the ice, “which could be March,” Allen added. Thankfully, the Minnesota Wild play just six games this month. They probably only need to win two of them to avoid being sellers at the deadline, but I’d be taking offers on Merrill anyway. He’s an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Problem is nobody likely wants him.
The real reason why Jon Merrill should be pi--ed…
Jon Merrill’s cumulative game score this season is 0.47. That’s worst amongst Minnesota Wild defenseman, and it’s been on the decline from 2.025 on Dec. 15. That was the last time he had a primary assist. Declan Chisholm has simply been better. He and Jake Middleton lead Wild defenseman with five primary assists. The Wild need to score. They haven’t scored this month.
The Minnesota Wild are falling apart physically. The last thing they need is to show everyone how much they’re falling apart mentally. Carolina’s gonna come into Xcel Energy Center looking for retribution. They’ve all probably rewatched that poor performance they put on in Raleigh. Let’s see what you’re made of, Minnesota Wild. Oh wait, you’re already showing us.
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