Two offensive keys to a Wild series win over Dallas
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Wild General Manager Bill Guerin had a big trade deadline.
Forwards Oskar Sundqvist, Gustav Nyquist, and Marcus Johannson arrived in the State of Hockey.
Defenseman John Klingberg also tagged along.
Those are many pieces to fit into the puzzle.
The newcomers will be needed if the team hopes to go on its first deep playoff run since 2003.
A flashback to 2003: The Wild upset Colorado and Vancouver with the speedster Marian Gaborik. They also utilized depth and balanced scoring, a playoff novelty many Wild fans only dream about.
Thirteen players on that 2003 team scored at least a goal – nine players had two or more - in the 18 postseason games played that year. But that statement does not tell the whole story.
Minnesota only scored once in four games in the Western Conference Final against the Anaheim Ducks.
So let me rephrase: 13 players on the 2003 Minnesota Wild playoff run scored a goal in the 14 games before the Western Conference Final.
Almost one goal every game from a different player on any night.
If the Wild want to beat Dallas and truly rev up St. Paul for the first time in years, balanced scoring must be the way. Kirill Kaprizov cannot do it all by himself.
He tried to last year, scoring seven goals in a six-game first-round series loss to the St. Louis Blues.
Other than Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek was the only player to score more than once.
Last year's team had a franchise record in goals scored in the regular season.
The offensive letdown in the playoffs was unexpected.
Three forwards will play a crucial role if the Wild go on to beat Dallas.
One
Matt Boldy.
The 22-year-old left-winger scored only once in his first-time playing postseason hockey last year. He did not record an assist.
Another year under his belt may do the trick. Many young players struggle early on in their playoff careers.
Boldy had 14 goals and 21 points in his last 16 regular season games this season.
Minnesota needs him to continue his breakout party starting Monday night.
Why can Boldy have a big series?
The answer is simple.
Dallas will be more focused on Kirill Kaprizov.
The best defenseman in this series is Dallas' Miro Heiskanen. He will be on the ice whenever Kaprizov is - especially when the games are in Dallas - where the Stars have the last change.
And although the Stars are strong on the back end behind Heiskanen, Boldy needs to get the better of those he is on the ice against. He is a young player that should consistently produce and be a driver. He was a passenger last year. If he is a passenger again, the Wild will not advance.
Two and Three
Marcus Foligno and Gustav Nyquist are newly acquainted linemates.
Foligno had only seven regular-season goals. The year prior, he put up 23, which was a career year. Many thought he would regress offensively a bit after that career season. No one surmised a 16-goal nosedive.
Foligno is a physical player looking to clobber opponents and create energy for his team. He does a great job of that, but the Wild need more from him.
When a team goes on a run in the postseason, a few players usually find their names on the scoresheet more often than they did in the regular season.
And that did not happen last year for the Wild. Nor has it in any year since 2016 - coincidentally a Wild playoff loss against Dallas - which began the string of many lifeless first-round exits.
I envision Foligno as a guy in this series who bulldozes his way to the net in the offensive zone against Dallas and finds some greasy goals.
Just like Foligno, Dallas plays a rugged, heavy style of hockey. He should thrive in that environment.
And Nyquist, his new winger, can also produce.
Nyquist had five points in his last three games. That does not mean he is a point-a-game player. Those games did not have playoff intensity. Also, the teams Nyquist produced against are now golfing.
However, it shows he is feeling better after recovering from a shoulder injury and may have found some confidence early in his Wild tenure.
Nyquist is a smooth skater and has good vision on the ice. He is always looking to make a play with the puck. Foligno, with his net-front presence, will allow Nyquist room to operate in the offensive zone.
And when considering the Kaprizov and Boldy lines are much more important to Dallas, the Wild's third line can and should have a major impact on this series. These two wingers could tilt this series in Minnesota's favor, regardless of who is at center.
The Final Word
The Wild will still need Kaprizov to be Kaprizov, play in front of stellar goaltending, and have much better special teams than a year ago.
Dallas has legitimate Stanley Cup hopes. They are a deep team with high-end talent and fantastic goaltending.
Minnesota has many of the same features.
If Boldy's stellar play continues, and the Wild's third line produces offensively, Minnesota will move on for the first time since 2015.
Recent Wild history suggests that will not happen.
But instead of bracing yourself for another early exit, you might as well sit back and enjoy the the ride.
