Ryan Hartman returns to the lineup from his two game suspension to face off against his former team.
ST. PAUL - Ryan Hartman will return to the lineup today against the Chicago Blackhawks, the team that drafted him, following his two game suspension for his slew-foot on Alex DeBrincat.
Hartman, 29, has seven goals and 11 points in 18 games this season but hasn't recorded a point in his last five games and only has one goal in his last nine games.
"I'm excited to see Hartzy back in there. I think it's important for a lot of players, whether it's the two goalies or the guy like Johnny Merrill or Hartzy, when they come in and you have a new coach, you do different things that everyone gets in and kind of feels part of it," Hynes said on getting Hartman back into the lineup.
"So it's good, it's good to have him back. I want the group to kind of be a part of it and not have anyone sitting for long periods of time, especially when we're trying to get up and running as a team."
What makes Hartman so valuable though is his ability to transition from center to wing and move up and down the lineup. Hartman started the year as the Wild's number one center playing with Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello and has played some time as the Wild's third line right wing.
The 6-foot forward recorded 34 goals and 65 points two seasons ago with the Wild with the majority of his games played on that line. This season Hartman started the year with six goals and nine points in the first nine games. But has one goal and one assist in his last nine games playing on different lines.
Today Hartman will play with Connor Dewar and Brandon Duhaime on the fourth line for the first time in his career. Hartman has played on the fourth line before but hasn't played with Duhaime and Dewar yet but he's excited for the chance especially after Dewar's hat trick last game against the Nashville Predators.
"I'm looking forward to it," Hartman said on playing with Dewar and Duhaime. "They play really good together, they play the right way and play hard."