Soul searching may be required for this team if they want to come back next year and make the playoffs.
ST. PAUL - The Wild dropped yet another game against a Western Conference team but most importantly, a Central Division team. They came out flat against the Jets who improved to 4-0-0 against the Wild this year after their 4-2 win.
"Tonight the thing that disappointed me the most, was I thought overall we were right in the game," Wild head coach John Hynes said. "Obviously, we were right there. But when you’re – too many passengers tonight. When you’re trying to be in the NHL, stay in the NHL, trying to make an impact... there’s gotta be more drive to be a complete team.
"Especially when you’re playing a team like Winnipeg that’s deep. So I think depth in general, depth scoring, identity players, guys that drive the identity that you want, I think that also helps your, the top guys that are supposed to score. I think it helps the game and the team game in general. Moving forward, that’s what we need."
It's not just the Jets though. The Wild are 0-9-1 against the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, and the Jets. They have only won eight games out of 28 against the Western Conference teams that are ahead of them in the standings.
But as Hynes said after the Jets game, there were too many passengers. But it hasn't been like that all season right? That was just in the 4-2 loss to the Jets on Saturday. Right?
Wrong.
Based on ice time this season; Kirill Kaprizov, Mats Zuccarello, Joel Eriksson Ek, Marco Rossi, Matt Boldy, and Ryan Hartman have made up the Wild's top-six forwards. Which means Vinni Lettieri, Adam Beckman, Mason Shaw, Marcus Foligno, Sammy Walker, Marat Khusnutdinov, Jake Lucchini, Adam Raska, Freddy Gaudreau, and Marcus Johansson have gotten bottom-six minutes.
Now, I know Johansson has been in the Wild's top six a lot this season when looking of line charts but for this data he is in the bottom six because he has received less ice time then six other players.
The Wild have played 24 Central Division teams this year and are 8-13-3. They have gotten seven goals from their bottom-six forwards in those 24 games against Central Division teams.
"Yeah, I think it's definitely something we got to look at and try to improve on playing well in the big games against the good teams," Jon Merrill said on losing to teams in the West. "You got to bring your best, otherwise you can get embarrassed like we have a few times against some of these top-end teams. We've definitely got to do some soul searching. Review stuff and try to get better. Hopefully have a strong showing down the stretch and build the momentum going into next year."
Lettieri and Foligno have made up for five of the team's seven goals from the bottom-six against the Central Division teams this year. Johansson has scored one goal against the Central and one against the Pacific Division.
The Wild are 13-7-0 against Pacific Division teams this year. They have gotten seven goals from their bottom-six in those 20 games.
There are five Central Division teams ahead of the Wild right now. The bottom-six has scored six goals against the five teams in the Central in which they are ahead of. They carry a 1-10-3 record against those five teams.
"We couldn’t get over the hump in certain games, for sure. That’s part of it. We have to continue to do that tonight," Hynes said on playing against teams in the conference. "Right now, we’re at a point now where we need everybody going in the lineup, from a competitive aspect of the game, to give ourselves a chance to win. We’ve done that, but I’d like to see a better performance from numerous people in tomorrow’s game.”
It isn't just goals though. If you're in the bottom-six or receiving those types of minutes you don't need to put up goals every night but you do need to play well enough. Whether that's wearing down opponents, being physical, or playing solid defensively, you got to bring that every night. So far the bottom-six is a combined -37 this season. Gaudreau is a minus-21 and Johansson is a minus-13.
"Well, I think it’s a combination, to be honest," Hynes said on if it feels like Kaprizov's line is the only one that scores. "I think that, correct. I mean Eriksson Ek’s line was good tonight, too. I think we have a group of forwards that are doing things like that. Obviously, Kirill leading the charge with those things.
"You just need more, whether it’s depth scoring or energy or physicality. Ending shifts in the offensive zone. It’s a lot when you’re relying on that. And I think that’s where, tonight the thing that disappointed me the most, was I thought overall we were right in the game."
If the Wild would've gotten contributions from their bottom-six in the loss against the Jets maybe they would've won. Or honestly, any game this season against the Central Division. Those contributions could be exactly what Hynes was saying. It doesn't have to be just goals.
"We needed more from the depth in our lineup tonight, for sure," Hynes said. "I mean, I thought our top two lines were going. Some of our D were going. But I think the depth in the lineup wasn’t good enough tonight."
The fact is now the Wild are on the brink of being eliminated from the playoffs. If they win every game for the rest of the season they will have 93 points. The Los Angeles Kings hold onto the last spot in the West and have 91 points with six games left.
"I think maybe it's my second time or whatever. It’s a tough feeling for sure," Zuccarello said on him not being in the playoffs this year. "But at the end of the day, that's the reality right now. You reassess and have to be better. Every player knew that and come back we’ll start 'FU' next year. It’s not a good feeling not making the playoffs and when you don't do that, every single (one of us) haven't done a good enough job.
"It’s an easy as that. We have some injuries and all that, but we can't really use that as an excuse. But we were working really hard and I think in some games have been lacking a little skill or that bounce to get a goal and get us up and winning 3-2 instead of losing 3-2. But it’s tough. We have a lot of guys, we have a lot of games left and we’ve got to play. You want to win every game."
As Merrill said, there needs to be some soul searching within this group.
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