Wild Are Among NHL's Best But Quinn Hughes Knows They're Missing Something

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild (9-3-3) has established itself as one of the NHL’s top teams through the opening month of the season, but Quinn Hughes knows they haven’t reached their full potential.

Despite sitting third in the NHL standings, Minnesota has navigated an unusually demanding early-season schedule while dealing with injuries to several important players.

Thursday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders was another reminder of those challenges.

The Wild were playing their first home game following an extended road trip, and they were once again without key pieces of their lineup.

For Hughes, the absence of Jared Spurgeon and Brock Faber has been particularly noticeable.

“I don’t know. I don’t think there’s too many excuses on that. I felt like we had our looks, to be honest. I mean, they’re a good team. They play hard, but yeah, we had our chances. Wally obviously made some big saves and kept us in it a little bit,” Hughes said.

“I think it’s, it’s hard missing Spurgeon and Brock, like it’s hard to ignore that. Those are two really, really good defensemen, but hopefully get those guys back soon. Everyone’s playing hard right now. Excited at some point to get the Folignos back as well. They are a big part of our team identity.”

Spurgeon is currently considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury, while Faber continues to recover from the skull fracture he suffered in September.

But there was some positive news on Thursday morning when Wild head coach John Hynes said Faber was cleared by the NHL for the return to play protocol.

The Wild have also been without Marcus and Nick Foligno, two players who provide physicality, leadership and an important part of Minnesota’s identity.

Yet even with those absences, the Wild have continued collecting points. Minnesota’s depth has helped keep the team near the top of the standings.

When asked how the Wild have managed to remain among the league’s best despite their injuries, Hughes pointed to the players who have stepped into larger roles and the preparation of the coaching staff.

“Yeah, I mean, we’ve got a lot of depth. I think the guys who have been in the lineup have really done a good job. That’s for sure. But in saying that, like the guys that are out are really important pieces, so I think our coaches have done, you know, an amazing job driving us and game planning and whatnot.”

“And we have a competitive group and an older group that knows what it takes to win. So I think a lot of those things.”

The Wild’s ability to remain competitive has been especially impressive considering their schedule. Thursday marked just their fifth home game through the first 15 contests of the season.

That means Minnesota has spent much of October traveling, often playing with a depleted lineup and limited opportunities to settle into a rhythm at home.

Hughes acknowledged the difficulty but refused to use the schedule as an excuse.

“So I think that we’ve played really well with the guys that we’ve had out, and that was our fifth home game out of however many we’ve played, 15 games. So yeah, the schedule is a little bit tough right now, but I think you know it is for everyone around us.”

Nico Sturm believes the Wild still have another level they can reach. While Minnesota’s early success has been encouraging, Sturm emphasized that the season is far from over.

“I mean, it’s nice, but also six months to go, so it’s not like we’ve won anything yet,” Sturm said.

“But obviously, we are looking forward to getting two big boys back, and Fabes is a massive part of our blue line. It’s only going to help us, right? So it’s exciting knowing that, hey, there’s another level with those guys coming.”

That potential improvement is significant for a team already competing near the top of the NHL standings.

Getting Faber and Spurgeon back would strengthen Minnesota’s defensive depth, while the return of the Foligno brothers would provide additional options throughout the forward lineup.

The Wild have managed to establish a strong foundation without several players expected to play important roles throughout the season.

And the schedule could eventually begin working in Minnesota’s favor.

After spending much of October on the road, the Wild are looking ahead to a December schedule that features considerably more time at home. That includes nine home games out of 13.

Safe to say the next several weeks will be important in positioning Minnesota for success when that stretch arrives.

“Yeah, that’s kind of the hard part about being in the NHL, right? But we also know that it’s a massive opportunity,” Sturm said.

“Not looking too far ahead, but knowing that you have a massive homestand in December where you’re almost home, I think except the Columbus game, right? So if you can set yourself up looking good going into that month over the next four weeks, it’d be massive for the season, for the rest of the season.”

For now, the Wild are finding ways to remain competitive even when they aren’t playing their best hockey.

Thursday’s loss wasn’t the performance Minnesota wanted, but the team still managed to battle back and earn a point.

With important players eventually expected to return and a more favorable stretch of home games approaching, the Wild have reason to believe their best hockey is still ahead.

And considering where Minnesota already sits in the standings, that possibility should be encouraging for the organization.

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