The Minnesota Wild [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/minnesota-wild] (24-10-6) didn’t need long to announce how the night was going to go against the Vegas Golden Knights [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vegas-golden-knights] (17-9-11) on the road. Twenty-six seconds into the first period, Minnesota was already on the board. Twenty-six seconds into the second, they did it again. By the time the Golden Knights could settle in, the game had tilted and Marcus Johansson was right at the center of it. Johansson, 35, finished the night with four points in a 5–2 Wild win, continuing a season that has quietly turned into the most productive stretches of his NHL career. Through 38 games, Johansson sits at 12 goals and 20 assists for 32 points. He scored 11 goals in each of the last two seasons with the Wild. He’s already passed that mark before the halfway point. Project it out, and Johansson is on pace for 25 goals, 42 assists, and 67 points. All of which would be career highs. He is doing all of this on a one-year $800,000 deal. Making it the best contract in the league. On Thursday, Johansson is eligible to sign an extension. With the type of season he is having, an extension does not sound like a bad thing for Minnesota. Depending on the cost. But Johansson has already taken two team-friendly deals with the Wild in his career. Minnesota doesn’t need to rush anything with Johansson. But it also can’t ignore what’s happening. Johansson isn’t riding a hot week or a favorable bounce profile. He’s driving play, finishing and making everyone around him better. At some point, seasons like this stop being a pleasant surprise and start becoming a reality or information. It was nice when he opened the season with three points in the first five games. Already better than last year. But then Johansson took off. He had a point streak of nine games that included five goals and six assists. It ended in early November but then he picked it right back up. After that run in late November and early December, Johansson went five games without a point. Which pointed to maybe a sign of slowing down his career pace. Nope. He has points in seven of his last nine games with three goals, eight assists and 11 points. This isn’t just a heater anymore. It’s a season. The longer it keeps going, the harder it becomes for the Wild to treat it as anything else. For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com. RECENT WILD STORIES Quinn Hughes Is Now Third All-Time In This Elite American Defenseman Category [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/ee15f2a4-2af4-40cf-8a37-edf9fcb631be.jpeg] Quinn Hughes Is Now Third All-Time In This Elite American Defenseman Category Quinn Hughes notched his 27th three-assist game, climbing past a legend and into elite company among American defensemen. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/minnesota-wild/latest-news/quinn-hughes-is-now-third-all-time-in-this-elite-american-defenseman-category] - Minnesota Wild Set Franchise Record Heading Into Holliday Break. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/minnesota-wild/latest-news/minnesota-wild-set-franchise-record-heading-into-holiday-break\] - 'You Want To Get Out Of Your Zone': Why Quinn Hughes Changes The Game For The Wild. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/minnesota-wild/latest-news/you-want-to-get-out-of-your-zone-why-quinn-hughes-changes-the-game-for-the-wild] - 'We Want To Compete For The Stanley Cup': Why Bill Guerin Went All In. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/minnesota-wild/latest-news/we-want-to-compete-for-the-stanley-cup-why-bill-guerin-went-all-in-and-why-he-has-no-regrets] - When The Ice Shrinks, The Wild's Game Is Built To Hold Up. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/minnesota-wild/latest-news/when-the-ice-shrinks-the-wild-s-game-is-built-to-hold-up] - 'Sometimes You Gotta Look Yourself In The Mirror': Matt Boldy's Message Has Now Become The Wild's Mantra. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/minnesota-wild/latest-news/sometimes-you-gotta-look-yourself-in-the-mirror-matt-boldy-s-message-has-now-become-the-wild-s-mantra]
