New Wild head coach John Hynes hopes to get the best out of struggling Wild players. ST. PAUL - Wild captain Jared Spurgeon has played under Dean Evason for the last six seasons and has played for the Wild with Bob Woods on the bench for the last seven seasons. "There's a little feeling of disappointment with the news," Spurgeon said. "But that's on us as players." It's a quick turn around though as the Wild instantly play a game tonight against the St. Louis Blues so there hasn't been a lot of time for John Hynes to talk 'X's and O's" but Spurgeon says that the focus is on having a good game tonight. Whenever coaches get released from their duties mid season the team usually responds in a fast way. Like in 2020 when the Nashville Predators made a coaching change mid season when they let go of Peter Laviolette in January after a 19-15-7 start. Hynes took over the head coaching job and the Predators finished the year with a 16-11-1 record under Hynes which had them make the qualifying round of the playoffs. Hynes took the Predators to the playoffs again next season when they went 31-23-2 which was fourth in the central division. The native of Warwick, R.I., went 134-96-18 in 248 games in his career as the Predators coach and qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in three consecutive seasons. Evason finished his Wild coaching career with a 147-77-27 record in parts of five seasons. Which was good for a .639 points percentage that is sixth-best amongst active coaches with more than 200 NHL games coached. But with the Wild off to a 5-10-4 start that is only two points from dead last in the NHL, Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin decided to make a change. Spurgeon said it was a tough phone call to make but he does understand the reasons although, ultimately it is on the players to turn this season around. "Yeah, it's in here. It's the guys in here," Spurgeon said. "The coaching staff puts the plans in play but it is up to us to go out there and execute it." The Wild have had games though where they have played to their identity and have executed a period but they haven't been able to put a full game together, which is reflective of their record. To move on from a guy who had such a good record with the Wild and brought them to the playoffs every year he was here is tough but also, it will send a much needed wake up call type message to this team that has struggled so much this season. "I think we have had sprits of it but we haven't put it together in full games," Spurgeon said on the Wild getting back to their identity. "There are periods or half periods where we get back to it and then we get away from it and start chasing games. I think it comes with consistency and holding each other accountable." RELATED
