Locked On Wild - Your Daily Minnesota Wild Podcast
1,178 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 days ago - ★★★★★ - 22 ratingsLocked On Wild podcast is the daily podcast that drops the puck and keeps you ahead of the game and the first to know the latest news, analysis, and insider info for the Minnesota Wild and the National Hockey League. Hosted by Seth Toupal, the Locked On Wild podcast provides your daily Wild fix with expert opinions, local analysis, interviews, and coverage of all aspects of the Wild franchise. The Locked On Wild podcast takes you beyond the ice for the inside scoops on the biggest stories from within the Wild locker room and all over the NHL. The Locked On Wild podcast is part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team. Every day.
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Episodes
Locked on Wild POSTCAST: Marco Rossi scores twice as Wild win Third Straight Game 4-1!
December 03, 2023 22:39 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MBThe Minnesota Wild improved to 3-0 under new head coach John Hynes with a 4-1 win over Chicago as they improved to 8-10-4 by taking an early lead and holding it against Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks. Marco Rossi scored twice in the opening period, and Mats Zuccarello and Matt Boldy also scored for the Wild, who jumped out early and didn't have to sweat their third straight game since Dean Evason was fired. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 27 of 28 shots in the win, and is now 4 wins away from pa...
Wild Hit December with Renewed Sense of Confidence!
December 01, 2023 08:00 - 36 minutes - 29.3 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, Zach Zeman joins as we shift from a mostly disappointing November filled with tons of turmoil, to a fresh sense of confidence after finishing the month 2-0 under John Hynes. We start with the Locked on Wild Player of the Month for November, with the nominees coming down to Mats Zuccarello and Joel Eriksson Ek. Zach called Eriksson Ek as the winner back in October, and Eriksson Ek led the team in goals as well as had a faceoff win percentage above 50% so ...
Locked on Wild POSTCAST: Connor Dewar Nets Hat Trick as Wild Throttle Nashville 6-1!
December 01, 2023 06:10 - 36 minutes - 29.2 MBThe Minnesota Wild won their second straight game under new head coach John Hynes as they beat the Nashville Predators in convincing fashion 6-1 in Nashville Thursday night. The Wild improved to 7-10-4 with the win, and snapped a six game winning streak for the Predators. The Wild scored three goals in the first period to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Connor Dewar, Jake Middleton and Kirill Kaprizov all scored as the Wild jumped out early, and goals by Pat Maroon and Connor Dewar again in the seco...
Locked on Wild PREGAME: Wild Look for Second Win in John Hynes' Return to Nashville!
December 01, 2023 00:35 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we preview tonight's game against the Predators! We start by looking at some interesting quotes from Dean Evason's sit down with Michael Russo chronicling how Kirill Kaprizov is still dealing with the injury he sustained against Winnipeg last year. We look at how this has hindered him so far this year, how the Sweden break seems to have given him a lift, and if we're seeing him turn the corner. We also look at tonight's game against the Predators. We dis...
John Hynes Already Emphasizing Speed over Grit
November 30, 2023 01:43 - 30 minutes - 24.3 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we take a deeper look into the ways that John Hynes has moved on from Grit and moved toward Speed as a team mantra. We discuss how the Wild can play fast, even if they don't have an abundance of speed. We talk about Hynes emphasizing speed, and how it will benefit players such as Connor Dewar, Brandon Duhaime and Kirill Kaprizov. We also talk about how speed can translate to decision makin as well, and Hynes emphasizing a style that puts offense first to...
Locked on Wild POSTCAST: Wild Win John Hynes Debut and Snap 7 Game Skid in 3-1 Win over St. Louis!
November 29, 2023 05:16 - 37 minutes - 34.1 MBThe Minnesota Wild snapped a 7 game losing streak by beating the St. Louis Blues 3-1 in John Hynes debut as Minnesota Wild head coach. The Wild improved to 6-10-4 and were able to take an early lead after killing an early penalty. Joel Eriksson Ek scored his 11th goal of the season to give the Wild a 1-0 lead on a feed from Mats Zuccarello. After the Blues tied it at 1, Freddy Gaudreau scored his first goal of the season to give the Wild a 2-1 lead. The Wild held the lead into the third peri...
A New Coach Won't Ultimately Fix the Roster Problems the Wild Have
November 28, 2023 23:46 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we discuss further fallout from Dean Evason being fired by the Wild. We look at why this is being done by Bill Guerin to prove to Craig Leipold that his roster is still effective, when in reality the roster was constructed based off of a 2021-22 season that was never likely to be replicated. We discuss the philosophies John Hynes brings to Minnesota, and why a new look at the defense and Special Teams isn't going to fix an offense that is struggling and ...
BREAKING NEWS: Minnesota Wild relieve Head Coach Dean Evason and Assistant Coach Bob Woods of their duties. John Hynes rumored to be next Head Coach?
November 28, 2023 00:08 - 26 minutes - 24.4 MBOn today's emergency edition of Locked on Wild, we discuss the breaking news that Dean Evason has been relieved of his duties along with assistant coach Bob Woods. We discuss Dean's tenure, as well as the reasons he was eventually let go. We discuss penalties, postseason defeats, inability to rely on young players, and how his tune has changed this season as losses started to mount. We discuss the ultimate goal of the Wild this year still being a playoff berth, which led to this change to tr...
What are the Wild Building Towards?
November 27, 2023 08:17 - 43 minutes - 34.9 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, Alex Micheletti joins as we discuss a losing streak that has now reached 7 straight games. We discuss the issues that continue to plague the Wild, the call for more positivity from those that cover the team, even though those positives continue to get further and further apart. We also play a game of "Buyer's Remorse" with the recent Wild extensions. We look at Matt Boldy's continued cold spell, and why it may not be as easy as simply making trades to fi...
Locked on Wild POSTCAST: Kirill Kaprizov scores but Wild Fall Short 3-2 to Avalanche
November 25, 2023 05:37 - 29 minutes - 23.4 MBThe Minnesota Wild lost their sixth straight game as they fell 3-2 to the Colorado Avalanche at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild fell behind 2-0 early in the second period before goals from Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek tied the score at 2-2. The Avs took the lead for good on a goal from Kurtis MacDermid to make it 3-2. The Wild had an extra attacker with a minute remaining in the third period but could not manage the tying goal. Filip Gustavsson saved 23 of 26 shots in the losing effort ...
Locked on Wild PREGAME: Wild Return Post Sweden Trip to try to Tame Avalanche
November 25, 2023 00:40 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we look at the decision to activate Alex Goligoski off of LTIR and send Vinni Lettieri and Dakota Mermis back to Iowa. We discuss the things we are thankful for, such as the play of Marco Rossi and Brock Faber, Jesper Wallstedt playing well down in Iowa, and the Big Three progressing well overseas, and Riley Heidt playing well so far this season too. We move to previewing the game tonight against Colorado, and look at the Avs playing some very good hocke...
What is really going on with Kirill Kaprizov?
November 23, 2023 05:54 - 31 minutes - 25.6 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we try to get to the bottom of Kirill Kaprizov's early season funk. We start with the case for an injury, with his on ice product visually looking nowhere near where it has in the past. We discuss him becoming more of a stationary shooter especially on the Power Play, and the inability to push through the zone like he has previously. We look at some of his underlying statistics, which aren't too far off from where he has been previously in his career. An...
Investigating Notable Early Season Disappearing Acts for Wild Players
November 22, 2023 02:38 - 30 minutes - 24.2 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we discuss early season disappearing acts by Marcus Johansson, Matt Boldy and Filip Gustavsson. We start with Johansson, who has been very absent despite a consistent top six role. We look at some of the things he excelled at last year down the stretch that haven't translated so far this year. We also discuss Matt Boldy, who the team locked into a 7 year extension after a 30 goal season, but so far Boldy has looked like anything but that type of player. ...
Wild Lacking Identity and Killer Instinct as Early Losses Continue to Mount
November 20, 2023 08:00 - 35 minutes - 28.4 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, Alex Micheletti joins as we recap two losses, and two points on the Sweden Trip. We look at Kirill Kaprizov's continued absence from the scoresheet, and why it may be time for him to get a breather to clear his head. We also discuss Bill Guerin taking his team to task before the team headed to Sweden. We discuss who on this Wild team has the "killer instinct" to pull them out of this funk and finally say enough is enough? We discuss Dean Evason's decisio...
Locked on Wild POSTCAST: Comeback Effort Comes up Short in 4-3 Overtime Loss to Toronto
November 19, 2023 17:13 - 33 minutes - 30.4 MBThe Minnesota Wild rallied from 2 goals down in the third period, but ended up losing 4-3 in Overtime to the Toronto Maple Leafs to finish the Sweden trip 0-0-2. The Wild are now 5-8-4 on the season. Jon Merrill scored his first goal of the season to give the Wild a 1-0 lead, but the Leafs scored 3 straight to take a 3-1 lead into the third period. Jake Middleton scored to pull the Wild within one at 3-2, and Mats Zuccarello tied the score on a great feed from Brock Faber right in front of t...
Locked on Wild POSTCAST: Better Goaltending but Offense Disappears in 2-1 Shootout Loss
November 18, 2023 19:57 - 26 minutes - 24.6 MBThe Minnesota Wild fell 2-1 in a shootout to the Ottawa Senators to start their two Sweden Games this weekend. The Wild grabbed a 1-0 lead on Marco Rossi's sixth goal of the season, but Ottawa was able to rally to tie in the third period. After a frenzy of turnovers in OT, Josh Norris tallied the lone shootout goal to give Ottawa the win. Filip Gustavsson stopped 30 of 31 shots for the Wild in net. The Wild were perfect on the Penalty Kill at 4 for 4, but they failed to score on the Power Pl...
Wild and Senators both looking for Early Season Traction in Sweden
November 17, 2023 19:00 - 38 minutes - 34.9 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we are joined by Brandon Piller and Ross Levitan of Locked on Senators to shed a little light on the start of the Ottawa season ahead of tomorrow's game in Sweden! We start by looking at the tumultuous start to the year, with Pierre Dorion being relieved of his duties after the NHL handed out further punishment from the botched Evgenii Dadonov trade from a few seasons ago. We discuss new Sens owner Michael Andlauer's reaction from this and the Shane Pint...
How the Wild can shore up Current Areas for Concern!
November 17, 2023 05:30 - 31 minutes - 25.5 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we get out a mop to clean up current areas of concern for the Wild ahead of the International Games in Sweden! We start with the play of Kirill Kaprizov. After Kaprizov had an MRI on Monday to rule out any sort of major injury plaguing him so far this season, we also discuss his underlying stats not being far off from his career norms, which suggests he is just a bit off so far this season. While the eye test hasn't been great, the Wild will see if Marco...
Jesper Wallstedt is carrying a Young Iowa Wild Roster So Far!
November 16, 2023 05:03 - 32 minutes - 26.5 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we talk about the 2023-24 season so far for the Iowa Wild! We start with Jesper Wallstedt's numbers, and why even though he's starting to cook as the top goalie that doesn't mean he should be expected to be called up to fix the Wild goalie situation. The Wild are very comfortable with him getting the full year in Iowa before his shot comes next season. We also discuss Rossi's path as a reason we shouldn't panic if Wallstedt's first year in the NHL doesn'...
Bill Guerin Won't Rush Decisions on the Roster He Created and the Coach he Picked
November 15, 2023 04:00 - 33 minutes - 26.8 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we take a look back at realistic expectations heading into this season to see if things have changed after a 5-8-2 start. The reality of the situation is that the Wild weren't going to be Stanley Cup contenders this season, due to the limitations they faced coming in because of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter's contracts. We look at the lack of impact play from Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy hampering what Dean Evason can do with the lineup, and continued poo...
Who is Most to Blame for 5-8-2 Start?
November 13, 2023 08:00 - 37 minutes - 34.3 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we play the Blame Game after arguably the worst loss of the season on Sunday to the Dallas Stars. We start with the players, and particularly the top level guys such as Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy who frankly aren't pulling their weight for what they are being paid. We look at the overall level of disinterest Kaprizov has on a nightly basis and how he seems to take his shots from further and further away from the net as games pile up. We discuss Matt ...
Locked on Wild POSTCAST: Wild Embarrassed by Stars in 8-3 Loss
November 13, 2023 03:09 - 30 minutes - 27.5 MBThe Minnesota Wild lost for the 3rd straight game and 7th time in their last 9 games as they fell to the Stars 8-3 at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild allowed 5 Power Play Goals and 2 shorthanded goals to the Stars tonight. The 5 Power Play goals allowed is a franchise record and the 8 goals allowed is tied for the most allowed at Xcel Energy Center in its history. The Wild did get goals from Brandon Duhaime, Vinni Lettieri and Mats Zuccarello, but only managed 6 shots in the third period. The W...
Locked on Wild PREGAME: Wild Face Dallas for the First Time in 2023-24 In Final Game before Sweden!
November 12, 2023 22:42 - 15 minutes - 14 MBOn today's Pregame Preview edition of Locked on Wild, we preview tonight's matchup against the Dallas Stars. We discuss the Stars so far in 2023-24, which has seen them win games, but not at the same level they did last year. We discuss their special teams numbers, and why the youth has been leading them so far this year. We look at a frustrating end to the road trip for the Wild, and what they need to do to pick up a win against the Stars tonight (hint: the Formula!). We also discuss tonigh...
Wild Squander Another Winnable Game against Buffalo to Finish the Road Trip
November 11, 2023 16:49 - 28 minutes - 22.8 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we recap a frustrating 3-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres to cap a disappointing road trip at 1-2. We start by discussing the impact Jared Spurgeon's return had on the Wild special teams, with arguably their best performance of the season still not being enough for the Wild to win. We discuss the different culprits for losses this year seemingly rearing their heads at the most inopportune times, and how the Wild not being able to overcome one or two mistakes...
Locked on Wild PREGAME: Jared Spurgeon returns to the lineup as the Wild face Buffalo!
November 11, 2023 00:29 - 30 minutes - 24.7 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we recap what went wrong against the Rangers and why Brock Faber was the only one who seemed to take accountability for his play after a frustrating loss. We also look at why for the Wild to be successful, they can't expect to dominate every period and must put together stretches of good offensive zone play to generate chances. One and Dones will not get it done! We discuss Kirill Kaprizov's slow start compared to previous years and what he needs to do t...
Locked on Wild PREGAME: Zach Bogosian debuts tonight against the New York Rangers!
November 09, 2023 21:01 - 16 minutes - 13.2 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we preview tonight's game against the New York Rangers! We start by discussing the acquisition of Zach Bogosian and what he can bring to the Wild lineup on defense. We also discuss how his comments match what Pat Maroon said after his departure from Tampa Bay before the season started. We look at tonight's matchup against New York with Keys to the Game, which include: Relentless pressure with Domingue starting in net! Let's see what Bogosian can do Lm...
Wild Hoping for Less Chaos in Second Game against the Rangers!
November 09, 2023 08:00 - 33 minutes - 31.1 MBOn today's crossover edition of Locked on Wild and Locked on New York Rangers, Jon Chik of Locked on Rangers joins the show to preview tonight's game in New York! We discuss the goalie situation for both teams, with the Wild leaning on Marc-Andre Fleury right now until Filip Gustavsson gets back on track and the Rangers quite literally rolling the dice to see who will start in net. We discuss other injury issues or the Rangers, and how they were able to get off to such a good start to the se...
BREAKING NEWS: The Minnesota Wild have traded Calen Addison to San Jose.
November 08, 2023 20:09 - 30 minutes - 28.4 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we break down the trade of Calen Addison to the San Jose Sharks. We look at the areas in which the team wanted to see improvement from Addison, and why they just weren't seeing the same sort of commitment and improvement like they were with Marco Rossi. We also look at what this means for the D, with Dakota Mermis and Daemon Hunt likely to stick around even after Jared Spurgeon returns to the lineup. We discuss the Power Play, and the fact that the top u...
Locked on Wild POSTCAST: Wild Start Road Trip on a High Note with Complete Effort in 4-2 win!
November 08, 2023 04:44 - 29 minutes - 27.4 MBThe Minnesota Wild won their second game in a row by beating the New York Islanders 4-2 in New York Tuesday night. The Wild started the scoring 19 seconds into the game as Pat Maroon scored his second goal of the game, after the Islanders tied the score and took the lead in the second, Vinni Lettieri scored his first goal with the Wild to tie the score at 2-2. The Wild added 2 goals in the third from Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek to cap the scoring and Marc-Andre Fleury made 27 saves ...
Locked on Wild PREGAME: Wild Start Road Trip against New York Islanders!
November 07, 2023 23:56 - 29 minutes - 27.5 MBOn today's Pregame Preview edition of Locked on Wild, we preview tonight's game against the New York Islanders! We start by discussing the news that Jared Spurgeon will be on the road trip and look at who should come out of the lineup when he returns. The reality of the situation is that Dakota Mermis is playing well enough that he deserves the opportunity to stick on the 3rd pairing with Calen Addison. Mermis contributes more on both offense and defense than Jon Merrill does, and if the Wil...
How Concerned Should we be with Filip Gustavsson's Slow Start?
November 06, 2023 08:00 - 31 minutes - 29.3 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, Alex Micheletti joins as we recap a much needed win against the Rangers. We discuss the new look lines, a better performance by the defense and continued excellent play from youngsters Marco Rossi and Brock Faber. We discuss Filip Gustavsson's slow start to the year, and why the team needs to allow him to get a breather and let Marc-Andre Fleury take the lead for now. We also discuss the upcoming week with games against the Islanders, Rangers, Sabres and...
Locked on Wild POSTCAST: Wild Complete 3 Goal Comeback in 5-4 Shootout Win!
November 05, 2023 04:07 - 31 minutes - 25.4 MBThe Minnesota Wild snapped a 4 game losing streak by beating the New York Rangers 5-4 in a shootout on Saturday night at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild trailed early 3-0 after Filip Gustavsson allowed goals on 3 of the first 4 shots he faced. Marc-Andre Fleury came in relief of Gustavsson and watched the Wild stage a comeback with 2 goals in the second period from Ryan Hartman and Joel Eriksson Ek. The Wild scored 2 more times in the third period on goals from Mats Zuccarello and Marco Rossi t...
Locked on Wild PREGAME: New Look Wild host New York Rangers Tonight!
November 04, 2023 19:51 - 15 minutes - 12.8 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we preview tonight's game against the New York Rangers. We look at late week injuries for the Rangers, including Adam Fox being put on LTIR. We discuss the new look lines for the Wild, Jon Merrill being scratched and the new top Power Play combo for the Wild. We go through Keys to the Game for the Wild to hopefully come away with a win: Don't test the Rangers Power Play (even without Adam Fox in the lineup) Ride the energy of the new line combinations ...
The New York Rangers Will Afford the Wild Zero Room to Get Right
November 03, 2023 19:47 - 31 minutes - 29 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, Jonny Lazarus of The Blue Crew Podcast and the Hockey News joins to preview tomorrow's game against the New York Rangers. We start by looking at the differences the Rangers have had from Gerard Gallant to Peter Laviolette behind the bench. We discuss the Rangers Power Play and Penalty Kill units as well as how Igor Shesterkin has continued to rack up wins despite a little bit of a slow start for him. We finish by looking at the rest of the Eastern Confer...
Locked on Wild POSTCAST: Wild Penalty Kill Unravels AGAIN in 5-3 Loss to New Jersey
November 03, 2023 04:07 - 32 minutes - 26.3 MBThe Minnesota Wild lost their 4th straight game as they fell 5-3 to the New Jersey Devils at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild fell behind early 3-0 before Kirill Kaprizov scored on the Power Play to make it 3-1. Marco Rossi added another goal to make it 3-2, but the Devils would add two more Power Play goals in the final 5 minutes to seal the win. Jake Middleton scored his second goal of the season to make it 4-3 before the Devils finished the season. Matt Boldy had two assists in his return to ...
Locked on Wild PREGAME: Matt Boldy Returns as the Wild host New Jersey!
November 02, 2023 22:51 - 17 minutes - 15.9 MBOn today's Pregame Preview edition of Locked on Wild, we preview tonight's game against the New Jersey Devils at Xcel Energy Center. We take a look at Matt Boldy's return to the lineup and what that will lead to for the 3rd line, with Pat Maroon sliding down a line to play with Marco Rossi and Marcus Foligno. We also look at a couple of potential special teams tweaks the Wild worked on yesterday in practice, and we finish with our 3 Keys to a Wild win! Make sure to join us after the game and...
Breaking Down the November Schedule for the Minnesota Wild!
November 02, 2023 07:00 - 33 minutes - 30.5 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, Zach Zeman joins as we discuss the November Schedule! We start by handing out the Locked on Wild Player of the Month for October, with Joel Eriksson Ek, Ryan Hartman, Pat Maroon and Marco Rossi being the nominees. We settle on Ryan Hartman, with a slight edge over Joel Eriksson Ek. We move onto the 12 games that make up the November schedule, which are: Thu, Nov 2 vs New Jersey Sat, Nov 4 vs New York Rangers Tue, Nov 7 @ New York Islanders Thu, Nov 9...
Marco Rossi Continues to Shine in Early Season Play
November 01, 2023 16:03 - 26 minutes - 24.6 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, Kevin Gorg joins as we start with the early season returns for Marco Rossi. We discuss his strong early season play, his development, and how Rossi is getting rewarded for the hard work he put in this offseason. We also discuss the surprise offense from Pat Maroon early on in addition to what he has brought in other areas. We look at the struggles defensively and on Special Teams, and where both units can improve in the month of November. We also discuss...
Taking a Glass Half Full or Glass Half Empty Approach to the First Month of the Wild Season
October 31, 2023 23:19 - 29 minutes - 24 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we look at both the "glass half full" or "glass half empty" perspectives for a sluggish month of October for the Wild. On the "Glass Half Full" side, we discuss how the injuries to Jared Spurgeon and Matt Boldy have put them team in a hole early on, and especially in Spurgeon's shoes with defensive and special teams issues. We look at the fact that the offense has performed well in 5 on 5 compared to last year's abysmal numbers, and that Kirill Kaprizov ...
Wild Special Teams Still Subpar with Difficult November Stretch Ahead
October 30, 2023 07:22 - 37 minutes - 34 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, Alex Micheletti joins to discuss the special teams woes that have plagued the Wild to start the season. We look at the breakdown of minutes on each unit, as well as what stood out against the Devils and their best in the league Power Play. We also discuss the slow start for Kirill Kaprizov, who just doesn't look right so far this season. We discuss the good starts for Marco Rossi and Pat Maroon, and why if Rossi continues his strong start he will garner ...
Locked on Wild POSTCAST: Better Effort but Same Result as Wild fall to Devils 4-3
October 30, 2023 00:51 - 28 minutes - 23 MBThe Minnesota Wild finished their 3 game roadtrip 0-2-1 after a 4-3 loss to New Jersey. The Wild surrendered 2 Power Play goals and went 1-6 on the Power Play themselves. After the Devils scored the opening goal, Pat Maroon scored his first goal with the Wild to tie the score at 1-1. The Devils added 3 goals in the second, and Ryan Hartman scored his 6th goal of the season to make it 4-2 Devils after 2. Jake Middleton scored in the final minutes to cut it to 4-3, but the Wild were unable to ...
Locked on Wild POSTCAST: Wild Edged in Shootout 3-2 in Washington
October 28, 2023 03:25 - 30 minutes - 24.2 MBThe Minnesota Wild fell to 3-3-2 after a 3-2 shootout loss to the Washington Capitals. The Wild trailed 2-1 after 2 periods, on a lone goal by Marco Rossi, but Ryan Hartman scored on a breakaway to tie the score at 2. Marc-Andre Fleury made 17 saves in the third and some big saves in overtime to keep the game tied, but the Wild went 0-7 in the shootout to take the loss. The Wild Power Play was also 0-5 on the night as Darcy Kuemper finished with 39 saves in the victory. The Wild will play Ne...
Locked on Wild PREGAME: Wild try to Break Out against Struggling Capitals
October 27, 2023 22:43 - 17 minutes - 13.8 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we preview tonight's game against Washington! We start by looking at the lineup tweaks, with Jujhar Khaira being scratched and Daemon Hunt drawing in for his NHL debut as part of an 11/7 lineup. We discuss the struggling Capitals, and why there isn't much to cheer for in Washington besides more Alex Ovechkin goals. We look at the keys to the game, which for tonight are: Don't let Alex Ovechkin take over Don't bail out suspect Washington Special Teams U...
How Much of the Current Lineup Issues will Jared Spurgeon and Matt Boldy Actually Fix?
October 27, 2023 07:13 - 33 minutes - 26.6 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we react to a 6-2 loss to Philadelphia that features a lot more of the same issues we've seen so far this season: a lifeless start, bad play in the defensive zone, too many shots leading to too many goals and many unanswered questions. We harp on a need for attention to detail, with puck security and getting back to playing the style of play the Wild actually want to play. We look at some alarming statistics, as well as what improvements we can actually ...
Locked on Wild PREGAME: Wild Start 3 Game Road Trip Tonight in Philadelphia!
October 26, 2023 22:35 - 15 minutes - 14.5 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we preview tonight's game against the Flyers! We start by looking at how the Flyers have started the season, players to watch out for and an interesting quirk about their special teams scoring. We look at the expected line combinations for the Wild, as well as the Keys to the Game, which for tonight's game are: Win Line Battles when Philadelphia tries to set mismatches Be Smart with the Puck on the Power Play Take the attack to Carter Hart Again and A...
Statistical Surprises through the First 6 Games of the Year!
October 26, 2023 16:08 - 33 minutes - 30.5 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, Brett Marshall of Sound the Foghorn joins as we dive into the stats from the start of the 2023-24 season. We discuss the offense starting out great in 5 on 5, the defensive struggles, and bright spots such as Pat Maroon. We discuss some of the slow starters such as Freddy Gaudreau and the Wild defense continuing to be picked apart early on. We look at how to get Marco Rossi more help, and what happens with the lines when Matt Boldy returns, and why Marcu...
Jujhar Khaira Called up with Freddy Gaudreau Hurt and Jared Spurgeon put on LTIR
October 26, 2023 03:58 - 29 minutes - 26.8 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we react to the news that Freddy Gaudreau is now hurt and won't travel with the team on the road over the weekend. We try to pinpoint when exactly Gaudreau got hurt, and how it explains his quiet start to the season. We discuss why Jujhar Khaira should ideally move to the 4th line the lineup, with a similar skillset to Marcus Foligno and wanting to try to give Marco Rossi someone with offensive upside on the 3rd line. We also discuss the decision to put ...
Locked on Wild POSTCAST: Ryan Hartman Records Hat Trick as Wild Blast Oilers 7-4
October 25, 2023 04:48 - 26 minutes - 20.9 MBThe Minnesota Wild exploded for 5 goals in the third period en route to a 7-4 win over the Edmonton Oilers at the Xcel Energy Center. The Wild trailed 1-0 after giving up a goal in the first minute of the game, before Marco Rossi tied the score later in the first period. After the Oilers regained the lead, Ryan Hartman scored his first goal of the night to tie the score at 2. The Oilers took the lead once again, and held it until the third period, until 3 straight goals by Ryan Hartman, Mats...
Locked on Wild PREGAME: Wild finish Homestand with McDavid-Less Oilers Tonight!
October 24, 2023 16:25 - 31 minutes - 29.3 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, we dive into Defending the front of the net in today's Textbook Tuesday segment. We look at the number of High Danger Chances the Wild have allowed so far this year, and why continuing to allow opponents to occupy the front of the net is just asking for trouble for Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury. We also discuss defensive zone turnovers as a similar problem that is allowing opponents an opportunity for a free reset, and thus putting more pressure...
Slow Start Leaves Many Questions Unanswered for the 2022-23 Minnesota Wild
October 23, 2023 07:23 - 37 minutes - 29.9 MBOn today's episode of Locked on Wild, Alex Micheletti joins as we recap a frustrating loss to Columbus. We discuss the defense through the first 5 games of the season, and more concerningly, the high level of turnovers that have led to additional chances for opposing teams. We discuss the Wild looking slow, and too many players having little to no impact on large stretches of games. We discuss Vinni Lettieri being called up, and why the players from Iowa shouldn't be put in a position to hav...