NEW YORK – The groups who are most directly impacted by the who and when of the NHL schedule – coaches and players – have zero say when it is put together. Instead, consideration of TV coverage and travel distances and whether Kylie Minogue has already booked dates at a particular arena are given the most weight.
The 2024-25 schedule has been more condensed due to the two-week break in February for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Still, the New York Rangers play at Madison Square Garden, which is one of the busiest venues in sports, which leads to schedule anomalies like the one experienced Wednesday night.
While the Wild have essentially had a game every other day for the past month or so, the Rangers were playing for the first time since Saturday. While Wild coach John Hynes reiterated the lack of say they have in the schedule, he said his job is to strive for a balance between rested and rusty when teams are off for multiple days.
“I think at this time of year you want to be able to play. It’s just that you have to take what the schedule gives you. Whatever that situation is, you’ve got to make the best of it,” Hynes said. “So I don’t think there is any one recipe. If you’re playing every other day, then you’ve kind of got to get in your groove in the schedule. If you have a couple days off…managing that the right way is important.”
The Wild conclude a stretch of eight games in 14 days on Sunday afternoon when they host Dallas, then get a two-day break before San Jose visits for one of the final home games of the season on April 9.
More progress for Kaprizov
While the Wild were playing games versus the Devils and Rangers, star forward Kirill Kaprizov checked in with his New York-based doctors and got some more encouraging news about a potential return to the ice.
“It was positive feedback, so he is going to go into the next phase of his rehab, ramp it up, test out some contact and things like that, so that’s where he’s at,” Hynes said, adding that he does not anticipate Kaprizov would be ready to return when the Stars come to Xcel Energy Center on Sunday.
“Let me put it to you this way: I think the feedback that he got and we got was in the positive direction, so we’re hopeful that he’s gonna be able to return before the end of the regular season,” he said.
Following Wednesday’s meeting with the Rangers, the Wild have six games remaining in the regular season – three at home and three on the road.
Gophers get a transfer portal addition
With eight of their top 11 scorers from last season gone either due to early signings or the expiration of their college eligibility, the Minnesota Gophers have plenty of opportunities in their 2025-26 lineup. Several spots will be filled by an incoming freshman class, the specifics of which have not yet been announced.
And this week the Gophers got a homecoming of sorts from the transfer portal. Tanner Ludtke, a former standout at Lakeville South and a 2023 third round draft pick of the Utah Hockey Club, announced he will transfer to Minnesota from Nebraska Omaha, after putting his name in the portal.
After averaging two points per game as a high school senior and during his only full USHL season with Lincoln, Ludtke put up 28 points in 40 games as a freshman in Omaha – a season which ended with a loss to the Gophers in the NCAA tournament – and was named to the NCHC’s all-rookie team. An upper body injury limited him to just eight games last season.
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