The Wild’s 2025 training camp began two weeks ago with several important questions facing the franchise as a whole, and coach John Hynes in particular.
The biggest of those questions was answered this week when star forward Kirill Kaprizov agreed to an eight-year, $136 million contract extension. And as camp has progressed and the roster has been reduced, more things have come into sharper focus. But as the Wild prepared for their final preseason game Friday in Chicago, Hynes admitted there are a few more things he wants to find out.
One question was answered when newly acquired center Nico Sturm (back) was a full participant in practice Thursday at TRIA Rink. With Sturm ready to center the fourth line and take key faceoffs, the Wild look set down the middle less than a week before their Oct. 9 season opener debut in St. Louis.
The questions Hynes wants answers about on Friday have more to do with the wingers, especially after losing veteran Mats Zuccarello for 7 to 8 weeks. “It would be what are we going to do on the wings and what are the (line) combinations?” the coach said.
While Sturm’s return was good news, there was no substantive news on defenseman Jonas Brodin, who has been a full participant in practice but remains questionable for the season opener.
“I would say that he’s stagnated a little bit, just in the sense that he’s still in contact, but not full contact,” Hynes said. “It’s nice that he’s out here with uncontrolled pressure, uncontrolled battles. … So, we’ll just see how he keeps progressing.”
Hynes and Chicago coach Jeff Blashill are long-time friends and in a text message exchange, Blashill told him the Blackhawks will play something close to their regular season lineup in a 7:30 p.m. puck drop Friday at the United Center.
Erik Johnson calls it a career
Years from now, defenseman Erik Johnson will still be remembered as the Minnesotan picked higher than any other in the NHL Draft. In fact, his record can be tied but never broken. On Thursday Johnson, 37, announced his retirement following 17 seasons in the NHL, which included a 2022 Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche.
Originally from Bloomington, Johnson played two seasons of prep hockey at Holy Angels in Richfield before two more seasons with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program in Michigan. Drafted first overall by St. Louis in 2006, he became the first American defenseman to be the first overall selection. First, he played one season with the Gophers, winning a WCHA title under coach Don Lucia.
Johnson spent four years with the Blues, then was traded to Colorado. Late in his career, Johnson spent a season in Buffalo and two in Philadelphia before officially retiring as a member of the Avalanche. He also was a member of the silver medal-winning U.S. Olympic Team at the 2010 games in Vancouver.
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Former Wild wing Zach Parise will be honored by his alma mater prior to North Dakota’s game versus Miami (Ohio) on Feb. 14 at Ralph Englestad Arena in Grand Forks. He will be the 10th player recognized with the school’s “One More Shift” program, during which alumni skate with the current team during warmups and stand with them during the national anthem.
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