On today's episode of Locked on Wild, we review the year 2023 from a Wild perspective! We start with the 2022-23 Minnesota Wild hitting a few rough patches in January and February, before finding their stride into March. We discuss the emergence of Matt Boldy in March with Kirill Kaprizov out of the lineup, and Filip Gustavsson carrying the team with dominant performances all season long. We discuss Kirill Kaprizov's pursuit of 50 goals before his season was unfortunately injury shortened. We discuss the role that injuries to Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek had on the Wild heading into the postseason, and the frustration that followed a disappointing playoff series loss that mirrored the previous year's loss to St. Louis almost too much. We discuss the dreadfully slow start to 2023-24 which led to Dean Evason being fired, and the decisions in the offseason regarding extensions that led to the pressure mounting into the year. We finish by discussing the hiring of John Hynes, how he has righted the ship, and the emergence of Brock Faber and Marco Rossi as key components with the calendar flipping to 2024. All in all it was a VERY eventful year for the Minnesota Wild!

Vote for Locked on Wild as the Best Hockey Podcast in the 2024 Sports Podcast Awards!

https://www.sportspodcastgroup.com/sports_category/best-hockey-podcast/

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: Locked On Wild

Follow/Subscribe Anywhere: linktr.ee/LockedOnWild

Follow Locked On NHL: linktr.ee/lockedonNHL

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's episode of Locked on Wild, we gear up for a massive weekend against the Winnipeg Jets with the possibility that Jared Spurgeon will be back in the lineup as soon as today. We discuss a possible "changing of the guard" with Brock Faber excelling so much that he can (and should) continue to draw top assignments even with Spurgeon back. We also discuss the possibility that Faber gets moved off the top Power Play unit and where he can still improve. We take a look at how the Jets shifted the entire direction of their franchise after looking like they were going to take a step back in the offseason. We look at how they have managed to keep winning despite losing Kyle Connor, and how Connor Hellebuyck has bounced back to his usual form. We discuss how much of a bump the Wild would get with a win in their playoff chances, and update the Wild Card standings ahead of today's action. We also dive into today's keys to the game, which include:

1. Stars need to shine bright in the biggest games. The Wild need a strong game from Kaprizov-Boldy and Eriksson Ek to set the tone
2. Let the physical players answer Winnipeg's physicality
3. Get to the front of the net to get past Connor Hellebuyck

Make sure to join us after the game for a Locked on Wild POSTCAST breaking down all of the action!

Click the link below to vote for Locked on Wild for Best Hockey Podcast of 2024 in the Sports Podcast Awards!

https://www.sportspodcastgroup.com/sports_category/best-hockey-podcast/

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: Locked On Wild

Follow/Subscribe Anywhere: linktr.ee/LockedOnWild

Follow Locked On NHL: linktr.ee/lockedonNHL

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's episode of Locked on Wild, we gear up for a return to action for the Minnesota Wild tonight against Detroit! We start by looking at the latest injury updates for the Wild, with Ryan Hartman returning to the lineup, but Jared Spurgeon not yet ready to come back. We also look at updates for Jonas Brodin and Mats Zuccarello, with both still being a ways off from game action. We preview tonight's matchup against Detroit, with the Red Wings facing a ton of injuries, including both of their regular goalies being out of action. We look at the return of Patrick Kane, and what he has been able to give Detroit so far since he signed. We go through our Keys to the Game, which include:

1. Start the post-Christmas stretch off strong
2. Don't let Patrick Kane take over
3. Can Kirill Kaprizov continue his hot stretch?

We also finish discussing the World Juniors, with Liam Ohgren leading the way for Wild prospects competing in Sweden. We discuss Servac Petrovsky lighting things up so far and how Team USA has done in the early part of competition!

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: Locked On Wild

Follow/Subscribe Anywhere: linktr.ee/LockedOnWild

Follow Locked On NHL: linktr.ee/lockedonNHL

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Merry Christmas from everyone at Locked on Wild! We hope you are enjoying the Christmas weekend with friends and family! Seth and Alex discuss the week ahead, hand out some presents to various Wild players and get you ready for two big games against the Winnipeg Jets while also discussing the fact that no one ahead of the Wild in the standings will lose, which is problematic for climbing back into the playoff picture. PROGRAMMING NOTE: This episode was recorded before the Boston game due to travel for the weekend! But the info discussed is still extremely relevant today!

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: Locked On Wild

Follow/Subscribe Anywhere: linktr.ee/LockedOnWild

Follow Locked On NHL: linktr.ee/lockedonNHL

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's episode of Locked on Wild, Alex Micheletti joins us to ring in the New Year! We start by recapping a frustrating weekend with two losses to Winnipeg and two injuries that could prove to be costly for the Wild. We look at Marc-Andre Fleury's continued climb up the record books, and why we hope Wild fans appreciate having Fleury on the roster even in the later stages of his career. We discuss the injuries to Kirill Kaprizov and Filip Gustavsson, and how the Wild can fill the losses of both players. We also look at the 2024 portion of the schedule for the Wild to see if they will be able to climb out of their early season funk and make the postseason. We also discuss players that need to step up and take charge.

Click below to vote for Locked on Wild as the Best Hockey Podcast of 2024 in the Sports Podcast Awards!

https://www.sportspodcastgroup.com/sports_category/best-hockey-podcast/

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: Locked On Wild

Follow/Subscribe Anywhere: linktr.ee/LockedOnWild

Follow Locked On NHL: linktr.ee/lockedonNHL

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's episode of Locked on Wild, we get up to speed on injury timetable for Kirill Kaprizov and Filip Gustavsson. With Kaprizov expected to miss 1-2 weeks, his loss will overlap critical games next week against Dallas (home and home) and Arizona. The Wild will need Matt Boldy to step into the drivers seat. We look at how recent production increases from Ryan Hartman, Marcus Foligno and Marcus Johansson can help offset the loss of Kaprizov, but the top line needs to consistently generate until he is back. With Gustavsson we look at the problematic situation of what happens if Fleury sustains some sort of injury. We discuss other options in goal being limited for the Wild, at least until Jesper Wallstedt is healthy. We also discuss tonight's game against the Calgary Flames and the historically invisible play of Jonathan Huberdeau. We also discuss keys to tonight's game, which include:

1. The top line needs to take the lead but at least one other line needs to elevate their scoring to help.
2. Be wary of the Flames when on the Power Play, they have 9 shorthanded goals already this season.
3. Fleury is the guy for again. How about some vintage Flower with Gus out?

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: Locked On Wild

Follow/Subscribe Anywhere: linktr.ee/LockedOnWild

Follow Locked On NHL: linktr.ee/lockedonNHL

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's episode of Locked on Wild, Zach Zeman joins as we recap the month of December, which saw the Wild win 9 games. We hand out the Locked on Wild Player of the Month to Kirill Kaprizov, who got his game back on track despite being injured at the end of the month against Winnipeg. We give honorable mentions to Matt Boldy and Filip Gustavsson. We move to the January schedule, with critical divisional games against the Stars and Predators, as well as a big Friday matchup with Arizona. Seth and Zach discuss predictions for each game, which are as follows:

Flames - W

Lightning - L

@ Blue Jackets - W

Stars - L

@ Stars - L

Flyers - L

Coyotes - W

Islanders - W

@ Lightning - L

@ Panthers - L

@ Hurricanes - W

Capitals - W

Predators - W

Ducks - W

For an official prediction of 8-6. But with key pieces out of the lineup, anything around .500 would be a major accomplishment. We also throw out predictions for Player of the Month for January, with Zach picking Marcus Johansson and Seth picking Marc-Andre Fleury.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: Locked On Wild

Follow/Subscribe Anywhere: linktr.ee/LockedOnWild

Follow Locked On NHL: linktr.ee/lockedonNHL

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's episode of Locked on Wild, we look at some subtle things that John Hynes continues to do well, including his communication with players and just allowing the players that should be leading this team to do their things. We look at some of his recent comments regarding Kirill Kaprizov, and also Brock Faber and Marco Rossi, and how some of these exact same things fell by the wayside when the going got tough under Dean Evason. We define the "Hynes Core" the players who have frequently put the team in position to win games, and that core is exactly who you would expect: Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, Marco Rossi and Brock Faber. We look at how this differs from even earlier in the season. We finish by previewing tomorrow's game against Boston and what the Wild need to do to beat Boston again, including:

1. Keep the Battle Level Consistent all game
2. Clean up the Careless Penalties
3. Attack the DIRTY AREAS!

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: Locked On Wild

Follow/Subscribe Anywhere: linktr.ee/LockedOnWild

Follow Locked On NHL: linktr.ee/lockedonNHL

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices