Wild Against the Wild

Going up against the Wild in preseason after our last encounter with them, of course we were expecting rowdy, but brawl into fall is a better description. Defense has taken Gully’s approach towards improvement and doubled down on it. Granted it’s preseason where new names come to shine, it can’t be dismissed that Dallas played all but our lead goalie and still only allowed 3 goals in 4 games. Defense not only knows where to be on the ice to allow full puck control in the crease, they’re sneaking the puck to the back of the opponent’s net, and quick to remind there’s accountability for whatever the refs didn’t acknowledge.

Here we all are hyped for the return of Seguin after nearly 2 seasons without one of our top scorers; to see him transition with players he’s mentored through his recovery, 14 minutes of ice time translates to opening night roster. Itching for answers since seeing him in morning skate, we weren’t sure if his return would be fierce against a rival or casual with no risk of big hits- and it’s clear he wanted to pick up right where he left off. His confidence in the blue line to keep rookies from making any notable hits speaks volumes when the last game of preseason is typically fully stacked, and the Wild had their big names on there. Noticeable detail was how Benn and Seguin weren’t on the ice together last night- a duo known for accentuating each other for a perfect veteran combination of speed and grit, their years of playing side by side have given them a groove that’s hard to separate. Although no Stars fans would change last night’s game, it feeds curiosity as to which lines will change and whether it brings considerable change.

Speaking of changed lines, I want to see Harley and Rantanen together more. I know the focus of last night’s game was the last 2 minutes, but note that Rantanen assisted Harley with his goal in the second. The pair run well together and it can’t help but be questioned if Rantanen’s energy pushes Harley towards his best game. The rush on Boldy when he instigated with Lindell shows this pair is on the same wavelength across every inch of the ice. We saw Heiskanen and Harley together for several shifts and putting the top defenders together has proven success in the defense putting points up on the board; adding Rant to the mix would put such focal strain for opposing goalies to keep up. Another pair I enjoy seeing on the ice is Benn and Hryckowian; the confidence of the young player under his captain to come out and play with blue line aggression, it’s almost confusing who’s being referenced when we say don’t poke the bear. To see how abruptly they came at Folligno, this is a team whose offense has the defense’s back just as strong. One last line change I would make is separating Bichsel and Myers; last season they paired well together because of size, it’s clear their skating skills just don’t align. Bichsel would pair better with a player who can pivot to keep up with his hits along the boards.

For a team who has fallen into the despair of a lengthy IR/LTIR, I think this is a season we don’t have to bet on staying healthy. It can’t go unnoticed that Oettinger has yet to make his season debut and yet the Stars only allowed 3 goals in the first 4 games. Some will claim preseason circumstances but this is no mean feat, Poirier had a shut out against a respectable roster. DeSmith had dozens of high danger saves over two games, this gives the team a confident rotation of goalies and the fans peace of mind instead of panic when we don’t see Otter’s name on game day roster. It’s clear to see how serious off season was taken with many players, our defense playing offensively and vice versa this has to be the 1% Gully is looking for. We’re seeing favorite players demonstrate what gave them the rank and confidence that when one slot needs filled there’s several options to choose. A team that showed in just 4 short games our stacked roster doing their thing and a rookie roster filled will skill set eager to get NHL ice time- we have a strong chance for the Cup, despite our division.