Doug Risebrough told Sports Headliners recently the Minnesota Wild is “meeting” his expectations. The Wild’s president and general manager was asked to assess his team now that it is closing in on the end of the regular season schedule (April 7). The Wild is in third place in the Northwest Division with 69 points, just three points behind Vancouver. The Wild have 22 games remaining on the regular season schedule.
Risebrough’s meeting expectations statement relates to changes the Wild experienced dating back to last summer. The changes were player acquisitions and losing players to injury including star performers Marian Gaborik and Manny Fernandez . Those changes tempered expectations.
Risebrough graded the team with mostly high marks in various aspects of play. Goal tending: B+. Goal scoring: A. Power play: D on the road; A at home. Defense: A.
He said Fernandez has “maybe played more inconsistently” than last season but grades the goalie’s more recent games this season as an A. The play of Niklas Backstrom, who recently replaced the injured Fernandez, has been a “real positive,” according to Risebrough.
Team goal scoring has been what Risebrough expected, even though some media and fans thought the Wild might be even more effective offensively. Gaborik’s extended absence because of injury has been one factor. In just 25 games Gaborik has 18 goals and 11 assists. Risebrough added another thought about the team’s scoring. “This team is being checked more than in the past,” he said. The Wild’s goals per game average of 2.70 is better than nine teams in the NHL, but only 11 teams are averaging three goals or more.
During past seasons the Wild lost a lot of close games but this season the team has been more successful in shootouts and overtime. Risebrough gave the Wild an A+ in those two categories.
He describes the Wild’s inconsistencies on the power play as “perplexing.” The Wild ranks fourth in the NHL at home in power play efficiency at 22.2%, but 28th on the road at 11.5%.
Defense? Through the years solid or exceptional defense has been part of the franchise’s DNA and while Risebrough said the defense is “not equal” to last season it still rates high.