On today's episode of Locked on Wild, we recap the Wild's 3-1 preseason win over Colorado. The Wild's top line dominated, and we saw some really good things from Kevin Fiala. It certainly looks like Matt Boldy is firmly on the roster. Did we see a bounceback performance from Jordan Greenway, and when will we see Marco Rossi again?
We move to player expectations for 2021-22. Starting with Kirill Kaprizov, we try to figure out what a successful season for Kirill looks like. Now that he has his long term extension ironed out, will Kaprizov's production diminish like so many players fresh off extensions do? Can Joel Eriksson Ek represent the top center Kaprizov has been looking for, and by extension can JEEK unlock another gear in Kirill's play? Kaprizov is projected for 40 goals this year, can he top that? And we finish with whether or not there are any concerns with Kirill heading into the season, of which there really aren't any.
With Joel Eriksson Ek, a successful season for him includes building off of his offensive success last year. Can he further unlock his offensive potential with a more offensively inclined set of linemates? Can Eriksson Ek provide a needed defensive identity that Kaprizov and Zuccarello can learn from? Is 24 goals an attainable number for JEEK, or can he even exceed that mark? The only real concerns for Eriksson Ek involve his offense, but if he improves on that the sky is truly the limit.
Finally with Zuccarello, what does his production look like with a better center next to him? Is it possible that both he and Kaprizov can elevate their chemistry to another level? Can Zuccarello crack the 20 goal plateau and give the Wild a ferocious top line that features balanced scoring? The only real concern for Zuccarello involves his durability, but if he shuts down those concerns just how good can he be?
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