Opening night lineup

Team: 2021-22 Minnesota Wild

Initial Creation Date: Aug. 7, 2021

Published: Aug. 24, 2021

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

I really hope Boldy, Addison, and Rossi make the team out of camp. The first two should be ready. Rossi might need some AHL time just to get some games in after missing most of the last 1.5 seasons. But if he looks ready I'd love to see him with Kaprizov and Zuccarello as he should immediately provide an upgrade from a skill standpoint over what Rask brought to that line last year.

I think Greenway, Eriksson Ek, and Foligno are together to start the year again as the shutdown defensive line. This was the "first line" towards the end of last season according to Evason just so he wouldn't get questions why Ek hadn't been moved up to a better offensive line. I bet Evason will have a hard time moving Ek up to one of the offensive lines at least to start the year even if he's probably earned it.

I went with Hartman back on the Fiala line even though Evason mentioned he wants to see how Gaudreau does with him since they played together some years ago in the AHL. It could be a tossup for that spot. Boldy seems like he'd fit in well there at LW on that line.

Goligoski takes Suter's spot next to Spurgeon so the Brodin/Dumba pair sticks together. I'd like to see Addison get most of the games on the 3rd pair with Merrill filling in as needed.

Thanks for reading. Can't wait for the season to start!