Wild Game Day number 23 Wild Record (11-7-4 26 pts) Road Record (3-4-3)
Opponent: Chicago Blackhawks (13-8-3 29 pts) Home Record (8-2-1)
Site: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Time: 7:00PM CT
TV: NBC Sports Network (NBCSN)
Last Season Results: 12/16 Wild 3 @ Blackhawks 5 1/8 Blackhawks 4 @ Wild 2 1/11 Wild 1 @ Blackhawks 4 2/3 Blackhawks 0 @ Wild 3 4/7 Wild 2 @ Blackhawks 1
Playoffs 5/1 Wild 3 @ Blackhawks 4 5/3 Wild 1 @ Blackhawks 4 5/5 Blackhawks 1 @ Wild 1 5/7 Blackhawks 4 @ Wild 3
Last Result: 10/30 Blackhawks 4 @ Wild 5
Tonight is a big test for Mike Yeo and the Minnesota Wild. The Wild are undoubtedly struggling and it does not get any easier for them tonight as they face the Blackhawks, their playoff nemesis the last three seasons. Late November into December has traditionally been where the Wild have struggled under Mike Yeo. The Wild record in December under Mike Yeo is a combined 15-20-6, a .439 winning percentage.
It is time for the Wild to reverse the trend and it starts behind the bench. The knock on Yeo has always been that he is too loyal to the veterans and relies on them to get the team going. It is time for Yeo to make the necessary changes in his game plan to get this team rolling again.
There is no doubt the Wild are a talented team that is ready to take another step this year. But that will not happen until Mike Yeo gets the team all on board and they play for 60 minutes a night. That can only happen when everyone pulls in the same direction and the players play for their hockey lives shift in and shift out, game in and game out. Ice time can't be given to anyone on past performance. It is time for Yeo to step up and make his team earn their ice and stop going to the same well hoping for water when in many cases there is another well in which to tap.
Mike Yeo is a very good coach and his record with the Wild speaks for itself. The Wild have improved in each of Yeao's 4 previous seasons behind the bench and the team has a winning percentage of .570 during his tenure, combined that with 3 straight playoff appearances, his resume is quite good. So this is not a bash the coach time, but it is a time to see what he is made of and how he has grown as an NHL bench boss.
Tonight's opponent behind the bench, Joel Quenneville, is arguably the finest coach in the entire league. In his 19 seasons as an NHL head coach he has never had a losing season and his teams have only missed the playoffs once. And of course he has won 3 Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks in the last 6 years and the amazing part of that is that he has done that with different personnel each time. Yes the core has been the same Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toewes, Duncan Keith, Marian Hossa but each year Coach Q has to incorporate new pieces into his puzzle and make them work, all while keeping the core of his ship running on all cylinders.
So tonight is a perfect match-up for Mike Yeo and the Minnesota Wild. This is the team they are trying to catch. This is the team that tore their heart out in each of the last three Springs. This is the defending Stanley Cup champion. Mike Yeo and Minnesota Wild now is the perfect time to start to prove you belong in the elite conversation.
Let's Play Hockey!