Though he likely checked the NHL app for the occasional update on Friday night, coach Dean Evason made it clear that he had no intention of actually watching the game between the Colorado Avalanche and Nashville Predators
Never mind that the game determined who the Wild would be playing in the first round of the NHL playoffs.
“No,” Evason said with a smile when asked if he was going to tune in. “We watch enough hockey.”
Nonetheless, the fact that the Avalanche beat the Predators 4-3 was significant. That means the Wild will play the Dallas Stars in the first round. The series is expected to start on Monday in Dallas.
Looking at the regular season, Wild had a 1-2-0 record against the Avalanche and a 2-2-0 record against the Stars. Not that the opponent mattered. Frankly, the Wild couldn’t have cared less who they played in the first round.
As multiple players expressed, in order to accomplish the ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup, they are going to have to beat whoever is in front of them.
“It’s going to be the 16 best teams,” Freddy Gaudreau said. “That’s how it works. You take whoever and go at it. That’s all.”
The good news for the Wild, as Filip Gustavsson said, is they have consistently brought their best whenever they’ve played the top teams.
“It feels like we step up a little bit,” Gustavsson said. “We should respond better to better teams.”
That response will be necessary against a potent Stars lineup led by winger Jason Robertson. He posted 46 goals and 63 assists this season while playing in every single game. Some other offensive threats include winger Jamie Benn, center Joe Pavelski, center Roope Hintz and defenseman Miro Heiskanen, among others.
“Look forward to the battle,” Evason said. “You play all these games to play playoff hockey. We know how to play playoff hockey. We’re looking forward to the drop of the puck in that first game.”
The past week or so hasn’t been a good representation of the lineup the Wild will bring into the playoffs. They have rested their starters on multiple occasions, paving the way for a few players to make their NHL debuts.
“It’s better for those guys that have played so many minutes throughout the season,” Gustavsson said. “They deserve their rest day. They earned their rest. It’s great for these new kids to come up and play.”
Now the real work begins for the Wild.
“It’s been a long season,” Gustavsson said. “It felt short at times and long at times. Now we’re in the playoffs. That’s what we all were aiming for.”
