Wilderness Walk: Still counts for Sammy Walker

Yeah, you typically imagine a player’s first NHL goal being some heroic moment or coming in a key part of the game. So when Sammy Walker scored his first goal for the Minnesota Wild as an empty net goal to cap off a 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets, it doesn’t have the same razzle-dazzle as some others.

But maybe that’s just perfectly encapsulates what is so nice about Walker himself. He doesn’t come into the league as a top prospect, he even got dropped by the Tampa Bay Lightning as one of their seventh-round picks, and ended up playing in the system of his hometown Wild.

He is still technically a flashy and speedy player, but there is also something still quiet and muted to his game that you kind of respect. Either way, he finally gets to have that puck.

That’s Wild

• In case you missed the game where Walker did score his first NHL goal, we have the recap here for you. [Hockey Wilderness]
• And in case you live under a rock, Mason Shaw got suspended for two games for kneeing Evgeny Svechnikov before the holiday break. [Hockey Wilderness]

Off the trail...

• Biggest questions heading into the 2023 World Juniors. [ESPN]
• Oops. The St. Louis Blues will be without top defenseman Torey Krug for at least six weeks. [Yahoo Sports]
• The Vancouver Canucks still believe they are capable of making the playoffs. [TSN]