Wilderness Walk: Team full of grinders

The Minnesota Wild are what they are and sometimes that wins them hockey games.

Sometimes they get by on the skill of players like Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello, but other games (like last night against the New York Islanders) it was a win earned by pure effort and just pushing and pulling their opponent around the ice, trying to get that breakthrough moment. Thankfully, it eventually happened.

Sam Steel recognizes just how much of an effort the entire team put in last night, and as the scorer of the game-winning goal, he certainly gets it and is obviously glad that their efforts were rewarded. Sometimes a Minnesota Wild game is just like that.

That’s Wild

• In case you missed the game and want to just skip to the good part (the third period) we have you covered with our recap. [Hockey Wilderness]
• The Wild placed Joseph Cramarossa on waivers yesterday to terminate his contract, letting him go and sign with a team in the German top division and probably live a pretty cool life playing hockey in Europe. [Hockey Wilderness]
• This team doesn’t practice a lot, but there is an explanation. The Athletic’s Joe Smith talks with trainers and coaches with the Wild to determine what exactly they look at and how science backs up them focusing on rest and recovery. [The Athletic]

Off the trail...

• The Seattle Kraken have won seven straight games and they just handed the league-leading Boston Bruins their first regulation loss at home of the season. This team might be legit. [Davy Jones Locker Room]
• Toronto Maple Leafs’ Bobby McMann thought he scored his first goal in the first period of his first NHL game. Unfortunately, thanks to some confusing rule, it was not a goal. [Yahoo Sports]