The Minnesota Wild forward has scored 23 points (13 goals, 10 assists) in 28 games heading into Minnesota's game against the Buffalo Sabres at Xcel Energy Center on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; BSN, BSWI, MSG-B, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Hartman is six goals shy of the NHL career-high 19 he scored with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2016-17 and said a talk with Wild general manager Bill Guerin last year has helped him produce this season.
"There were some moments when I tried to make a pass or tried to make a fancy play when I had an open lane at the net and he told me, 'Listen, you're not going to wow anyone with your passing skills necessarily. But when you shoot the puck, there's a better chance of you scoring than if you try to make a passing play through a body or someone's legs'," Hartman said. "I've always prided myself on being a good shooter. So, I think I'm just shooting more."
Hartman, who came to the Wild as free agent on July 1, 2019, re-signed on April 22 with a three-year, $5.1 million contract. He said he wasn't sure if he left money on the table, but the Wild (19-8-1) being in first place in the Central Division has convinced him staying was the right move.
"You see the way the team's going, the trajectory we're going, the progress we've made since I've been here," Hartman said. "I knew what we had here, I really wanted to stay here, made it a point to want to be here. but winning is the biggest part. Guys talk about numbers and all that stuff, but you win a championship, everyone gets paid, everyone like's a winner. That's the biggest thing."
Hartman also discussed the 2022 Discover NHL Winter Classic against the St. Louis Blue at Target Field, home of MLB's Minnesota Twins, on Jan. 1 (7 p.m. ET: TNT, SN1, TVAS). He played in the 2017 NHL Winter Classic for the Blackhawks against the Blues at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
"I've watched baseball games there, yep," Hartman said. "My first one was on the road, so it'll be cool to have one at home."
Hartman also talked about one of the Wild's biggest assets, forward Kirill Kaprizov, who leads them with 32 points (10 goals, 22 assists) in 28 games. Hartman has been center on a line with Kaprizov, who is Russian, and right wing Mats Zuccarello most of the season.
"He's hilarious. He's really funny," Hartman said of Kaprizov. "Sometimes it's hard for him to get his words across and explain what he's trying to say, but his English has gotten really good. He seems like a young kid just enjoying hockey. He's always making jokes on the ice. Sometimes he's more serious when things aren't going well for him, but all around, he's a pretty laid-back guy."
"The Chirp with Daren Millard" features interviews with players, executives, alumni and other personalities around the game. You can share your thoughts on Twitter using the hashtag #ChirpMallard.
--
