As for the team this year, a storyline we will get to see unfold right away is Kirill Kaprizov playing his first season without former running mate, Mats Zuccarello. Kaprizov is expected to be on a line with fellow Russian teammates Danila Yurov and Max Shabanov who have a combined 45 points (17-28=45) in 117 NHL games. The Wild is banking on Yurov (22 years old) and Shabanov (25 years old) to be key assets on a team looking to win now. Shabanov, who is entering his first season with Minnesota, is also expected to fill the void left by Zuccarello on the Wild’s top power-play unit, while Yurov will center the second power-play unit.
Another thing to look for tonight, and moving forward quite frankly, is the play of goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, who is expected to carry much of the goaltending load while Filip Gustavsson continues to rehab offseason hip surgery. Wallstedt is coming off a strong 2025-26 campaign that saw him go 18-9-6 with a 2.61 GAA, a .916 SV% and four shutouts. He proved in the postseason last season that he is more than capable of carrying the load and playing well while doing so, as he went 5-5 with a 2.77 GAA and a .909 SV% in 10 Stanley Cup Playoff games, helping Minnesota advance to the Second Round for the first time in 11 seasons. Wallstedt appears ready to prove he can be the guy, and the Wild may go as he goes this season.
Series vs. Nashville:
Finally, tonight’s opponent, the Nashville Predators. Minnesota went 2-1-1 against Nashville last night, with both wins coming in overtime—one at home and one on the road. The season series last year was about as even as it could get, as all four games were decided by one goal and both teams potted 12 goals in the series. Matt Boldy (3-1=4), Kaprizov (1-3=4) and Brock Faber (1-3=4), who begins the season on Injured Reserve, all had four points against the Predators last season. In 15 games each against Nashville, Boldy owns 12 points (7-5=12) while Kaprizov has 19 (7-12=19), so look for those two to pick up where they left off last season in tonight’s opener.
