MINNEAPOLIS — The gap the Wild has to close in the Western Conference has been looming over the franchise ever since it was bounced out of the playoffs last season, fading in Game 7 after a burly first-round battle with the Golden Knights.
But the Wild has evolved to better withstand that standard of play and if its first impression following a significant trade deadline retool is any indication of what to expect this year, the team might make a different statement.
After acquiring a three-time Stanley Cup champion in goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury for one of the boldest moves in team history, the Wild responded with a clean 3-0 win on Monday in front of 17,498 at Xcel Energy Center fittingly against Vegas.
Cam Talbot blocked 28 shots for his second shutout of the season and 26th in his NHL career while also picking up a sixth straight victory.
In front of him, Nicolas Deslauriers, Matt Dumba and Ryan Hartman supplied the goals with Deslauriers' tally coming in his team debut after a Saturday trade from the Ducks.
This effort lifted the Wild into second place in the Central Division, one point ahead of rival St. Louis, and the promotion was the upshot of a steady 5-1-1 clapback to the rut that opened the second half of the season; the Wild's current three-game win streak is its longest since a six-game tear going into the All-Star break.
To be fair, the Golden Knights that eliminated the Wild last May weren't on the ice.
Vegas is missing key players to injury, like goalie Robin Lehner, captain Mark Stone and forward Max Pacioretty.
Perhaps the most glaring difference, though, is Fleury's absence.
He was traded by the Golden Knights last offseason to the Blackhawks after a terrific tenure that ushered the franchise into existence, an impressive run that culminated in the netminder's first Vezina Trophy as the league's top goalie.
The Blackhawks went on to trade Fleury, an impending free agent, to the Wild on Monday morning and by the evening, he was on the bench backing up Talbot in a Wild jersey and hat after receiving an ovation when he first surfaced for pregame warmups.
Another addition, Deslauriers, reignited the cheers 5 minutes, 43 seconds into the first period when he one-timed in a behind-the-net pass from Brandon Duhaime during his second shift, a finish that elicited an exuberant celebration from the Wild's new sparkplug. Deslauriers is the 29th player in franchise history to record a goal in his first game with the team.
Tyson Jost, whom the Wild also traded for last week after dealing Nico Sturm to the Avalanche, earned an assist on the goal for his first point with the Wild.
After a scoreless second – both power plays went 0-for-2 – the Wild secured a key insurance goal on a Dumba shot through traffic at 5:46 of the third period.
That was more than enough offense for Talbot, who backstopped the Wild to its first victory of the season vs. the Golden Knights in three tries. Logan Thompson had 33 stops for Vegas, with Hartman notching his 26th goal into an empty net with seven seconds to go.
Talbot, who General Manager Bill Guerin mentioned was among the first to reach out to Fleury, is the lone holdover from the goaltending duo that was in place since last season; the Wild sent Kaapo Kahkonen and a draft pick to the Sharks. Although Fleury's arrival likely cuts into Talbot's ice time, Talbot could make a case to stay in the crease with more showings like this.
