Joe SMith

Minneapolis

Senior Writer at The Athletic

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Articles

Submit your questions for The Athletic's Minnesota Wild mailbag

5 days ago | nytimes.com | Michael Russo |Joe SMith |Joe Smith

By Michael Russo and Joe SmithHave a question about the Wild? Ask here, and The Athletic 's Michael Russo and Joe Smith will respond to a selection in their upcoming mailbag. Important request for making this work better for everyone: Before you ask, read through other questions, and if someone has already asked yours, hit the thumbs-up button on it to help it get noticed. It's the only way we can make sure we get to all the biggest questions.
Why David Carle decided now isn't the time to leave DU for the NHL

5 days ago | nytimes.com | Joe SMith |Joe Smith

David Carle has been among the top NHL coaching candidates the past few years. It's for good reason. The 35-year-old built the University of Denver into college hockey's model program and won back-to-back World Juniors gold medals for Team USA. But while Carle had conversations with the Chicago Blackhawks and Anaheim Ducks about their head coaching openings this summer, he reaffirmed his commitment to the Pioneers by signing a multi-year extension this week.
Shackles finally off, Wild GM Bill Guerin knows it's time to deliver a contender

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Joe SMith |Joe Smith |Michael Russo

ST. PAUL, Minn. - When Bill Guerin first got the Minnesota Wild general manager job six years ago, one of the first things he said was:"I think there's everything here to win."The Wild haven't gotten out of the first round since then - their streak extends to 2015 - and even Guerin admitted before this season that they've never really been "serious contenders. "That has to change now. Guerin knows it. There are no more excuses.
Emptying the notebook after 3 days of exit-meeting availability

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Michael Russo |Joe SMith |Joe Smith

ST. PAUL, Minn. - From Sunday to Tuesday, the Minnesota Wild held their end-of-the-year availability, with more than a dozen players speaking to the media, as well as and president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin and coach John Hynes. As we've already covered, in those interviews Marc-Andre Fleury and his teammates spoke about his lasting impact on Wild culture, Kirill Kaprizov addressed his contract situation and Marco Rossi discussed his playoff usage and trade worries.
'Love and respect'

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Joe SMith |Joe Smith

ST. PAUL, Minn. -During what turned out to be Marc-Andre Fleury's last NHL appearance, he couldn't keep his mouth shut. The future Hall of Famer was keeping things loose, especially after saves. "'Ooo,' 'Woo,' 'Ahhh,' 'Woo' - every save," said Filip Gustavsson, the Minnesota Wild's starter the game, who was replaced by Fleury in the third period of an eventual 3-2 Game 5 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.
NHL coaching candidate David Carle signs multiyear extension with University of Denver

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Corey Pronman |Joe SMith |Joe Smith

David Carle has signed a multiyear contract to remain head coach of the University of Denver's men's hockey team, the school announced Monday. The 35-year-old has been Denver's head coach since 2018, winning the national championship in 2022 and 2024 and amassing a record of 179-74-17. He has also been behind the bench for Team USA's back-to-back World Junior titles in 2024 and 2025. This season, the Pioneers lost to Western Michigan in the semifinals at the Frozen Four in St. Louis.
'It should be all good'

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Michael Russo |Joe SMith |Joe Smith

ST. PAUL, Minn. - There's probably not a person in the Minnesota Wild organization who knows Kirill Kaprizov more than Mats Zuccarello. They've shared a bromance for years, on the ice as linemates and off of it. The Russian superstar is known as "Uncle Kirill" to Zuccarello's two kids. They've been attached at the hip.
Rossi on contract and trade potential, Nyquist on offside goal reversal

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Michael Russo |Joe SMith |Joe Smith

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Kirill Kaprizov's potential extension as soon as July 1 may be the most critical piece of Minnesota Wild business this offseason, but Marco Rossi's future may have to be determined first. Does he re-sign before or after being tendered a qualifying offer? Will he be traded around the draft? Or does his agent, Ian Pulver, shop around for an offer sheet if both don't come to fruition before he officially becomes a restricted free agent on July 1?
Wild GM Bill Guerin's offseason checklist: Extend Kaprizov, decide on Rossi, be smart in free agency

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Michael Russo |Joe SMith |Joe Smith

ST. PAUL, Minn. - This might be one of the most important summers in recent memory for the Minnesota Wild. No longer are the full dead cap hits of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter on the books, so there's some wiggle room to make an impact in bolstering the roster. It's also been a decade since the team got past the first round, so there's pressure to deliver on everyone, especially president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin as he enters his seventh season at the helm.
The playoffs felt different for the Wild, but ended with the same hollow result

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Michael Russo |Joe SMith |Joe Smith

ST. PAUL, Minn. - This time, it looked different. It felt different. The way the Minnesota Wild played. The way they battled and banged bodies and created chances. How their stars, Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, shined. How they handled adversity. How strong Filip Gustavsson was in net. One could say, after two overtime losses and a third consecutive one-goal loss to end the season, that the Wild's first-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights was a coin flip.