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The Minnesota Wild missed the playoffs in 2024 despite making it in 2023. 2022-23 saw some of the team's players step up in a big way. Veterans such as Mats Zuccarello and Joel Eriksson Ek played vital roles offensively. Filip Gustavsson emerged as a potential starting goaltender of the future. And Matt Boldy became an offensive dynamo alongside star forward Kirill Kaprizov.
However, some of these players took a step back in 2023-24. Gustavsson struggled in goal this past season and didn't come close to matching his numbers from the previous year. Additionally, players such as Marcus Johansson and Ryan Hartman provided less-than-ideal efforts on the ice that certainly didn't help the team overcome a bad start.
The Wild have a lot of veteran players on their roster. And if they want to return to the postseason, these veterans have to play a pivotal role in driving their success. With this in mind, here are two Wild veterans on the roster who could be impactful during the 2024-25 campaign.
Mats Zuccarello could continue to shine
Mats Zuccarello spent his entire career with the New York Rangers until the 2018-19 season. He was traded to the Dallas Stars that year but ended up playing just two games with them. In NHL Free Agency, he signed with the Minnesota Wild, and Zuccarello has played pretty well since arriving in the State of Hockey.
Zuccarello has posted three straight 60+ point seasons. In 2023-24, the Oslo, Norway native scored 12 goals and 63 points while playing 69 games. He finished fourth on the Wild in terms of points behind Joel Eriksson Ek, Matt Boldy, and Kirill Kaprizov.
The impressive numbers don't stop there, however. Zuccarello finished the season placing third among Minnesota forwards in Goals For Percentage (63.38), according to Evolving Hockey. He also finished third in Corsi For Per 60 Minutes (78.81). Additionally, he finished fourth among forwards in Goals For Per 60 (4.47).
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Zuccarello may not necessarily be a “sneaky” veteran. But he has provided a ton of value for the Wild while going somewhat under the radar. He should continue to make an impact in the State of Hockey as Minnesota pushes for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2025.
Zach Bogosian may be valuable depth
The Wild traded for Zach Bogosian during the 2023-24 season as part of a defensive shakeup. Minnesota traded Calen Addison to the San Jose Sharks as they looked to strengthen the defensive capabilities of their back end. The trades were interesting at the time, but they worked out well enough.
Bogosian played 61 games with the Wild this past season. He ended up having one of his best seasons in recent memory as a result. The veteran rearguard scored three goals and 11 points for Minnesota. The Stanley Cup-winning defender then signed a two-year contract extension.
It was on defense where he truly shined. Bogosian finished with the second-lowest Goals Against Per 60 (2.94) among Wild defenders, according to Evolving Hockey. He also finished with the second-lowest On-Ice Save Percentage (.901). Finally, he finished in a three-way tie for the fifth-highest WAR (1.8) among all Wild players in 2023-24.
Bogosian is not going to play a top-four role for the Wild in 2024-25, and nor should he. However, as a bottom-pairing option, he has more than proven his worth. The Stanley Cup-winning defender certainly provides the defensive stability they sought last season. And if he keeps it up, the Wild could challenge for a playoff spot in 2025.
