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Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup Hopes: Minnesota Wild Are Not A Concern

By Aaron Goldschmidt
Feb 10, 2017; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild celebrate a goal scored by forward Nino Niederreiter (22) during the second period against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 10, 2017; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild celebrate a goal scored by forward Nino Niederreiter (22) during the second period against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports /
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Number One Defenseman:  Ryan Suter

Ryan Suter is a minute eating machine.  He generally is in the top 3 for ice time in the league.  He rarely turns over the puck, he plays in all scenarios, and consistently finds open players for goals.  That’s what makes him a great assistant captain.  But in a recent game versus the Blackhawks, some started to question his leadership.

In a game sent to overtime this year with the Blackhawks, Suter took a bad retaliation penalty against Marian Hossa resulting in the game winning goal.  Come playoff time, you cannot leave your team short handed especially facing a team like the Blackhawks.

Suter has all of the qualities of a great top defenseman so his contributions will be key to the Wild’s playoff run this year.  A solid number one defenseman is important because you need that player to be in key situations on both ends of the ice.  They will also be going up against the top line of the opposing team all night and must be as mistake free as they possibly can.

TBD

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