Ranking the Wild’s options to replace Mats Zuccarello

The Minnesota Wild will open training camp next week, but their roster is anything but settled. While the group of players who will be on the roster doesn’t carry much suspense, how they will be utilized will be a key story, especially as the Wild looks to replace Mats Zuccarello.

Zuccarello departed Minnesota this offseason as the team looks to play more of a downhill style of hockey. But while allowing him to sign with the Los Angeles Kings in free agency achieves that objective, it creates a big hole where several players will look to re-create the chemistry he had with Kirill Kaprizov on the top line.

Fortunately, the Wild have a few options to plug into that role. But some are better than others as John Hynes looks to fill out his lineup for the upcoming season.

4. Danila Yurov

This assumes that Yurov is on the team when the Wild begin the season and while he could be traded, he could either cement his spot in Minnesota or somewhere else if he has a strong start.

Yurov has offensive ability, scoring 12 goals and recording 27 points in 73 games last season. He also shot 15 percent last season in an area of his game that could signal promise as a 22-year-old. But the Wild have plans to use him at center, which could be foiled if he doesn’t improve on his 39.2 percent win rate on faceoffs last season.

If that happens, the Wild could try him on the wing, although that would further stretch their depth on center. While seeing him on the same line as Kaprizov is enticing, the only way it could happen is if he’s in the middle, making it unlikely that he becomes Zuccarello’s replacement.

3. Bobby Brink

Brink is one of the most interesting players on the Wild’s roster going into this season. He brings plenty of value with his skating, defense and work ethic. But at age 25, it’s time for him to show he can earn consistent minutes in the lineup.

That didn’t happen a year ago when the Wild acquired Brink from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for David Jiricek. A shoulder injury may have been to blame for his lack of playing time, but he didn’t show too much when he was on the ice, scoring twice with four points in 13 regular season games and managing just one point in four playoff games.

The good news is that Brink has shown he can produce in the past, scoring 12 goals and recording 41 points in 79 regular season games as a 23-year-old during the 2024-25 season. But expecting him to seize a top-line goal might be a lot to ask. Brink could still get a shot, but for now it feels like he’s more likely to fill a role on the second or third line.

2. Matt Boldy

In a perfect world, Boldy would be the ultimate option. Boldy’s points have climbed in each of his first five seasons to a career-high 85 points a year ago and he’s found consistency in his scoring, setting another career-high with 42 goals last season. His playmaking ability and tendency to head to the net are two reasons why he’s on the verge of superstar status in the NHL (if he’s not already there) and pairing him with Kaprizov could create a top line that could leave opponents sleepless at night as well as giving him a shot of scoring 50 goals and recording 50 assists in the same season.

So why would the Wild turn that down? It’s because they don’t have the depth in their top six to make it happen.

Boldy’s strengths lie in a two-way game and his defensive abilities, which helped him score four shorthanded goals last season, give the Wild to create a defensively-oriented second line. Between Boldy and Eriksson Ek, there’s enough offense to help elevate whoever claims the opposite wing spot on the second line and it creates more threats for the Wild when the top line isn’t on the ice.

This doesn’t mean that Boldy and Kaprizov can never play together. But it makes it unlikely the two Wild stars will share the same line when the season begins.

1. Maxim Shabanov

There are a lot of mystery boxes on the Wild going into the year, but Shabanov may be the one with the biggest upside. Let’s ignore the Russian connection he would have with Kaprizov for a minute as well as the lackluster first season in the NHL where he scored five goals and recorded 18 points in 44 games with the New York Islanders.

Instead, this is about what Shabanov does well. Shabanov carries some game-breaking abilities in transition and having puck-movers such as Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber on the back end could spring him for some breakaway opportunities. In the half-ice game, he also works on the half-wall, identifying passing opportunities and making himself open for one-timers and rebounds.

But the one thing that might make him the best fit is his creativity. Shabanov was 14-for-25 in shootouts during his KHL career and could produce some of the highlight reel goals the Wild need on the top line with Zuccarello gone. With those factors in mind, it’s not hard to see how he scored 23 goals and put up 67 points in 65 games in his final season with Traktor Chelyabinsk (2024-25) or that the Wild was interested in signing him before he chose the Islanders last offseason.

Shabanov will have to show he’s ready for top line minutes during training camp. But when it comes to his potential on-ice fit, he may be the Wild’s best option to replace Zuccarello.