Minnesota Wild: Granlund's Improvement Might Not Be Enough
Minnesota Wild forward Mikael Granlund is improving and on pace for a career season in all point categories. Still with a need for much stronger scoring and looming free-agent needs, will his improvement be enough to cement his future with the team?
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Slow and steady wins the race is the adage that most people subscribe to when thinking about most problems in life. For the most part that seems to be true when examining the performance of NHL talent. You want to see a consistent rise in their output as they progress in years, but when a player reaches the age of 24 that all seems to change.
Back in early October Michael Russo wrote a great piece on this and how the Minnesota Wild are in a crucial season with many of their 24 year old players which they have four very important forwards. “Historically, the age 24 season is often the year where guys have their breakthrough,” Wild GM explained to Russo. The idea being that if a player is going to be a star in the NHL they will more than likely do it in or around age 24, being at their peak of physical and mental development.
One of those four Wild forwards is young Finn Mikael Granlund who enters this season with a lot to prove. There’s been no doubt that he’s talented enough to be a lineup stalwart for the Wild, but many have complained that even his 41 point season in 2015-16 wasn’t enough to cement his future with the team. Basically everyone is looking for more out of Granny.
Oct 29, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Dallas Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen (32) makes a save in the first period against the Minnesota Wild forward Mikael Granlund (64) at Xcel Energy Center. The Minnesota Wild beat the Dallas Stars 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Add to that the fact that at the end of this season he’ll be up for what will be his last RFA contract and the issue of his future with the Wild gets murky.
Right now the Wild have played just a bit over a third of their 82 game schedule this season. Granny has notched 6 goals and 11 assists thus far, making him on pace to finish the season with 18 goals and 33 assists for 51 points which would be a career high. But is that enough to constitute a breakout like Fletcher eluded to?
Sure 51 points would be an increase from 44 last season, but this is only a seven point gain. Moreover, with respect to goal scoring the 18 goals he would score would be still under the 20 goal mark which really has become the bench mark for a top six winger.
Dec 11, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild forward Mikael Granlund (64) scores an empty net goal in the third period against the St Louis Blues at Xcel Energy Center. The Minnesota Wild beat the St Louis Blues 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
This is not to diminish what looks to be an improvement year for Granlund, but more to bring attention to the fact that at age 24 that point total might be the best the Wild can hope from him.
The Wild are looking more stable than they have in a long time this season with lockdown defense and goaltending from Devan Dubnyk. The scoring is not anywhere near what is needed to ensure a deep playoff run, but yet the Wild are sitting in 3rd place in the Central Division nipping on the heels of the 2nd place Blues in the midst of a four game winning streak.
So, rumors of adding scoring in the trade market are starting to heat up and it’s certainly not inconceivable that Granlund might be in play to help snatch up a much needed stronger scoring forward.
That’s why evaluating his improvement is very important. Is it enough? Has he played well enough to stay and justify the bump in pay he will receive next season? Or do you use his value elsewhere to gain a new face to help fuel a potential playoff run?
Whatever the verdict ends up being it is obviously too early to completely tell where Granny will finish. Still with the deadline looming, and lots of free agents needing to be re-signed again this offseason his output might have to take a step up. That’s the thing about expectations in a case like Granlund’s you might improve your play, but if you don’t live up to those expectations your improvement means a lot less.
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