Minnesota Wild president and general manager Bill Guerin is frustrated with his team’s recent performances, particularly after the lack of response to Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson’s jab at Marc-Andre Fleury’s face on Saturday. Guerin, speaking to The Athletic before the Wild’s 4-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, expressed his dismay over Andersson’s actions during a second-period scrum, where he retaliated with a left-handed punch to Fleury. Mats Zuccarello intervened, but Andersson scored soon after, helping the Flames secure a 5-4 win while taunting the Wild bench.
Guerin was blunt about his disappointment, stating, “He had his way with us. It was not fun to watch. The funny thing is that’s not who this group of players is. It’s really hard to figure out … but we’re gonna figure it out.” Sunday’s victory marked just the third win for the Wild in their last nine games, leaving them with a 29-17-4 record, nine points behind the division-leading Winnipeg Jets.
The return of star forward Kirill Kaprizov and captain Jared Spurgeon from injuries hasn’t fully resolved the team’s struggles, especially with Jonas Brodin still sidelined. Guerin rejected the notion that fatigue or injuries are to blame. “You can be low on energy and still play well,” he asserted. “There’s no excuse whatsoever for any of this.”
Since January 7, the Wild have seen their once-promising position in the Central Division slip. Their early five-point advantage over the Dallas Stars has now turned into a one-point deficit, with the Stars ahead of Minnesota. Guerin wants to see more from his team as they continue their five-game road trip, starting with a matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
“We need more compete,” Guerin concluded. “It’s about working hard and competing hard, two different things. We need to do the little detail things that are hard to do, but they allow you to win.”
Source: Swifteradio.com
