Minnesota Wild coach Mike Yeo outlined the Wild’s situation at goalie as the team enters its final 10 games of the regular season.
The Wild have been juggling Darcy Kuemper and Ilya Bryzgalov in net since the team traded for Bryzgalov right before the NHL’s trade deadline.
Following Tuesday’s optional practice, Yeo acknowledged he would prefer to know who the top goalie on the team is heading into the playoffs.
Entering play on Tuesday night, the Wild lead Phoenix by five points and Dallas by six in the playoff race.
“More often than not when you see have success in the playoffs they have a good indication of who is playing there,” Yeo said.
He added the the Wild will use the next 10 “days” to sort things out as the team heads towards the playoffs.
Yeo did not acknowledge whether Kuemper or Bryzgalov would start against Vancouver on Wednesday. But Star Tribune beat writer Michael Russo believes it will be Kuemper, especially after how he played during a 7-round shootout in a Wild victory last month.
Russo believes that would mean Bryzgalov would be likely to start on Thursday in St. Louis.
FOX Sports Net points out though that Bryzgalov has started three of the last four for the Wild, while the two alternated in the games before that.
Kuemper hasn’t been playing as strong as he was before the trade deadline and has allowed three or more goals in four of his last six starts. But Yeo said he doesn’t think Kuemper is that far off of his “A” game.
But Kuemper’s play did propel the team into the wild-card lead during the team’s run in January and February.
