The Minnesota Wild are back out on the road as they open up another three-game road trip in Philadelphia on Thursday night.
But as the Wild head east, coach Mike Yeo is shuffling the lineup once again as he tries to find the right mix.
Charlie Coyle will center the third line with Jason Zucker and Thomas Vanek. Yeo announced the roster move during a radio interview on KFAN Wednesday.
The Pioneer Press reports Coyle, who has played mostly wing in the Wild’s first 17 games, flipped back and forth between center and wing last season, filling in at center when Mikko Koivu missed time because of his fractured right ankle.
“I’m looking forward to it. It will be a good change,” Coyle said to the newspaper.
Coyle has two goals and nine points so far this season, but Yeo looks back at the impact he made last year while filling in for Koivu.
“Looking back at last year we lost Mikko at a critical point, we got Charlie going in the middle,” Yeo told reporters after practice. “His speed and skill and size was a real factor in keeping our head above water in a tough time.”
The move will also impact a couple of the other lines.
From @BlountStrib, w Charlie Coyle third-line center, Justine Fontaine at 2nd line RW. 4th line will be 3 of Carter, Haula, Brodziak. Bickel
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) November 19, 2014
Yeo is hoping the shakeup will help spark an offense that has averaged less than two goals per game on the road so far this year.
Minnesota is 7-1 at home and outscored their opponents 32-16, but in nine road games the Wild have scored just 17 goals and have given up 23.
