WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Mikael Granlund equates his growth this season to two things: continuity with linemates and the overall success of the Wild, who sit comfortably atop the Western Conference standings.
Granlund, 24, was named the NHL’s Second Star of the Week on Monday for his 3-3–6 performance over the past three games, including his first career hat trick in a 6-3 victory over the Canucks late Saturday in Vancouver.
“I think it just helps that the team is doing really good,” Granlund said. “And our line — we’ve been together for a while now — it kind of helps you when they’re not changing guys next to you all the time. I’ve been with (Mikko Koivu and Jason Zucker) for a while, so it really helps the confidence.”
Head coach Bruce Boudreau sees his top three forwards as more than just a scoring line.
“That line has been just crazy, both offensively and defensively,” said Boudreau. “If you look at clips just from the (Vancouver) game, defensively they were in perfect spots and they were able to finish offensively. But it was their defense that’s made them all plus-30.”
Under Boudreau, Granlund has made the switch from center to wing, a move that started late last season under interim coach John Torchetti, now an assistant coach with Detroit. The fulltime move has resulted in the fifth-year pro hitting NHL career-highs in goals (15), assists (33), and points (48). He is also riding a franchise-record 12-game points streak — 17 total points — that is the longest in the NHL this season.
“I don’t know how they used him in the past,” said Boudreau. “All I know is I watched him in the World Cup, and Finland scored no goals, but every scoring chance he seemed to be in on and he played hard. I put him and Mikko together and he played wing; last year he played a lot of center, I don’t know if that makes any difference, but him and Mikko have really hit it off.
“And then you add Zucker in there — a kid with a lot of speed — (and) the chemistry has been right. They’ve been as good as we’ve gotten, anyway.”
Zucker, 25, also is having a career year, with 16 goals among a career-high 38 points.
Granlund feels a difference in his new position, as well as a sense of freedom in the move from center to Koivu’s right side.
“Offensively, it kind of frees up some energy to play offence more,” he explained. “I’m not the biggest guy (5-foot-10, 184 pounds), so you don’t need to be down low battling with all those guys. … That’s been the biggest change going from center to wing.”
Prior to Saturday’s game in Vancouver, the Wild suffered their first regulation road loss since November 29 in a 5-1 defeat to the Calgary Flames on Wednesday. Now 17-6-5 away from Xcel Energy Center, the Wild complete an extended eight-day, four-game road trip here Tuesday night against the 25-26-4 Winnipeg Jets.
It will be the first pf Minnesota’s three visits to MTS Centre to face their Central Division foes. The Wild are 2-0 against the Jets this year — a 4-3 win on October 15, and a 3-1 win on November 23.
BRIEFLY
Koivu did not take part in practice on Monday afternoon in Winnipeg. Boudreau said it is just maintenance, and that Koivu is expected to play against the Jets.
