From back-to-back loses to back-to-back wins, the Wild are looking like themselves again after a complete team effort vs. the Maple Leafs.

Minnesota Gophers coach Bob Motzko likes to say that in college hockey, you get three kicks of the garbage can per season. At the NHL level, Wild coach John Hynes said, you don’t get three.

Wild coach John Hynes sent a message to his team after a relatively lifeless home loss last Saturday. Hynes put two of his regulars – forward Yakov Trenin and defenseman Declan Chisholm – in street clothes for a game in Chicago on Sunday.

Forward Yakov Trenin was a healthy scratch for the first time this season, replaced by Drew Shore in the lineup, and defenseman Declan Chisholm — also healthy — sat out for the first time since Nov. 23, replaced by Travis Dermott.

ST PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Wild coach John Hynes is "cautiously optimistic" that star forward Kirill Kaprizov and defenseman Jared Spurgeon will be in the lineup on Thursday.

John Hynes knows that William Nylander can lead the Maple Leafs out of the little hole they’ve dug for themselves. The Leafs have scored just two goals in losing their past two games, and neither came off the stick of Nylander after the star winger had four goals in the previous three games, all Toronto victories.

The Minnesota Wild passed their first test without star winger Kirill Kaprizov. They will look to continue that good fortune on Thursday night when they visit the Montreal Canadiens.

Minnesota Wild head coach John Hynes wouldn't make a full proclamation at Wednesday morning's practice, but says he's "cautiously optimistic" Kirill Kaprizov and Jared Spurgeon will return this week - possible as soon as Thursday's home game against Utah.

The Montreal Canadiens will welcome the Minnesota Wild at the Bell Centre tonight and Martin St-Louis' men will try to avoid a fourth loss in a row while facing legendary goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury for one last time at home.

Minnesota Wild head coach John Hynes said that Marc-Andre Fleury will start against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday for what will be his final time in Montreal. John Hynes says on @KFAN1003 that Marc-Andre Fleury will start tomorrow in Montreal for one final time. So, expect Filip Gustavsson tonight against Toronto.

Minnesota Wild fans no longer want to hear about the injuries that have plagued the team since December. However, Minnesota didn’t immediately win when Jared Spurgeon and Kirill Kaprizov returned to the lineup before Kaprizov’s latest injury.