Minnesota Wild forecast to miss playoffs; all-Russian line possible

Paul Bissonnette predicted on the Spittin' Chiclets podcast that the Minnesota Wild will miss the playoffs in the 2026-27 season. He cited concerns about the team's depth at center, particularly with Joel Eriksson Ek. Bissonnette's outlook was met with disagreement from co-host Ryan Whitney, who believes the Wild could thrive if they start strong. The Wild's lines at practice may suggest an all-Russian top line featuring Danila Yurov, Kirill Kaprizov, and newcomer Maxim Shabanov, as they prepare for their opener against Nashville next week.

• 9:32 PMYahoo Sports — Bissonnette thinks Wild miss playoffs; MN going with all-Russian top line?