Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Wild drop struggling Setoguchi, Granlund to fourth line

Mikael Granlund

Mikael Granlund #64 of the Minnesota Wild skates against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on February 1, 2013 in Anaheim, California. (January 31, 2013 - Source: Jeff Gross/Getty Images North America)

Forwards Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu, and Dany Heatley have been doing their part for the Minnesota Wild this season, but the team needs secondary scoring if they are going to make the playoffs.

Going into the season, the hope was that 20-year-old rookie Mikael Granlund and Devin Setoguchi would be among the team’s top complimentary forwards, but through eight games that hasn’t been the case.

Granlund hasn’t scored since the season opener and has just three points in eight games while Setoguchi is still searching for his first goal of the season.

As a result, Wild coach Mike Yeo decided to move them both to the fourth line for Sunday’s practice and it’s even possible that one of them will end up being scratched against Phoenix on Monday, based on a Star Tribune report.

In Granlund’s case, it’s hard to put too much pressure on the rookie, even if he has tons of upside, but Yeo argues that there needs to be a bit more give and take.

“He’s a young kid and we have to give him a fair chance, but at the same time, there has to be a little more on his side,” Yeo said.

“We’ll do everything we can to help him grow through the whole process of it. I’d definitely like to see him bring a real hungry attitude to the next game.”

As for Setoguchi, he admitted to being disappointed and plans to work his way back into the lineup if he ends up getting scratched. His early struggles have been made even more troubling by the fact that he’s only managed 10 shots on goal. That’s far below his career average.

Minnesota has a 4-3-1 record, which puts them in a four-way tie for sixth place in this early stage of the season.