The incredibly talented Minnesota Wild are on a two game losing streak, prompting head coach Mike Yeo to question the compete level of some members of the team, according to a report from Michael Russo of The Star Tribune.
The team's most recent loss, a 3-0 drubbing at the hands of the Ottawa Senators, saw the Wild garner a severe advantage in shots, 35-17, but fall short when it came to finishing.
Yeo, whose team is currently missing important components in defenseman Jared Spurgeon, leading scorer Zach Parise and veteran leader Matt Cooke, says that all comes down to a squad who is too often doing the "minimum" in the absence of the aforementioned stars.
"There's some guys that are going right now and I do know there's some other guys that can give us more," Yeo said. "I feel like there's some guys that are kind of doing the minimum, like playing the system. That's expected of everybody, but then you've got to bring a little something extra on top of that, and I think that's one thing missing right now."
Cooke is suffering from a lower-body injury, Spurgeon is on Injured Reserve with an upper-body injury and Parise is out indefinitely after recently being diagnosed with a concussion, according to the NHL.
Yeo is looking for increased contributions from all areas of the roster.
In Parise's absence, Thomas Vanek moved to the wing on a line with Mikael Granlund and Jason Pominville. Mikko Koivu, who has three points this year, had six shots against Ottawa and Vanek, who has one goal, had seven shots after four in the previous seven games.
Youngsters like Charlie Coyle, Granlund and Erik Haula all have been and will continue to be given opportunities to step up. It remains to be seen who will raise their game in the Wild's - and Yeo's - hour of need.
"That's what we have to find the answer to," Yeo said. "Some guys are getting some really big opportunities with Zach and Spurge out."
