Sun Oct 13 02:10:00 UTC 2024: ## Wild Season Opener Bears Weight of Tragedy and Coaching Carousel
The Minnesota Wild’s season opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets holds extra significance this year, steeped in the emotional aftermath of tragedy and the coaching carousel that saw former Wild coach Dean Evason now leading the Blue Jackets.
Evason, who guided the Wild to three playoff appearances in his 251 regular-season games, was fired last November after a seven-game losing streak. He found a new home in Columbus just eight months later, taking over a young, rebuilding team.
The Blue Jackets are also coping with the devastating loss of star forward Johnny Gaudreau, who died tragically in a biking accident in August, along with his younger brother. Gaudreau, who had signed with Columbus in 2021, was beloved by his teammates, especially former Calgary Flames teammate Sean Monahan, who joined the Blue Jackets this summer specifically to play with him.
The weight of Gaudreau’s absence will be felt throughout the season, but for Monahan and the rest of the team, it will be a season played in his memory.
Evason, in his first encounter with the Wild since his departure, expressed both excitement and a sense of closure for his time in Minnesota. While he acknowledges the personal significance of the game, Evason emphasized that the focus is on his team’s performance.
The Wild, meanwhile, will be looking to build on their opening night victory over Columbus, with their own set of storylines to navigate. The team has a new starting goaltender in Filip Gustavsson, and is still adjusting to the absence of key players like Marc-Andre Fleury and Joel Eriksson Ek, both sidelined with injuries.
The game marks a poignant beginning for both teams, with the specter of tragedy and the constant churn of the NHL coaching carousel adding layers of complexity to what is already a highly anticipated matchup.
First Piper 