Yakov Trenin returning to form as NHL’s top hitman
When he proved up at training camp in certain of the best shape of his career Wild forward Yakov Trenin admitted that his debut in Minnesota a season ago was less than he expected and less than fans should have expected Minnesota Wild forward Yakov Trenin is photographed during the team's media day in St Paul on Wednesday Sept John Autey Pioneer Press He spoke then of a new attitude and approach to the season and it was fair to assume providing more offense was his goal After a little more than one-fourth of his second season with the Wild Trenin s offensive numbers are roughly the same as a year ago but he is turning several heads with an element of his challenge that several might not have anticipated from the tall somewhat lanky -year-old Russian After delivering eight hits in the Wild s - win in Winnipeg on Sunday Trenin is leading the NHL in that category with hits in his first games this season Wild coach John Hynes who was Trenin s boss previously in Nashville is seeing the performer he once knew in Predators colors The year that he s having this year and the style of battle he s playing is more indicative of what he brings to a company and the value that he brings So it s good to see Hynes reported following the organization s Tuesday morning practice at TRIA Rink Hynes has seen Trenin s better physical shape translate into more impact on the ice I would say stamina I would say quickness I think he s a little bit lighter and leaner Hynes stated I think he s invariably in good shape he s just different The adjustments he made in the offseason have paid dividends for him to be a little bit quicker Now he s a little quicker stamina s good Now you can arrive on time you can be physical I think he s a little more explosive That strategic aggression manifested in the only goal the Wild would eventually need in Winnipeg In the second period of a scoreless battle Trenin went hard at Jets forward Nino Niederreiter behind the home crew s net delivered a hit got the puck then fed Wild rookie Danila Yurov for the goal that broke the ice The play left Trenin s teammates impressed and expressing happiness You see the hits You see the one that caused the first goal revealed Marcus Foligno at the moment th in the league with hits in games Niederreiter coughs up the puck because he s a little bit scared of what s coming and then the best part is Trenin hits him and he gets the puck back it s not like he blows Niederreiter up and he blows himself up Seeing a lot of control out of him The play reminded not only Hynes of the performer he had in Nashville but current teammates of their former Central Division foe before Trenin inked a four-year million contract in Minnesota in the summer of I hated playing against him Wild defenseman Zach Bogosian announced He finishes every check on the forecheck and then makes it tough on guys going back for the puck So it s good when he can set the tone that way and it kind of bleeds into the group Through his first games this season playing wing and specific center on the third or fourth line primarily Trenin has a goal and four assists Briefly None of the Wild s four at present injured forwards skated in Tuesday s practice before the gang boarded a charter for Wednesday night s event in Chicago Vinnie Hinostroza is expected to be out - weeks after suffering a lower body injury last Friday in Pittsburgh Marco Rossi lower has not yet begun skating Ryan Hartman lower skated on his own Tuesday but has yet to rejoin practice Vladimir Tarasenko lower was sick and stayed away from the rink as a precaution Related Articles Mats Zuccarello s impact hard to miss at Wild surge continues Wally is a Wall as Wild blank Jets After injury delay Nico Sturm excited for his second Wild debut Surging Wild dominate Pittsburgh start to finish Good reviews generally for Danila Yurov as Wild s top-line center
