NHL On Tap: Wild host Red Wings with swagger back since Reaves trade

Welcome to the NHL On Tap. Three NHL.com writers will share what they are most looking forward to on the schedule each day. Today, their choices from three games Wednesday.

Wild have their swagger back

The Wild didn't trade for Ryan Reaves because of his offensive ability. General manager Bill Guerin said he was looking to inject some energy into the locker room when the Wild acquired the forward from the New York Rangers on Nov. 23. "Ryan's got a certain swagger," Guerin said. "And you need that to be successful. You need that on your team." Minnesota might have needed it more than anyone thought, because in the nine games Reaves has played, the Wild (15-11-2) are 6-3-0, compared to 9-8-2 before he made his debut Nov. 25. They've also won four straight at Xcel Energy Center entering their game against the Detroit Red Wings (7:30 p.m. ET; TNT, TVAS, BSN, BSWI, SN NOW). The Red Wings (13-9-6) have lost three in a row (0-2-1), including 1-0 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. Captain Dylan Larkin, Detroit's leading scorer with 27 points (10 goals, 17 assists) in 28 games is not available after the forward sustained an undisclosed injury during the third period against the Hurricanes. -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

Canadiens exhale, Senators get 'great news' on Stutzle

It could be a lot worse for the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators entering their game at Canadian Tire Centre (7 p.m. ET; SN, RDS, ESPN+, SN NOW). The Canadiens faithful exhaled when they learned Cole Caufield is expected to play after leaving a 2-1 shootout win against the Calgary Flames on Monday with an upper-body injury sustained by a hit from Flames forward Trevor Lewis at 3:55 of the second period. The 21-year-old forward is on pace for 47 goals, the most by a Canadiens player since Stephane Richer scored 51 in 1989-90. Montreal (14-12-2), though, will miss defenseman David Savard (upper body) and forward Sean Monahan (lower body), each for 2-3 weeks. All things considered, the Senators (12-14-2) received what coach D.J. Smith called "great news" with
Tim Stutzle
out for at least a week; the 20-year-old center has a contusion in his shoulder and no structural damage. So far, Ottawa has survived without forward Josh Norris (shoulder). They must continue to weather the storm without Stutzle, their second-leading scorer with 27 points (10 goals, 17 assists) in 28 games, and Tyler Motte, a forward out about one week with an upper-body injury. -- Jon Lane, staff writer

Pacific Division clash of teams looking for consistency

Are the Flames turning the corner? It's hard to say yes after they went 0-1-2 during a three-game road trip that ended Monday. But the Flames (13-11-5) have picked up points in six of their past eight (4-2-2) and they've been the better team more often than not. They lost 2-1 to the Canadiens on Dec. 1 but outshot them 46-19. Their special teams have been good too. They were 7-for-7 on the penalty kill Monday, including a successful kill on a four-minute double-minor high-sticking penalty Tyler Toffoli took 49 seconds into overtime. They've scored on the power play in four of their past five games. Goalie Jacob Markstrom has been better, allowing five goals in his past three starts (1.68 goals-against average, .940 save percentage). But the fact is they've lost three in a row and need a win. They have a chance for one against the Vancouver Canucks at Scotiabank Saddledome (10 p.m. ET; TNT, SN, SN1, TVAS). The Canucks (12-13-3) want to believe they're turning the corner too. They won three in a row before losing 3-0 to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. They've been streaky, but consistency rules. The Canucks and Flames seem close to finding it. One will take a hit Wednesday. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

Wednesday games

Montreal Canadiens at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; SN, RDS, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Canadiens are 9-0-2 in one-goal games, second in the NHL to the Vegas Golden Knights (11-4-1). Seven players have more multigoal games than Alex DeBrincat's 27 since the Senators forward joined the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017-18: Alex Ovechkin (50), Auston Matthews (49), Leon Draisaitl (44), Connor McDavid (37), David Pastrnak (35), Sebastian Aho (29) and Kyle Connor (29). Ottawa recalled defenseman Dillon Heatherington and forward Jacob Lucchini from Belleville of the American Hockey League.
Detroit Red Wings at Minnesota Wild (7:30 p.m. ET; TNT, TVAS, BSN, BSWI, SN NOW)
Detroit forward Lucas Raymond has scored five goals in three games against Minnesota, including both goals in a 2-1 win Oct. 29. The Red Wings recalled forward Elmer Soderblom from Grand Rapids of the AHL and placed defenseman Olli Maatta on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 6. Soderblom, 21, was activated off IR on Dec. 9. He sustained a lower-body injury Nov. 8 and missed 13 NHL games. Minnesota forward Kirill Kaprizov has 15 points (five goal, 10 assists) during a nine-game home point streak.
Vancouver Canucks at Calgary Flames (10 p.m. ET; TNT, SN, SN1, TVAS)
The Flames have won three in a row and six of seven (6-1-0) at home, where they are 10-5-1 this season. But the Canucks have won five straight on the road and are 6-2-0 against Pacific opponents and 8-3-2 against Western Conference teams.