"Obviously disappointing for Chuck but now (it's) an opportunity for someone new to come in and maybe give a fresh look to this group and what we have and hopefully it can take us to another level," said Wild forward Eric Staal.
That new level is, hopefully, being 'good enough.'
That's not something a new general manager can do on their own. Instead, it comes down to the individual players who have both the drive and abilities to play better.
"We had a good year, we had a good team, but how far has that gotten us?" said Wild forward Charlie Coyle. "We definitely want more, we expect more from ourselves ... We're gonna keep being a good team. But that's only gonna get us what we've gotten so far, and everyone deserves more, everyone expects more, that's what we're gonna shoot for."
With the offseason ahead, it's time for players to rest and recuperate, and for some, re-negotiate. Zucker and Matt Dumba will be restricted free agents, while Daniel Winnik will be an unrestricted free agent.
As the hunt for a general manager begins, there's some uncertainty for everyone; even more so the players whose future in St. Paul isn't assured. But, as Coyle said, it's a personal responsibility to be ready for whatever comes. For Winnik, he hopes that's a renewal with Minnesota.
"I obviously want to be back," Winnik said. "I think it took me a while to get my mojo back. I really think the summer took a toll on my confidence. I thought the last couple months of the season I was playing some really good hockey, and I think it showed."
It's a point in his favor that he was one of the few on the Wild roster that never missed time with an injury this year.
Without making excuses, players acknowledged it was a difficult year, injury-wise. While it happens to every team, the constant spate of injuries to top-level players made it difficult to gain much momentum, even as others stepped up to fill the gaps.
The summer will hopefully provide time for bodies to heal, just in time to do it all over again.
Suter remains in a cast and on crutches, and won't be able to put pressure on his foot for a few months. Zach Parise called the hit that fractured his sternum in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs a "freak thing."
Others are banged up too; Matt Dumba admits soreness, and Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said that Joel Eriksson Ek had an upper-body injury while the team is waiting for more information about the severity of some of Coyle's bumps and bruises.
"Everyone goes through some sort of adversity during the year and it's not ideal but that's how it goes and you gotta bounce back from it," Coyle said. "I'm sure we can fix some things and become a better team.
"I've got to do my part ... it's up to each guy to go home, look in the mirror and come back a better player."
