Sights and sounds from day one at training camp

ST. PAUL -- The Wild were on the ice Thursday for the first day of training camp at TRIA Rink, less than three days before the club's first preseason game in St. Louis.
Three weeks from Thursday, Minnesota will board a charter plane for the West Coast, where the Wild will play the Anaheim Ducks in the regular season opener at Honda Center on Oct. 15.
Here are some more sights and sounds from downtown St. Paul as Wild players and coaches got back to work on Thursday:

In Group A, Mats Zuccarello opened camp, skating with Joel Eriksson Ek as his centerman. Kirill Kaprizov will join those two on a line, perhaps as soon as Friday, but coach Dean Evason said that's the plan early.
Eriksson Ek didn't play much between those two last season, but armed with a new eight-year contract he signed in the offseason, Eriksson Ek has also earned the opportunity for a more featured role.

"I mean, I just play wherever they put me, and I'm happy with that," Eriksson Ek said. "Of course I think it doesn't matter who we play with, as long as it's somebody on the Minnesota Wild. We as a team are just going to have to try to do whatever is best for us as a team."
Zuccarello said he doesn't think incorporating a player like Eriksson Ek onto the line will take much adjustment.

"Chemistry is something you have to work on, too. I mean, for some people it's there instantly. But for other people, you gotta give it time and work on it and talk about it," Zuccarello said. "So, I think, whoever you play with or whatever, you gotta make it work. But some players it might take longer time with, and some players you might click with right away. But I think with Ekker, he's a smart, good player. He works so hard, is strong in the puck. So for me, I'm real excited to be with him right now. And we'll see what happens in the future.
"It's the first practice of the camp. So a lot of things can change, but I'm excited about him. He's a hell of a player. He can go, go, go, work all day long."

Marcus Foligno was one of the headliners in Group B, off an offseason where his brother, former Columbus Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno, was a free agency target of Minnesota.
Nick ended up signing in Boston with the Bruins.
While Marcus was hoping for a chance to play with his older brother in Minnesota, Nick's decision to go elsewhere provided for a rather funny moment when Marcus was asked if Wild GM Bill Guerin had forgiven him yet for not closing the deal with his big bro.

"I think so. He said hi to me once or twice," Foligno said with a grin. "It was tough. Being along for that journey with Nick trying to go through free agency, it was a cool experience as a younger brother to go through it but at the same time I don't really realize how stressful it I was. There was, I don't want to say a lot, but a handful of teams that were really pushing hard.
"It's tough, Nick's the type of person that you kind of feel like you're letting down guys when you haven't even played for them, and that's kind of how free agency goes. I don't know if it was the call from Patrice Bergeron that carried more weight than a call from his brother, but that just goes to show you the type of person Patrice is in this hockey world. I think it's a good fit for him, I think it fits Nick's game really well. Boston's a team that's always right there and always in the talks of a Stanley Cup run, and that doesn't mean Minnesota isn't, but Nick just felt like the fit was good. I think you go back to the family situation with his daughter an he's got a lot of good times there.
"It'd be nice to be doing an interview with him but the way he said that he signed two years so he could come join me my third year."

In Group C, Kevin Fiala skated with Victor Rask and former Milwaukee Admirals/Nashville Predators teammate Freddy Gaudreau in what is expected to be another line combination, at least to start.
Both Gaudreau and Rask can play center, and on Thursday, it was Gaudreau in the middle with Rask on the wing. But that might not be how it stays all camp - and certainly all season.

"Victor Rask has a skillset that can play with those two guys. So it's a nice look," said Wild coach Dean Evason. "Talked to Victor this morning about his commitment to playing wing, and again, he can easily slide back into center ice. And again, it's the first day, so we're just getting a real good look at everybody and yeah, we will move people around as we do every year. We still have to see some chemistry. We still have a lot of new people, obviously, we'll be mixing and matching as we go here."
Fiala certainly looks like a player motivated to have his best season yet, and admitted as much on Thursday.
While Eriksson Ek was rewarded with an eight-year contract and Kaprizov a five-year pact, Fiala and the Wild agreed to a one-year contract.

Obviously, a longer-term deal was Fiala's preference, but he said he's fine with the agreement and is looking forward to the opportunity to prove himself this season before revisiting things next summer.
"I'm very, very motivated," Fiala said. "I got my fire in my eyes. I'm looking forward to the season badly."

Kaprizov did not take part in on-ice activities with any of the three groups but was out there alone for a skate later in the afternoon.
Evason expected him to join Group A and be with his teammates as soon as Friday.
All photos by Brandon McCauley