Ryan Hartman Only Has One Question To Answer After His Playoff Performance – Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild are entering what could be their most consequential summer since they signed Zach Parise and Ryan Suter in 2012. 

With a superstar to re-sign and money to spend, what happens this offseason will shape the next era of Wild hockey. The team could look significantly different when they take the ice next year. However, according to The Athletic’s Joe Smith, Ryan Hartman is still likely to be a part of it. 

It wasn’t always guaranteed that Hartman would have a spot on the team. He’s a scrappy forward who sometimes can provide scoring depth. While he has upside, there’s also the part of his game that led him to his suspension for 10 games (later reduced to eight) after the Tim Stutzle incident. 

That incident was the latest in a string of events for Hartman, who the league has suspended five times and fined seven times. Hartman’s disciplinary history seemed to test the NHL and the Wild brass’s patience. Bill Guerin said there would be “no more wiggle room” after Hartman returned from suspension. Those comments led to speculation that the Wild would trade the forward at the deadline or after the season. 

Given Joe Smith’s assertion that Hartman will likely be on the team next season, much has changed between that moment and now. In just a few short months, Hartman was able to flip the script on his Wild tenure and save his spot on the team.

One of the main aspects of Hartman’s redemption arc was his performance in the playoffs. Most people recognized the forward’s gritty performance, giving Guerin a more positive view of his play. 

The Wild GM spoke about his performance after the playoffs, showing a marked change in stance from his comments after his suspension.

“That is the Ryan Hartman that we need,” Guerin said. “He played incredibly well. Stayed composed and did not give in to the other team trying to push his buttons. 

“He has that ability. We need him to be more like that than the guy that flies off the hammer. He has that ability, and I think sometimes he is frustrated with himself, and he just blows a gasket, which I get. But we need the playoff Ryan Hartman, then the other guy.”

Hartman’s composure was a staple of his game in the playoffs. He played his usual style while only committing one penalty and drawing three. While Hartman drew praise for his composure, he was also a positive contributor offensively. The forward produced the second-most expected goals per 60 minutes and peppered the Vegas net with shots.

(Source: Moneypuck.com)

While Hartman’s playoff performance provided cause for celebration, it is just a six-game sample. The refs also call fewer penalties in the playoffs. Can Hartman replicate his performance over a long stretch and within the confines of the regular season?

There are signs to indicate that he can. After his suspension, Hartman played much like he did in the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Here are some of Hartman’s stats from the last 20 games of the regular season.

(Source: Moneypuck.com)

Hartman was already playing productive hockey in his minutes, but wasn’t as productive as usual. He also drew 29 penalty minutes while only sitting 15 minutes in the box. When you compare those numbers to his overall season, it’s evident he had much more positive results in the last 20 games.

(Source: Moneypuck.com)

Hartman’s penalty differential before the last 20 games also had a far less favorable ratio of 35 PIMs drawn to 40 PIMs served. Hartman earned praise with his playoff performance but was just as productive at the end of the regular season. 

In the 20-game sample, Hartman accrued an expected goals-for percentage of 53.6% and had relatively positive possession numbers with a 52% Fenwick rating. He even played solid defensively, allowing the fewest high-danger shot attempts against per 60 minutes among forwards (2.56). 

All that indicates Hartman can replicate his playoff performance in the regular season.

Another piece of this puzzle is that trading Hartman wouldn’t make sense on a team that needs as much center depth as possible. With constant speculation about trading Marco Rossi, the Wild will need every bit of help down the middle. 

Hartman is a versatile forward who plays a lot on the wing but can also play center. He is by no means a faceoff wizard, but he has improved significantly throughout his Minnesota tenure. He won 41.5% of his draws in 2020-21, the first season he took over 200 faceoffs for the Wild. Hartman had his best year in the faceoff dot last season, winning 47.8% of his faceoffs. 

That doesn’t make him a tremendous asset in the faceoff circle, but for a team that averaged 46.7%, Hartman is better than most of their team members. 

There’s a healthy amount of hypothesizing that the Wild are looking to bring in Brock Nelson, which would strengthen the center corps. Even with that boon, the team wouldn’t be able to get rid of any centers. 

At one point, Hartman’s departure seemed inevitable. With his play in the back half of the season and his even better performance in the playoffs, that feeling is now a distant memory. If Hartman can continue playing his brand of tenacious hockey without going over the edge, he’ll be a valuable asset for Minnesota.

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