CRISIS: How the Wild Lost Their IDENTITY After Moving on from the Dew Brothers

The Minnesota Wild's fourth line has been a revolving door of mediocrity since trading away the Dew Brothers, with Bill Guerin cycling through over 20 players in search of an identity that once defined the team's grit. From Brandon Duhaime's explosive hits to Connor Dewar's penalty-kill prowess, the 2022-23 Wild had a fourth line that brought genuine spark—then management let both walk for budget reasons. Host Seth Toupal breaks down the "Fourth Line Hall of Misses," examining why players like Ben Jones (0 points in 30 games), Yakov Trenin, and a parade of AHL call-ups can't replicate what made that Duhaime-Dewar-Shaw trio special. The Wild's current approach prioritizes "working hard" over actual production, creating empty-calorie minutes that force top lines to compensate. Meanwhile, former Wild castoff Marat Khusnutdinov thrives in Boston's top six—proof Minnesota misidentified talent by forcing skilled players into grinding roles. Discover why Minnesota's fourth line struggles directly impact their penalty kill, offensive depth, and overall team identity. This analysis reveals the blueprint for effective fourth-line construction and why the Wild keep missing the mark. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: Locked On Wild Follow/Subscribe Anywhere: https://linktr.ee/LockedOnWild Follow Locked On NHL: linktr.ee/lockedonNHL Join our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/ZAB6yyck Have a Question for the Show or a Topic you want Covered? Email lockedonwild@gmail.com For your next listen, check out the Locked On NHL podcast , where the season never ends providing national expertise with a local perspective. Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Rugiet - Ready to level up your confidence ? Head to https://rugiet.com and use promo code LOCKEDONNHL for 15% off your first order. Gametime - Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime. Monarch - Take control of your finances with Monarch. Use code LOCKEDONNHL at https://monarch.com/lockedonnhl for 50% off your first year. FanDuel - Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new FanDuel customers can get TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in Bonus Bets if your first FIVE DOLLAR bet wins! FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.