MONDAY'S STORY LINE: Offense. It is something the Wild have lacked all season. Minnesota is averaging 2.18 goals per game, 29th in the NHL. Their defensemen have generated only 63 points, last in NHL.
Minnesota called up forward Kris Foucault and defenseman Marco Scandella in hopes both can add some offense to the lineup.
Foucault, 21, has 23 points (10 Goals, 13 Assists) in 47 games with Houston this season. Yeo wants to see some of that offense up here.
"Going on the fact we haven't scored a lot of goals lately, we are looking for a guy that has a chance to make a play, has some offensive upside. From what we understand, he had been playing very well," said Yeo. "He has also improved other areas of his game as well."
Foucault was an offensive power in the WHL in 2010-11, scoring 48 points in 65 games for the Calgary Hitmen. This is his first year pro and Foucault has addressed areas of his game that he needs to improve, one is his defense.
"I think for sure the defensive side of hockey is something I needed to develop. My offensive skill has always been there. I just need to make sure I play sound defensively," said Foucault.
So far Yeo is happy with Foucault's development this season.
"He had to learn the pro-game. In junior, I think a lot of times a player like that can get away with their skill. Relying on their skill, now all of a sudden getting to the pro-game and you have to learn that your skill is only going to be a factor if you are doing a bunch of other things out there, and I think he is doing that," added Yeo.
Foucault earned his call-up and will make his NHL debut tomorrow if Cal Clutterbuck (lower body) can't go. Clutterbuck was hurt at the end of the 2nd period Saturday against Columbus. Yeo said today he didn't "anticipate" the forward would be ready to go tomorrow.
Scandella, who has five points (2 Goals, 3 Assists) in nine games since being sent to Houston on January 9th, will be in the lineup tomorrow night. Justin Falk and Mike Lundin will be scratched.
Scandella was sent to Houston after he hit a rough patch and seemed to lose all confidence in his game. Yeo feels the trip to Houston helped boost his confidence.
"It was really important for him as far as his confidence. If it was going to come back to him it was going to come back to him down there and from what I understand he is playing really well right now," added Yeo.
Yeo hopes Scandella, like Foucault, can provide an offensive punch. The young defenseman has shown the ability to move the puck up the ice with ease and help contribute on offense, something the Wild need from their blue line. The Wild blue line has scored 10 goals this season, tied for last in the NHL with New Jersey.
"I think that our defense have been doing a great job jumping up into the play lately. We haven't been getting the numbers offensively, the puck hasn't been ending up in the net, but we have to stay with that," said Yeo. "He is another guy who has the ability to help us with the offensive part of our game. First with the execution on the back end, whether it a retrieval or coming out of defensive zone coverage, his abilty to move his feet, his abilty to make a play but also his skating ability and his ability to get up ice and support the attack, and then in the offensive zone or on the power play, his shot can be a real threat," added Yeo.
HE SAID IT: "We tried to do some different things. Just mentally, I think that it is important we find a way to make sure we are in a good place. But we did a lot of things to hopefully feel confident about ourselves." -- Yeo on trying to keep things positive in today's practice
