The reason is quite simple: Fiala, who just signed a new two-year deal with the Wild, is still without a valid work visa. “I assume that as soon as he can get his paperwork that he’s going to be on the next flight,” Minnesota's coach Boudreau told the Pioneer Press. “Usually teams can expedite it pretty quickly. I’m hoping that he’s here for the beginning of next week. That’s just a hope.”
Acquired by the Wild from the Nashville Predators in exchange for Mikael Granlund on February, Kevin Fiala finished last season with 13 goals and 26 assists in a total of 83 games, which is 13 points below his career high season in 2017-18, when he managed to record 52 points (26 goals, 26 assists) in 92 games with the Preds.
“No doubt he’s got a lot of talent,” Boudreau said. “His individual skill is tremendous. He’s got to learn to play with the four other guys on the ice. That’s probably why he led the league in turnovers the last 20 games. He tried to do everything himself. As soon as he comes to the realization that he’s going to be much better when he works with the other guys, then we’re going to have quite a hockey player.”
When asked about if Fiala could fall behind by missing the first few days of training camp, Boudreau explained that the only thing he is worried about is how much Fiala has been preparing back home in Switzerland in the offseason: “You knew what the guys were doing here every day. Hopefully he was skating back home and working hard like I think he would be. If he does that, then he won’t be too far behind. We’ll find out as soon as he gets here.”
( 15 September 2019 | rlu )
