BRANDON, FLA. - Last month, in the heart of the Wild's struggles, there were times it was difficult to ascertain what the team was trying to accomplish.
The players didn't come up the ice as a group of five. Defensemen were all over the place. Forecheckers didn't support. Players were caught in between two systems.
There was lots of confusion and little cohesion.
Fast-forward to Wednesday, and listen to what Tampa Bay Lightning coach Rick Tocchet said after watching the Wild's recent games: "They're starting to play the new system real well. To me, it didn't seem the coach panicked. He said, 'This is the way we're going to play. This is my system,' and you can tell, they're reaping the benefits.
"You watch the way they've played the last two weeks, they're starting to get it."
Tocchet, in his second year coaching the Lightning after replacing Barry Melrose 16 games into last season, can relate to what Wild first-year coach Todd Richards went through last month. He is still trying to get the Lightning to play the way he expects, and Tampa Bay is showing signs (6-4-5 after finishing 29th last season).
Richards arrived in Minnesota promising up-tempo, aggressive hockey. He revamped original coach Jacques Lemaire's system and the Wild lost nine of its first 12 games.
"But as a coach," Tocchet said, "you have to believe in your style and your system. If you show the players any hint that you're changing certain things because you lost the first month and are panicking, I think you lose the team."