Story by
Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
Bobby Brink’s mission: ‘Be undeniable’ for Wild
- Story byPioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
- Bobby Brink’s mission: ‘Be undeniable’ for Wild
The walleye fishing was typically excellent this summer along the south shore of Lake of the Woods, along the Canadian border in Minnesota's northernmost reaches. But Wild winger Bobby Brink missed out on the fun. He had other priorities in the summer months and didn't make a trip to his family's summer place in Lake of the Woods County.
Brink, 25, is a former state prep champion from Minnetonka who came home to Minnesota at the trade deadline last season. The return to familiar surroundings came after he won a NCAA title at Denver and began his NHL career with 201 games in a Philadelphia Flyers sweater.
Advertisement
He played 13 games for the Wild after a one-for-one trade sent underachieving defenseman David Jiricek to Philadelphia, with Brink putting up two goals and two assists. But he was little-used in the playoffs, watching seven of Minnesota's 11 postseason games while wearing street clothes.
When the team's exit interviews were conducted, Brink got some summer school assignments from his coach.
"We had a great conversation at the end of the year," Wild coach John Hynes said prior to the team's home opener versus Boston on Saturday. "Particularly in the playoffs, I think his assessment of his game, and what he needed to get better at, was the same as I had."
Brink said it's common for players to lose weight and muscle over the course of a season, as they are constantly in motion. While his summer involved some golf, pickleball and buying his first house, he also did plenty of work on the ice and in the weight room.
Advertisement
The sample size is decidedly small but playing wing on a line with Ryan Hartman at center and hard-hitting Yakov Trenin on the other wing, Brink had a Game 1 assist in the Wild's 3-1 win in Nashville to open the season.
"They're both good players. Hartzy's so smart and good with the puck, and Trenny is just a physical specimen out there, skating around, playing the body," Brink said. "They've been good to play with."
And while his warm-weather workload was considerable, Brink didn't feel the 2026 offseason was notably different than his previous time off.
"I feel like that every summer — just try to get better, bigger in the weight room, stronger," he said. "Touch up on the things that you kind of lose during a long season…and come into the season ready to go."
Advertisement
The coaches felt that Brink arrived at training camp ready to make a bigger impact for his hometown team.
"Bobby's come in with a really different attitude this year. He's been all business," Hynes said. "He's been fast. His speed's a factor. He's been very tenacious."
The coach added that maybe the biggest change he's seen in Brink has been on the defensive side of the ledger, where the winger has taken on more responsibility without the puck. And Brink admitted that is by design.
Wild fans are looking forward to watching the playoffs if the regular season goes as planned. Brink has watched enough Minnesota playoff games, and has designs to be on the ice in April and May.
Advertisement
"To be in the lineup every night, you've kind of got to be undeniable out there and impact the game on both ends of the rink," he said.
The fish will almost certainly still be biting whenever he makes it to the lake.
