willistonherald
ST. PAUL — While the walleye fishing along the south shore of Lake of the Woods was as bountiful as ever this summer, Bobby Brink had to forgo the family tradition. The Wild winger had other commitments and never made it to his family's retreat in Lake of the Woods County.
Brink, 25, is a former Minnesota state high school champion from Minnetonka who returned to his home state at last season's trade deadline. His journey back to familiar territory followed an NCAA title at Denver and 201 NHL games with the Philadelphia Flyers.
In a one-for-one trade that sent defenseman David Jiricek to Philadelphia, Brink appeared in 13 games for the Wild, recording two goals and two assists. However, his playoff role was minimal; he was a healthy scratch for seven of Minnesota's 11 postseason contests.
During exit interviews, Brink received a summer to-do list from his coach. "We had a great conversation at the end of the year," Wild coach John Hynes said before the team's home opener against 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 acknowledges that players often lose weight and muscle over a long season due to constant skating. While his summer included golf, pickleball, and purchasing his first home, he also dedicated significant time to on-ice and weight-room work.
The sample size is small, but skating on a line with center Ryan Hartman and physical winger Yakov Trenin, Brink notched an assist in Game 1 of the Wild's 3-1 win at 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."
Despite his extensive warm-weather training, Brink didn't view the 2026 offseason as markedly different from previous ones. "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."
The coaching staff believes Brink arrived at training camp poised to make a greater 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."
Hynes added that the most notable improvement has been Brink's defensive play, where he has assumed more responsibility without the puck. Brink admitted that was intentional.
Wild fans are eager to see a deep playoff run if the regular season unfolds as hoped. Brink has watched enough Minnesota playoff games and aspires to be on the ice in April and May. "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.
Originally reported by willistonherald.