Last season, Yakov Trenin of the Minnesota Wild was the NHL’s most physical player, leading the league with 413 hits—far ahead of Kiefer Sherwood, who was second with 339. Trenin isn’t planning to tone down his aggressive style, which has become a hallmark of his game. Now in his third year with the Wild, he aims to add more offensive production to his contributions.
While maintaining his physical game, Trenin hopes to improve his scoring. In the past, he set a personal best with 17 goals during the 2021-22 season with the Nashville Predators, under coach John Hynes. His subsequent seasons saw less scoring, with seven goals in 76 games in 2024-25 and six goals plus a career-high 17 assists in last season’s 82 games. His playoff runs have also been more gritty than goal-heavy, with 51 hits in the 2026 playoffs compared to 34 the previous year.
There’s potential for Trenin to expand his offensive role, especially after working alongside skilled teammates like Yurov and Brink. Trenin praises Yurov’s growth and confidence as critical factors for his development, noting that Yurov’s improving English and comfort off the ice have helped his morale. Although who lines up beside Trenin remains to be seen, he is clear about his style: relentless physicality combined with the desire to contribute more goals. With 654 hits over two seasons, his identity as a tough, physical player is well established. But if he can find a way to score more, Trenin could become an even more valuable multi-dimensional player for the Wild.
Fan Take: Trenin’s drive to add scoring punch to his game is exciting for fans, as it suggests he could evolve into a more complete power forward. This development could bring a new dimension to the Wild’s lineup and influence how teams value gritty, physical players who also possess scoring ability.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
