from Joe Smith of The Athletic,

It drives some fans crazy, wondering why the team doesn’t feel the need to work on things after a loss. But coach Dean Evason’s philosophy doesn’t change whether his team has won three in a row or lost three in a row, as they have now. The Wild have practiced just twice in the first 12 days of January. They had off days Monday and Wednesday heading into Thursday’s game against the Islanders.

It’s not because Evason, an avid golfer, wants to work on his swing. It’s not because the staff doesn’t see value in practice. It’s not because players are snowed in.

“When you see the science behind it,” captain Jared Spurgeon says, “It makes sense.”

Evason says the team’s decision on a practice schedule is the result of constant communication between coaches, players and the strength and conditioning staff. He believes rest can be a weapon, especially in today’s NHL. He understands the importance — mentally and physically — of getting away from the rink.

And Evason trusts the data....

Each Wild player wears a heart-rate monitor as often as he can — from when he’s getting his gear on, to workouts, practices and games. The monitor is attached to a strap around the chest.

There’s a program called Firstbeat, which many NHL teams (and soccer clubs) use. It tracks a measurement called TRIMP (training impulse), which is based on zones of your heart rate. You accumulate units per minute. For example, if you’re above 90 percent of your max heart rate, it can be accumulating at least three TRIMP per minute, and it decreases as it goes down.

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