The Wild were ready to send Marat Khustnutdinov out for warmups before Tuesday night’s game against the Arizona Coyotes at Xcel Energy Center, even though the team was not going to play their rookie center.

That’s because Khustnutdinov didn’t want to do his traditional, rookie solo lap to start warmups and then not play.

“He’d rather save that for his first game,” coach John Hynes said. “Which I totally get.”

The Wild have kept themselves relevant down the stretch with a 10-4-2 run that started when they returned from the all-star break with a 2-1 win at Chicago on Feb. 7, so Khustnutdinov — a second-round pick in the 2020 entry draft who just finished his fourth season in the NHL — has not become the team’s main storyline.

But there is an eager curiosity among fans to see the young Russian, promoted by general manager Bill Guerin as a speedy center who can help the team immediately. Still, the Wild are not going to rush a top prospect who just arrived from Moscow on Saturday night and spent his first full day with the team on Tuesday.

Khustnutdinov had a full morning skate, then went through all the team’s pregame meetings. It’s the same approach they took with Declan Chisholm after they claimed him off waivers from Winnipeg on Jan. 29.

Chisholm, who had played only eight games all season prior to being claimed, waited almost two weeks before making his Minnesota debut, but he said Tuesday that it worked for him.

“I think it definitely helps watching a few games before just jumping into the lineup,” Chisholm said. “You haven’t played with any of the guys, to get a couple practices and get some chemistry down with guys, I think it was beneficial.”

Chisholm also skated in a few warmups before playing in a game, but he already had played in four NHL games with the Jets. For Khusnutdinov, this is it.

“Our plan was to try to give him the experience to be able to warm up, then you realize this is his first game in the NHL,” Hynes said. “He’s excited for it, but I think he wants to make sure he’s ready, too. He wants that opportunity when he’s going to play.”

It seems likely that will be on Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks at the X.

Bold move

Hynes’ overtime gambit in a 4-3 victory over Nashville on Sunday was the talk of the NHL, and he did get some congratulatory texts from coaching colleagues after the afternoon game.

“A few guys did,” he said. “Nothing major, but a few guys.”

It was a rare move in the NHL because it comes with an additional penalty for losing. If you pull the goalie in OT for any reason other than a delayed penalty and lose, your team surrenders the point they earned for going to overtime.

Vinni Lettieri was among the Wild players anticipating the move.

“It was a bold move to start, but it was the right move, obviously,” Lettieri said Tuesday, “and he made a great call.”

Asked if the decision told the players anything new about their coach, who replaced Dean Evason on Nov. 28, Lettieri said no.

“I think he’s been all-in since he got the job,” the former Gophers forward said. “I think the culture turnaround here is we want to win, and anything less than winning and making the playoffs is a disappointment to the organization. So, I don’t think that decision had anything to do with his mindset; it just shows how desperate we are for every single point.”

Briefly

The Wild activated forward Marcus Johansson from injured reserve and put him in Tuesday’s lineup. Marcus Foligno, who sat out the morning skate for maintenance, also was in the lineup.