Founded: 2000
Arena: Xcel Energy Center
Stanley Cups won: 0
2008-09 Wild Preview:
(See below for the team ranking from last season)
There is no hidden agenda in Minnesota this year. Veteran forwards Brian Rolston and Pavol Demitra walked as free agents. After a forgettable 30-point season, winger Mark Parrish was bought out of his contract.
So step right up, Mikko Koivu, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, and Marian Gaborik! This is now your team!
GM Doug Risebrough and coach Jacques Lemaire have decided it's time to push the young forwards into starring roles. Koivu is ready to take over as the number-one centerman. Gaborik finished 7th in the NHL last year with 42 goals and Bouchard is coming off a career year of 63 points. So letting Demitra and Rolston pursue free agent riches elsewhere looks like a sound decision.
To fill out the forward lines, Minnesota brought in veterans Owen Nolan, Andrew Brunette and Antti Miettinen. None of them brings the complete game that Rolston provided, but the team will also ask more of James Sheppard, who scored 19 points as a rookie.
The transition on defense also bears watching. Brent Burns is a gem, at 23 already among the elite defensemen in the league. Nick Schultz is a reliable stay-at-home type. The Wild brought in Marek Zidlicky from Nashville and Marc-Andre Bergeron from Anaheim. They join Kim Johnsson to give the team plenty of passing and skating on defense.
The extra offense from the blue line is important, because Rolston also played the point on the power play.
Goaltender Niklas Backstrom is coming off a strong season, and he'll be pushed by Josh Harding. The 24-year-old Harding might soon be ready to take over the job. Minnesota is in good shape in net.
Making the transition to younger forwards is always risky business. But Minnesota appears to have covered itself well with the off-season acquisitions. If Marian Gaborik can stay healthy, you have to think Lemaire can coax this group to into a playoff spot. But will Gaborik still be in Minnesota come playoff time? Free agency looms in 2009, and the team has yet to sign him to a contract extension.
What the Minnesota Wild did in 2007-08
NHL rankings in each category are noted in brackets
2007-08 Regular Season Record:
Team Statistics
Team Leaders
Goaltenders
Niklas Backstrom: 58 games, 33-13-8
2.31 GAA (T-8th in NHL), .920 SV PCT (T-6th), 4 SO (T-9th)*
Josh Harding: 29 games, 11-5-2
2.94 GAA (39th in NHL), .908 SV PCT (26th), 1 SO (T-36th)*
*goaltending rankings among those with at least 25 games played.
