For The Wild, "X" Might Miss the Playoff Spot

Image via WikipediaThis is the Minnesota Wild's 10th season in the National Hockey League (skipping over the 2004-05 season that never was).  With the exception of the 2003 run to the Western Conference finals, most of their short history has been as a one-and-done playoff team, if they got there at all.

Thanks to the combination of Jacques Lemaire's defense-first coaching and Doug Risebrough's conservative roster moves during most of the decade, current general manager Chuck Fletcher and coach Todd Richards are stuck in a box.  They couldn't choose difference-makers because of high draft numbers, and they couldn't sign veterans who aren't on the decline.  Thus, the Wild did not make the playoffs last season.  This year, they face another uphill battle.

Minnesota's new additions include Matt Cullen, John Madden (no relation to the former TV football commentator) and Brad Staubitz, who was brought in to replace departed enforcer--and fan favorite--Derek Boogaard.

Injuries still haunt the Wild.  Pierre-Marc Bouchard is recovering from a concussion that kept him from playing most of last season.  James Shepard was hurt in an ATV accident and won't return until midseason.  Goaltender Josh Harding was injured during a preseason game at St. Louis, so veteran netminder Jose Theodore has been signed to back up Niklas Backstrom.

To stay competitive, the Wild will need scoring from Mikko Koivu and Guillaume Latendresse, among others.  Enough scoring, that is, to avoid having to go into a shootout every night.

For nine season, the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul has been sold out for every Wild game.  That may not be the case this season, as fans are getting tired of seeing their team perpetually struggling on the ice.  And they will continue to struggle without a playoff berth to show for it.

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The Chicago Blackhawks will try to defend its Stanley Cup title in spite of the exodus of many of its top players, reminding one of baseball's Florida Marlins.  After that team won World Series titles in 1997 and 2003, they got rid of most of its players and tanked in the standings for a few years.  If that happened to the Hawks, the Cubs might win the World Series before the Cup takes up residence in the Windy City again.

Here's who we think will still be playing in mid-April:

WEST  Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, San Jose Sharks, Phoenix Coyotes, Los Angeles Kings, Nashville Predators.

EAST  Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, Philadelphia Flyers, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, Atlanta Thrashers.