A captain shall ascend

Today, the Wild announced who gets to wear the "C" on the front of their sweater for at least the month of October. The choice?

One of the two guys who were told yesterday that they'd be wearing the "A", and the one that many fans think could hold the "C" on a permanent basis.

So congratulations, Mikko Koivu! We expect the "A" to be transferred to Johnsson for the beginning month, especially since he was acting as the team's captain througout the preseason.

In looking at last night's season opening games, it appears that the moves the NHL has made over the years to improve scoring have finally started showing results. All four of the games featured at least 5 goals scored. In fact, two of the teams scored 5 themselves, with Boston needing the extra talley to top Colorado, and Vancouver only needing one on their way to a 6-0 shutout of Calgary. In the other games, San Jose topped Anaheim 4-1 and Toronto spoiled Detroit's banner-raising with a 3-2 victory over the Red Wings.

Another pile of games on the slate tonight, but we're still waiting for tomorrow when the Wild face the Bruins.