The two series about to get underway in the Stanley Cup playoffs couldn't look more different from the outside. In the West, the two teams that were supposed to make it this far did. Meanwhile, out East, the term "supposed to" didn't really come into play, as the two remaining teams defied the odds every opportunity to find themselves both one series away from the chance to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup.
Eastern Conference Finals
The Eastern Conference is really a toss-up at this point. The two remaining teams split their season series against each other, and both have plenty of reasons why they weren't expected to still be around.
#7 Philadelphia Flyers vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens
This marks the first time under the current playoff format that the #7 and #8 teams have faced each other for the conference championships, and history has popped up for both Montreal and Philadelphia. The Flyers come to this series becoming only the third team in NHL history to win a game 7 after finding themselves down 3-0 in the series. They also overcame a 3-0 deficit within that game seven to pull off the 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins. The Flyers have had some injured players return at the right moments, and the biggest question mark entering the post season, goaltending, suddenly is looking like one of their biggest strengths. Brian Boucher is out, but Michael Leighton has stepped up huge in net for the Flyers, and the return of Simon Gagne helped spur Philly on to their surprise series win.
Meanwhile, all the Montreal Canadiens have done is knock off the NHL's best regular-season record, followed by sending the current reigning Stanley Cup champions home. After surprising the Washington Capitals, Montreal took care of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the same fashion.; opportunistic goal scoring and a strong defense shut down the Penguins stars. Meanwhile, the hottest player on the ice in these playoffs has worn a Montreal jersey, as Mike Cammalleri just keeps scoring. Will the Flyers have an answer for Jaroslav Halak, one that neither Pittsburgh or Washington could find? Either way, Cinderella's slipper will be moving on to the Stanley Cup Finals, and expect to see it remain on Montreal, as the Canadiens will advance in 7 games.
Western Conference Finals
If the Eastern Conference is about teams that surprised everyone by still being around in the playoffs, then the West is about the two teams that were expected to be fighting it out for the chance to take on the Eastern champion.
#1 San Jose Sharks vs. #2 Chicago Blackhawks
The San Jose Sharks have spent previous postseasons haunted by their own ineffectiveness. This time around, unheralded players stepped up in their first round victory, and, when faced with the Detroit Red Wings, the Sharks found one of their stars stepping to the front. San Jose is being powered by two players named Joe, with a little help from Evgeni Nabokov on the back end. The Sharks are trying to prove that their are more than a regular season powerhouse, and, if they can keep putting the same product on the ice that they did against Detroit, they should make an interesting series.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Blackhawks have been getting plenty of help from their stars all postseason, and in their series against the Vancouver Canucks, some of their supporting cast stepped up in a huge way. Back-to-back road hat tricks helped power Chicago past their nemesis from last season's playoffs, in a similar fashion. The Blackhawks are a team that was built to fight for the Cup this year, and anything short of the championship will be a huge disappointment. That's largely because salary problems will rip apart this Chicago team for next season, and some of the important role players will find themselves on different teams. At the end of the series, though, Marian Hossa will miss the chance to play in his third Finals series in a row, after San Jose defeats the Blackhawks in 6.
Showing posts with label predictions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label predictions. Show all posts
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
2009-10 Playoff Previews: Conference Semifinals
Part of what makes playoff hockey so exciting is the stories that end up coming out of the games. For proof, just watch a game and see one of the cycle of "history will happen" commercials being aired. They've served as a nice reminder of the unexpected taking place, or the expected being put on a grander stage. This year's playoffs will definitely have their own fair share of history, along with some unexpected results as the remaining eight teams move ahead to the second round.
Eastern Conference
Who would have expected that, after the first round, none of the division winners would still be playing? And yet, in the Eastern Conference, that's exactly what happened, with only Pittsburgh avoiding an upset, dispatching the #5 seeded Ottawa Senators. The shake-up in the East means that the early favorite to win it all is now out of the way, and it could make things more interesting.
#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens
The Penguins did exactly what everyone expected they would do. True, Ottawa took a couple games away from them on their home ice, but the Penguins showed why they're the defending champs, and their star power shined brightly in the first round. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were huge on the ice for the Penguins, and Marc-Andre Fleury held his team in when he needed to. Ultimately, it was Pittsburgh's offense that drove them on to the second round, where they remain the highest seed remaining in the East.
Their reward? They get to face the Montreal Canadiens. That may not be much of a reward overall, though, as the Canadiens became the first #8 seed to win a series after being down 3-1 after four games. Montreal may not have done much in their 100th season, but they're looking to get the next hundred years off to a good start. They may have gotten the benefit of a couple calls, including a no-goal call in Game 7, but they simply shut down the top team in the NHL, starting with game five. Looking for a reason why Montreal moved on, look no further than Jaroslav Halak. Unremarkable in the beginning of the series, he was pulled in favor of Carey Price, returned in Game 5, and just closed the door on Washington the rest of the way. Halak was absolutely brilliant in net, including a 53-save performance in Game 6 before turning aside 40+ shots in Game 7. The Canadiens will be looking to their defense to stop the high-powered Penguins offense, but Pittsburgh comes in a little more rested. Cinderella's shoe might fit right now, but it will need a new home after Pittsburgh wins in 6 games.
#6 Boston Bruins vs #7 Philadelphia Flyers
Boston may have had some scary moments while facing the Buffalo Sabres, but, in the end, they did to Buffalo exactly what they did all season, and that's make the bigger plays when it counts. None may have been bigger than the plays made by Miroslav Satan, a former Sabre and a winner of the Stanley Cup last season with Pittsburgh. Satan was left floating as a free agent until January, when the Bruins snapped him up to fill in for some injured players. He's only turned around to be a consistent scoring threat. Boston is also about to get a boost when Marc Savard returns to play, having recovered from the concussion that kept him off the ice for the first round. Meanwhile, Milan Lucic and Zdeno Chara should be getting ready for a physical series, because the Bruins drew a classic battle for the second round.
That classic battle will be against the Philadelphia Flyers. The last team to make it into the playoffs, and only because of a last minute win, the Flyers became the first team to advance to the second round when they stunned Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils. The Flyers are a rough-and-tumble team, but they have offensive prowess. They also showed a sturdy penalty kill, which is good for Philadelphia, as they have a tendency to march to the penalty box. Brian Boucher needs to continue playing the great hockey he has, and the Flyers need Scott Hartnell to find his game. At the end of this rough series, though, the Bruins will be advancing, winning in 7 games.
Western Conference
Over in the West, it could be argued that there wasn't a single upset. True, the number four team didn't advance, but it's hard to call the Detroit Red Wings an underdog, especially with their success over the years and the way they played in the tail part of the season. Still, the West made its own history, and that should continue with an exciting second round.
#1 San Jose Sharks vs #5 Detroit Red Wings
In the beginning of their series against the Colorado Avalanche, it looked like the San Jose Sharks were on their way to another postseason collapse. After three games, they were staring down a 2-1 deficit, and had actually scored an own goal to dig themselves into that hole. All they did after that was rattle off three impressive wins, led by Joe Pavelski, Devin Setoguchi, and Ryan Clowe. Evgeni Nabokov also stood tall, putting together an amazing GAA despite a huge Colorado Game 2. The Sharks look to be serious contenders this year, but they desperately need their "Big Three" of Heatley, Thornton, and Marleau to step up their level of play.
Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings were taken to a seventh game by the upstart Phoenix Coyotes, but all Detroit did was allow their stars to take over. Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg stepped up at the exact right times, and the Detroit defense was able to keep Phoenix from playing too much of their own style. In the final game of the series, the Red Wings punched their ticket to the second round with an exclamation point, decimating the Coyotes to the tune of 6-1. That should continue for the Red Wings, as Detroit will knock off San Jose in 7.
#2 Chicago Blackhawks vs #3 Vancouver Canucks
The Chicago Blackhawks survived a bit of a scare from the Nashville Predators, falling behind 2-1 after three games. Then Nashville gave away Game 5, and it was history. The Blackhawks survived a 5-minute major penalty in that game, and it was the player who spent time in the box, and who has come in second the last two years, who scored the game winner that ultimately put the series out of Nashville's reach. Will this be the year that Marian Hossa finally gets to lift the Cup himself? With help from Jonathon Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Antti Niemi, he's certainly hoping so.
Standing in Chicago's way is the team that they faced last year at this same time, and a team that they ushered out the door in six games. The Vancouver Canucks aren't much different from the team that lost to Chicago last season, but they are an improved team. The Sedin twins are playing big-time hockey now, shaking off criticisms that they couldn't bring their talent into the playoffs with them. Meanwhile, Mikael Samuelsson helped add offense to a Vancouver team that already had plenty. The big concerns for the Canucks will have to be on the penalty kill, as they were awful at slowing down the Los Angeles Kings power play, and whether or not Roberto Luongo can shake the demons of past performances. If Luongo can be the stud goaltender that the Canucks are hoping he can be, they can look to playing in the conference finals. Ultimately, though, this year's result won't be any different from last year, as the Blackhawks advance in 6 games.
Eastern Conference
Who would have expected that, after the first round, none of the division winners would still be playing? And yet, in the Eastern Conference, that's exactly what happened, with only Pittsburgh avoiding an upset, dispatching the #5 seeded Ottawa Senators. The shake-up in the East means that the early favorite to win it all is now out of the way, and it could make things more interesting.
#4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #8 Montreal Canadiens
The Penguins did exactly what everyone expected they would do. True, Ottawa took a couple games away from them on their home ice, but the Penguins showed why they're the defending champs, and their star power shined brightly in the first round. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were huge on the ice for the Penguins, and Marc-Andre Fleury held his team in when he needed to. Ultimately, it was Pittsburgh's offense that drove them on to the second round, where they remain the highest seed remaining in the East.
Their reward? They get to face the Montreal Canadiens. That may not be much of a reward overall, though, as the Canadiens became the first #8 seed to win a series after being down 3-1 after four games. Montreal may not have done much in their 100th season, but they're looking to get the next hundred years off to a good start. They may have gotten the benefit of a couple calls, including a no-goal call in Game 7, but they simply shut down the top team in the NHL, starting with game five. Looking for a reason why Montreal moved on, look no further than Jaroslav Halak. Unremarkable in the beginning of the series, he was pulled in favor of Carey Price, returned in Game 5, and just closed the door on Washington the rest of the way. Halak was absolutely brilliant in net, including a 53-save performance in Game 6 before turning aside 40+ shots in Game 7. The Canadiens will be looking to their defense to stop the high-powered Penguins offense, but Pittsburgh comes in a little more rested. Cinderella's shoe might fit right now, but it will need a new home after Pittsburgh wins in 6 games.
#6 Boston Bruins vs #7 Philadelphia Flyers
Boston may have had some scary moments while facing the Buffalo Sabres, but, in the end, they did to Buffalo exactly what they did all season, and that's make the bigger plays when it counts. None may have been bigger than the plays made by Miroslav Satan, a former Sabre and a winner of the Stanley Cup last season with Pittsburgh. Satan was left floating as a free agent until January, when the Bruins snapped him up to fill in for some injured players. He's only turned around to be a consistent scoring threat. Boston is also about to get a boost when Marc Savard returns to play, having recovered from the concussion that kept him off the ice for the first round. Meanwhile, Milan Lucic and Zdeno Chara should be getting ready for a physical series, because the Bruins drew a classic battle for the second round.
That classic battle will be against the Philadelphia Flyers. The last team to make it into the playoffs, and only because of a last minute win, the Flyers became the first team to advance to the second round when they stunned Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils. The Flyers are a rough-and-tumble team, but they have offensive prowess. They also showed a sturdy penalty kill, which is good for Philadelphia, as they have a tendency to march to the penalty box. Brian Boucher needs to continue playing the great hockey he has, and the Flyers need Scott Hartnell to find his game. At the end of this rough series, though, the Bruins will be advancing, winning in 7 games.
Western Conference
Over in the West, it could be argued that there wasn't a single upset. True, the number four team didn't advance, but it's hard to call the Detroit Red Wings an underdog, especially with their success over the years and the way they played in the tail part of the season. Still, the West made its own history, and that should continue with an exciting second round.
#1 San Jose Sharks vs #5 Detroit Red Wings
In the beginning of their series against the Colorado Avalanche, it looked like the San Jose Sharks were on their way to another postseason collapse. After three games, they were staring down a 2-1 deficit, and had actually scored an own goal to dig themselves into that hole. All they did after that was rattle off three impressive wins, led by Joe Pavelski, Devin Setoguchi, and Ryan Clowe. Evgeni Nabokov also stood tall, putting together an amazing GAA despite a huge Colorado Game 2. The Sharks look to be serious contenders this year, but they desperately need their "Big Three" of Heatley, Thornton, and Marleau to step up their level of play.
Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings were taken to a seventh game by the upstart Phoenix Coyotes, but all Detroit did was allow their stars to take over. Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg stepped up at the exact right times, and the Detroit defense was able to keep Phoenix from playing too much of their own style. In the final game of the series, the Red Wings punched their ticket to the second round with an exclamation point, decimating the Coyotes to the tune of 6-1. That should continue for the Red Wings, as Detroit will knock off San Jose in 7.
#2 Chicago Blackhawks vs #3 Vancouver Canucks
The Chicago Blackhawks survived a bit of a scare from the Nashville Predators, falling behind 2-1 after three games. Then Nashville gave away Game 5, and it was history. The Blackhawks survived a 5-minute major penalty in that game, and it was the player who spent time in the box, and who has come in second the last two years, who scored the game winner that ultimately put the series out of Nashville's reach. Will this be the year that Marian Hossa finally gets to lift the Cup himself? With help from Jonathon Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Antti Niemi, he's certainly hoping so.
Standing in Chicago's way is the team that they faced last year at this same time, and a team that they ushered out the door in six games. The Vancouver Canucks aren't much different from the team that lost to Chicago last season, but they are an improved team. The Sedin twins are playing big-time hockey now, shaking off criticisms that they couldn't bring their talent into the playoffs with them. Meanwhile, Mikael Samuelsson helped add offense to a Vancouver team that already had plenty. The big concerns for the Canucks will have to be on the penalty kill, as they were awful at slowing down the Los Angeles Kings power play, and whether or not Roberto Luongo can shake the demons of past performances. If Luongo can be the stud goaltender that the Canucks are hoping he can be, they can look to playing in the conference finals. Ultimately, though, this year's result won't be any different from last year, as the Blackhawks advance in 6 games.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Final dress rehearsal
The Minnesota Wild get their final chance of the pre-season to lace up the skates and get things worked out without points on the line. Of course, this has been anything but a smooth pre-season for the team, as they've had to deal with bad ice and injury after injury. All this while trying to learn a new offensive system that should pay dividends down the road, but might lead to some very scary hockey games in the first month or so.
Of course, another thing that has been weighing in the Wild so far has been the naming of a team captain. The obvious choice for many is Mikko Koivu. Not only did he truly step into that leadership role last season, but he's ready to firmly take hold of the team as his own. Whether he was being deceptive or not, part of why it's best that Mikko's brother Saku didn't come to Minnesota is that his presence may have actually weakened Mikko's position as far as the coaches and officials were concerned. By staying away, the elder Koivu has allowed the younger to mold the team to his style. Given the new style that coach Todd Richards is trying to put in place, the league should notice what Mikko does on the ice even more.
Finally, though there are some players on injured reserve, tonight will be a chance for the Wild to skate with fairly close to the line-up that they expect to start the season with. When Saturday rolls around, the line-up will be close to what they've shown in the pre-season, with some exceptions. The Wild's lines will most likely look very similar to this come Saturday evening in Columbus.
Brunette - Koivu - Havlat
There is a chance that Brunette will fall to the second line, but he had great chemistry with Koivu last season. Putting these two with Havlat provides the Wild their best chance at a definitive scoring line.
Sykora - Sheppard - Bouchard
If anyone is going to take Brunette's spot on the top line, it will be Petr Sykora. However, putting Sykora with Sheppard and Bouchard gives the Wild a second line of scoring punch, and allows Bouchard to feed a goal scorer. He hasn't proven himself back at center yet, but skating with Sykora should allow him to regain the positives he had while playing with Brian Rolston.
Nolan - Brodziak - Clutterbuck
Cal Clutterbuck may be primed for a breakout season, and, to get that, he needs a veteran hand guiding him, which is right where Owen Nolan comes into play. Kyle Brodziak was originally slated to be the Wild's fourth center, but has had an amazing training camp, and earned the third line duties, at least for the opener.
Miettinen - Belanger - Scott
John Scott isn't naturally a winger, but he's no more of an offensive liability than Derek Boogaard, who starts the season on IR. Eric Belanger could find his position getting squeezed out, especially when Benoit Pouliot returns from IR himself. Luckily for Scott, he's able to filter back to the blue line.
Burns - Schultz
It may not be the top defensive pairing when the puck drops, but it should be. Burns and Schultz compliment each other incredibly well.
Zanon - Johnsson
Another pairing that just might work, but it will need Kim Johnsson to start playing like the contract he's getting.
Sifers/Hnidy - Zidlicky
Sifers came into camp expecting to go to Houston. He's played so well during the pre-season that, even when Scott gets bumped back to defense, Sifers will tend to get the nod over him. Ultimately, Sifers playing time will probably get determined by Shane Hnidy's health, and, if the "Sheriff" is skating, again Scott might find himself on the pine.
The most notable names not included above? Craig Weller and Colton Gillies. Weller's position was squeezed out by the appearance of Petr Sykora, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him tossed onto the trade block before too long. As for Gillies, the kid still needs to develop. Yes, he played a pile of games with the Wild last year, but he needs to get big minutes, and he's not going to get those in Minnesota. By sending him to Houston, he'll be able to step up and develop the skills he'll need to help anchor the Wild offense in a couple of years. Expect him to contribute big time for the Wild when Tyler Cuma and Nick Leddy are manning the blue line.
Of course, another thing that has been weighing in the Wild so far has been the naming of a team captain. The obvious choice for many is Mikko Koivu. Not only did he truly step into that leadership role last season, but he's ready to firmly take hold of the team as his own. Whether he was being deceptive or not, part of why it's best that Mikko's brother Saku didn't come to Minnesota is that his presence may have actually weakened Mikko's position as far as the coaches and officials were concerned. By staying away, the elder Koivu has allowed the younger to mold the team to his style. Given the new style that coach Todd Richards is trying to put in place, the league should notice what Mikko does on the ice even more.
Finally, though there are some players on injured reserve, tonight will be a chance for the Wild to skate with fairly close to the line-up that they expect to start the season with. When Saturday rolls around, the line-up will be close to what they've shown in the pre-season, with some exceptions. The Wild's lines will most likely look very similar to this come Saturday evening in Columbus.
Brunette - Koivu - Havlat
There is a chance that Brunette will fall to the second line, but he had great chemistry with Koivu last season. Putting these two with Havlat provides the Wild their best chance at a definitive scoring line.
Sykora - Sheppard - Bouchard
If anyone is going to take Brunette's spot on the top line, it will be Petr Sykora. However, putting Sykora with Sheppard and Bouchard gives the Wild a second line of scoring punch, and allows Bouchard to feed a goal scorer. He hasn't proven himself back at center yet, but skating with Sykora should allow him to regain the positives he had while playing with Brian Rolston.
Nolan - Brodziak - Clutterbuck
Cal Clutterbuck may be primed for a breakout season, and, to get that, he needs a veteran hand guiding him, which is right where Owen Nolan comes into play. Kyle Brodziak was originally slated to be the Wild's fourth center, but has had an amazing training camp, and earned the third line duties, at least for the opener.
Miettinen - Belanger - Scott
John Scott isn't naturally a winger, but he's no more of an offensive liability than Derek Boogaard, who starts the season on IR. Eric Belanger could find his position getting squeezed out, especially when Benoit Pouliot returns from IR himself. Luckily for Scott, he's able to filter back to the blue line.
Burns - Schultz
It may not be the top defensive pairing when the puck drops, but it should be. Burns and Schultz compliment each other incredibly well.
Zanon - Johnsson
Another pairing that just might work, but it will need Kim Johnsson to start playing like the contract he's getting.
Sifers/Hnidy - Zidlicky
Sifers came into camp expecting to go to Houston. He's played so well during the pre-season that, even when Scott gets bumped back to defense, Sifers will tend to get the nod over him. Ultimately, Sifers playing time will probably get determined by Shane Hnidy's health, and, if the "Sheriff" is skating, again Scott might find himself on the pine.
The most notable names not included above? Craig Weller and Colton Gillies. Weller's position was squeezed out by the appearance of Petr Sykora, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him tossed onto the trade block before too long. As for Gillies, the kid still needs to develop. Yes, he played a pile of games with the Wild last year, but he needs to get big minutes, and he's not going to get those in Minnesota. By sending him to Houston, he'll be able to step up and develop the skills he'll need to help anchor the Wild offense in a couple of years. Expect him to contribute big time for the Wild when Tyler Cuma and Nick Leddy are manning the blue line.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Ready for camp
The Minnesota Wild are almost prepared to start their true pre-season warm-ups. The third jersey has been introduced, players are arriving, and the Prospects Tournament is almost over. In fact, with few exceptions, everyone who has hopes of wearing that scripted "Minnesota" across their chest is already in the Twin Cities, enjoying time on the ice with teammates new and old.
Of course, the start of training camp also means the (official) start of speculation as to which players will be on the 23-man roster when the puck drops in October. There are holes that need to be filled in a number of places, either due to departures or gaps left behind by the former front office. Also, with the expected change in playing style, former Wild stalwarts could find themselves on the bench, looking to make themselves useful in a system that's completely foreign to them.
That being said, here's some quick predictions about how the roster may very well shape up.
Forwards
Brunette/Koivu/Havlat
This line is probably a fairly good bet to be the top line, at least at the start of the season. Mikko Koivu and Andrew Brunette are pretty familiar with each other on the ice, and Martin Havlat fills in the spot vacated by Marian Gaborik. Clearly, Koivu is the heart and soul of the Minnesota Wild, and he's earned his place as the top center. The biggest question with this line will be whether or not it can stay healthy. After all, Havlat's been almost as injury-plagued as Gaborik over his career, and it's not like Brunette is getting any younger.
Miettinen/Sheppard/Bouchard
The Wild desperately needed to pick up a second-line center, and haven't been able to do so as of yet. Unless Pierre-Marc Bouchard returns to his "natural" center position, James Sheppard is the most likely candidate to take the draws after Koivu. Antti Miettinen will be one of a few Wild wingers that will need to switch sides. If Sheppard can prove that he fits better into an offensive system than the one the Wild had run previously, then concerns about the second line may dwindle. Bouchard needs to return to his play-making form of two seasons ago.
Nolan/Belanger/Clutterbuck
Just like Antti Miettinen on the second line, look to Owen Nolan to switch to the left for the third line, allowing Cal Clutterbuck to continue his development in the more natural right wing position for him. Eric Belanger has carved out a career for himself as a definitive third-line center, and, unless he wears a different jersey by the time the season starts, he should continue to take that position. Nolan's veteran leadership with Clutterbuck's spark could make a very scary line for opponents to deal with.
Boogaard/Brodziak/Weller
Fourth lines are often called on to shut down opposing teams, and to be a physical presence. The Wild don't get much more physical than Derek Boogaard and Craig Weller. With Kyle Brodziak centering the line, Minnesota may even pull a few surprise goals out of it's fourth line group.
Gillies/Kalus/Pouliot/Irmen
Colton Gillies and Benoit Pouliot should theoretically have the inside track to making the big club, but both need to show more than they did last year. Petr Kalus may be a surprise, especially if his dedication to the Wild organization is stronger. Danny Irmen may be looking at his last real chance to make it outside of the AHL level.
Defense
Burns/Schultz
If Brent Burns returns to the dominant defensive force he was two seasons ago, he's a lock to be placed on the top defensive pairing. Placing him with Nick Schultz allows the Wild to have a confident stay-at-home presence, along with offensive firepower.
Zanon/Zidlicky
Former Nashville teammates Marek Zidlicky and Greg Zanon could prove to be a dangerous pairing. Unfortunately for Minnesota, if Zidlicky doesn't shore up his blue-line game, the pairing could be dangerous for the Wild, and not for opponents. Still the team's power play leader should be more comfortable this season.
Johnsson/Hnidy
Kim Johnsson still hasn't convinced many Wild faithful that he's worth the contract he was given, but pairing him with "Sheriff" Shane Hnidy could allow him to be a little more free-wheeling, quarterbacking the play from behind the net. If Johnsson doesn't step forward, he could see his playing time cut seriously down.
Scott/Stoner
The biggest rookie splash for the Wild last season was a guy name Clutterbuck. If John Scott had played as many games in the Xcel, he could have made the leap. He needs to work on his skating, but having both Scott and Boogaard on the ice could scare a lot of players. As for Clayton Stoner, he may be looking at one of his last chances to suit up in the NHL, but faces an uphill struggle, as Wild defense has always been fairly solid.
Goal
Backstrom
No question, Niklas Backstrom is the Wild's starting goaltender. However, there's also no question that the previous Wild system helped out netminders tremendously. Can Backstrom continue to be a stud in net, or does he need a defensive system to make him sparkle?
Harding/Dubielewicz
Wade Dubielewicz was brought in as an experienced and valid back-up. Josh Harding could still start with any team in the league. Is Harding still wearing a Wild jersey to be used as trade bait later in the season, or is there possibly a chink in the Wild's goaltending that we haven't seen yet?
Ultimately, a lot of these questions won't really be hammered out until pre-season ends, and some of them may still be up in the air a couple of weeks into the season. Ultimately, though, once again the Wild look to be a team that should be solid in net, strong on the blue line, but missing some key pieces in the forward corps. With some of the free agents left available, will Chuck Fletcher make a splash, and will the Wild return to the Stanley Cup playoffs after missing this past season?
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