esum19

After a 104-point season, what do the Wild do for an encore?

So what’s up next for the Minnesota Wild this season?

Jacques Lemaire-coached teams don’t make a quantum leap from 84 points one season to 104 the next with smoke and mirrors or a better version of the dreaded neutral-zone trap he’s been accused of so often.

The fact of the matter is the Wild showed improvements in all areas:

* The Pavol Demitra-Marian Gaborik connection acquired when Demitra came to the Wild from Los Angeles in the summer finally hit its stride down the stretch of the 2006-07 season after Gaborik recovered from missing 34 games with groin and abdominal injuries. Brian Rolston had another solid 30-plus goal season. Youngsters Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Mikko Koivu showed they are beginning to flourish, with Koivu going from six goals two seasons ago to 20.

* A defense with newcomers Kim Johnsson, Petteri Nummelin and Keith Carney, plus the development of former forward Brent Burns, really helped in the team’s transition game.

FULL STORY

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L E C A V A L I E R!!

hockeyboy14

Lemaire IMO is the best coach in the NHL. Although he plays a boring system, it works. With that said, Minny will be again competitive and will need around 100 pts to make the playoffs ( I believe they will).

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jkonecne

Can't forget about the great season Backstrom had. He was definitely one of the best goalies in the league, plus Harding did a great backup job. And as long as the wild don't get another injury like Gaborik last year, I think they will be the most improved team next year in their division. There is no reason they shouldn't be back in the playoffs this season, and do a little better than last year.

BE-LEAF-ABLE

I think the team will be much more healthier this year, and improve a lot more. Wouldn't be surprised to see them as one of the top teams in the league.

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"It's not the way it's going to be. We have to be very, very patient and build this the right way. We have to go through a process. It may be painful. I hope it isn't. But we're prepared for all the bumps and pratfalls and potholes in the road ahead. I'm prepared for it anyway, or I wouldn't have come." - Ron Wilson, Head Coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.