How can you consider yourself a playoff contender and lose two straight games at home against the Calgary Flames and the Panthers? Home games should be near automatic 2 points against these teams. I know I’m not exactly going out on a limb here, but the Wild is not a playoff contender this season. Hopefully they play well the rest of the season and still are able to secure a Top 5 draft pick in June’s Entry Draft. The perfect scenario for me the rest of the way, a string of 5-4 losses and the 3rd pick in the draft. I’d like to see the young guys show me a reason to keep them around (yes, Shep, I’m talking to you) and build some momentum into next season without gaining any spots in the standings.

The team needs an infusion of talent and a Top 5 pick would be a step in that direction. Worst-case scenario has the Wild making a mini-run in these last 15 or so games, finish 9th in the West and end up picking 13 in the draft.

If you told me at the start of the regular season that the Wild Team MVP was going to be anyone not named Mikko Koivu, I would have thought you a moron, but here we are, roughly 18 games away from the end and that is the case.  Take nothing away from Captain Koivu’s consistent greatness and leadership, the MVP of the Minnesota Wild is Guillaume Latendresse.

Latendresse, acquired from the Montreal Canadiens for Benny Pouliot, has become this teams’ best goal scorer, period.  He has 21 goals in 39 games played for the Wild, which would compute over an 82 game season to 44 goals.  He’s a power forward on a team that, up until his acquisition, had not had one in its history.  He is the main reason why Martin Havlat came out of his early season hibernation and has finally given this team a second line that can score.

Niklas Backstrom hasn’t been the same goaltender he was even last season, so he’s not in the MVP race.  You could make a real solid argument for defenseman Marek Zidlicky, but he hasn’t had the same impact #48 has had on the Wild.

Chuck Fletcher made a masterful move in trading for Latendresse.  Not only did he unload an underperforming winger in Pouliot, he obtained a very good, young power forward who can score in the process.  Next up, get him signed to an extension.

Personally I love this philosophy.  Try and sign your good guys for market value, and if they don’t agree to this, trade them for young talent or draft picks.  Had former Wild GM Doug Risebrough subscribed to this idea, Rolston and Gaborik would’ve brought plenty back in return instead of walking away for nothing.

Biggest upset potential of the four:  Czech Republic over Finland.  Otherwise I think the higher seeds will advance. 

Best jersey of the tournament:  Norway’s Vikingstad.  The NORGE jerseys are fantastic-looking and Vikingstad has the best name of the tournament.

As far as Nick Leddy goes, you’ve got to give up an asset to acquire an asset.  Of the three young defense prospects (Scandella, Cuma and Leddy), I’m happy that Leddy was the one to go.  He’s the furthest away development-wise and has struggled a bit in the WCHA. 

Then consider Cam Barker.  He’s NHL-ready right now, has two more affordable seasons under contract and instantly becomes this team’s number 1.  Sure, I know Zidlicky is having a very good season, but for an overall game I like Barker better.

1. Marco Scandella (D) ~ finally, finally, finally a 2nd round draft pick can play. He was arguably Canada’s best defenseman in the last World Juniors and appears to be getting better every month. Pierre McGuire calls him “a monster”.

2. Nick Leddy (D) ~ despite an early-season injury, he’s had a good season in the WCHA. Still a few years away, but nothing he has done has diminished his 16th overall selection. McGuire calls him “a monster”.

3. Tyler Cuma (D) ~ the former first round pick has disappointed so far to date, but defensemen tend to develop slowly, so I wouldn’t give up on him yet. Odds are good he’ll be in Houston next season.

4. Anton Khoudobin (G) ~ Houston’s all star goaltender will probably be backing up Backstrom next season.

5. Colton Gilles (LW) ~ Despite playing in the NHL last season, I still label him as a prospect. He’s only 20 and could someday be a gritty presence in the corners. McGuire had called him “a monster” but has since retracted that quote.

As you can see, the Wild are fairly deep with prospects on defense. I see them drafting forwards this upcoming summer.

1232 Regular Season Games Played
608 Goals (232 on the Power Play, 8th all time)
592 Assists
1200 Points
141 Playoff Games Played
73 Playoff Goals

He had 21 points in 19 playoff games during the 1980-81 North Star run to the Stanley Cup Finals AS A ROOKIE.

By comparison, HOF member Luc Robataille scored 668 goals (many assisted by the greatest playmaker of all time) and was a no-brainer pick. Cam Neely, who brought much more to the rink than his scoring only scored 395 career goals and is also in.

Why not Dino? Sure, the guy was a bit of a hothead and sometimes he brought out the trash without any pants, but that doesn’t disqualify him. I know a lot of people who take out the trash butt naked, it’s no big deal IMO.