Most point to a new coach and new system when discussing the slow start which seemingly led to the Minnesota Wild missing 2010 NHL playoffs. After beginning 2009-10 with a 7-12-2 record in the first quarter – with new head coach Todd Richards learning on the job and his team struggling to do the same – the Wild then went 31-24-6 the rest of the way. While this may not be the record to guarantee a playoff berth, it is most certainly heading in a much more competitive direction.
As Minnesota sits right now, with some improvement and better health for center Pierre-Marc Bouchard (missed all but one game) and defenseman Brent Burns (only played in 47 games), the Wild should already have a legitimate chance at 2011 postseason, but this low-scoring squad could still use a little help up front. Unfortunately, without a lot of room under the salary cap, the question is just how they might go about getting that help.
Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher feels there are more question marks than solutions in this summer's free-agent pool, and while there may be some fits there for the team, they are not going to try to kid anyone into thinking that the Wild can go out and buy a couple players and all of a sudden win the Northwest Division.
If Minnesota cannot find a way to fill their needs through free agency, they will have to change direction and try to trade for the kind of scoring talent that they need in order to realistically reach their expectations of making the playoffs. Either way, Minnesota Wild ticket holders can expect some front office activity this offseason because, in a hockey-crazed market, the new leadership may not be afforded any wiggle room if they cannot deliver a playoff appearance in either of their first two seasons.
The mere need for the Minnesota Wild to be a playoff team should be incentive enough for Fletcher to remain aggressive on the player-acquisition front, and to give credit where it is due, the GM did not sit on his hands during his first year with the franchise, most notably dealing for leftwing Guillaume Latendresse from Montreal and defender Cam Barker from Chicago during the 2009-10 season. Both were solid contributors, with Latendresse accounting for 25 goals and 12 assists in 55 games for the Wild – after only scoring three points in 23 games in Montreal – while Barker added 7 points in only 19 games in Minnesota, but had season totals of 21 points and a +5 rating in all 2010 games, including his time in Chicago. Look for both to play even bigger roles this upcoming season.
This is a team that is looking to make the right decisions now in order to keep this team highly competitive for years to come and, in the brief tenure of both the head coach and general manager, it seems as though they are definitely on the right track. That being said, Minnesota Wild tickets are a must-have item for fans who wish to see some great NHL action at the Xcel Energy Center, while hopefully following their team all the way to the 2011 playoffs.
