The Minnesota Wild made the biggest splash of any team this off season. The secured not only Zach Parise, but Ryan Suter as well. Either player would be more than enough to launch any hockey mad market straight to cloud nine. Adding the pair at once simply turned the enthusiasm for the the team to 11 and then broke the nob.
Good News
- Suter and Parise both went deep into the playoffs last season and legitimate top shelf players either is an impact player and both are used to defense first systems.
- It is hard to imagine the team being as unhealthy as it was last season.
- Last seasons team, without Parise and Suter was strong enough to lead the whole NHL on December 2nd last season, before the injury bug set up shop in the locker room.
Bad News
- Dany Heatley may have had his feathers ruffled with his sudden demotion to fourth or fifth wheel.
- The question of middle line depth remains.
- Neither Backstrom nor Harding has put together a full season without a health issue in recent memory.
Forecast
High: Bubble team7-9 spot with a twelve to fifteen point improvement is not outside possibility for this team.
Low: After thought. If the team can’t coalesce, there are injuries to the key players, or the coach and management turn into vegetables that can’t figure out how to use their assets the team could only see a 3-5 point improvement.
X-Factor:
Both Parise and Suter went deep into the playoffs, neither has down so recently. There is a high probability they will report to camp in less than their best professional shape.
