Wildly Alarming

Minnesota Wild

"Oh God what happened? Where's Rolston? Where's Demitra? Oh crap... is that Owen Nolan and Andrew Brunette? Those has beens? Who the heck is James Sheppard? He was on my team all of last year? Huh. Who knew? I'll be right back."

Those were Marian Gaborik's thoughts upon looking at Minnesota's roster. If Doug Wisebrough is found dead tomorrow it was Gaborik with the hockey skate in the Trainer's room. Just an educated guess.

I don't want to count Minnesota out because, well, I've done it before and this team has always pushed on. Anyway that's not what we're doing here right now. Team previews in August. Tell your friends. Right now... offseason additions!

Zidlicky is the most significant addition. Freed of the crowded blueline in Nashville I'm willing to say that playing point for Gabby nets him 40-ish points this season... that is unless he, like Kim Johnsson before him, has all of his offensive talent sucked away when he puts that Wild jersey on. I think he stands a better chance of prevailing then, say... now journeyman defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron... you know come to think of it maybe this blue line is kinda crowded.

And I know I joked about Brunette... but he'll probably be playing with Gaborik, at least that's what this line combination generator is telling me. ; ) In that position, despite has been status he'll probably be good for close to 60 points like last year... but not close to 83 like the year before.