Hockey season's back already. That's great news for Minnesotans, who endured another disappointing Twins season with the boys of summer. Time for some hope of success as the Minnesota Wild take the ice against the Colorado Avalanche Thursday night in St. Paul. They'll follow that up with a game in Denver Saturday night.
What's so great about this first game is it will be a division-rival rematch of the first playoff round last season. The Wild edged the Colorado Avalanche in seven games, winning the series in thrilling fashion with an amazing, comeback effort to win game seven 5-4 in overtime.
Of course, we all know how the story ended for the Wild, in six games against the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference semifinals. It was a disappointing end, but the playoff run for the Wild also brought some hope for the future.
Youngsters raise their level of play
A lot of younger players really stepped up in the postseason, including Justin Fontaine and Erik Haula. The offensive spark those two in particular brought to the club was truly fun to watch. Nino Niederreiter turned out to be a great addition to the team, leaving fans saying, "Clutterbuck who?" since that fan favorite was dealt away for Nino.
It was interesting how the season played out for the Wild. Things didn't look so good earlier in the year, leaving many calling for coach Mike Yeo to be fired. I was at a game that I thought could be his last if the Wild lost. They won, and so Yeo stayed. Whether he would've been fired is anyone's guess now.
Looking ahead to this season, I think the Wild have every reason to believe it can make it to the playoffs once again. They have a lot of returning players, and I'm hoping the youngsters can shine once again.
The bar has been raised
However, last year created expectations. Making the playoffs is must. If the team does not at least win the first two rounds of the playoffs, it will be a disappointment. That's just my opinion, because of course, it's my blog.
For one thing, Minnesota fans in multiple sports have seen the one-and-done theme too much the past few years. Getting through that second round would be a great step in the right direction, no matter what would happen after that. Now that the Wild have been to the playoffs more recently, they got a taste of what it's like. It would be great to build off of that experience and step up to the next level.
The core remains
Let's not forget we've still got Ryan Suter and Zach Parise leading the way. I also loved what Charlie Coyle brought to the team last season, There's also the addition of Thomas Vanek. It'll be interesting to see how he fits in with the organization. I'm expecting good things, but you never know. Injuries can be just a play or hacky-sack game away.
Oh, and one of my favorite moves: No more Dany Heatley. I was not impressed with his play and very glad to see him and the Wild part ways. He's now Anaheim's problem. I just read that he'll miss the start of the season with a groin injury.
So, I'm excited to watch some games coming up. The start of the season is always exciting, especially if there's potential for a successful season. I really hope the Wild can make a strong playoff run. Raising the cup would be acceptable, too, to state the obvious.
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