Ugh, no comment on tonight's collapse.

Strong response by Wild to hold a one goal lead for 2+ periods after the monumental collapse the previous game. 3-1-0 their last four games, and although two of those games have been @ COL where Nik Backstrom dominates, their game play from the beginning of the season has returned. The top line of Heatley-Brodziak-Johnson have been producing lots of scoring chances too. Will be interesting to see what Yeo does with the lines when Koivu returns which won't be until after the game against Dallas.

Nate Prosser has signed a two year one way contract extension with the Wild. I know dmvincent has posted about him a few times and how he can be a solid depth pickup for deeper leagues. He has bounced back and forth from the AHL and NHL this year but that is only because he is one of the defenseman that don't require waivers on the Wild's roster. He has been one of the most steady d-men for the Wild this year, which isn't saying a whole lot but it is a good sign for next year when he will most likely be with the Wild full time.

Ortmeyer placed on waivers with the expected return of Koivu on Thursday against the Canucks.

Line Combos for tonight:

Heatley - Koivu - Seto
Christensen - Cullen - Clutter
McMillan - Brodziak - Johnson
Powe - Peters - Staubitz

Spurge - Schultz
Prosser - Falk
Zanon - Zids

Backs in net.

Koivu is back tomorrow vs Calgary and crazy story about Swetoguchi getting hit by a car last summer while visiting his Chiropractor's office (pic below)

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/143654456.html

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ASKL - 10 Team dynasty,G/A=1,PIM=.1,+/- =.2 SOG=.05 (W=2,SO=3) Keep 12F 6D 2G 8BN + farm
F-Perry,Ryan,Giroux,Stastny,Ribeiro,Krejci,Plekanec, JvR,Bergeron,Fleischmann,Grabovski,Cammalleri
D-Letang,Chara,Edler,Boyle,Giordano,Gardiner,
G-Rinne,Crawford
Bench-Bernier,Reimer,Parenteau,Callahan,Downie,Kulemin, Meszaros,Nikitin
Farm- Namestnikov,Khoklachev,Rundblad,Despres,Jensen, L.Adam,Barberio,Galiev,Telegin,Hertl,Aberg

So I realize that we dont really have a Wild writer per say but we have a lot of hockey minds who might be able to answer this question.

With a miserable season now done for the Wild where we watched them fall from being the best team in the league to actually missing the playoffs... how many rookies do you see this team running with next year. Obviously they have a nice depth of young guns up and coming. So who sticks around next season?

I am going to assume its safe to say that Granlund will be there, but where does he fit in? Will he slide into the #2 center position. Matt Cullen is 35 years old, but hes still signed for one more season. What about Charlie Coyle? Does he make it and stick for the season?? Brett Bulmer almost made the team last year but was sent back after his 9 game audition. Will he make it? Matt Hackett? I assume it will depend on the domino effect for him. Harding will determine his fate, but if Harding does leave for FA, does Hackett get the backup role? Backstrom has one year left on his deal and is 34. Hackett is bred as the goalie of the future for them.

I would love to hear your opinions on these guys and the future for the Wild. For the record, I am not a Wild fan, but I do own a few of these prospects in my fantasy leagues and am thinking purely from a fantasy stand point.

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10 Team, Points Only, $$ League, Keep 20/25 at seasons end
25 Man Roster, top 20 monthly point getters count
Goalie points W=2pt L=-1pt SHO=2pt

Stamkos, Tavares, Hall, Couture, Hanzal, Wheeler, Stastny, Versteeg, Fisher, Hornqvist, Eriksson, Hodgson, Setoguchi, Turris, Steen, Letang, DRoy, Yakupov, Grabner, Byfuglien, Baertschi

G-Rask, Halak, Schneider

I think Granlund does some serious damage and I also think Coyle comes and sticks. He'll be good and he was the better part of the Burns trade going to the Wild, in my opinion.

I think they have some decent assets to trade and could find themselves doing well. Backstrom could net them something good if he goes to a team that needs a solid goalie. Or Harding could fill that bill. Not sure because of the age difference who would net more for them. It is probably Backstrom.

This is a team I hope gets good, because they used to be pretty darn good when they first came around and were so hard to play against with their defensive style. They were boring to watch, but man you could never easily say any team was going to just beat them.

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Sites: www.twitter.com/tsgraveline tsgraveline.blogspot.com thesharkremarks.blogspot.com

Team 1:10 Multi-Cat Roto league

C- Malkin,Giroux,Thornton Galchenyuk, Schenn, Berglund, Eller
LW- Hall,Ovechkin, E.Kane Saad
RW- Seguin, Stewart, PAP
D- Subban,Phaneuf Keith, OEL, Hedman,
G- Pavelec,Hiller Lindback, Theodore, Lehner

Team 2:24 H2H League Multi-Cat

C- Lecavalier, B. Schenn, Ennis, Belanger
LW- JVR, Leino, Bissonnette, Whitney, C. Bourque, Nodl
RW- Kopecky, Langenbrunner, Doan, Versteeg, Mayers
D- Doughty, Burns, Souray, Sarich, Lovejoy, Potter
G-Pavelec, Enroth

Congrats to the Wild and their fans for landing core pieces in Parise /Suter. Well done!
I for one will be a follower now.

Note: Granlund is now my fave for ROY candidates

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Fantasy Hockey Keeper Leagues
{Linden Cup Year 7: 16 GM Points only - Hockeydraft} "2012-13 Champions!"
{SSFHL Year 2: 20 GM Points only Salary cap} "Playoffs Bound!"
{TBIM Year 1: 20 GM H2H - Fantrax}
{CHDL Year 1: 28 GM H2H - Fantrax} "2012-13 Division Champs"
{IFFHL Year 0: 24 GM H2H Salary cap- Fantrax} "Drafting..."
{FHL Year 1: 16 GM H2H- ESPN}

Congrats to Minny fans. Will be fun playing against you next year.

Also:

Rob Vollman ‏@robvollmanNHL
Minnesota just improved their team by 30.6 goals, according to GVT, which is over 10 points in the standings according to hockey's 311 rule.


That would have given them 91 points, just on the cusp of playoffs (LAK got in with 95). A healthy Backstrom would have certainly won them a few more games too, so they should be in contention next year.