Minnesota Wild: Weekly Roundtable, Bold Predictions for the Season

Sullivan Casey: Minnesota Wild in the Western Conference Finals

This year might be the year. Not to go all the way, not to win the whole thing, but to make it past our arch-enemy: the second round.

You could make a compelling case that not much has changed since last season’s disappointing early exit. And while that is mostly true (on paper), there are less tangible reasons why the Minnesota Wild will finally make that deep run.

First, the continued maturation of young talent. Look for guys like Nick Seeler, Jordan Greenway, and Luke Kunin to have very strong seasons and make hearty contributions to the team. I expect the most tangible improvements to come from Greenway, who looked great down the stretch last year.

Next, Matt Dumba. At twenty-four years old, this season is one where he is finally fully poised to jump to a higher level. He has all the potential to do it, and I think that his rise will continue to propel the back end offensively.

I think that continuing his pairing with Ryan Suter will pay dividends as the year goes on, as it allows Dumba to learn from him on the defensive side and also provides freedom to go forward and do what he does best.

Another big issue the wild have had lately is in the health department. Obviously, injuries will happen this season. They always do. But coming into the opener, both Zach Parise and Suter are fully healthy, something that has been missing for a while.

Having them both back is huge not only because of their abilities and contributions, but even more importantly the leadership they bring. Parise’s grit, tenacity, and hustle doesn’t go unnoticed, and it seems to have a fight-like effect on the boys on the bench.

Possibly the single biggest factor in playoff success is goaltending. And the Wild’s has been very streaky. When hot, Dubnyk is in the conversation for best in the league. But too often, he goes cold, and pucks start going in the net with alarming frequency.

With the addition of Andrew Hammond, a very respectable backup (more so than Alex Stalock or Darcy Kuemper), I think Dubnyk will feel a bit more pressure to keep his foot on the gas every night. If he does falter, Hammond has been able to get hot and win games, if you recall him taking 20 wins in 23 starts a few years back.

I think the Wild are going to finally get back to Conference Finals. The young core of the team looks good, the veterans are healthy, and goaltending is on the rise. Come May, we will still be skating.