National analysts see Minnesota Wild as a playoff qualifier but not much else

The Minnesota Wild are coming off a 75-point season in a shortened NHL schedule and an eighth playoff berth in the past nine years.

And after an eventful offseason, which included the buyout of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter,  the Wild open the season on Friday in Anaheim with a feeling that the team has a roster that could contend for a Stanley Cup this season.

But is that optimism shared by NHL analysts across the country?

Taking look at number of websites, it appears that the Wild are viewed as a postseason qualifier but not much else.

Here is a look at some of the Wild’s predicted outlook:

The analytics-heavy Fivethirtyeight site projects the Wild to finish with 96 points and also a 65% chance to make the playoffs.  The site also gives the Wild a 9% chance to make the Stanley Cup Final and just a 4% chance to win it all.

To no surprise, the Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights are the Cup favorites. All three were given a 12% chance to win the title.

A panel of writers with The Athletic gives the Wild a 2.6% chance to win the West, and the Avalanche are the overwhelming favorite to do so at 79.5%. Colorado is also the pick to win the Stanley Cup with 56.4% percent of the vote.

The Athletic wrote of the Wild:

The Wild made the bold and expensive move to buy out the contracts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, so they enter the season with a new leadership team and young talent ready to help the team take the next step.

The Wild begin the year at No. 15 in the ESPN power rankings with the Avalanche in the top spot  — of course.

As for a bold prediction on the Wild outlook, Greg Wyshynski wrote:

The Eriksson Ek hype train pulls into the station, and he walks away with the Selke Trophy.

The Sporting News predicts that the Wild will finish third in the Central Division and then lose to the Winnipeg Jets in an opening-round series.

Just three of the 13 writers polled at NHL.com feel that the Minnesota Wild will miss the postseason this year.  Four writers predict the Wild to finish second in the Central Division, while three  predict the Wild finish third. Three others feel Minnesota will be a Western Conference wild card qualifier.

All five of the writers for Pro Hockey Talk feel the Wild will make the postseason. Two each have the Wild finishing third in the division or being a wild card qualifier.  One has Minnesota placing second in the division.

All five selected the Avalanche to win the division.

The Wild were ranked ninth in the site’s latest season power poll.