First off, in Michael Russo’s “Short Takes”, he/his paper write about the Pittsburgh Penguins’ possible interest in Devin Setoguchi. In return, Pittsburgh, according to Russo/Minneapolis Star Tribune, may be offering 6-4 defenseman Simon Despres, a 2009 Penguins first rounder as trade bait. Trading Setoguchi would open a spot, according to Russo, for prospects Jason Zucker, Charlie Coyle or Johan Larsson. My thoughts? DO IT!!!!!!!

Tonight, the Wild are in St. Louis to take on the team that I picked prior to the season starting to win the Stanley Cup. I suppose the fact that my oldest son married a great hockey gal whose cousin is married to David Backes influenced my decision a little, but what a great story that would be for the Blues, Backes and Ken Hitchcock.

After they missed the playoffs for the first time in 25 years, back in 2005, a five year rebuilding project began. During the 2006-07 season, they were plagued by injuries and lacked a sniper. With disappointing, non-playoff seasons, the Blues quietly built a sound prospect pool through the draft. At trade deadlines, they traded big names for draft picks. They even traded an all-star player for them for a middle-aged, but relatively young, rising star. Behind solid goaltending, the Blues returned to the playoffs in the 2008-09 season where they were swept four games to none. They then fired their head coach mid-season the following year after a disappointing start and brought in the coach of their AHL team whom, the following season, was fired and replaced with a veteran head coach who knew how to win. They were also active in the free agent pool that off-season. And, between their prospects who made the team and the free agent acquisitions and players who were brought in via trade, they joined the regular contingent of Blues players to make up last year’s team which not only made the playoffs, but won their first playoff series since 2002.

Some of you may wonder why the above paragraph is so general and the blanks aren’t filled in with the names of the people the Blues let go and/or brought it. The reason is because I believe the Minnesota Wild are in the middle of their own rebuilding project: new owner brings in a new GM who brings in a new coach and they build through the draft, free agency and trades. We are currently who the Blues once were so that, in time, we can become who the Blues now are and used to be. It’s a process, but one that is valid enough to have convinced the top two free agents to both sign with this team, so it’s one worth giving more time to even if we, as fans of the Wild, don’t get to experience the immediate payoff of the big changes to our favorite team last summer.

As for tonight’s game, while conventional wisdom would have you believe the Blues will absolutely destroy the now struggling Wild, believe it. The Blues have points in each of their last 9 home games, going 6-0-3 overall and have outscored the Wild 26-15.

Back-up goaltender, Brian Elliott, is coming off a 13 save shutout in his last appearance against the Wild and, while only a backup goalie, he set the single season franchise record for shutouts last year with nine on the year, doing his part to earn the 2012 Jennings Trophy with teammate and fellow goaltender Jaroslav Halak. Elliott is not only serviceable as a backup to Halak, he could probably be a starter for the Wild. Last season, he led the NHL in GAA (1.56), SV% (.940) (a modern day NHL record) and ranked 2nd in shutouts (9). He and Halak also set a franchise record and tied a modern day NHL record for combined shutouts (15) and became the first tandem in NHL history to each record at least 6 shutouts and first in Blues history to each record 20 wins. This is the best tandem of goaltenders in the NHL this season, bar none!

And if the Blues’ goaltending doesn’t scare you, add to that guys with Minnesota ties in David Backes, Jamie Langenbrunner and T.J. Oshie. Not to mention Patrik Berglund, Andy McDonald, Alex Pietrangelo, Chris Stewart, Kevin Shattenkirk and David Perron. The cherry on top for this group? Rookie sensation Vladimir Tarasenko who has come screaming out of the gates on his way to a certain Calder Trophy should he hold up physically. You thought Granlund was good? Granlund doesn’t even compare to this guy who currently ranks first in goals (4), tied for first in points (7), tied for first in plus/minus (+4) and 1st in shots on goal (17) for rookies. Tarasenko is the 4th player in Blues history to score in his first two NHL games. He is currently rated as the NHL’s #2 prospect by hockeysfuture.com (compare Granlund who is rated #10 on that list behind both Tarasenko and Jaden Schwarts who is #7 and both playing for the Blues).

While the Blues opened the season ripping the Red Wings 6-0 to announce their arrival as a team not only in the Central Division to be reckoned with, but across the NHL, they have quieted down somewhat by beating the Predators twice, 4-3 and 3-0, while losing to the Chicago Blackhawks, perhaps their most formidable opponent this season for the top spot in the West, losing 3-2. Last night, the Blues quietly beat the Dallas Stars who, surprisingly, game them everything they could handle. Interestingly, the Wild have played 3 of the 4 same teams the Blues have played. While I’m not certain you can tell too much by comparing performances, I would definitely be happy if the Wild could skate with them most of the game and not get blown out in an embarassing fashion. I did not consider the loss to the Red Wings a bad or embarassing loss for this team. Given how loaded the Blues are, there is no shame for the Wild losing by any score to this top team that is locked, stocked and fully loaded this season.

Now that I’ve said all this, I half expect the Wild to go out and actually beat the Blues.

For the Wild, Yeo has moved Bouchard up to the second line and moved Cullen down to the third line in hopes of bringing a spark to Granlund and the Setoguchi. Parise comes in to the game doing his job and being the best player on the ice for the Wild, riding a four-game point streak (3 goals and 3 assists), is coming off of his 26th career two-goal game Friday in Detroit and has recorded the primary assist on all 3 of Dany Heatley’s goals this year. Parise also leads the NHL in shots at 23 and is attempting to set an example for the entire Wild forward corps: SHOOT THE PUCK!!!!! This team has far too many danglers who like to dance with the puck on the half wall. Shoot the puck, crash the net and score goals. Pretty much the name of the game, eh?

Ryan Suter, the other top free agent acquisition by the Wild last summer, quietly is eating up ice time having skated 32:02 in the Wild’s loss to Detroit. Many in the press are beating him up for being on the ice for so many goals against, but give me a break. He is just on the ice so much. Friday’s TOI marked the third hightes of his career and missed his career-high by 41 seconds!!!!!!!

Clearly, the Wild still have a lot of work to do in their rebuilding project. Fletcher and company could advance the ball another step by trading Setoguchi for Despres and meet the Wild’s need for a big, body moving defenseman who can clearly skate and play at the NHL level and provide an open spot for one of the Wild’s many young gun forwards currently in the AHL.

Players to watch tonight? Tarasenko and Backes (think Cal Clutterbuck combined with Dany Heatley).

Remember, the game time has moved from 5 pm to 7 pm due to NBCSN's picking up this game.

THIS JUST IN: Matt Dumba, Wild defensive prospect, being returned to his his junior team, the Red Deer Rebels, to make room for the return of Wild defenseman Marco Scandella from injury.

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