Brad Ratgen: Re-Visiting My Pre-Season Thoughts. Hits and Misses. A look back at comments made during the pre-season in my blogs.

I like what Fletcher said today about it taking two months to settle on a consistent roster. I think that is the one exciting thing about this upcoming season we've never had the luxury of experiencing.

Previously, the start of the season usually brought hope but if some of the lines or players weren't up to expectations, we all knew there were not many other options and they would just need to play their way out of it. That's different this year.

I also think the roster politics and pressure to change the identity of the brand of hockey the Wild plays benefits those of us that are sick and tired of being sick and tired of marginal talent low budget veterans blocking the young guns in the lineup. If it is only one spot we are talking about I hope its Fontaine that goes down initially because I think he takes less of a hit in confidence and his own expectation. Zucker can play 4th line and special teams and earn his respect for playing a complete game. Especially if Mitchell is out extended period with the slew foot he received last night.

You know all off-season long watching the departures of some key players, I have kind of been dreading this upcoming season. But after taking a look at the lines on paper, I could actually see this season going ok. I am confident that the Wild will make the playoffs this season, how deep they go with shaky defense is not something I like to think about. If they make it past the first round I will consider this season a huge success.

You know all off-season long watching the departures of some key players, I have kind of been dreading this upcoming season. But after taking a look at the lines on paper, I could actually see this season going ok. I am confident that the Wild will make the playoffs this season, how deep they go with shaky defense is not something I like to think about. If they make it past the first round I will consider this season a huge success.
- Tweaterben

I think the players that departeded this offseason were all kinda chasing the ghost of past performances besides Cullen who had has best season with the Wild after struggling to begin the season on the wing. I think the casual fan and occasional viewer will miss Clutterbuck and Pierre-Marc Bouchard for their highlight reel moments but their game to game performance last year was particularly brutal. Cullen$3.5Mil+Bouchard$4Mil+Gilbert$4.5Mil+Clutterbuck$1.7MIl(Also a RFA got a raise)=Nearly $14Mil in cap space for players who are no longer top performs and would not be in the Wild's Top6 FWDs and Top4 Dpairings except maybe Cullen but that would come at the expense of Coyle and other young players development this year. Obviously the national predictions of how the Wild will fair this season dont align with top tier expectations but I believe this team will be better than last year and a hell of alot more fun to watch than any Wild team in 5years.