Minnesota Wild: 5 burning questions for 2018-19 season
1. Does the regular season even matter?
This is the question I keep coming back to. The Wild are returning the same team they had last season. Their only real additions are J.T. Brown and Greg Pateryn, two depth players at best. Jordan Greenway will be in the lineup all year, which is a big addition to their bottom-six and a player with top-six potential. But strapped for cap space, the Wild was in no condition to make a big splash.
So, with the same team in tow, how much do you care about the regular season?
We know who they are. Until proven otherwise, they are who we think they are. And right now, they are a good regular season team that can’t get out of the first round. Consistency is admirable. Making the playoffs every season is admirable. You can’t hang admiration from the rafters. Well, Minnesota may just so they have something hanging up there.
If there’s a ray, a light, a hope, or a spark. Look no further than the Washington Capitals. For years, pundits wanted them to blow it up and start over. Washington, for the most part, held firm. The suffering only made the victory sweeter. Now, Minnesota doesn’t have a generational goalscorer like Alex Ovechkin, but the core has remained largely unchanged year after early ending year. There have been enough positive signs to think they can eventually break through.
Next. Arizona Coyotes: 5 player predictions for next season. dark
To answer the question, yes, the regular season matters. After all, a team can’t make the playoffs without having a successful regular season campaign. But this team will not be judged on 82 games. They’ll be judged on what happens after Game 82.
Because of this, only one question should matter to Minnesota fans. Is it April yet?