BT's 2008/09 NHL Season Preview: The Minnesota Wild

igh his numbers could reach.

After those three, Andrew Brunette is the most lethal scorer, and although I like Bouchard, he’s no Joe Sakic, so don’t expect Brunette to be potting 20 goals or 80 points like he did while in Colorado.

Of the rest of the forwards, only James Sheppard, Corey Locke, and Cal Clutterbuck have some scoring potential, but they’re going to have to earn their playing time to prove they can put up points.

Invoking a sense of a two-way game amongst the forwards has to be at the top of Lemaire’s list this season, because if the team isn’t going to be putting many pucks in the net, they’re certainly going to have to be adept at keep the opposing forwards from doing the same thing.

I’ve got this Brent Burning sensation on my Kim Johnsson…

In a twist not many people saw coming, Brent Burns is the best at his position on the Minnesota Wild. If you’re familiar with him from Brampton of the OHL, you’d think it’d be at right wing, but today? Brent Burns is Minnesota’s top offensive defenseman.

Last year Burns was able to post a career-high 43 points, and a sparkling plus 12, thriving on the blueline alongside Kurtis Foster and Martin Skoula. Skoula had a tough year both offensively and defensively, posting career-lows in categories across the board, while Foster kept putting his shot to good use from the point, netting seven goals, and improving his play in his own end.

Although one might think that the addition of Marek Zidlicky will help the defense as a whole, there’s one player in particular his addition may help. If the offensive-minded Zidlicky—who posted 43 points last season—can work with Kim Johnsson and help Nick Schultz harness the offensive talents that have dogged him at the NHL level, then the Wild may have four top-scoring defensemen, along with the bullet shot Foster owns.

The problem, yet again, is that the Wild need a break from the defensive style every so often.

Of the five that were on the team last season (Foster, Skoula, Johnsson, Schultz, and Burns), three of them combined to score 44 percent of their points on the powerplay. Neither Skoula nor Schultz had a point on the powerplay last season and more of the defensemen will have to follow suit and increase their even-strength scoring if the Wild want balance this season.

So what does this all mean?

We get it: defense comes first in Minnesota and scoring comes second.

Unfortunately, the West is a conference that is stockpiled with tough, lock-down defenses. The difference between those teams and the Wild? Those other teams can sport an offense that can score on the oppositions lock-down defense.

I just don’t think the Wild have that.

Third in Northwest

Remember, this can be your audition for the Minnesota Wild's Community Leadership! All you have to do is write your thoughts on my preview, whether you agree, disagree, or anything else you can come up with!

Coming up tomorrow: Whichever Northwest team rep gets back to me first!

Untill then...

Bryan Thiel is a Senior Writer and an NHL Community Leader for Bleacher Report. If you want to get in contact with Bryan, you can do so through his profile, and you can read more of his previous work in his archives.

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