Northwest

MINNESOTA
Wild

LAST SEASON
44-28-10, 3rd in West; lost in first round to Avalanche

KEY ADDITIONS
D Marc-Andre Bergeron, LW Andrew Brunette, RW Antti Miettinen, RW Owen Nolan, D Marek Zidlicky

KEY LOSSES
RW Pavol Demitra, RW Mark Parrish, RW Brian Rolston

WHEN THE Wild set about retooling in the off-season, the team's goal was not merely to duplicate its first-ever division championship—Minnesota would have had a strong shot at that without changing much of anything—but rather to better its one-round-and-out playoff showing of the past two seasons. "You can't be fearful of change," general manager Doug Risebrough says. "I really feel good about the team. Does that mean I know exactly how it's going to go, that I feel totally comfortable? No."

Among the players Minnesota imported are soft-handed, concrete-footed left wing Andrew Brunette, a popular Wild player from 2001--02 through '03--04; veteran winger Owen Nolan, who still has an edge at age 36; and, most important, puck-moving defenseman Marek Zidlicky. They should compensate for the loss of offensive-minded forwards Brian Rolston (31 goals last year) and Pavol Demitra (54 points) and yield Risebrough's desired fresh outlook.

The Wild's playoff fortunes, though, will likely continue to revolve around two holdovers: right wing Marian Gaborik, whose 42 goals led the team in 2007--08; and Jacques Lemaire, the only head coach in Wild history. Lemaire, who can find a way to win a 2--1 game as well as any coach, will goad his talented team—defenseman Brent Burns and center Mikko Koivu are budding stars—to clamp down defensively. The explosive Gaborik needs to avoid the groin injuries that slowed him at times in recent years. He is set to be a free agent next summer, and Lemaire, 63, has intimated that this could be his final season.

Now, if those two leave, Minnesota would really be in for a change.

EDMONTON
Oilers

LAST SEASON
41-35-6, 9th in West