The Minnesota Wild are coming off another disappointing playoff exit. They had such a fantastic regular season and then completely flopped in the playoffs, losing in five games to the St. Louis Blues in the first round. What was more shocking was the disappearance of their offense, which had led the Western Conference in scoring in the regular season. They simply couldn’t get anything going in the playoffs en route to the exit.
After falling short of expectations when it mattered the most a year ago, Minnesota will be in tough to exceed expectations this coming season. The Wild managed to record 49 wins ago and finished with the second-best record in the Western Conference. Expectations have been tempered in Minnesota with many familiar faces back in the fold for the 2017-18 season.
How They Finished Last Season
Minnesota struggled down the final stretch of the regular season and ultimately finished second in the Central division with 106 points. The Wild were completely shut down in the playoffs when they lost to the St. Louis Blues in five games. That was a very surprising result when you consider that the Blues had fired their head coach in the middle of the season. On top of that, the Blues have always had issues in the playoffs – especially getting out of the first round. However, Minnesota proved to be a very feeble opponent as they managed to win just one playoff game. Of greater concern was an offense that completely disappeared. The Wild scored just three goals in their first three playoff games before finally “breaking out” for a big 2-0 win in Game 4. By that time, it was too late as the Blues had control of the series and took care of business in just five.Overall, the Wild scored just eight goals in five playoff games. It was a shocking result for a team that had scored 266 goals in the regular season – the second-most in the NHL.
What Changed In The Offseason
The NHL expansion draft and salary cap constraints took their toll on the Wild this offseason as they lost defensemen Marco Scandella and Christian Folin as well as forwards Jason Pominville, Martin Hanzal and Erik Haula. Minnesota did add defenseman Kyle Quincey in an effort to shore up its defense but the Scandella loss in particular will hurt. Meanwhile, the Wild added Matt Cullen, Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno up front. Ennis has offensive potential but he is undersized and has struggled to stay healthy. Cullen and Foligno will bolster the team’s depth up front as bottom-six forwards. The Wild failed to address their biggest issue, which is a lack of elite scoring forwards.
Most Valuable Fantasy Hockey Asset
While Mikael Granlund took a substantial step forward last season, it’s hard to argue against Devan Dubnyk’s production when it comes to determining the most valuable fantasy hockey asset on the Minnesota roster. Dubnyk ranks in the top-three in wins, goals against average and save percentage over the past three seasons. He also ranks second in shutouts with 16 over that span. Dubnyk has averaged 65 starts over the past two seasons and he should remain a workhorse for the Wild this season.
Regular Season Win Total Outlook
The NHL futures regular season win total for Minnesota reflects the tempered expectations for the club. The Wild posted 49 wins a year ago but their projected win total has been set at 46.5 for this season and they could have a tough time reaching that mark. The losses of Pominville, Hanzal, Haula and Scandella hurt and there is no guarantee that their replacements will be able to capably replace what they brought to the table. Minnesota faded down the stretch last season and it ultimately cost them a Central division title and the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The Wild and Blackhawks were the only teams in the West that recorded at least 49 wins a year ago. A lack of offseason improvements combined with a more difficult schedule makes it unreasonable to expect Minnesota to hit that mark again in 2017-18.
Pick: Under 46.5 Wins
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