HOCKEY'S HERE: MINNESOTA WILD

It's time to air out your gear, sharpen your skates and tape your stick -- it's hockey season. Sure, your team flat-out ached last season, but there's hope, unless you're an Islanders fan. In that spirit, Out of Left Field is here with early looks at all 30 NHL teams. Presenting: The Minnesota Wild.

Last season: 84 points, last in Northwest Division, missed playoffs
Coach: Jacques Lemaire (6th season with team)
Young gun: Marion Gaborik (still fairly young)
Store this name away: Benoit Pouliot
Hey, get a load of the new guys: Pavol Demitra, Kim Johnsson Blogs (including but not limited to): State of Hockey
Pop culture moment: Someone should find out if Twin Cities native Rachael Leigh Cook (see Top 5 Movie Love Interests) is a hockey fan

So much for Minnesota Nice. The Wild are the hip pick to be this year's equivalent to last year's four conference finalists, all of whom had missed the playoffs in the quote-unquote "previous season" of 2003-04. Minnesota faded in final weeks -- found their own level is more like it -- and finished 11 points behind the Oilers for the final playoff spot. Seeing as they lost 28 one-goal games, they weren't that far from being in the post-season.

The Wild generated a lot of off-season notice by trading for high-scoring Pavol Demitra, who should play with his Slovak countryman Marion Gaborik. Brian Rolston thrived under the new rules, racking up 79 points in spite of Lemaire's defence-first system, and Kim Johnsson gives the Wild a mobile offensive defenceman that they didn't have in '05-06. As for the goaltending, let's see how Manny Fernandez plays now that he's the undisputed No. 1 guy in the first year of a big contract.

Minnesota still looks a little thin up front, especially at centre, and is by no means a sure-fire playoff team. Their post-season prospects, though, are better than last year's by a factor of two.

Also in Northwest Division: Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks

Back with more later. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca