Wild 2016-17: Another Season of Anxiety?

English: Eric Staal Nederlands: Eric Staal (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Minnesota Wild's 2016-17 NHL season is about two things.  One is to prove that they're more than a mediocre team with high-priced talent in a tough division and conference, always getting into the Stanley Cup playoffs the hard way.  The other is to have your playoff run last longer than the first round, which is what they did not do against the Dallas Stars last spring.

To that end, the Wild made some changes--or as many changes as general manager Chuck Fletcher's budget would allow.  Mike Yeo was replaced as coach by Bruce Boudreau, who's had successful runs in the past with Washington and Anaheim.  The best free agent pickup Fletcher could get with the salary cap they've got was Eric Staal, who spent last season with Carolina and the New York Rangers.  The Wild also bid adieu to Thomas Vanek, whom all agreed was an expensive bust, and who has since landed in Detroit.

These changes don't mask the fact that the Wild still have many of the same players who were going to take the team to greater heights, but somehow never do.  Boudreau's challenge this season is, to put it kindly, motivate these highly-paid skaters to start playing better hockey consistently.  If he can do that, then fans can start breathing easier about a playoff spot come march and April.  If he can't, then you can expect another season of anxiety in the State of Hockey.

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After a summer in which the NHL awarded an expansion franchise to Las Vegas, the Canadian team winning the World Cup of Hockey and Ron McLean getting his job back as host of "Hockey Night In Canada", it's time to start the season.  Pittsburgh is the defending Stanley Cup champion, but Sidney Crosby's just had another concussion.  There is still a question mark about NHL participation in the 2018 Winter Olympics, but the 2020 World Cup of Hockey sounds like it's a go.  Edmonton opens the third arena in Canada to be named for the Rogers communications empire, which also holds the country's TV rights to NHL games.  And with that, here's who we think will be around next April for the playoffs:

EASTERN CONFERENCE:  Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders, Florida Panthers, Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers.

WESTERN CONFERENCE:  Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, Winnipeg Jets.