2009-10 NHL preview: Minnesota Wild


So far in 2009 the Minnesota Wild have been busied changing themselves. After missing the playoffs for the third time in the past five season’s owner Craig Leopold had enough. He fired, head coach Jacques Lemaire, and a few days later General Manager Doug Risebrough was fired as well. Now the Wild have a new GM, a new coach, and a new direction to being the 2009-10 campaign with.

New GM Chuck Fletcher comes over from the front office of the Pittsburgh Penguins. He has hired former Sharks assistant Coach Todd Richards to be his head man. Richards previously worked for Fletcher as he was the coach of one of the Penguins minor league teams. While this strong connection to the Penguins has many Wild fan excited, Richards has no plan to implement a wide open style for this team.

While the Wild were a bit dull under Lemaire, those teams were extremely hard to break down. They played good defense because that was how they could win games. Richards will come in and look to upgrade the Wild offensive attack.

The main problem seemed to be that under Leamire’s system the defensemen were almost always helped by having a winger hang back, and provide backup. Under the new system, the Wild will look to push the attack and get some more offense from their defense.

Additions- C Kyle Brodziak, RW Jon Disalvatore, G Wade Dubieiewicz, RW Martin Havlat, D Shane Hnidy, D Ryan Lannon, D Jamie Sifers, C Nathan Smith, and D Greg Zanon

Subtractions- D Kurtis Foster, RW Marian Gaborik, F Krystofer Kolanos, C Corey Locke, F Peter Olvecky, and LW Stephane Veilleux

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