With a deal looking imminent, it’s time for hockey fans and enthusiasts to gear up for the new season—but then again—haven’t we all been since last June? While there’s no longer the 2012 half of the ’12-’13 season, there is still enough time for a 48 game season and that’s plenty of time for Minnesota to prove to its fans and season ticket holders that the wait for the debut of Zach Parise, Ryan Suter and Mikael Granlund has been well worth it. So, without further ado, here are five “Wild” 2013 predictions for Minnesota.
#1. Minnesota will make the playoffs. With a 48 game season crammed in a short amount of time, there will certainly be a playoff-like grind and urgency found in the game of all 30 NHL teams. However, with the added talent and depth, Minnesota is very likely to weather the storm.
#2. Minnesota’s top line of Parise-Koivu-Heatley will give goalies nightmares. These three forwards provide an interesting mix that will both terrorize and confuse goaltenders and opposing defenses. Parise is a very skilled left wing that can score gritty, greasy goals just as quickly and easily as he can a beautiful highlight-reel goal. Koivu is a very strong two-way playmaking machine of a center that isn’t afraid to make a big hit, feather a pass over to his wingers for a huge goal or score one himself. And Heatley—well—there aren’t many defenses able to contain the sharp-shooting sniper. One thing is for sure, Minnesota fans are sure to witness quite a few breakaways, two-on-ones and other odd-man situations with these three on the ice.
Continues here with #3: http://gonepuckwild....innesotas-2013/
