Don’t think about making the playoffs, not this year at least.  The exciting run into December has passed.  It was a short ride, the Wild were on top of the Western Conference on December 14 and the excitement was grand.  However with an Avalanche win tonight the Wild will fall from playoff contention.  Plan for next year Mr. Fletcher.

Mikko Koivo’s separated shoulder put a stake in all Wild hope of making the playoffs this season. Koivo could miss between 4 and 6 weeks.  Horrible news for the team’s catalyst. The team is 22-19 with Koivo in the line-up and they are 0-0-4 without him.  But to make matters worse this team is without three of its top six forwards.  Bouchard and Latendresse are also out indefinitely with concussions.

Mr. Fletcher is wildly making phone calls to bring in another forward.  No forward has been called up at this time.  Harding, Zanon or Zidlicky might be playing hockey elsewhere very soon.  None of them would be a terrible loss to the Wild if traded.  

In terms of this team, nothing is much more terrible than losing Mikko .