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what changes need to be made to turn this team into a true contender. Maybe the changes to the fourth line and third defense pair will make a difference. Maybe health will because the Wild were decimated by injury from start to finish last season. We'll see. But at least the fact that the Wild are experienced enough to get into the playoffs should buy him some time to truly evaluate things. Bruce Boudreau has coached the Wild to consecutive 100-point seasons. He has two years left on his contract and knows the pressure's on with a new GM at the helm. But he's optimistic. "I know people are going to think, 'OK, they didn't make a big splash, we didn't do this,' I just feel that this team is different," Boudreau said. "I feel that coming in we have something to prove and I think this core has something to prove. I think we will play that way with that little chip on our shoulder all year long. I think the young guys are going to come of age and I think the older guys that we've got are really going to make a big improvement. Most importantly, I think our defense is as good as any team in the league right now. And when you've got good defense and good goaltending, I think you're going to win." Russo's Predictions RUSSO'S PREDICTED LE ADING GOAL SCORER: Eric Staal turns 34 in October, but he still looks in his 20s and has played that way, too, in Minnesota. He followed a 28-goal campaign in 2016-17 with 42 goals and 76 points last sea- son and an invitation to the All-Star Game. Not only did he become the second 40-goal scorer in Wild history and matched Marian Gaborik's team record, Staal scored his most goals since 2005-06 ( his second year in the NHL when Carolina won the Stanley Cup) and his most points since 2010-11. The 76 points were the highest point total by a Wild player in 10 years. I don't see any reason why he'd slow down this year. He has missed a game in two years with the Wild and is in a contract year and he enters the final season of his bargain three-year, $10.5 million contract. RUSSO'S PREDICTED LE ADING SCORER: If Mikael Granlund plays on the right side of Jason Zucker and Staal all year, Granny should gobble up those points once again. Two years ago, Granlund led the Wild with 69 points and was only two points short of that last sea- son despite a very slow start because of ankle and groin injuries. But he lit it up in the second half. Granlund scored 23 points in the final 23 games and 45 points in the final 46 games. He finished with a career-high 46 assists. Granlund should have another superb year. RE ADY TO BRE AK OUT: Last season, it felt like rookie Joel Eriksson Ek was just given a roster spot when maybe he wasn't ready for it. He played mostly fourth-line minutes next to two check- ing-line teammates. This season, he'll be elevated into a third-line role and should play with more high-quality teammates. There's no doubt he has a future as a good two-way center. But he needs to improve in the faceoff circle (42.6 percent last season) and the Wild would love to see a big jump this season offensively from last year's six goals. Boudreau sees a lot of Rickard Rakell, the young A naheim star, in Eriksson Ek. Eriksson Ek is now 21, got better in the second half, looked good in the playoffs. Now 's the time for him to erupt. MUST BOUNCE BACK : Charlie Coyle left all Wild fans and his coaches wanting more during a tough 2017-18 campaign. He scored only 11 goals and 26 assists in 66 games but was ravaged with inju- ries. He broke his fibula the third game of the season, under went surgery and missed a month. He was hobbled all year, then struggled through the entire second half with a pair of wrist injuries that would eventually require surgery. Coyle has all the tools. He's big, he's mobile, he's strong, he can dangle. But he just hasn't been consistent at the NHL level. You can bet Fenton will be really eyeballing him this season to see if he should be put on the trade market. Fenton will be watching and analyzing and trying to identify what changes need to be made to turn this team into a true contender. O C T O B E R 2 0 1 8 | M H J ON L I N E . C O M 29 New GM Paul Fenton believes the Wild are in a good position to start the season. 2018-19 MINNE SO TA WIL D SE A SON PRE V IE W