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Suiting up for the Season Minnesota Hockey Journal previews the upcoming NHL and college hockey seasons by Tom Yelle Expectations High at Xcel N 20 averaging 30 minutes per game on the ice. Joining Suter is Jonas Brodin, arguably the top rookie in the league last year. Jared Spurgeon and the addition of Baudette native Keith Ballard will help anchor the back end. Goalie Nicklas Backstrom returns in full health after being injured in the postseason as does back-up Josh Harding who dramatically stepped up his play in goal during the playoff series. What ultimately may define the team in 201314 will be depth. The play of burgeoning prospects Mikael Granlund, Jason Zucker and Charlie Coyle as well as that of 20-yearold newcomer Nino Niederreiter is viewed as crucial to the Wild's success and a deeper run into the postseason. minnesotahockeyjournal.com // October.2013 Ski-U-Mah It will be a year of meshing new and old players for the Gopher men's team this year. Many of the big names who helped the Gophers pace the WCHA last season are gone, but stepping in are several talented freshmen who developed through Minnesota Hockey's community-based associations: Michael Brodzinski, Blaine Youth Hockey Association. Big shot from the point and keen offensive sense. Hudson Fasching, Apple Valley Hockey Association. Stands at 6-foot-2 and is considered a consummate power forward. Justin Kloos, Lakeville Hockey Association. Mr. Hockey in 2012, Kloos possesses high-end skill, vision and hockey sense. Jake Bischoff, Grand Rapids Amateur Hockey Association. Big, steady defenseman with puck-moving ability. Add to this a couple of familiar, proven forwards in senior Nate Condon and junior Kyle Rau (Eden Prairie Youth Hockey Association), and the Gophers' offensive punch looks impressive. photo: university of minnesota athletics department HL realignment has fans excited about rekindling old rivalries, but they're also thrilled about the team's potential this season. After adding Zach Parise and Ryan Suter to the roster last summer, the Wild was expected to be a playoff team for the first time in five years. It happened. An opening series loss to eventual Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks was disappointing, but Minnesota showed significant signs that it could go nose-to-nose and stick-to-stick with the best team in the NHL last winter. They return much of that core this year. Wild leading scorer Parise and his center Mikko Koivu are both back on offense, combining for 75 points last year, while on the blue line Suter had the best all-around season of his professional career and stood out as one of the best defensemen in the NHL,