5 Players to Thrive for Wild This Season

[Declan]

The Minnesota Examiner did a piece on the 5 players that will thrive for the Wild this season. So far they've counted down from 5 to 2, so you'll have to check back to see who they've selected as #1. My bet is on Martin Havlat

The Minnesota Wild will enter the 2009-2010 season with a new coach and system.

Todd Richards is installing a more aggressive, attacking, high-tempo system. A change from the passive, trapping, defensive system the team has ran since its inception under Jacques Lemaire.

There are quite a few players on the Wild roster with the skill set to have more success in Richards' system than Lemaire's.

Defenseman Kim Johnsson is the No. 5 player that will thrive in the new system.

The Malmo, Sweden native had two goals and 22 assists last season. In the two previous seasons with the Wild, the statistics were similiar with seven goals and 42 assists.

Prior to joining the Wild, Johnsson played four seasons for the Philadelphia Flyers. The final year with the Flyers was marred with injuries that limited him to 47 games and six goals and 19 assists. In the first three seasons with the Flyers, he scored at least 10 goals and had at least 29 assists. He recorded point totals of 41, 39 and 42, respectively.

The 33-year-old is in the final year of a four-year contract he signed in 2006. The $4 million price tag has not been justified in the first three years of the contract. This season could be his last chance to get another NHL contact. Playing in the final year of a contract, especially this late in his career, can be a pretty good motivator.

The Wild signed him four years ago because of his ability to start a rush with the first pass in the defensive zone. He also handles the puck very well through the neutral and offensive zones. He was good enough as a defender until he was checked by Brad May in the playoffs in 2007. At that point, he became skittish in the defensive zone. He is constantly looking over his shoulder to avoid being checked. With an attacking, puck-control system, he should be able to avoid those situations.

Because of his stickhandling and offensive prowess coupled with the final year of his contract, he should have his best season as a member of the Wild.

Forward Benoit Pouliot is the No. 4 player that will thrive in the new system.

The Alfred, Ontario, native was the Wild's first round draft choice in the 2005 entry draft. Pouliot was considered the second best player in the draft behind Sidney Crosby. The Pittsburgh Penguins selected the best player. The Anaheim Ducks and Carolina Hurricanes passed on Pouliot to select Americans Bobby Ryan and Jack Johnson, respectively. Pouliot fell to the Wild because of his attitude and lack of defensive presence on the ice. Current Wild GM Chuck Fletcher was an assistant with the Ducks and was one of the personnel preferring Ryan over Pouliot.

Pouliot has plenty of offensive potential. He has shown an ability to handle the puck in traffic and get to the scoring lanes. He was frustrated with the passiveness of Lemaire's system. How he handled the frustration sparked concerns of his attitude.

His production was never a concern. In two seasons with the Sudbury Wolves in juniors, he scored 64 goals and 68 assists in 118 games. That production has not carried over to the professional game, yet. He has scored just seven goals and seven assists in 51 NHL games and 38 goals and 46 assists in 143 AHL games.

With the more aggressive, high-tempo, puck-control system, he should be able to hit the 20-goal plateau.

Like Johnsson, Pouliot is in a contract year. Pouliot was one of six restricted free agents that was offered a qualifying contract by the Wild early in the offseason. If his production does not improve this season, it will probably be his last with the Wild. He is playing for his first big contract.

Pouliot should play on the third or second line, depending on who mans the middle of the second line.

Forward Colton Gillies is the No. 3 player that will thrive in the new system.

The White Rock, British Columbia, native played 45 games last season as a rookie. He was on the Wild's roster all season. He recorded just two goals and five assists. The statistics need to improve to justify a first round draft choice. The Wild traded up from No. 19 to No. 16 in the 2007 draft to select him.

He has played just 56 games as a professional. He began the 2007-2008 season in the WHL, which was his best junior season with 24 goals and 23 assists. He concluded the season with the Houston Aeros, where he recorded one goal and seven assists in 11 games.

The 6-foot-4-inch tall, 189 pound power forward impressed the coaching staff at the prospect development camp at the Xcel Energy Center last month. He turned heads by showing extraordinary speed and aggressiveness for a player with his frame.

He has the family pedigree. His uncle is Clark Gillies, the Hall of Fame forward. The four-time Stanley Cup champion scored 319 goals, 378 assists and 1,023 penalty minutes in 14 seasons in the NHL.

Colton Gillies needs to improve his play around the front of the net. Once he does that he will be a top line force. He has the size and strength that he can hit the boards on the forecheck. His aggressiveness and hands would allow the Wild to have a physical presence on the first line without sacrificing offensive ability.

He needs to play at least 75 games this season, so we can see that his body can hold up for an entire season. He may need to play for the Aeros to get that experience. He just needs to get professional game experience Lemaire may have set him back one season with the minimal game action last season.

Look for Colton Gillies to have a big year, whether it is in Houston or St. Paul.

Forward Pierre-Marc Bouchard is the No. 2 player that will thrive in the new system.

The Sherbrooke, Quebec, native recorded 16 goals and 30 assists in 71 games last season, before suffering from headaches that ended his season in March.

It was a disappointing season for Bouchard after recording 13 goals and 50 assists in 2007-2008. The 50 assists set a Wild record for assists in season. Also, he had at least 57 points in three consecutive seasons before last year.

He had a four-game point streak in late January and early February that he had nine points, which tied a team record for points in a four-game stretch.

More importantly for the Wild, the team is 32-4-2 when he scores a goal since December of 2006.

The Wild drafted Bouchard in the first round of the 2002 draft after he posted a 46-goal, 94-assist season in the QMJHL. He recorded at least 95 points in both seasons he played in the QMJHL.

Physically, Bouchard is built to be in a puck control system, not a defensive system. His size limits his ability to defend physical offensive players.

As long as he remains healthy, Bouchard should have a huge year for the Wild.

www.examiner.com/x-3853-Minnesota-Wild-Examiner~y2009m8d13-Top-five-to-thrive-in-20092010-for-the-Minnesota-Wild-No-2-PierreMarc-Bouchard