from Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune,

Probably not too many people outside of Minnesota’s borders are picking the Wild to advance. This will be a tall order, especially with star defenseman Ryan Suter sidelined by injury.

The meter is running for the Wild, though. This is the team’s sixth consecutive playoff appearance. None have extended beyond the second round. The past two trips ended in the first round, including last season in five games against St. Louis, despite the Wild being favored after recording the best regular season in team history.

The cup-half-full view is that the Wild keeps giving itself a chance by becoming a playing regular. The cup-half-empty view is that time is ticking for its nucleus of veterans — and Fletcher’s hand-picked roster — to put it all together for a deep run.

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