A Bitter Pill For Minnesota Wild Fans
Hopefully Minnesota Wild fans are slowly overcoming the hangover of last night when they were eliminated by the Chicago Blackhawks.
And being swept is not fun.
But I see a bright picture for the future. Since 2009 (the year of the picture on this page), there has been change. And overall it has been very good change. Especially the Dubnyk trade that brought a miserable season back to Stanley Cup contenders. Which is almost impossible to do in the West, just ask the Colorado Avalanche.
Look at the progression:
- 2011 – Missed Playoffs
- 2012 – Missed Playoffs
- 2013 – Lost in West Quarterfinals
- 2014 – Lost in West Semifinals
- 2015 – Lost in West Semifinals
Those are trending in the right direction. Finals or Cup next year?
Tony Wiseau at Hockey Wilderness (an excellent blog) shared this perspective:
Was this season a success or a failure?
I think that is a question that’s going to dominate the discussion for a little while, and just to go on the record about it, I think that both opinions are equally valid.
It’s OK to be disappointed. The Wild went out in the offseason and got better on paper, jettisoning Dany Heatley for Thomas Vanek, and expecting improvements from young players like Mikael Granlund, Nino Niederreiter, Charlie Coyle, and Erik Haula.
I think ultimately, I fall into the camp of those who do not view this season as a success. I hoped for progress, and despite the second half and the series win against the St. Louis Blues, it can’t be considered progress.
That said, I’m not in any position to tell you how you should feel. If you want to be a glass half-full person, it’s perfectly reasonable. If you succumb to the bitterness that comes with a series sweep, it’s totally understandable.
Photo courtesy of studiobetties.
