This feels very much like a season in which Chuck Fletcher is on trial as the longtime GM of the Minnesota Wild.A thoughtful and cerebral hockey man, Fletcher has been at the helm since May 2009, and his team has made the playoffs four straight years. Hardly an indictment for any GM when you consider how tough it is to make the playoffs in this era of so much parity in the league.But the first-round exit last season was a step backward in some peoples eyes.Ownership has spent to the salary cap for years. This is a hockey-crazy market that wants a Stanley Cup run.In one of his most important decisions with the club, Fletcher hired Bruce Boudreau as head coach this offseason in what I believe was a brilliant move.Yes, the narrative is well established about Boudreaus playoff hiccups. But that also overlooks the manner in which he turned around both the Washington Capitals and Anaheim Ducks during his previous coaching tenures and transformed them into division-winning juggernauts.The task is daunting, however, in a crazy competitive Central Division in which the Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators look to have improved, while contenders in the Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars arent going away.Can Boudreau work his magic?Best new facesThe biggest addition is July 1 unrestricted free-agent signing Eric Staal, who no doubt enters this season ultramotivated to show people hes not done as an elite center. His numbers have certainly regressed the past few years, and his short tenure with the New York Rangers last season after a trade-deadline deal with the Carolina Hurricanes wasnt very impressive.Staal turns 32 on Oct. 29 and feels theres much hockey left in him. He signed a three-year, $10.5 million deal with the Wild and intends to show that was a bargain. He will likely begin the season on the No. 1 line between Zach Parise and Charlie Coyle, so Boudreau is giving him every opportunity to succeed.The Wild also added veteran winger Chris Stewart (whom Boudreau had in Anaheim), No. 3 goalie Alex Stalock and depth defenseman Victor Bartley.Thomas Vanek was bought out and signed with the Detroit Red Wings, so aside from Staal, the same Wild core returns.Biggest unknownsSee Staal above. Whether he can bounce back and deliver an impact, No. 1-center-type season will go a long way toward writing the script.Is this the season Mikael Granlund takes it to another level? He put up 44 points (13-31) last season in 82 games, which is below what I think his potential should be delivering. At 24, perhaps this is the season he takes that step. Hes got the hands to do it and a coach who encourages offensive talent to shine.Whatever happened to Jonas Brodin? His play has regressed since he was one of the games most promising young defensemen. Hes only 23, so theres plenty of time to recapture that form, but this season he needs to prove he can be a consistent force on the blue line. We didnt see that enough last season.Sure thingsDefenseman Ryan Suter, thats for sure. He was an absolute two-way stud last season, second only to Erik Karlsson in ice time per game, and for my money should have received more Norris Trophy consideration, at least in terms of being in top-five consideration (he finished eighth in the voting). Suter doesnt take a game off. Hes a horse on that Wild blue line, and I dont expect that to change this season.Another sure thing is that Boudreau will improve the Wilds special teams. The Ducks were first in the NHL in both the power play and penalty kill last season, which is unheard of! You can bet the Wilds 27th-ranked penalty kill will definitely improve, while the teams 18th-ranked power play has a chance to get better under the offensive-minded Boudreau.PredictionThe Wild took the last wild-card spot in the Western Conference from the fifth-place spot in the Central, and I think theyll be in that mix again. To me, its going to be a coin flip between the Jets and Wild for that fifth-place spot in the Central, which could be a wild-card spot as well. Sixth in the Central. Carlos Hyde Jersey . LOUIS -- Theres no telling how these wacky World Series games will end. Chad Thomas Jersey . - The Oakland Raiders re-signed offensive lineman Khalif Barnes on Friday. http://www.cheapbrownsjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-antonio-callaway-jersey . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. Jim Brown Jersey . Howard Ganz, an MLB lawyer, said in a letter to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos that Rodriguezs claims do not come "remotely close" to what is needed to overturn an arbitration decision in federal court. Zane Gonzalez Jersey . -- Aaron Murray threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns, ran for another score, and led No. Dayton standout Josh Cunningham will miss three months after undergoing surgery for an ankle injury he sustained earlier this week, the school announced on Saturday.Cunningham, a transfer from Bradley who was averaging 12.5 PPG through two games with the Flyers, tore a ligament in his left ankle after his dunk in the final minutes of Daytons 77-72 win at Alabama on Tuesday. His rehab could sideline him for the majority of the season, per the school.Josh Cunningham injured his left ankle on Nov. 15 when he landed from dunking the basketball in the Alabama game, the schools statement said. Through the course of tests and evaaluations it was determined that Josh sustained an injury to his ankle that required surgical intervention to repair a torn ligament.dddddddddddd. Joshs rehabilitation will be approximately three months.Archie Millers program has faced multiple challenges in recent months. It played without injured standout Kendall Pollard (thigh bruise) Tuesday. In May, center Steve McElvene collapsed and died as the result of a previously undiagnosed cardiac issue. Dayton hosts No. 17 Saint Marys on Saturday. China NFL Jerseys Stitched Jerseys Jerseys From China Cheap Jerseys China Jerseys NFL China Jerseys NFL Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic ' ' '