As one of the typically optimistic Wild fans in town I have to say that for the first time I am truly disappointed. I’ve been a defender of Marion Gaborik for the duration, and I just know that he will mature into a top five talent in New York. It would have been a real treat to see him play in the new system.

Havlat will have to step it up for me to get excited about this team again. The fact that he spent more than one season playing in Russia after the lockout concerns me. He has had just as many issues, and hasn’t proved he can be a top goal scorer yet. A twenty nine goal season isn’t worthy of a five million dollar deal in my mind. However, I’ll be the first in line for a ’10-’11 Havlat jersey should he prove me wrong this season – we’ll see.

I’m 100% glad the old administration has left town. I guess it was callow of me to believe that “Fletch” could magically transform our team into a contender in thirty days, but like I said before, I was hoping for more. I guess he isn’t 6’2” (6’5” with the afro) like the real “Fletch”….

Jeff...I think it will take a couple years at least to overcome the stigma of conservative play that the Wild organization is known for. If the Wild start winning games, I'm hoping that they'll start to attract more free agents who will want to play here. As for Gaborik, I'm guessing he's been wanting to get out of town for some time now. The allure of the bright lights, big city is quite tempting

He is 27, he has had plenty of time to mature. He played under one of the best coaches in history. He is what he is, an injury prone, dynamic scorer-when-he-wants-to-be, one way player. Gaborik didn't want to play here because he was expected to play defense. He thought he'd get way more offers and money hitting Free Agency, but as most people predicted, NYR and their awesome track record of huge signings stepped in and bailed him out.

I liked watching the guy play. I didn't like my season tickets going up every year to soothe his aching groin.

Havlat is a similar player with similar issues, at a discount, and he actually wants to play here. That's enough for me to get behind.

It will be interesting to see how Gaborik holds up under the Big Apple glare. The New York media is a whole different animal than what he had to deal with here. If he goes through the hothouse flower routine in NY, i.e. not playing unless he feels 100%, he'll want to avoid the radio, TV and newspapers because they'll be roasting him.

My guess is that he'll stay healthy the whole season, score a pile of goals and be -30 without Lemaire to get on his case about his lazy back checking.

The media is not something he'll really have to worry about. In NYC, if it's not baseball, the media doesn't give a crap. Unless you're gossip worthy (Avery), you're not going to make the Daily Snooze....