Handing out Grades to the Minnesota Wild: Part 1- Forwards

Amazingly, the Minnesota Wild has already played 16 games so far this season, which represents one-third of their schedule for this season. Due to the compressed schedule, this season has flown by rather quickly. With eight wins, six losses and two overtime/shootout losses, the Wild find themselves tied for seventh place in the NHL's Western Conference standings.

The Wild have had an up-and-down season to say the least. They continue to have trouble scoring goals. And they have yet to play a truly complete 60-minute game were they are firing on all cylinders. Despite all of that the Wild would find themselves in the Playoffs if they began today.

**The following grades are based on the first 16 games of the season**

Coyotes Nip Wild; 2-1

Message received loud and clear--through two periods that is. One day after the demotion of two players from the second line to the fourth, and just six hours after swapping fourth line forwards (Darroll Powe to the New York Rangers, Mike Rupp to the Minnesota Wild); the Minnesota Wild played their best first two periods of the season. That wasn't enough though as the Wild fell to the Coyotes 2-1 in the desert.

Minnesota Wild 2013 Season Preview Part 1: Line Combinations and Defensive Pairings

2013 Minnesota Wild Preview Part 1: Line Combinations and Defensive Pairings

The Wild enter the abbreviated 2013 season with high expectations; thanks to the free agent signings of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter and the arrival of star prospect, Mikael Granlund. Will the team meet these expectations?  Will they succumb to the pressure and fail to produce the expected results? What will the lines look like? What prospects will make the team out of training camp? Can the Wild win the Northwest Division? Those are just a few of the many questions surrounding the Wild this season. Let's try to answer some of those questions.