Wild and Stars Series Predictions: Staff Picks

B.

Why the Wild Win:

Dark magic. I think if they harness the power of the Mighty Mississippi River as an energy source for a revitalizing enchantment they might have a chance. This team needs to find a resonating harmony to be successful. Everything would have to fall together perfectly.

But really, how do we want to define winning? I once wrote a paper about the need to break out of a success/failure binary, and start asking what we really need to be happy? I'll consider it a win if my playoff watching buddy and I get through the round without any crying at the bar. Surviving is winning. Getting to the summer is winning. If we can all learn something from this experience, that's winning. Let's set the standard really low, I want to come away with at least some sort of 'W'.

Why the Wild Lose:

Because that's what makes sense. That's what they do. They lose. Look at them.

Prediction:

That at some point in the series a game goes into over time, and I get back from the bar at one in the morning, and I wind up lying on the living room floor listening to hardcore and worrying about Jonas Brodin. This is what the past has taught me to expect from the playoffs, and I am prepared for it.

There are no winners. The Wild won't win, and no matter what the Stars do, they'll still be the Stars, which is really unfortunate for them.

Time isn't real, but I expect the agony to last for five games.

Chris

The Wild are out-shot most games, but shot totals in general are low, because the Wild are able to slow the game down and Dallas can't run back and forth how they've tended to do. The Stars defensemen get taken advantage of and the Wild come out on top in 6 games.

Why the Wild Lose:
Lehtonen and Niemi play very well. The Wild aren't able to slow down the Stars, who run rampant and out-shoot the Wild drastically night after night. Dubnyk plays well, but asking him to make 30+ saves a night ends up costing the Wild the series. They win one home game, but ultimately lose in 5 to a Stars offense that is just too good for a struggling Wild to overcome.

Prediction:

The Stars win in 5. The Wild don't play particularly well, given that they haven't for several months. Nino and Coyle play well, but not well enough. Niemi and Lehtonen don't stand on their heads, but you don't really need to when the other team can't get more than 26 shots in a night. The Stars win each game by at least 2 goals, the Wild win one at home, and are bounced after the third game in Dallas.

Dakota Case

Why the Wild Win:

Of the 16 goaltending tandems entering the 2016 postseason, it can be argued Dallas' is the worst. The Stars may have clinched the division, but it's not because of their top two goaltenders. Kari Lehtonen posted a 2.76 goals against average and a .906 save percentage in 43 games, while off-season addition Antti Niemi compiled a 2.67 goals against and a .905 save percentage in 48 appearances. It's not pretty, and Minnesota has toppled much better tandems in recent playoff history. If Dallas has a weak link, it's in goal, and this tandem is definitely concerning for them. Another advantage? No three-on-three overtime, so that's a plus!

Why the Wild Lose:

Prediction:

Dallas in five. Injuries and the predictable unpredictability of this John Torchetti-coached team have sunk Minnesota before the puck has even been dropped on Game One. It's going to be a long offseason.

Barry

Why the Wild Win:

The only way the Wild come away victorious is a combination of 2 things: They win the special teams battle AND the goaltending battle. The goaltending battle could be doable, but the Wild are going to have to go back to basics and play shutdown defense in front of Dubnyk. The Wild really struggled in both PK and PP opportunities against the Stars this season, but all those games came before the Torchetti era. The PP must wake up and the Wild must stay out of the box. The Wild have performed well against the Stars this season when playing tight defense and creating momentum off turnovers.

Why the Wild Lose:

The Wild lose if they allow Dallas to dictate the pace of the game. The Wild are built to suffocate and frustrate their opponent into submission. If they try to run and gun with the Stars, they don't have the personnel to sustain it over a best of 7 series. The Stars have a really big advantage on the PP, so if the Wild give in to the antics of Antoine Rousell, they are doomed. They also lose if none of the 3 injured forwards are able to make it back into the lineup by game 3, which is very likely. Haula coming back could be a game-changer on both sides of the puck though.

Prediction:
Stars in 6. The injury bug has decimated the scoring and the emotional outlook of the team, but they will still find a way to show up when their back is against the wall.

Tony

Why the Wild will Win:

Why the Wild will Lose:

Dallas plays like Dallas, applying massive amounts of offensive pressure to both wear down Minnesota's two scoring lines, and exploit Minnesota's two AHL-caliber lines. Whatever deficiencies Dallas has on defense won't matter because Minnesota won't be able to gain the offensive zone often. Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen will be good enough for the task at hand.

Prediction:

Stars in 4. Dubnyk might steal a game, and if he does, God bless him. But otherwise, I have a hard time believing Minnesota will take a game with the injuries they've sustained.

Cat

Why the Wild Win:

Why the Wild Lose:

It'd be amazing if they did.

Prediction:

The Wild take seven games to make a first round exit because they drag everything out.

Tory

Why the Wild Win:

Why the Wild lose:

The youngsters don't step up despite Parise and Vanek being out, The defense implodes especially on the PK and the Stars sneak by with their offensive depth.

Prediction: Wild in 6

Alec

Why the Wild Win:
Not unlike their late season surge, any success the Wild have in the playoffs will be a direct result of Devan Dubnyk standing on his head. Goaltending is arguably the only area that the Wild have an edge in this series, and so to make up for the offense that will be lost with the Parise and Vanek injuries, Dubnyk will likely need to post a Sv% in the .930 range. Not impossible, but far from likely.

Why the Wild Lose:
Dallas is a better team. Unlike in Minnesota, their stars actually do star things. Nino and Haula have exceeded all expectations as a duo, but asking them to shut down the likes of Benn and Seguin over an entire series seems like quite a stretch. And even if Benn and Seguin get shut down, there are still the Sharp's, Spezza's and Klingberg's of the world to deal with. Also, with the Parise, Vanek and Haula (for now) injuries, the bottom six of the Wild is essentially a waiver wire scrap heap. The Stars are going to be able to get some very favorable matchups at home.

Prediction:
The Stars depth eats up the likes of Stoll, Carter, Porter, Dalpe, and Jones, leading to the Stars controlling the majority of shot attempts, scoring chances, and goals. Dubnyk plays well, but is unable to achieve hero mode for more than a single game.

Stars in 5.

Joe

Why the Wild Win:

Minnesota is going to have to play in the Dallas end all series long. The defensemen of the Stars hate to play in their own zone and and hate having to worry about forecheckers. Creating turnovers at their blue line and keeping the Stars on the defensive will be the way to go. Parise comes back and figuratively carries this team on his back and scores more gigantic goals for this team. Kari Lehtonen??? More like "Lettin' In" in regards to the puck. The Wild take advantage of the questionable goaltending the Stars possess.

Why the Wild Lose:

The Wild have played too much in its own zone and has to resort to chipping the puck out, dumping the puck in, or icing the puck too much as it struggles to get any offense going out of the zone. Jamie Benn does Jamie Benn things and Dubnyk can't stop enough of the 40 shots he faces a night.

Prediction: Stars in 5. I can't quite give it a sweep, though i think it's closer to that than going 7. Minnesota gets one win in Game 3, but can't sustain the style of game they need to play to win the rest of the way. Too many injuries to too many important players, at the worst time possible.

Noogie

The Dallas Stars against the Minnesota Wild. The number 1 seed against the number 8 seed. An offensive power house against a dumpster fire. What could go wrong for the Wild, right?

To say the Wild limped into the playoffs would be putting it nicely. They are a team full of holes, and this series is going to be their greatest test if they are to get through the first round of the playoffs.

Why the Wild Win:
Pure luck, is that a good enough analysis? The wounded Wild are going to need to play virtually mistake-free hockey, and even in that vein it would probably take 7 games. Devan Dubnyk is going to need to play out of his mind. The veterans are going to need to lead by example and we're going to need some timely scoring from some unsung heroes. Impossible? Not at all. The Wild certainly could shock the world and eliminate the Stars. It won't be easy, but in the playoffs nothing comes easy.

Why the Wild Lose:
They buy into the fact they are the underdog, and nobody expects much of them this post season. If they come into game 1 with their heads hanging low, resigned to an early exit, that's exactly what will happen. If they play exactly like everyone thinks they're going to play, that's how they'll lose. They have every excuse on the planet to fold. They could do everything at near perfection and still come out of the series as losers.

Prediction:
I don't see a happy outcome for the Wild this time. I know, shocking isn't it? Stars in 5.