Wild aren't wasting a cent for defense

The Wild's defensive corps has an average age of 25.5 years. When you have so many good, young defensemen still yet to really reach their prime years and contributing 21 percent of the Wild's total goal production, it doesn't hurt to have them all secured under franchise control. A the top four will all be making $4 million or more next season. The only two under that is Nate Prosser's $625,000 contract, and Matt Dumba's RFA year.

"Our defense is the strength of our team, it gives us depth and may give us the opportunity to look at different options down the road," Chuck Fletcher said after re-signing Spurgeon. Fletcher said in plain English that he plans to use the team's strength to maybe acquire more assets in other areas. And that's what a general manger should do. They should use their strengths to help the team in other areas. However, as he admittedly said in that same statement, is that, "Our defense is the strength of our team." Just how much do you want to dip into that depth before it becomes just another weakness.