It is funny to see how the hockey faithful root for the playoffs here in Minnesota after the Wild have been sent home.

There are always those that root for many of the former Wild players of course, wanting to see them succeed even if it is in another team's sweater.

Then the debates begin that that player should have never been dealt or let go in the first place.

This year is much different though as there are only three former Wild players remaining. Eric Staal with Florida, Brent Burns with Carolina, and the first round villain Ryan Suter, who happens to play for the former Minnesota franchise now in Dallas.

So do fans want to see Suter win? maybe, but they also don't want to see the Stars win.

Do they care much about Eric Staal winning? probably not all that much.

Which leads us to fan favorite, Brent Burns! Burns fits firmly into the category of the guy that should never have been dealt, in the eyes of Minnesota fandom.

So the consensu favorite would be Carolina from a rooting interest as far as former Wild players are concerned.

There is also the huge Minnesota connection for local players that are performing well in the playoffs. That again leads to Lakeville's own, Jake Oettinger, but he plays for the dreaded Stars.

The State of Hockey just needs the Wild to make their own run so rooting interest is not trivialized to this sort of discussion...

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