When we next see the Wild and the NHL in general what will they look like? We are always used to a ramp up as the regular season begins in October and then really gets going once the calendar turns to Jthe New Year in January separating the contenders from the also rans.

Of course that will all be different when the season or play in series begin. A shirt series anything can happen and upsets are much more likely. The NHL has created parity across the league and that will be no more evident when the 2019-20 season resumes.

Now to the Wild in particular. When we last saw the team, Kevun Fiala had asserted himself as a bonafide top flight NHL scorer. Alex Stalock was entrenched as the Wild's #1 goalie. Joel Eriksson Ek had become the shutdown specialist and his offense was starting to come around. Matt Dumba was looking more like the Dumba of old after a first half that was well below his typical offensive production.

Ryan Suter was the rock minute munching defenseman we have grown accustomed to seeing and his long time partner Jared Spurgeon was having another outstanding campaign.

Luke Kunin and Jordan Greenway were also making tremendous strides in their games and Marcus Fokigno was having a career year doing it all while anchoring the Wild bottom six forwards.

The big question mark for the Wild this season has been the lack of consistency between the pipes from both goalies. Stalock is by far having his best season while Dubnyk struggled mightily. Of course we all know the Dubs has had a lot on his mind outside of Hockey this season with his wife's health issues and his young family. Let's hope that this time off has a rejuvenating effect on the Wild's true #1 goalie.

However there is a the x factor in all of this and that is Kaapo Kahkonen who played very well in his brief stint with the big club and with the Iowa Wild he captured the "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL's top netminder.

Kahkonen will have an opportunity to be the Wild goaltender when the games begin for real again.

Dubnyk has long been the Wild's guy in goal but when the playoff lights shine the numbers for Dubs have just not been there like his regular season results would indicate.

Kahkonen is the Wild goalie of the future and with the unorthodox way that this season is going to conclude, he just might be the answer.

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