A source knowledgeable about the NHL told Sports Headliners that the Minnesota Wild could be a Stanley Cup contender next season.  The source, who is close to the Wild and spoke on condition of anonymity, predicted the team will be favored to repeat as Northwest Division champions and while “not as strong on paper as Detroit,” Minnesota will be an elite team in the Western Conference.

He said the Wild need to add a couple of younger defensemen who can score.  One contributor could be 25-year-old Erik Reitz.  He joined the Wild during the playoffs after finishing fourth on the Houston farm team in scoring, despite playing in only 49 games. The source believes veteran defensemen Keith Carney and Sean Hill, both 38, will not return because of their age.

Coach Jacques Lemaire’s announcement last weekend to return for next season wasn’t a major surprise.  “Once he was able to reflect, he realized they have the kind of team that with minor tweaks can go as far as they want in the playoffs,” the source said.

Lemaire, 62, has been the only coach in the franchise’s history. He is recognized as a “tremendous asset” by everyone in the organization, according to the source.

The NHL insider’s reasons for optimism about the Wild include the outstanding 2007-2008 seasons by young players Mikko Koivu, Brent Burns, Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Marian Gaborik.  Koivu, a 25-year-old center, was impressive during the season and then finished second only to Brian Rolston in total points during the playoffs with five.  Burns, 23, led the Wild’s defensemen in goals, assists and points.

Bouchard, a 24-year-old center, led the Wild in assists with 50 and was second only to Gaborik in points with 63.  Gaborik, the 26-year-old all-star wing, had regular season career highs in goals (42), assists (41) and points (83).

Gaborik was free from the groin problems that have bothered him in the past. “He’s still reaching his peak” the source said.   “Ninety points (in a future season) are possible.”

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Gaborik’s contract expires after next season, and two other key players, Bouchard and Rolston, the 35-year-old wing, will need to be signed this off-season if they are to return to the team in September.

Financial limitations on contracts are driving the decision not to retain 33-year-old wing Pavol Demitra, the NHL source said.  He also said the Wild management “like him a lot” but with Demitra making about $4 million per season it’s not practical to retain him for a third season with the team.

Although he said Demitra is still a capable player, his 15 goal performance last season didn’t help his profile with the Wild.  He described Demitra as a “second tier goal scorer, great on the power play, with a reputation for making others better.”

The source said his guess is that the Wild evaluate Demitra’s two seasons here with “mixed reviews.”  He had a career low in goals for a full NHL season in 2007-2008 and his total points declined from 64 to 54 from 2006-2007.  “With his personal numbers, I don’t think he was quite the player they envisioned him being here,” the source said.

Demitra and Gaborik are pals.  Will Demitra’s departure this off-season impact how Gaborik looks at signing a new contract to keep him here long term?

The source doesn’t think so.  “The only thing I’ve heard is that Gabby understands it’s a business, and now as captain he has to put the team first,” he said.  “I am sure he will be disappointed but he wants what’s best for the organization.”

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The Twins begin interleague play tonight at Colorado in a three game series, the first time ever that Minnesota has played regular season games in Denver.  The Twins and Rockies played regular season games in the Metrodome in 2003 with Minnesota winning two of three games.

The schedule for the 12th season of interleague competition between the American League and the National League will have 252 games played in two segments: Friday thru Sunday and from June 13-29, according to a major league baseball press release. American League East teams will play primarily against the National League Central; the N.L. East versus the A.L. West; and the A.L. Central against the N.L. West.

Interleague play drew a record 8,795,939 fans in 2007, an all-time high of 34,905 fans per game. The average 2007 interleague attendance was 7.3 percent greater than the season’s average intraleague attendance of 32,529.  Since its inception in 1997, interleague play has drawn an average attendance of 33,034 fans, a total that is 11.9 percent higher than the intraleague average of 29,517.

The American League had a 137-115 interleague record last season. It was the fourth consecutive season the A.L. won the season-series and extended its all-time lead over the N.L. to 1,387-1,317.

Canadian native and hockey fan Justin Morneau of the Twins is pulling for Pittsburgh in the NHL playoffs.  He wants to see Sidney Crosby be part of a Stanley Cup champion.

The Amazing Hondo, the well-known local magician who played basketball at Winona State, e-mailed to report he entertained earlier this month for Joe Mauer’s golf benefit to provide funding for St. Paul playgrounds and ballparks.  “He’s about as nice a kid as they come,” Hondo wrote.

Candice Wiggins’ dad, Alan, played seven seasons of major league baseball and died in 1991 from AIDS, a Minnesota Lynx spokesman told Sports Headliners.  Candice, the Lynx’s No. 1 2008 draft choice, makes her WNBA debut Sunday night at Target Center against Detroit.

There’s conflicting opinion about whether the Timberwolves want to trade Rashad McCants, a talented scorer who can be inconsistent in his performance and emotions.  McCants averaged 14.9 points in 2007-2008, the first time in three NBA seasons he’s been in double figure scoring.  He was the team’s second leading scorer after Al Jefferson, 21 points per game.

Even in today’s college football with teams having multiple captains, it’s unusual to have a sophomore captain like Adam Weber of the Gophers.  This week he was named one of Minnesota’s captains for next season, along with junior wide receiver Eric Decker, senior linebacker Steve Davis and senior defensive end Willie VanDeSteeg.  Weber’s captaincy reflects coach Tim Brewster’s expectation of leadership from his starting quarterback.

Weber was a third-team freshman All-America and freshman All-Big Ten selection by The Sporting News last season. He started all 12 games, passed for 2,895 yards and 24 touchdowns, setting school records for pass completions, attempts, yards and touchdown passes. Weber ranked second nationally among freshmen and third overall in the Big Ten with 241.2 passing yards per game.

Kent Patterson, who played with Cedar Rapids of the United States Hockey League the past two seasons, has signed a National Letter of Intent with the Gophers. Patterson, a 6-1, 180-pound goaltender, was recruited to replace junior Jeff Frazee who recently signed a pro contract with New Jersey.  Patterson, who played prep hockey for The Blake School, was a fourth-round draft choice by the Colorado Avalanche and the 113th player taken overall in the 2007 NHL draft.

Steve Erban, who owns race horses that run at Canterbury Park and operates Creative Charters for local sports fans, e-mailed to report that Gayego is running in the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore with a Minnesota connection.  Steve’s dad, Ed Erban, is rehabilitating in a Stillwater nursing home with a picture of Gayego signed by trainer Paulo Lobo, exercise rider Jody Piper and owners Carlos Juelle’s and Dr. Jose Prieto. They all met previously at the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs. Two days before the Kentucky Derby earlier this month the owners sent Ed a Gayego hat to wear on Derby Day.  He can wear it again Saturday for the running of the Preakness.  Gayego’s jockey will be Mike Smith who was riding horses at Canterbury Park in the 1980s.

Four MIAC students who participate in winter sports have been awarded NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships of $7,500.00 each. Concordia’s Melanie Hageman and Gustavus’ Margaret Dorer, Trevor Wittwer, and Connor Ziegler received the honor. To qualify for a scholarship, a student-athlete must have an overall grade-point average of 3.2 (on a 4.0 scale) or its equivalent and must have performed with distinction as a member of the varsity team in the sport in which the student-athlete was nominated. The student-athlete also must intend to continue academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree.

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