ESPN All About the Wild

The Minnesota Wild are all over ESPN.com today, appearing in three columns, including:

• Koivu helping Wild get through another Gaborik-less stretch

• Backstrom on antics in the crease and the Swedes vs. Finns dynamic (A great Q&A with Niklas Backstrom)
  

• ESPN.com's Game Preview

Some Highlights from the articles:

A prevailing theory for Minnesota's hot start is that the younger the team (and the Wild did get more apple-cheeked after losing Demitra and Rolston), the better likelihood of the team buying into Lemaire's ego-suffocating mandate. This is an enterprise that needs everyone on board to work effectively.

"That's certainly a component of it," Risebrough said. "But I think what's continually underestimated -- not here, but outside Minneapolis/St. Paul -- is the simple fact that we have good players. Mikko Koivu is a good player. Brent Burns is a good player. Nick Schultz is a good player. Miettinen is a good player. Pierre-Marc Bouchard is a good player. Backstrom is a good goalie.

Q: What are the hockey fans in Minnesota like?

A: They're great. It's probably one of the best places in the States to play hockey. They support us and they are some of the most knowledgeable fans, so you have to play well to get their support, and that's how it should be. It's a good feeling to know when you're at home, you always play in front of a sold-out crowd, and I think that's a unique atmosphere. It's a great hockey community.

Anyway, everyone should go check out those articles then come back and let us know what you think!