The end of this Icarus season is within site. The Wild on their wax wings flew high, ever so high, and found that the #1 team in the NHL really can melt your wings right off... you know when you can't find scoring wings or a center to put on the ice. Anyway, the Wild spent most of this week sitting in the 6th draft position, before winning in a shootout last night. The trajectory for this team has remained mostly the same. They are losing a lot, scoring almost not at all, and finding new and interesting ways to rush new players to the team to cover injuries.

After the jump, let's take a look at the current draft chart, make some basic analysis, and then, for the first time, I invite us to really start looking at draft position, team needs, and players that you'd like to see the Wild draft with a certain realism.

Key: Draft Pos: Team : Games Played : Total Points : Last 10 Record : Next 3 Games (bold = against teams in this chart)

1. Columbus (- no change): 67gp : 51pts (+6 since last) : "Last 10" 5-4-1 : @St. L - St. L - @EDM

2. Edmonton (-) : 67gp : 58pts (+2) : 4-6-0 : @Colo - SJ - Colu

3. Montreal (-) : 68gp: 62pts (+2) : 3-7-0 : @Van - @Buff - Ott

4. Carolina (-) : 67gp: 65pts (+4) : 4-2-4 : @Tam - @Fla - @NYR

5. NY Islanders (-) : 67gp : 65pts (+4) : 4-5-1 : NJ - @NYR - Wash

6. Toronto (+2) : 67gp : 67pts (+2) : 2-7-1 : Philly - @Wash - @Fla

7. WILD (+2) : 68gp : 68pts (+2) : 4-5-1 : Calg - Dal - Car

8. Anaheim (-2) : 68gp : 68pts (+4) : 5-5-0 : @Dal - @Colo - Det

9. Tampa Bay (-2) : 67gp : 69pts (+5) : 6-3-1 : Car - Bos - Tor

10: Buffalo (-) : 68gp : 70pts (+4) : 7-2-1 : @Ott - Mon - Colo

11. Winnipeg (na) : 68gp : 72pts (na) : 6-2-2 : @Calg - Dal - Wash

12. Calgary (-1) : 67gp : 72pts (+3) : 3-3-4 : Winn - @WILD - SJ

13. Washington (-2) : 67gp : 72pts (+3) : 4-5-1 : @Bos - Tor - @NYI

Some interesting talking points here. First for the Wild. The Wild play the next 5 games at home, and they have a 4 day layoff between the Dallas and the Toronto games, and they play Calgary twice during the home stand. So, the next two weeks will be key for the Wild and their ultimate draft position, 5 of 6 games at home and 4 of 6 against non-playoff teams at this time. The Wild are 3 points out of drafting 4th and are 2 points from drafting 10th.

Tampa Bay play their next 7 games at home, and 5 of those games are against teams that find themselves on the above chart. So, how Tampa Bay does over their next 7 will have a real impact on this chart.

Oh, and Columbus is the hottest team on the Chart... with very little chance that the team find themselves with anything put the worst record, there really is no pressure on this team. They are playing for a spot on a team, any team, next year. They are creeping up on Edmonton though.

Okay, the Wild are flirting with that top 5 pick. Where do YOU think the Wild will end up drafting (not counting on the lottery), and what do you think the Wild should emphasize at the draft? (Don't say best player... if you have a feeling for a player, or a type of player, or a role that absolutely needs to be filled with top of the draft talent... let's hear it.)