Noon Number for 5-22-2013: 64,300,000

64,300,000

Will the Wild keep Backstrom? Will they improve their size? Will they bring in a "pure" goal scorer? Will they improve their blueline?

The answers to these questions will likely be dictated by one number.

64,300,000

That, of course, being the number to which the Salary Cap will be at next season, a drop of around 6 million dollars from this season. As we start looking ahead to the offseason, that's going to be the number we hear about the most, as the Wild are going to have to get right up to that number in order to fill their holes. They need to figure out their goaltending situation, solve their issues on the back of the blue line, and probably add some size and/or scoring to the wing.

They have 9 million dollars to play with. And might not be able to buy out Dany Heatley, who has been injured.

Will that be enough room to improve their team? Who can they get in Free Agency? What ways can they massage the cap to be able to play with more than 9 million dollars?

You can discuss it below, but all roads will lead back to 64,300,000.