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First-round picks: No. 6
2000-01 record: 25-39-13-5, 68 points (25th overall)
What they need
Offense and plenty of it. The Wild scored a league-low 168 goals (17 fewer than the next worst team), were shutout a league-high 14 times, and had just four players with at least 30 points (Marian Gaborik, 36; Lubomir Sekeras, 34; Wes Walz, 30; Filip Kuba, 30).
In the system
Top draft pick Marian Gaborik (3rd overall in '00) was solid in his rookie season. The Slovakian youngster had 18 goals and 36 points in 71 games to lead the team in both categories.
In the IHL at Cleveland, center Brian Bonin (free agent signee July '00) had 35 goals and a team-leading 77 points in 72 games, but will also be 28 in November and has never had significant stretch of NHL time (12 career NHL games). The same
can also be said of Cleveland's top goalscorer (with 38), right wing Christian Matte (free agent signee July '00; 25 career NHL games).
In the major junior ranks, center Eric Johansson (255th overall in '00) had a solid scoring year at Tri-City (WHL), scoring 36 goals and 80 points in 72 games. However, he was also a minus-23.
At the college level, left wing Marc Cavosie (99th overall in '00) had a solid year at Rensselaer (13-16-29 in 28 games) and was a member of Team USA at the World Junior Championships.
Recent draft history
Six of the nine players chosen by the Wild in their first Entry Draft were forwards, while the other three were defensemen.
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