The Minnesota Wild are clearly a team on the rise, looking to build upon last season's first round ouster at the hands of the eventual Cup champion Ducks. With Jacques Lemaire behind the bench from the franchise's inception, the Wild have always been known primarily as a defensive club. But they've got some serious scoring depth now, making them a sleeper Cup contender.

On the other side of the ice, Phoenix Coyotes head coach Wayne Gretzky will be trying to get his team on track after a lackluster start. He's got some solid talent to work with, but haven't yet managed to gel his squad into a playoff contender. The biggest concern for the Coyotes is in goal, where neither David Aebischer nor Alex Auld has yet demonstrated the ability to hold a starting job for the long term. And as a result, the team's talented puck-moving defensemen have to stay at home a bit more than they'd otherwise like.

Wild to Watch

Wild winger Marian Gaborik is one of the NHL's most exciting players, blending a lethal combination of blazing speed and dazzling stickhandling skills. He's been the go-to guy for the Wild since he burst onto the scene as a rookie back in 2000. Perhaps most importantly of all, a new offseason workout regimen may have been just what he needed to finally overcome his nagging groin problems. If healthy, Gaborik will have a huge impact on the Western Conference standings.

On the blue line, young Brent Burns is turning out to be one of GM Doug Risebrough's finest discoveries. Drafted as a forward back in 2003, Burns has made a smooth transition to defense, and he emerged as the Wild's top rearguard by the time the 2007 playoffs rolled around. This year, he's taking on a more prominent offensive role, as Lemaire has him running the point on the power play. Burns' upward trajectory has been incredibly rapid, and it's quite possible that he'll be one of the NHL's best offensive defensemen by the time this season reaches its conclusion.

In goal, the aforementioned Backstrom is looking like the real deal. He burst onto the scene last season after injuries knocked Manny Fernandez and Josh Harding out of the lineup, and promptly put up the league's top save percentage and goals-against average. And judging by his strong play thus far this season, the Finnish netminder is no fluke.

Coyotes to Watch

Hard-hitting rearguard Ed Jovanovski signed a lucrative long-term deal with the Coyotes last summer, but injuries forced him out of the lineup for extended periods of time in his first season in Phoenix. Jovanovski boasts a booming shot from the point, and his end-to-end rushes are truly thrilling to watch. Of course, if the Coyotes' struggles continue throughout the season, Jovanovski will likely be one of the most sought-after players as the trade deadline approaches.

Don't be thrown by the #88 on his sweater, that's Peter Mueller (not Eric Lindros) skating for the Coyotes. The team's top prospect earned a roster spot with a strong training camp performance. The eighth overall pick in the 2006 draft, Mueller has been held scoreless in his first four NHL games. But a breakout is inevitable, particularly if Gretzky gives him some time on the power play, and the talented Mueller is without question a critical part of the Coyotes' future. Look for the Bloomington, MN native to have a strong game against his home-state team.

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