on it would help the Oilers' playoff chances immensely.Nugent-Hopkins scored 18 goals and tied Landeskog for the rookie scoring lead with 52 points. There was concern about his 6-foot-1, 175-pound frame entering the season, and shoulder injuries derailed him down the stretch after a blazing start. But he developed solid chemistry with Hall and Jordan Eberle on a top line that figures to stay intact.5. What becomes of another Oilers' top pick, once-heralded Magnus Paajarvi?In projecting various line combinations for the upcoming season, the Edmonton Journal's Oilers blog projected Paajarvi playing left wing on the second line or struggling to crack the lineup. That could depend in large part on whether Yakupov slots in at left wing or right wing and how the depth chart is subsequently affected.Paajarvi, the 10th pick in the 2009 NHL Draft, managed two goals and eight points in 41 games last season after a promising 15-goal, 34-point rookie campaign. He ended up back in the AHL,Mike Richards Authentic Jersey, where he posted 25 points in 34 games for Oklahoma City; he had four goals and 20 points in 36 games for the Barons this season. At 21 years old,Authentic Sidney Crosby Jersey, he figures to get another shot at fulfilling his potential at some point.6. Will the Oilers be a better defensive team?For all the talk about offense and the plethora of young talent Edmonton possesses up front, unless they're going to score at a rate similar to the Gretzky-era clubs, the Oilers will have to cut down on their goals-against if they want to contend. They gave up 239 goals last season,Authentic Henrik Lundqvist Jersey, which ranked eighth from the bottom of the League.Nick Schultz, acquired from the Minnesota Wild prior to last season's trade deadline, gives them a steady veteran presence to go along withLadislav Smid and oft-injured Ryan Whitney. Jeff Petry and Corey Potter had strong first full seasons in the NHL. Add Schultz and Mark Fistric (acquired in a trade with the Dallas Stars) to the mix, and although it's not as flashy a group as the forwards,Authentic Alex Ovechkin Jersey, there's enough present to improve upon the 2011-12 numbers.-- Brian Hunter MINNESOTA WILD The Minnesota Wild's offseason was highlighted by the signings of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter,Authentic Marc Staal Jersey, the top two free agents on the market. Though the Wild's forward corps is deeper and has an abundance of prospects with offensive flair who may be able to step right in, no one knows whether the team will resemble coach Mike Yeo's hard-driving squad that was at the top of the NHL in December or the one that collapsed in the second half and missed the playoffs for the third straight season.1. Will the arrival of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter mean a return to the playoffs?The Wild should undoubtedly be better than the team that averaged a League-low 2.02 goals per game last season. Parise is a consistent 30-goal scorer, and his presence should make life easier for two-time 50-goal man Dany Heatley. They are likely to be paired with captain Mikko Koivu, who was among the Wild's legion of walking wounded last season.The team's second line