Fans showing frustration over Wild's free fall

If the "Team of 18,000" is actually a brainwashed "Cult of 18,000," well, the normally trusting followers are beginning to revolt.

It's not only the anonymous bloggers, talk-show callers, message-board fanatics and newspaper e-mailers who have a growing frustration toward the Wild.

If the Wild brass actually believes that -- and it appears to -- it needs to leave its press-box throne and actually tip-toe -- and I stress, tip-toe -- through the stands.

The paying customers are ticked beyond imagination with the state of the Wild.

I strolled through the crowd during the second period and the intermission of Sunday's game against Chicago, and heard the well-publicized booing, yes, but also scorn, anger and mocking.

Fans made fun of the Wild's every move. There were Bronx cheers after the Wild's eighth shot on goal late in the second period. There was laughter/profanity/contempt aimed at players following turnovers/mad scrambles/failed passes.

General Manager Doug Risebrough is either in denial or not paying attention if he really "wrote it off" as playing at home the day after Christmas -- as he said Monday. The irritation of Wild fans I witnessed mirrors what I've heard during this month-long plummet to the bottom of the Western Conference.

You know owner Craig Leipold is hearing it, since he sits in the middle of it all.

The on-ice product has been crummy. Games have been bland, scoring low. The loudest the X got this month was when the Wild killed off a two-minute five-on-three against Carolina.

The lack of talent compared with its opponents is dramatic, and it's not just because of injuries to Marian Gaborik, Owen Nolan and Marc-Andre Bergeron, as Risebrough says.

Thumb through the rosters and system depth charts of most NHL teams, and the Wild doesn't compare. Other than Ottawa 67s defenseman Tyler Cuma, no budding prospects are on the horizon. Because of Cuma's knee injury, the Wild doesn't have a single world junior championships participant.

On the Wild roster, other than the chronically injured Gaborik -- whose expiration date in Minnesota is approaching anyway -- there's no star power. Mikko Koivu is as complete a package as the Wild has ever had, but he's not a game-breaker yet. And Brent Burns' development has stalled thanks to this season's forward experiment.

Risebrough talks about untouchable James Sheppard, 20, (minus-16) as if he's going to miraculously turn into Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews. Benoit Pouliot, 22, (no goals since Nov. 15) floats most nights. Colton Gillies, 19, is a few years away, but he's not a top-liner.

These guys should be developing in the minors instead of plodding through the NHL having their confidence shattered. The Wild put these three in terrible pressure-packed positions. By not acquiring proven NHLers, the expectations placed on Sheppard, Pouliot and Gillies are unrealistic.

On Monday, coach Jacques Lemaire admitted that the Wild is suffering because of the "kids" development process, but "we have to go through it. We just have to find a way that it won't affect the whole crew."

The problem is the future looks pretty bleak when one considers how many teams in the West (including alleged lesser teams Edmonton, Phoenix, Los Angeles and St. Louis) are filled with young, up-and-coming talent.

Lemaire has kept the Wild so competitive, it has gotten only one top-five pick since Gaborik (Pouliot). It hasn't hit any homers after the first round. And Risebrough keeps trading away picks.

In June, the Wild spent a third-rounder to move up a single spot on the mere chance the Devils would take Cuma. In 2007, it traded a second-round pick to move up three slots to draft Gillies. It traded a second with Willie Mitchell for Martin Skoula and Shawn Belle. It traded third-round picks for Petteri Nummelin and Bergeron.

It traded prospect Ryan Jones and a second-round pick for Marek Zidlicky. It traded Patrick O'Sullivan and a first for two years of Pavol Demitra. It dumped Ondrej Fiala. Roman Voloshenko and Petr Kalus quit the organization.

It's no wonder the Wild's talent level is where it is.

After losing nine of the past 11, the Wild's season appears at risk of derailing. That might not be such a bad thing.

You get better in the NHL by being bad, so maybe it's time the Wild puts itself in position for a lottery pick.

Yes, it will be painful. Yes, the boo birds will continue at the X. But at least the fans would be rewarded with something.

Michael Russo • mrusso@startribune.com