Doug Risebrough, the president and general manager of the Wild, said the organization's goal before the season was to assemble a younger roster, yet still have the potential to make the playoffs.

"I realized that the team had to get younger, so we're inserting younger guys into the lineup and they're having significant roles and gaining experience," Risebrough said. "And it's helping us compete now, and that's good. I know it's going to be a lot better when they gain experience in a couple of years."

Risebrough said 21-year-old right winger Cal Clutterbuck has added great value. Center James Sheppard is 20.

"So, if you project what Sheppard is going to do in three years, at 23, [with] what Cal Clutterbuck is doing now, I'm pretty excited about that," Risebrough said. "I think [left winger Colton] Gillies, he's a project, there's no doubt about it, this is an in-and-out year for him, learning the life, but he's come in and been able to play. I know his confidence isn't that high, but that's just because he's [20] years old, and he's trying to do it that way.

"We feel we're still young with [defenseman Brent] Burns [23 years old] we're still young with [right winger] Pierre-Marc Bouchard [24], we're still young with [center Mikko] Koivu [25], and fortunately we found the right mix with some of the veterans like [left winger Andrew] Brunette [35] and specifically [right winger Owen] Nolan [37]. There is no doubt that those ... veterans can kind of take the edge off a game, especially with the younger guys in the lineup. They're a little more uptight at times and when Nolan comes out and plays the way he does, it takes a little pressure off the younger guys."

Risebrough said Nolan has another year remaining on his two-year, $5.5 million contract.

"We ended up pulling him out of Calgary. He was a good player for them," Risebrough said. "He was a little bit older ... but he's been able to come in and add value. He hasn't been able to play all the games, he's had some injuries, but he's a warrior. He plays when he can, even if he's only 80 percent."

Risebrough ranks last year's team the best of all the Wild squads.

"As far as I'm concerned, in terms of the talent on the team, we won our division," he said. "It was close, but we won the division. So it was a great statement for the team.

"But we didn't advance in the playoffs, and every year, if you keep investing in those types of players [such as Nolan], they get older, and all of a sudden you'll find out that you're not contending. And guys have longer-term contracts.

"We just decided that was the best thing, because we had a good experience with injecting young guys in there, and they emerge all of a sudden. I know it sometimes doesn't look like that one night. You might say it didn't look like that [against] Ottawa [a 5-3 loss on Feb. 14, after taking a 3-0 lead], but it sure looked like that against Detroit [a 5-2 victory Saturday, behind two first-period goals by Nolan]. That's what you live with, with young guys.

"But you know they're gaining experience fast, you know they're just kind of emerging. And ultimately what you'll have is a good core of young players. And then ... being able to continue to find veterans like Nolan and guys like that who are going to be in the marketplace."

Right winger Marian Gaborik is 27 and goalie Niklas Backstrom is 31. Both are free agents. Before long, we will know how they fit in with the team's long-term plans.

Jottings Twins President Dave St. Peter announced that more than 200 season tickets have been sold since the team signed third baseman Joe Crede. ... Asked how catcher Joe Mauer is doing, Twins General Manager Bill Smith said: "He is doing well the last three or four days. He had the surgery back in December and anytime you have surgery like that, there is going to be some soreness and stiffness coming out. I think he's gotten through that initial soreness and stiffness and he's working out with our strength conditioning people and our trainers. I know he's got a little more energy and a little more excitement. The last four days, I think he's feeling much better."

A year ago, David Pittman came to the Gophers football team from Pasadena (Calif.) City College as the 26th-rated junior college player in the country, primarily a quarterback who also could play wide receiver. However, he was injured most of last season and saw little action. Now Pittman is 100 percent healthy. When spring practice starts, he will be one of the top receivers on the depth chart. ... Dominic Alford played tackle for the Gophers offensive line last season, but this spring he will be tried at left guard. Da'Jon McKnight, a receiver last year, will get a look at safety as well. ... Gophers receiver recruit Hayo Carpenter was named a junior college All-America by Rivals.com. So was former Gophers recruit Daryl Robinson, a running back/cornerback who reportedly has re-enrolled at Temple, where he began his college career.

The Pittsburgh Pirates' John Grabow edged Twins reliever Craig Breslow for Jewish Pitcher of the Year by JewishMajorLeaguers.org. The group is a not-for-profit educational organization that celebrates the contributions of Jews to MLB.

Gerald Green, one of the five players the Timberwolves acquired from Boston in the Kevin Garnett trade, is on the Dallas Mavericks roster but seeing little action. The Wolves traded Green to Houston for Kirk Snyder last season, and the Rockets subsequently released Green.

Marcus Murtha, a senior at Maple Grove and son of former Gophers offensive lineman Greg Murtha, has committed to the University of South Dakota. He was recruited by Gordy Shaw, who since has taken a job as offensive line coach at the University of Hawaii.

Former Vikings safety Jack Brewer received a Congressional Certificate from New York Congressman Charles B. Rangel on Thursday for his foundation's work in the African community. Rangel presented the certificate to Brewer during the second annual Eli Klein Fine Art Winter Fundraiser, hosted by former Gopher and Cowboys running back, Marion Barber III, and Brewer's foundation, JBF Worldwide. The fundraiser will benefit children and families in Malawi.

Former Gopher Derek Peltier has one goal and 14 assists in 55 games for the Colorado Avalanche's AHL affiliate, Lake Erie. Also playing for the Monsters are Roseville native Marty Sertich, who has seven goals and eight assists in 24 games, and Blaine native Matt Hendricks, who has six goals and 10 assists in 26 games.

Sid Hartman can be heard weekdays on WCCO AM-830 at 6:40, 7:40 and 8:40 a.m. and on his Podcast once a week at www.startribune.com/sidcast. shartman@startribune.com