With four games left and the playoffs upon us April 12, here's the final Russo's Rants mailbag of the season. Questions were submitted on my blog at startribune.com/russo and Facebook account at facebook.com/startribunemikerusso.
alroy60: Who do the Wild match up better against in the first round, St. Louis or Nashville?
Russo: I waver. Both teams are playing real well right now, and Mike Yeo may have some trade secrets about the Wild. Plus, the March swoon started with the Blues and the Wild struggled against every team in March that kept its players from getting to the net. Vladimir Tarasenko also lights 'em up. The Wild usually plays the Preds well, more so, believe it or not, in Nashville than at home, where they're usually wild games. I think the Preds are faster and can score much easier (second-most goals in the NHL since the All-Star break). So there's your non-answer. Personally, I want Nashville. Great city, fresh story lines.
JohnKa: Who owns the Minnesota North Stars trademark? A few throwback North Stars jersey nights a year would drive sales.
Russo: The NHL owns it and agrees with the Dallas Stars that the logo is part of their history. On occasion, the Wild would love to do more with it and celebrate the North Stars' history here, but it's not their choice. The league allowed the Wild to use the jersey during the alumni game before last season's Stadium Series game and Wild players will wear 1967 replica North Stars jerseys during pregame warm-ups Tuesday.
Paul Anderson: Will Kirill Kaprizov next season play in Iowa, Minnesota or Russia?
Russo: One more year in the Kontinental Hockey League, and he's not allowed at the Wild's summer development camp.
Ryan Bartlett: If the Wild cements the two seed, do they rest Ryan Suter, Eric Staal, Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu, Mikael Granlund, etc., in Colorado and Arizona to end the season?