Mikael Granlund excited to make NHL playoff debut against Colorado

Finally, Game 1 is right around the corner between the Wild and Colorado Avalanche.

"The season ends, the playoffs begin, and it's just a new feeling when you come to the rink," coach Mike Yeo said today after the Wild skated at Magness Arena on the University of Denver campus. "We all feel it. We're excited it's upon us."

Good early evening from beautiful Denver, where the weather's nicer than Minnesota.

A reminder, I plan to hold a live Wild-Avs/NHL chat on startribune.com/wild at 3 p.m. CT Thursday. Please join in. Your employers and teachers give you permission (actually, to be safe, you better confirm that).

Wild second-line center Mikael Granlund will return to the lineup Thursday night and make his NHL playoff debut. The former Finnish Elite League champ with HIFK said it's going to feel amazing.

The rest of the lineup is identical to what the lines and D pairs were on yesterday's blog. Darcy Kuemper practiced for a second consecutive day, but Yeo said the Wild won't decide until Thursday if Kuemper or John Curry will back up Ilya Bryzgalov.

The scratches will be Dany Heatley, Justin Fontaine, suspended Mike Rupp and John Blum. Keith Ballard practiced for a second day in a row and he'll miss the game with a groin injury. Josh Harding is said to be fine, but since he's not ready to play, he didn't travel.

I wrote a big, interesting story on Bryzgalov in Thursday's Star Tribune, so definitely give that a read. I'll also be doing a notebook on minute-muncher Ryan Suter, whom Patrick Roy said will be targeted in the series for physicality. That's not something unexpected and in fact Yeo said the Avs' defensemen, especially their banged-up ones (Tyson Barrie and Hejda), should expect the same from the Wild.

More on that in the paper.

From our stringer Michael Kelly (@berge19 on Twitter), he attended Avalanche Executive VP Joe Sakic's presser today, and he passed along some comments:

SAKIC

(experience a factor in playoffs?) It depends on what type of team you have and also expectations. This is a team that expects a lot from themselves. We have some guys who are going to learn on the fly when it comes to first-time playoff experience, but I'm a big believer that if you play the right way and don't cheat out there, then you can have success. You can get that experience while winning. That's the best way to get that experience. The way the teamhas reacted all year, expecting more and playing with that consistency, is going to do them well in the playoffs.

(what does he expect in playoffs?) You don't know how different players will handle it, but this is going to be a great experience for them. You can gain that experience and win hockey games at the same time. We know we have a tough opponent in Minnesota. just like us, they played unbelievable hockey down the stretch and they're playing their best hockey at the right time as well. It's going to be a great series.

Lastly,