The list of talented and accomplished pro athletes who are 25-and-under in the Twin Cities sports market is perhaps the best thing to point to when thinking optimistically about future championships.
The Wild boasts a bevy of such players, led by a quartet of 25-year-olds in Kirill Kaprizov, Kevin Fiala, Joel Eriksson Ek and Jordan Greenway. If you'd prefer we talk a little younger, Matt Boldy (21) has entered the chat.
The Wolves appear to be in good hands for years to come thanks to Anthony Edwards (20) and Jaden McDaniels (21).
The Lynx have Napheesa Collier. The Vikings have Justin Jefferson. Minnesota United has rising goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.
The Twins have ... well, they have Joe Ryan who is still 25 for another month and who looks like the real deal. But he's a pitcher and we're still learning about him. For true star potential we must turn our attention instead to shortstop and 2017 No. 1 overall pick Royce Lewis.
Twins fans who were rightfully upset when Carlos Correa hurt his finger Thursday were able to feel better imagining that the injury might mean a promotion for Lewis, who has been lighting up Class AAA St. Paul this season.
Young talent is critical to the success of teams in this era of sports for multiple reasons.
The first is visceral: New talent has always energized fan bases, offering hope when there is little reason to otherwise be excited and/or providing a lift to an established team.
