Subtract 4 from 14 and you get 10

The Wild are coming home. Starting tonight, all of the major additions to the Wild will follow their new team to where they once lived. Chuck Fletcher and Todd Richards return to Pittsburgh, while Marty Havlat and Marion Gaborik return to their spurned prior cities. Only one of them seems to have made a difference.

Martin Havlat gave the Wild a big discount over the franchise's leading scorer, surrendering 2.5 million per year from Gaborik's price in exchange for a no-movement clause (like a no-trade, except it applies to the minors as well as another organization). Marion Gaborik hated Jacques Lemaire and Doug Risebrough because they treated him like a child, and so he refused a gigantic contract before last season. Fletcher did not extend an offer to Gabby, who signed with the New York Rangers for 7.5 million a year.

Havlat's been a ghost for the Wild. Hockey players are the opposite of offensive linemen: if you're not noticing them, they're doing a bad job. Mikko Koivu's been making some nice moves with the puck; even if they don't result in goals, he's still showing the effort to not only keep the puck, but keep the puck moving. Havlat's missing the box score and any "eye pop" in his first season with the Wild. At least until he came home tonight.

Marty's line started the game, and it didn't hesitate to put some pressure on the 'Hawks, with a little razzle dazzle... that resulted in an easy save by Cristobal Huet, statistically one of the worst starting goaltenders in the league. Havnot put in a couple more good shifts, before taking the rest of the night off. He's failed to consistently flash for the Wild, and after tonight's momentary blip of activity, I'm going to venture a guess that his effort is the problem.

Havlat showed up for his old fans, while Gaborik has showed up all season for the Rangers. He's tied for the league-lead with ten goals. Translate those to the Wild, and they're at least middle of the road as far as scoring goes. The record might be a bit better too.

The Wild just aren't that good. Havlat has failed to make his teammates better, and so has just about every other Wild player. They just aren't scoring, and I don't see any evidence that they're going to start anytime soon.