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Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger combines hard-nosed defense with solid offense, and he's a big reason Philly is surging, NBCSports.com contributor Kevin Dupont writes.

Q: What’s it going to take for Minnesota to become a consistent playoff team? The fans’ patience is wearing thin.
— Greg from Minn.
A: Agreed, Greg, Wild fans have been immensely patient and supportive through nine seasons and it is a all but a certainty now that 2009-'10 will end without a playoff berth.

New GM Chuck Fletcher wants both a winner and an entertaining team — something that GM Doug Risebrough and coach Jacques Lemaire failed to produce during their tenure. I think some of this year's failure is rooted in new coach Todd Richards attempting to implement more flow into the Wild's game after years of Lemaire's disciplined, controlled game plans.

So, what makes it all come together? Above all, I think they need a high-end, point-producing defenseman. I know, who doesn't, right? Puck-rushing, point-producing blueliners top nearly every club's wish list.

But a 33-year-old Marek Zidlicky just doesn't do it for me. They can, and will, add scoring depth at forward. They've got a strong goalie in Niklas Backstrom. To get to the next level, however, they've got to find a way to push the game from the back.

Q: Will Tim Thomas be back in Boston next season?
— Michael D. from R.I.
A: I don't see Thomas being anywhere else, Michael. Late last season, he signed a four-year $20 million contract extension, with a no-trade clause. As you know, he hasn't had a strong year, although I think his sagging numbers also reflect, in part, the club's overall diminished play in 2009-'10.

It's a good bet no one is going to beat down GM Peter Chiarelli's door to deal for $15 million worth of Thomas. And even if they did, I have serious doubts that he'd surrender his no-trade clause.

Overall, I think it's all but a guarantee that we see Thomas in Boston until at least the spring of 2012. He is on the books for $3 million in 2012-'13, and if the Bruins were to buy him out, the cost would be $2 million, with payments made over two years.

Q: How long until Toronto returns to the playoffs?
— Ben from Scranton, Pa.
A: April 2011. Book it, Ben.

Granted, I've probably watched about only 20 of the Leafs' games this years, but I think they're entertaining and not that far off the mark in terms of being a 85- or 90-point team. They lost a bunch of games early this season mainly because their netminding was dreadful, be it was because of veteran Vesa Toskala or rookie Jonas Gustavsson.

Veteran Jean-Sebastien Giguere then was brought in from Anaheim, the same day GM Brian Burke unloaded a bunch of roster deadwood to get Dion Phaneuf, and that was the turning point. Burke still has plenty of work to do, in terms of acquiring bonafide scoring talent, but I think much of the foundation is in place.

The math scares me a little when I look at it, but the Leafs probably will finish with around 70 points this season, and I think they're good for another 8-10 wins next season. That's right around 90 points and a seventh or eighth seed.

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