The Committee On Arrangements for the 2008 Republican National Convention released their first behind-the-scenes, time lapse video of the ongoing transformation of Xcel Energy Center into the podium for the Republican Party’s nomination of Sen. John McCain.

In the week since work began, workers have removed 3,000 seats, built workspace for staff and media, and began technological enhancements needed to support the 45,000 participants expected. To see the video, click here.

I thought I’d throw this up, and this is unofficial but accurate. As you can see, if this roster stands, the Wild is extremely close — probably too close for comfort — to the cap ceiling ($2.13 million under). This includes the cap hits for James Sheppard and Benoit Pouliot if they hit all their bonuses (you have to count potential bonuses in the cap hit).

But still, the Wild doesn’t have a lot of wiggle room to get injured, or for that matter, to make in-season trades for expensive players. So, calling them “cheap” is a complete fallacy.

Kurtis Foster will start the season on IR, but his salary will still count against the cap. That long-term injury (LTI) function in the CBA is only to allow a team at the cap to go over the cap, and the Wild won’t be at the cap (as of today).

Also remember, if the Wild signs Marian Gaborik to an extension, that won’t affect next season’s salary or cap hit.

WILD DEPTH CHART

Here’s a look at the Wild’s depth chart for next season as it stands today (one of those right wingers will probably have to play left wing). The Wild has 23 of a possible 23 players (22, really, because Kurtis Foster will start on IR). In parentheses is the players’ 2008-09 salary, then their hit against the salary cap, which is the average per year salary of their entire contract:

Left wings

Andrew Brunette ($2.5 million, $2.33 million)

Mark Parrish ($2.85 million, $2.65 million)

Stephane Veilleux ($862,500, $862,500)

Derek Boogaard ($850,000, $875,000)

Centers

Mikko Koivu ($3.3 million, $3.25 million)

James Sheppard ($765,000, $1.4 million)*

Eric Belanger ($1.75 million, $1.75 million)

Benoit Pouliot ($850,000, $1.7 million)*

Right wings

Marian Gaborik ($7.5 million, $6.33 million)

Pierre-Marc Bouchard ($3.35 million, $4.08 million)

Owen Nolan ($2.75 million, $2.75 million)

Antti Miettinen ($2 million, $2.33 million)

Craig Weller ($575,000, $600,000)

Defensemen

Brent Burns ($3 million, $3.55 million)

Kim Johnsson ($5.25 million, $4.85 million)

Nick Schultz ($3.2 million, $3.5 million)

Marek Zidlicky (3.5 million, $3.35 million)

Martin Skoula ($1.9 million, $1.8 million)

Marc-Andre Bergeron ($1.691 million, $1.254 million)

Erik Reitz ($500,000, $500,000)

Kurtis Foster ($1.025 million, $1.025 million)

Goaltenders

Niklas Backstrom ($3.1 million, $3.1 million)

Josh Harding ($750,000, $725,000)

Totals

$53,818,500 in salary; $54,571,499 against $56.7 million cap

Roster contenders

RW Cal Clutterbuck

LW-RW Colton Gillies

C Krys Kolanos

C Corey Locke

F Petr Kalus

* Cap includes potential performance bonuses.

– MICHAEL RUSSO

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