METAIRIE, La. -- The New Orleans Saints say linebacker Dannell Ellerbe is out for Sundays game at San Diego.Ellerbe has not played a regular-season game because of a quad injury. He had been listed as questionable for the game and did not travel with the team to the West Coast on Saturday.Ellerbe has been among the Saints top playmaking linebackers when available. But he hasnt played much since his acquisition in trade with Miami during the 2015 offseason. He played only six games last season, when he was in on 39 solo or assisted tackles, forced a fumble and broke up a pass.The Saints have a bye in Week 5, giving Ellerbe an additional week to rest.---Online:AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL coverage on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Kansas City Royals Shirts . Luis Suarezs double powered Liverpool to a 4-0 victory over Fulham, and Southampton easily overcame Hull 4-1 to continue the south coast clubs impressive start to the season. Liverpool and Southampton sent Chelsea down to fourth place as the west London club was held to 2-2 at home. Kansas City Royals Pro Shop . Numbers Game looks into the Canadiens securing the services of Thomas Vanek in a trade with the New York Islanders. The Canadiens Get: LW Thomas Vanek and a conditional fifth-round pick. https://www.cheaproyals.com/ .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court. Royals Jerseys 2020 . -- Stanfords Kevin Danser knelt on one knee and hardly moved on the sideline as Michigan State celebrated its Rose Bowl victory and his Cardinal teammates made their way to the locker room. Royals Jerseys 2019 . -- Tony Stewart is 20 pounds lighter and has a titanium rod in his surgically repaired right leg. This feels very much like a season in which Chuck Fletcher is on trial as the longtime GM of the Minnesota Wild.A thoughtful and cerebral hockey man, Fletcher has been at the helm since May 2009, and his team has made the playoffs four straight years. Hardly an indictment for any GM when you consider how tough it is to make the playoffs in this era of so much parity in the league.But the first-round exit last season was a step backward in some peoples eyes.Ownership has spent to the salary cap for years. This is a hockey-crazy market that wants a Stanley Cup run.In one of his most important decisions with the club, Fletcher hired Bruce Boudreau as head coach this offseason in what I believe was a brilliant move.Yes, the narrative is well established about Boudreaus playoff hiccups. But that also overlooks the manner in which he turned around both the Washington Capitals and Anaheim Ducks during his previous coaching tenures and transformed them into division-winning juggernauts.The task is daunting, however, in a crazy competitive Central Division in which the Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators look to have improved, while contenders in the Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars arent going away.Can Boudreau work his magic?Best new facesThe biggest addition is July 1 unrestricted free-agent signing Eric Staal, who no doubt enters this season ultramotivated to show people hes not done as an elite center. His numbers have certainly regressed the past few years, and his short tenure with the New York Rangers last season after a trade-deadline deal with the Carolina Hurricanes wasnt very impressive.Staal turns 32 on Oct. 29 and feels theres much hockey left in him. He signed a three-year, $10.5 million deal with the Wild and intends to show that was a bargain. He will likely begin the season on the No. 1 line between Zach Parise and Charlie Coyle, so Boudreau is giving him every opportunity to succeed.The Wild also added veteran winger Chris Stewart (whom Boudreau had in Anaheim), No. 3 goalie Alex Stalock and depth defenseman Victor Bartley.Thomas Vanek waas bought out and signed with the Detroit Red Wings, so aside from Staal, the same Wild core returns.dddddddddddd.Biggest unknownsSee Staal above. Whether he can bounce back and deliver an impact, No. 1-center-type season will go a long way toward writing the script.Is this the season Mikael Granlund takes it to another level? He put up 44 points (13-31) last season in 82 games, which is below what I think his potential should be delivering. At 24, perhaps this is the season he takes that step. Hes got the hands to do it and a coach who encourages offensive talent to shine.Whatever happened to Jonas Brodin? His play has regressed since he was one of the games most promising young defensemen. Hes only 23, so theres plenty of time to recapture that form, but this season he needs to prove he can be a consistent force on the blue line. We didnt see that enough last season.Sure thingsDefenseman Ryan Suter, thats for sure. He was an absolute two-way stud last season, second only to Erik Karlsson in ice time per game, and for my money should have received more Norris Trophy consideration, at least in terms of being in top-five consideration (he finished eighth in the voting). Suter doesnt take a game off. Hes a horse on that Wild blue line, and I dont expect that to change this season.Another sure thing is that Boudreau will improve the Wilds special teams. The Ducks were first in the NHL in both the power play and penalty kill last season, which is unheard of! You can bet the Wilds 27th-ranked penalty kill will definitely improve, while the teams 18th-ranked power play has a chance to get better under the offensive-minded Boudreau.PredictionThe Wild took the last wild-card spot in the Western Conference from the fifth-place spot in the Central, and I think theyll be in that mix again. To me, its going to be a coin flip between the Jets and Wild for that fifth-place spot in the Central, which could be a wild-card spot as well. Sixth in the Central. ' ' '