18,568 Reasons Why

My Lovely Readers,

2010-01-19T22:59:00.004-06:00

It excites me to announce that I have been recruited to join SBN's Hockey Wilderness.

SBN has some amazing resources that I'm very excited to start utilizing. Joining Buddha and Nathan will make for some excellent coverage and Wild analysis, so get ready. The collection of hockey blogs at SBN is tremendous and I would suggest reading all of them. You can also follow most of the blogs on Twitter (or @sbnhockey). As for your Minnesota news, make sure to follow HW (@hockeywildernes, note the one 's'). And, of course, I'm on Twitter @elisebutler.

Happy reading.

Welcome Back, Jacques

2010-01-02T15:25:00.002-06:00

Nine minutes of fantastic Lemaire quotes

Jacques Lemaire, one of the men who truly helped shape the Minnesota Wild as a franchise, returns to the Xcel Energy Center tonight, but this time as part of the opposing team. Minnesota faces the New Jersey Devils, a team with Lemaire, ex-assistant coach Mario Tremblay, former Wild captain Brian Rolston, and full of guys with Minnesota ties.

I have a huge amount of respect and appreciation for Lemaire and happily welcome him back to Minnesota.

Some Lemaire-related reads...
As always, info from Russo's blog
Lemaire due warm welcome in return to Xcel as a visitor, Star Tribune
Jacques Lemaire gets the warm fuzzies in his return, Pioneer Press
A special return to Minnesota for NJ Devils Jacques Lemaire and Brian Rolston, The Star-Ledger via NJ.com

Anniversaries, Olympics, and Other Fun Stuff

2009-12-30T21:43:00.007-06:00

It's Dec. 30 today and for 18,568 Reasons Why that means it's a birthday (blogiversary? blogthday?). Two years ago, this little blog was formed and since then it's turned into a bigger part of my life than I ever thought. Thank you to everyone who has ever read, linked, or commented on the blog. The level of intelligence and wit that exists in the hockey blogosphere amazes me and I'm so glad I can be a part of that.

Let's take a look at how things have changed in the past two years. I'm in college instead of high school; I'm two years older and wiser(?); the Wild is trap free (sort of); Marian Gaborik is healthy...for the Rangers. But people are still using the word "wild" as a pun for the team. Will it ever stop?

Here's a section from my first ever blog post and how things have progressed...

Favorite Team: The Wild, but I'm also very fond of the Sharks.
Partially true. Favorite team is still the Wild (obviously) but not as much about the Sharks. While I still find them amusing, my second team loyalties have definitely jumped to the Blackhawks - fun, young team to watch and very charismatic off the ice as well.
Favorite Player: I tend to basically like, or at least accept, all players on my teams. I do take special likings to random players though. But my top player who I've liked since we drafted him is James Sheppard...with Jonathan Toews and Willie Mitchell (I actually almost cried when he was traded to Dallas) close behind.
True. Despite struggles, I'm still holding out hope that Sheppard will develop into the NHL player everyone hopes he is (and who Doug Risebrough refused to trade away). While it's somewhat more difficult to still like Mitchell since he plays for rival Vancouver now and demolished Toews with a center ice hit, I still break out the Mitchell jersey time to time for games.
Least Favorite Team: Anaheim Ducks. Come on, they've kicked us out of the playoffs twice. And there is a grand total of about 4 players on their team I don't strongly dislike.
Yeah, that one's still true. While they're maybe not the least favorite, they're definitely close to it. For more about Wild rivalries, check out this article from wild.com outlining fans' feelings about other teams. It's spot on.
Least Favorite Players: Chris Pronger, Brad May, and Matt Cooke.
Most definitely. Guys like Mattias Ohlund, Alex Burrows, Todd Bertuzzi and Darcy Tucker can be added to that list too.
Biggest Hockey Guilty Pleasure: I love getting jerseys. I have four and I love all of them.
Current count is up to five Wild jerseys and one Blackhawks jersey.
Least Favorite Hockey Thing: I hate the fans who have really good seats and look bored the entire game, talk/text on their cellphones, and come or leave halfway through the game.
Still true. I text during games sometimes but I try to limit it to TV timeouts. And to clarify, I meant the people who leave for no reason, I get that sometimes people have legit reasons they can't stay for the whole game. Pretty much what I was trying to get at was that I don't like people who don't like hockey. But here's a nice list of 10 Annoying People to Sit Near at a Hockey Game.

So some things have changed, but not too much.

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Wild back-up goalie Josh Harding has garnered attention for his goalie masks quite often. In 2006-2007, he designed a pink mask in honor of his sister, who was fighting breast cancer. He auctioned it, along with a collection of other items from NHLers, to raise money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. In other memorable masks designs, he's included the country band Rascal Flatts, victims of the 35W bridge collapse, and childhood friends. Continuing with the decade list trend, Sports Illustrated put together a photo gallery of the Top 10 Goalie Masks of the Decade on their website. Harding's rookie mask, honoring goaltending greats of the past and their masks, was honored as number one on that list.

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In other feel good notes, five Wild players have been named to their country's Olympic teams. For the Czech team, Martin Havlat and Marek Zidlicky were chosen. For the Finns, Mikko Koivu, linemate Antti Miettinen, and goalie Niklas Backstrom were selected. The American roster will be announced following the Winter Classic on Jan. 1 (or is it...). But the Wild don't have to worry about that because there are no American players on the Minnesota Wild.

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Speaking of the roster, one of the new additions has the Minnesota fans warming up to him quite nicely thus far in his short career as a Wild. Guillaume Latendresse arrived in Minnesota in exchange for Benoit Pouliot and has exceeded expectations so far. In 23 games with Montreal this season, he had 2 goals, 1 assist, and was a -4. Through 15 games since the trade (stats through the 10/29 game against Anaheim), Latendresse has 6 goals, 1 assist, and is a +2. Not too shabby.

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Skills Competition!

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Wild will play their New Years Eve game tomorrow night against the LA Kings. For the Kings side, I would suggest checking out A Queen Among Kings, The Royal Half, or Battle of California. Game starts at 7:00pm and, for those of us not going, it will be televised on FSN.

Meet the New Guy: Clayton Stoner

2009-12-22T00:55:00.005-06:00

Vitals

Age: 24
Hometown: Port McNeill, British Columbia, Canada
Position/Shoots: Defense/left
Height/Weight: 6'3''/225 lb
Drafted: 79th overall, 2004, Minnesota Wild
Contract Status: Last year of his contract, worth $665,000 according to NHLnumbers
Former Teams: Tri-City Americans (WHL), Houston Aeros (AHL)

So Far With the Wild...
(as of Dec. 22)
Games: 3 (recalled December 16)
Points: 2 (0 goals, 2 assists)
+/-: 0
Fights: 1
Shots: 2

Clayton Stoner's been a solid prospect for the Wild for some time now, but this is his first chance in the big leagues. Injuries have hindered his rise to the NHL but now Wild fans are getting the chance to see how he plays. Stoner's a big guy and has been solid for the Wild so far. He hasn't made any big defensive gaffes, he has two assists in three games, and has used his size to his advantage. In the Dec. 21 game against Colorado (a 3-4 loss), Stoner fought Chris Durno, helping get the crowd back into a game, and made a beautiful pass to Martin Havlat who scored on the subsequent breakaway. With defenseman John Scott struggling recently, his job could be Stoner's to take if he continues impressing.

For more information on Stoner, check out his interview with Hockey's Future or I Mean, We Got Guys..., a Tri-City blog and Stoner fan.

Field Trip: AHL Chicago Wolves Home Opener

2009-12-13T13:16:00.014-06:00

As some of you know, I'm right outside of Chicago for school, which means I get to do lots of fun Chicago things. One of those things was going to Allstate Arena on Oct. 3 for the AHL Chicago Wolves home opener against the Milwaukee Admirals.

The Chicago Wolves are the AHL affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers and have made news this season with their signing of defenseman Chris Chelios. While I'm somewhat knowledgeable about the AHL, most of that information is either about the Wild's affiliate Houston Aeros, what I've read from minor league blogs, or recognition of prospects' names. But I didn't know much about the Wolves and I had never been to an AHL game before this one. However I'd heard about how minor league hockey games can sometimes be over-the-top and seen video of events like the Teddy Bear Toss (which is awesome, by the way), so I was excited.

The game was at 7 p.m. but two women's league teams were playing a game at the arena earlier in the afternoon and I knew someone playing so I went and watched. It was both weird and cool being in an empty arena - the scoreboard was down and they were still doing some work on the rink and we pretty much had choice of seating.

Later, we went to the tailgate the Wolves were hosting in the parking lot outside the arena. There was face painting, games, food and drinks, contests, and an appearance from the team's mascot Skates. They were also promoting Holzy's Hounds, a community program focused around player Riley Holzapfel where fans can adopt dogs right in the concourse of the arena during select games.

Just a thought: If I were in charge of marketing this, I would put a picture where he looked a little bit more enthused about dogs. In all seriousness though, it's a good program. Learn more about it here.

Despite the rain and cold, a fair number of people were there getting ready for the opener and celebrating the Wolves and it was a fun crowd to hang out with. Finally, the gates opened and it was time to re-enter the arena for the opening festivities (and the game, of course).

Once inside, we were given copious amounts of swag, including coupons, Wolves-themed boom sticks, an opening night blade towel, and a Wolves hat. We found our seats, midway up the lower level in the corner behind the Wolves goal, and settled in to watch warm-ups.

After warm-ups and the subsequent time after, it got dark in the arena and the fans prepared for their team to enter. The set-up included the typical pregame intro/excitement video, a giant Wolves head that players skated out of, loud music, and lots of pyrotechnic effects.

Video credit goes to YouTuber wolfkeeper80

The game and season got off to a quick start with Tim Stapleton scoring a minute in. But the Admirals scored three goals in the second period to pull ahead 3-1. The Wolves came closer in the third with a goal from Rylan Kaip but lost 3-2.

As of Sunday, the Wolves are fifth in the West Division (note: the Aeros are sixth in the division).

The combination of weird lighting and a camera phone leads to not the greatest picture in the world

Benoit Pouliot - A Case Study

2009-12-01T13:10:00.004-06:00

All Minnesota Wild fans know who Benoit Pouliot is - the lanky winger from Ontario who never quite reached his potential and whose effort was always questioned. He had his ups and downs within Minnesota's system, sometimes showing promise but never having the break out year everyone hoped he would have.

And now he's moved on, probably for the better. GM Chuck Fletcher traded Pouliot (something ex-GM Doug Risebrough could never manage to do) to the Montreal Canadiens for Guillaume Latendresse.

But Pouliot's story is an interesting one. In his early career, he wasn't tapped as a high draft pick or future NHL star. He was good, but he didn't rise up the rankings until later in his CHL career. Eventually, he was taken fourth overall by the Wild in 2005 and you all know his story since.

After being drafted by the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL in the 11th round in 2002, Pouliot didn't make the team right away. He spent most of the 2003-2004 season playing for the Hawkesbury Hawks of the CJHL. This was also the season that Pouliot's dad grew very sick. Sylvain Pouliot had coached his three sons for years and helped inspire them and get them to become the players, and people, they are. But he had leukemia and the family knew he was not going to recover from it. Pouliot was called up to play some games for Sudbury in mid-February. He scored his first OHL goal on February 13, while his dad, too sick to drive to watch the games in person, listened on the radio. Sylvain passed away later that night. Benoit's mother and Wolves management decided to not tell Pouliot about his father's death, instead letting him play one more game, where he recorded an assist, before sending him back home where he learned the news. He spent a month at home with his family before Sudbury called him back up for their playoff run.
More detailed stories on Sylvain Pouliot from SLAM! Sports and ESPN the Magazine.

The next season (2004-2005) Pouliot's hockey career took off. He played in 67 games for the Wolves and racked up the points, scoring 29 goals and recording 38 assists for 67 points. He won the Emms Family Award for top rookie in the OHL and was named the Rookie of the Year for the CHL. His play gained him status as a top draft pick and people started talking. He was taken fourth overall in that summer's 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota Wild, only behind Sidney Crosby (1), Bobby Ryan (2), and Jack Johnson (3). He was taken ahead of players like Carey Price (5), Anze Kopitar (11), Marc Staal (12), and Paul Stastny (44).

In 2005-2006, he played another season for the Wolves and also competed in the World Junior Championships for Team Canada. They won gold.

On an early morning in August of 2006, Pouliot was pulled over. Police suspected drunken driving, meanwhile Pouliot reportedly continued eating some chips and drinking his water. He failed a road test and continually hindered the investigation, according to court documents. His first breath sample registered at 140mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood, almost two times the legal limit, and he refused to give a second breath sample, according to the Ottawa Citizen. According to reports, Pouliot acted cocky, something which ended up increasing his punishment. Reportedly these included: ignoring a list of available lawyers and instead asking to talk to his uncle, an officer; asking police if there was anything they could do other than taking his license; attempting to bribe the officer; pulling the "do you know who I am?" line. In the ruling this past summer, Pouliot was fined $2,000 and had his license taken away for one year. The Citizen quoted him as saying, when asked if it would affect him this season, “I don’t need a car to play hockey, so I don’t see a problem at all.”

Pouliot spent the next few seasons bouncing around the Minnesota system, mostly in the AHL with the Houston Aeros. He's gone through good and bad streaks, showing signs of skill and of laziness. He's had fans reminiscing of what could have been of the 2005 draft, but was showing signs of improvement with the Wild this season. This year was seen as a fresh slate for Pouliot under the new administration but also, possibly, a last chance. He had been playing relatively well and seemed to be trying hard most of the time before getting injured.

But now he gets a new start in Montreal. Hopefully for him, this is what he needs to take off and reach his potential. It will be interesting to see how he does for Montreal once healthy again. It's been an interesting track Pouliot's taken to get where he is today. He hasn't failed, but he also hasn't reached the level it's believed he can.

Observations from a Post Thanksgiving Wild Win

2009-11-27T22:12:00.004-06:00

I was able to take advantage of the few days I was home this week for Thanksgiving and get to the Wild's 5-3 victory over division rival Avalanche this afternoon. Having been in a different state since the beginning of training camp, I've only been able to see the Wild play live once this season, and that was in an opposing team's building (the United Center in Chicago, a 3-1 Hawks win). Being back at the X was great, especially watching the game with two five-year-old boys whose comments made the game even more interesting.

Attendance - I've heard bad things about the attendance this season, both with the Wild and NHL in general. While the X didn't seem vastly empty, it was abnormally easy to park. I arrived about 35 minutes before game time, enough time to catch about 10 minutes of warm-ups. The lot I parked in, about a five minute walk from the X, was almost empty. Warm-ups also were oddly tame. Usually, there are swarms of people up close to the glass and in the lower bowl, watching the team warm up and hoping to get a puck thrown to them. It wasn't very crowded down by the glass today, which was a surprise to me.

Pink Jerseys - I heard a woman intelligently talking about the pros and cons of 6'7'' forward Derek Boogaard and 6'8'' defenseman John Scott. She was wearing one of the Wild's pink jerseys. I'm glad to find more women who understand hockey, but I still think the pink jerseys are ridiculous. They're pink, sparkly, and swirly...if other people want to wear them that's fine, but really NHL? Stereotype much?

On the roster but not dressing - Benoit Pouliot? No, announcer man, I do not believe Benoit Pouliot is currently on the Wild's roster. According to Adrian Dater's twitter, the¥ also announced Brandon Yip, who isn't with the team, as a scratch. Oops.

Guillaume Latendresse - Latendresse made his Wild debut this afternoon after coming to the team in exchange for Pouliot. I thought he played well and added some good energy when he was on the ice. It's got to be hard coming to a new team and not skating then being thrown right into a division game (and starting).

Ice Girls - I had heard from one person that the Wild had started using ice girls this season, but I didn't hear much else so I didn't think about it too much. But I was curious about what I would find for an ice crew today at the game. While I did find ice girls, personally not my favorite marketing idea, I found a somewhat different version of other teams'. While there were women shoveling the ice instead of the normal men (and children who pushed the buckets) like past seasons, they were fully clothed and didn't make me want to puke. Instead of skimpy "outfits", the wore black pants and a women's version of the new alternate green jerseys. And they could skate, and well.

Kobasew's hat trick - With a lack of finishing ability on this team, someone has to step up. This afternoon, it was Chuck Kobasew. After two big goals in the second, he finished off the trick with an empty net goal in the third. Although it was empty net and with under a minute left in the game, there were surprisingly few hats thrown on the ice. Congrats to Kobasew, the first Wild player to record a hat trick since Marian Gaborik's five goal game against the Rangers, according to Russo.

Minnesota's youth - is perfectly fine. The two five-year-olds who I attended the game with both adore hockey. While one of them was somewhat scared of the goal horn, they were both excellent Minnesota boys who love the game. They asked loads of questions, from who was the strongest player on the team to who was the fastest player on the team, along with "why is it called hockey?" The answer to this, according to the other five-year-old, was because they play with hockey sticks and hockey pucks, so obviously it's called hockey. One of the boys, who listens to the State of Hockey anthem every night before he goes to bed, also informed his dad of his future plans: to play for the Gophers and then play for the Wild so he can stay at home. Minnesota's hockey future is looking strong, fans.

The Current State of 18,568RW

2009-11-25T01:13:00.003-06:00

On Tuesday, Steve Lepore over at Puck the Media posted a blog entry with his opinions on the best blog for each NHL team. 18,568RW made the cut for the Wild. Understandably, not everyone in the comments agreed with that.

Obviously, this blog lately hasn't been what it used to be. Updates have been embarrassingly infrequent and there hasn't been much at all going on. I know that, I understand that, and I hate it. I don't want to rarely post and I don't want to cut down on my interaction with the blogosphere, but obviously I've been somewhat MIA so far this season. And I feel like I should clear some things up.

I'm 18. A freshman at a very competitive university trying to balance academics with athletics, friends, and life, all in a new setting (lifestyle-wise and location-wise). I'm fairly young and still trying to figure everything out. Unfortunately, one of the things that suffered because of that was this blog. If I had the time and means, I would update this blog all day everyday, because hockey and writing about it are two of the things I truly love. But that's not an option for me. I'm not trying to make excuses for my poor work this season, I know I've sucked. I'm simply trying to explain to you, the reader, what's going on.

One thing I wanted to make absolutely clear is that I have not given up on this team or this blog. Yeah, the Wild are having a hard season. So what? That doesn't mean I'm going to sit around and pout about it and decide I don't like hockey or this team anymore. While I haven't written as much, that's strictly due to time constraints, not lack of interest. My appreciation for hockey has probably grown even more since I've left home. Not being able to easily flick on a tv to catch part of a game or have the Star Tribune sports section sitting on the counter every morning ready for me to read has made me realize how lucky I was before. Reading about special events at the X or promotions being put on kills me. It still takes me a few minutes sometimes to realize St. Paul isn't a 20 minute drive away anymore, it's a seven hour one and that I don't even have access to a car. I don't think I could ever give up on hockey or on the Wild, even if I wanted to.

So what does this mean? It means I'm going to try harder. I understand I probably lost some readers during that lag and I know for a fact that site hits have gone down (not surprisingly). But the numbers really don't matter to me. The more readers and exposure I get, great. But what I do care about is hockey, and writing about it, and being part of a great group of people - hockey fans. And that's something I never want to lose. Hopefully I'll be able to start generating more content and work towards bringing the blog back to what it used to be. Obviously it's not going to be exactly the same, but maybe over time it will turn into something better.

Overall, the message I want to get across is that I still love hockey. And I hope most of my readers know that.

Wild @ Blackhawks - The "Wild Rumpus"

2009-10-26T11:17:00.004-05:00

Dustin Byfuglien, a Minneapolis native, and the Chicago Blackhawks take advantage of the current Where the Wild Things Are publicity for their game against Minnesota.

The Wild are in Chicago tonight to take on the Blackhawks at the United Center. I will be in attendance at the game, as will WRT, I believe. No news yet as to whether Brent Seabrook or Jonathan Toews will be suiting up for the Hawks. While not having them would be good for the Wild, I personally really enjoy watching them play. Tonight is also the return of Marty Havlat to Chicago; it'll be interesting to see the type of reception he gets.

The game tonight is televised on VERSUS at 7pm.

Don't forget to vote in the new poll - which reunion are you most excited for?

College is busy...shocking, right? Expect a more normal posting schedule soon.

Hockey's in the Air

2009-09-18T15:04:00.005-05:00

First, I want to apologize for the lack of posts recently. Between closing out my internship from this summer and getting ready for/moving to/adjusting to college, things have been busy. But hopefully now that I'm more settled in and the season is right around the corner, things will be back to normal.

Training camp began recently, the Wild redesigned their website, preseason games have already begun, and hockey is definitely back.

I won't try to recap all the news that's been happening recently, as I'm sure you're all aware of that. But here are some things Wild fans can look forward to in this new season...

MARTIN HAVLAT

GREG ZANON

SHANE HNIDY

PETR SYKORA

And maybe the breakout year for James Sheppard and Benoit Pouliot? A resurgence from Brent Burns and Pierre-Marc Bouchard? A permanent captaincy for Mikko Koivu (finally)? Proof from Martin Havlat that he's worth his long-term contract?

Get excited, Wild fans. Hockey's almost back.

Check out and vote in the new poll! - What are you most excited about this season?

The Meaning of C

2009-09-01T09:46:00.002-05:00

The large C stands proud on the shoulder of 30 National Hockey League players. That C represents the distinct honor they have of captaining their team. Out of the approximately 600 or so players in the NHL, these 30 have garnered an honor that demands respect from other players, organizations, fans, and the league.

The role of a captain to an NHL team is huge - they lead, they represent, they act as a liaison for the players. When something is disputed on the ice, the duty of fixing it goes to the team captain. When the season starts going downhill or a team goes through a rough stretch, eyes immediately turn to the captain to see what he will do. When something goes wrong off the ice, much of the time the captain is expected to not only fix it or help fix it, but to explain it. When their team wins the Stanley Cup, the captain is the first to raise it.

Some of the best players in league history have had their legacies added to by their captaincy. Not only were they a great player, teammate, or person, but they were the captain. There are the captains throughout history who have left lasting marks on their organizations - past players like Steve Yzerman with the Detroit Red Wings (captain for 20 seasons) or Ray Bourque with the Boston Bruins (captain for 15 seasons). There are the captains of the NHL today who have solidified their roles as great leaders and rocks for their respective teams - guys like the recently retired Joe Sakic of the Colorado Avalanche, Jarome Iginla of the Calgary Flames, or Nicklas Lidstrom of the Wings. And there are the up-and-comers, young players who have been named captain who have already established their roles and are expected to continue that - future greats like Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins (youngest captain in NHL history) and Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks (third youngest captain in NHL history).

For the Minnesota Wild, there has never been that one captain...there's been a plethora of them. Under Jacques Lemaire's reign, no permanent captain was named. The C was rotated every month, no player ever wearing it for more than two consecutive months. Past Wild captains have ranged from super skilled players like Marian Gaborik to enforcers like Matt Johnson. While the Gaborik captaincy was seen as more of a motivational tool for him going into the playoffs, many guys have worn the C as proof of their leadership skills (some of the past names that stand out include Brian Rolston, Wes Walz, and Brad Bombardir). But no player has ever had the chance to really solidify his role as a captain for the team.

Last season, there were many deserving names as captain or alternate captain, the three most influential during the season, in my opinion, being young center Mikko Koivu (captain for October, November, January, March and April of last season), and grizzled vets Andrew Brunette (February of last season, plus many times in his previous stint with the Wild) and Owen Nolan (alternate captain for much of the season). And out of all the captains the Wild had last season, the one who seemed to most embrace the captain role was Koivu.

There was much rallying from fans (including this blog) to name Koivu as first permanent captain, but Lemaire would not change the system he had in place. But Lemaire has moved on to the New Jersey Devils and new coach Todd Richards has said he will name one permanent captain. Fans have to assume it will be Koivu (there's a petition going here, if you feel so obliged), but with a completely new coach there's no way to know for sure what will happen. Koivu essentially turned into the franchise player once he stepped up and fans got sick of Gaborik. I have never talked to someone, Wild fan or not, who does not like Koivu or his style of play. He plays hard, has heart, and is respectable on and off the ice.

As the first permanent captain of the Wild, whichever player is handed the honor has a large responsibility. That player must lead the team in this new era and time of transition. Much changed this offseason and expectations for the team are higher than before. The Captain of the Minnesota Wild, whoever that will be, must lead the team to success.

Who do you think the first permanent captain of the Minnesota Wild should be? Vote in the new poll or leave a comment!

Analyzing the Gaborik Situation - Two Months Later

2009-08-23T22:00:00.005-05:00

When I finally got around to flipping my Wild calendar to the month of August (and am now finally getting around to blogging about it, two weeks later), a slightly unpleasant sight struck me - Marian Gaborik. Not that Gaborik himself necessarily causes a negative reaction, but the entire Gaborik situation Minnesota went through was unpleasant and still (and probably always will) cause a disgruntled feeling.

There were so many highs and lows in the Gaborik-Wild-fan relationship, that there was a jumble of mixed feelings during his time here. A lot of fans loved him, a lot of fans were sick of him, a lot of fans just enjoyed making fun of his groin. But he was always a Wild original and dynamic on the ice, and that's one thing fans will never forget.

But what most have realized is that it was time for the Wild and Gaborik to part ways. It was painful (especially getting nothing in return for so much talent) but it had to happen. The bonds between Gaborik and the Wild were too strained for it to be a positive relationship anymore. Minnesota could no longer deal with Gaborik and Gaborik could no longer deal with Minnesota. While all agree that it would have been much more beneficial to trade Gaborik and get something in return, once that didn't happen it became evident that Gaborik would no longer be wearing the Iron Range Red and Forest Green.

While signing winger Martin Havlat to a deal softened the blow of losing Gaborik (can Gaborik make bird calls half as good as Havlat's?), Minnesota fans were still a little bit shocked that the Gaborik era was over for good. This time, he wasn't returning to the ice for the team. It wasn't just another case of wait 20 games and he'll be back, he just tweaked something and he'll be scoring goals for the Wild soon! He's gone for good this time. He's not lurking around the training room, in his downtown condo, or on the ice at the Xcel Energy Center. He's at Madison Square Gardens, with his new teammates, coaches, management, and fans in his new home with the New York Rangers.

So Gaborik no longer plays in the State of Hockey (unless he's in the visiting lockerroom) and the Wild have a new oft-injured, scoring winger to worry about. But Gaborik helped shape the Wild and create so many memories that this team is now built around. Minnesota is still a young team and its history is still being created, and there's no arguing that Gaborik is a huge part of that.

Almost There, Hockey Fans

2009-08-13T22:42:00.006-05:00

We're hitting the tough months of summer right now. No hockey, baseball's straining to keep attention (especially if you're a Twins fan right now), it's hot outside...you understand. But hockey's just around the corner and there's only a little bit of time left where you have to restrain from analyzing tiny, insignificant things.

Some of the things I've been doing to stay sane...

- Enjoying soccer and learning how much time actually goes into running a professional sports team (the Thunder, Minnesota's own USL team, still have some great games left this season - schedule can be found here)

- Watching "Miracle" too many times to count

- Trying to even out my tanlines from work (spending everyday outside from 8 am until 4 pm in sneakers does not help)

This is a completely real picture...unfortunately

- Learning that they have actual broomball lessons (I saw a shooting drill when I was walking through the Schwan Super Rink)

- Thinking about how I should be blogging more

- Counting down the days until training camp starts

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How are you dealing with the last strains of summer?

Cool Hockey Jobs: Steve Wilson, Blackstone

2009-07-18T10:39:00.006-05:00

I'll be running interviews I do throughout the offseason where I'll talk to people who work in hockey about what they do and why it's awesome. If you work in hockey and would like to be considered as a participant, or if you have any suggestions or people you think would be good for this series, shoot me an email [18568reasonswhy@gmail.com].

I had the opportunity to talk with Steve Wilson, the co-founder of Blackstone Skate Sharpening. Below is the transcript of our conversation. A huge thanks goes out to him for spending his time talking to me and to Grant at Formula PR for helping organize the interview. Blackstone's recently released the Flat Bottom V, a sharpener that allows the skate to have a flat bottom but also edges on each side. This way, players get the opportunity to sharpen their skates for both speed and agility. Currently, six NHL teams have the FBV in their lockerrooms and the company expects that number to at least double. Wilson will be spending time this offseason traveling to NHL camps and working with the teams to test new technologies. You can read more about Blackstone and the FBV here.

Blackstone Introduces: The Flat Bottom"V" from Chris Labbate on Vimeo.

18,568 Reasons Why: First, what goes into your job? What do you do on a daily basis?

Steve Wilson: On a daily basis, I deal with people and sell ice skate sharpening machines. Recently we brought out a new way of sharpening your skate and it's called the Flat Bottom V and I've been talking to a lot of people about that; there's been a lot of interest. So that eats up a lot of my time, which I enjoy talking about.

18,568RW: Working with pro athletes, that's a lot of people's dream. How is it to actually work with pro athletes and work with their equipment which is a vital part of their game?

SW: It's a lot of fun. You're dealing with the elite players and the best of the best so the fun thing is to get them on something, especially the Flat Bottom V, where they improve on their performance. And you can see the glint in their eye of, "Oh wow this is great". And it's exciting to see that and to actually make a difference with their game.

18,568RW: You mentioned the new Flat Bottom V, could you describe why that's so different from everything else that's out there right now?

SW: Well, traditionally we've always sharpened skates with a hollow. With the Flat Bottom V, it's flat with two fangs that come down into the ice and come back on an angle. It's the best of both worlds. When you have had the radius, you sink down into the ice quite a bit and it slows you down when you have a deep hollow. But with the Flat Bottom V, you're skating right on top of the ice and you have more glide, but you have the same amount of bite. I know this is pretty techy - you have the same feeling but with way more glide. So the player isn't used to having that feeling and when you give them that it's surprising to them. So that's what's kind of neat about working with the elite players. And beer leaguers aside, the comment from the pros are, "Boy my legs aren't burning as much at the end of the shift". But with the beer leaguers, they say, "Boy I can drink more beer after the game".

18,568RW: I know people have always said you can have one thing or the other in skate sharpening, but with the new technology people are saying you can have both. Why hasn't anyone thought of anything like this before?

SW: It's like an evolution in technology. Skate sharpening has been around for awhile but there really hasn't been a company that's focused on making a difference for the player. We've always accepted that the hollow is the best, and what's happened is Blackstone has come up with a different way of dressing the wheel. And dressing the wheel is what puts the shape on the wheel. And before that, shape was just called a hollow or a radius because that was the only way we could dress the wheel. And now with this new dressing system we can put whatever shape we want on the wheel and it allows us to make different shapes, and we came up with a few and the Flat Bottom V worked the best.

18,568RW: You mentioned that people used to accept the new technology, what made you guys decide you wanted to try something different?

SW: Well working with the pros for so long. It was like, if we can find a way, and they've been asking us, "How can I get faster?" But the faster they got, the less bite they got. And that was an issue because they couldn't be as agile as they needed to be. What we did was we were able to make a way so we could have both. And that was the reason why - we wanted to satisfy a performance issue with the player and it just took us a long time to figure out how to do that. And now that we have that we actually have a patent, or a patent pending, and we feel very strongly that it will be a very good patent.

18,568RW: How did you get into the business of skate sharpening and starting Blackstone?

SW: Well it's an interesting story. I started sharpening skates with my father back in the hardware store in a small town called Chatham, Ontario. I was like the Richie Cunningham, you know Happy Days, of my town and put myself through college sharpening skates. Then I started working for our competitor. My dad worked for our competitor as well, eventually we closed the hardware store and he went and worked for our competitor as well and after a few years we decided to go on our own because we felt like we could bring something new to the industry. We worked diligently for 11 years to bring this out and last November we came out with the Flat Bottom V and have been trying to keep up with everybody since.

18,568RW: With skate sharpening, it's a lot more behind-the-scenes compared to other products; you don't see Blackstone logos everywhere. How do you build your company and build your publicity?

SW: Traditionally, the machines have been made for the user. It's hard to tell from somebody skating around who sharpened their skates. And so we are a behind-the-scenes company, such as we provide the equipment for the service center for the Olympics, we provided for Salt Lake City and for Torino and we're going to be in Vancouver. And not many people know that that service is even provided at the Olympics let alone which machines are being used. Typically for the Olympics, I'm there for about five weeks. I'm there setting everything up and orchestrating that and making sure everything runs smoothly throughout the whole thing. So if a player needs anything at all, whether equipment, whether it needs to be sewed, if they have an issue with their pads, whatever needs to be done, making sure that all of their equipment is handled, if they need their skates sharpened they get that done there; it's quite an ordeal.

18,568RW: Complete the sentence: The best part about working for Blackstone is...

SW: The best part of working for Blackstone would be the satisfaction of being part of the hockey industry and making the performance of players better.

18,568RW: Is there anything that people might not know about your company that might be interesting or that they should know?

SW: I think the main thing that we're proud of is our innovation. We built the company from ground zero, we had nothing, to a company that has employees who are good people and we have a great team and it makes a difference for players. You can have the best sticks or gloves or skates, but if you don't have sharp skates you can't play the game.

18,568RW: Is there anything you'd like to add?

SW: We're just proud of what we do and we make sure that we do a good job on everything that we do. It's very important to us to have the precision machinery and to make sure we have good customer service.

Twitter and Free Agency

2009-07-04T13:37:00.002-05:00

First I finally caved and joined Twitter. We'll see how long that lasts.
You can find my page here and follow me to help build my little Twitter world.

Second The free agency frenzy has calmed down somewhat, with the Wild now pretty much only waiting to hear from Koivu (although there are talks of them going after defenseman Francois Beauchemin).

Third I'll post some more significant material regarding the off season moves thus far in the next few days. Also keep an eye out for another Hockey Jobs interview and a longer, feature piece on the NHL captaincy.

Happy 4th of July, everyone.

Welcome to Free Agency

2009-07-01T07:36:00.005-05:00

Dear Marian Gaborik,

You've finally made it to free agency. Congrats. I'm sure this is an exciting day for you. This is like a fresh start for you as a player - a new team, a new contract, a new fan base, a new hip...

Thank you for your time in Minnesota. We greatly appreciate the goals you scored, memories you provided, and excellent medical personnel and masseuses you are leaving behind with the team who, thanks to you, are now all groin experts.

Ironic, isn't it, that the Wild are hoping to become a more offensive, up tempo, aggressive team the year you leave. Don't worry, we'll let you know how that goes. You'll even be able to see it for yourself when you and your new team play us (whether you'll be witnessing this from on the ice, or in the press box/medical room will have to wait and see).

Rozchod*, Marian.

*("Rozchod" means "farewell" in Slovakian. At least according to the online translator.)

Free Agency UPDATE:
- Gaborik signed a five year contract with the New York Rangers worth $7.5 million a year
- The Wild signed defenseman Greg Zanon from the Nashville Predators for three years at $5.8 million
-BIG SIGNING: Wild sign Chicago star Martin Havlat, six years, $30 million; follow his Twitter here

Draft Day

2009-06-26T07:04:00.007-05:00

DAY 2 UPDATE:
The big news for the Wild today was the trade they pulled with the Edmonton Oilers - Minnesota acquires center Kyle Brodziak and the 161st pick in the draft for the 99th and 103rd pick in the draft. Brodziak was born in St. Paul...but the one in Alberta, Canada, not the one in Minnesota.

Other Wild picks from today include goalie Matthew Hackett with the 77th pick, winger Kristopher Foucault with the 103rd pick, Swede and Shattuck-St. Mary's power forward captain Alexander Fallstrom with the 116th pick, goalie Darcy Kuemper with the 161st pick, and Finnish winger Jere Sallinen with the 163rd pick.

DAY 1 UPDATE:
Minnesota trades down to get the 16th overall pick, which they use to take Minnesotan high school player/Mr. Hockey award winner/rising UofM freshman Nick Leddy (defenseman). After looking at his scouting report, I discovered that he and I have the exact same birthday. Welcome to the Wild, Nick.

Division rival scouting report -
Colorado (3) takes Matt Duchene, a very good center out of the OHL.
Edmonton (10) gets Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson, a well ranked Swedish centerman with a very memorable name.
Vancouver (22) grabbed Minnesota boy and UofM star Jordan Schroeder, a small but skilled forward, who the Wild reportedly looked at closely before passing in favor of Leddy.
Calgary (23) selects Swedish defenseman Tim Erixon, whose last name is spelt quite awesomely.
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Alright, folks. It's draft day.

Check out my Wild draft preview over at Cycle Like the Sedins, who has in-depth draft info for each team.

Draft begins at 6pm CT on Versus tonight and continues to tomorrow morning, at 9 am on NHL Network.

Let's see what Chuck Flether does in one of his first, big player move of his tenure as the GM of the Minnesota Wild.

"You have cufflinks? Pfff"

Front Office Upheaval: How to Completely Change Your NHL Team Prior to July 1

2009-06-16T12:10:00.012-05:00

With star sniper Marian Gaborik's pending free agency, missing the playoffs, and fan restlessness, people knew things were going to change during this off season in Minnesota. But who knew there would be this much change.

Old...

...New!
(even the video/picture quality looks newer, younger, and sleeker.)

Below, an analysis of what's happened so far this offseason, its effect, and what's to come.
(Dates are either when the story was first reported or when it became official)

Head Coach Jacques Lemaire steps down
April 11
After being the only coach in Wild history, Lemaire chose to leave the position after a disappointing season. Amidst talk of rifts with the players and causing free agent problems, it was clear before he announced it after the final game of the season that this was the end of an era. Currently, he's rumored to be considering taking the Head Coach position of the New Jersey Devils, possible working with the Montreal Canadiens, or consulting for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

GM Doug Risebrough fired
April 16
Shortly after the only coach the Wild's ever had left, so did the only GM the team's ever had. Only he didn't do it by choice. With the team in a rut and the fans about to riot, owner Craig Leipold made the key decision to turn the Wild in a new direction. Risebrough is now taking some time off this summer, but there's been mentions of him in relation to the vacant GM position with the Florida Panthers.

GM Chuck Fletcher hired
May 21
It wasn't too surprising when Leipold announced Fletcher as the new GM. Considered the main front runner for a significant amount of time, Fletcher has Minnesota fans excited about the new direction the team is taking. He's pushing an up-tempo, aggressive style of hockey that takes a turn from the defensive trap the Wild has employed in all its years thus far. Fletcher's first task was to hire a new head coach and has much to do in the upcoming weeks, including the NHL Entry Draft, hiring an assistant GM, and continuing to assess his front office staff.

Assistant Coach Mario Tremblay announces leave
June 4
After being assistant coach for all of Lemaire's career with Minnesota, Tremblay chose to move on from the Wild after not being included in Fletcher's short list of candidates for head coach. Tremblay always had a smile on and provided solid support for Lemaire. He's being strongly rumored to join Montreal's coaching staff as an assistant to Jacques Martin.

Lemaire finds a new job
June 11
One of the things everyone will miss about Lemaire is his sense of humor. I had the opportunity to talk to him once and he was great, smiling and laughing the whole time.

Head Coach Todd Richards hired
June 15
Similar to the GM search, Richards was the front runner from the start prior to being officially named the new Wild Head Coach. Preaching the same new style of play as Fletcher, Richards comes to Minnesota from his assistant position in San Jose. He's also worked with Fletcher in the past. Richards' hire in Minnesota is returning him to his roots - he grew up in Crystal, MN and played for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Assistant General Manager Tom Lynn fired
June 15
Assistant GM/Houston Aeros GM/acting GM Lynn was fired, despite believing that his job was safe. There are some mixed reactions on this, as some are very happy with this decision while others are wondering more about the trickle down effect of this move. A new assistant GM will be announced in the near future and Russo already has speculation about who it may be.

Yes, it's an exciting time to be a Wild fan. It's only been a short time since we last saw the Wild take the ice, but there's already been a multitude of changes made that have completely overhauled the franchise and all of its past stereotypes and assumptions.

Now just wait until things start happening with the on-ice product...

Stanley Cup Finals, Minnesota Style

2009-06-12T21:20:00.004-05:00

Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Penguins for doing what they couldn't do a year ago - beat the Detroit Red Wings to capture the Stanley Cup. And by the Pens we of course mean coach Dan Bylsma's eating habits.

But in all seriousness, congratulations to the Pens and the guys who have Minnesota connections. Let's take a look, shall we?

Chuck Fletcher, Wild GM
Connection: Ex-Penguins Assistant GM

Pascal Dupuis, Pens forward
Connection: Member of the Wild, 2000-2007

Jeff Taffe, Pens forward
Connection: Born in Hastings, MN; former University of Minnesota Golden Gopher

Alex Goligoski, Pens defenseman
Connection: Born in Grand Rapids, MN; former University of Minnesota Golden Gopher

John Curry, Pens goalie
Connection: Born in Shorewood, MN

One person I'm glad I'm not? Marian Hossa.

HLOG does Live Blogging

2009-06-04T17:23:00.004-05:00

HLOG is putting together a live blog for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals tonight.

The ladies will be together and talking when the Red Wings look to extend their lead over the Penguins at 7pm (CT) tonight on Versus.

I'll be joining in on the fun a little late due to a prior commitment, but join in if you can.

If you enjoy intelligence, wit, hockey, or ladies, come stop by.

New Person Extravaganza! Chuck Fletcher (part 2)

2009-05-25T22:19:00.002-05:00

To make sure we cover all bases when learning about new Wild GM Chuck Fletcher, 18,568 Reasons Why is doing a New Person Extravaganza! Here's how it's going to go down: we're all going to spend some time together getting to know Fletcher, but the catch is we're combining two features - Meet the New Guy and Tale of the Tape - to do it. The series will be in two parts, all comparing Fletcher to someone, whether they're a member of the hockey front office fraternity or have nothing to do with hockey, and hopefully helping you, the Wild fan, get to know the team's new GM. Without further ado, Meet the New Guy/Tale of the Tape - Chuck Fletcher version, part 2 of 2...

Much has been made of the change coming to Minnesota with the introduction of a new GM. Change in style, hope for an improved team...hmm, change and hope - sound familiar? It should to any US citizens (and to a lot of non-US citizens too, probably) because those were two of the big words being thrown around in the months leading up to Nov. 4, also known as election day. That date in 2008 was the date when Barack Obama was elected the new President. So how similar are the new GM of the Wild and new President of the US? Let's find out.

"[Fletcher]'s been around this business for a long time, and he's only 42, so he's coming with a great amount of energy and charisma, and he's dying to get started." -Craig Leipold, Wild GM, wild.com

President Barack Obama's election speech

Wild GM Chuck Fletcher's introduction

Name:
Obama - Barack Hussein Obama
Fletcher - Chuck Fletcher

From:
Obama - Hawaii
Fletcher - Montreal

Age:
Obama - 47
Fletcher - 42

Why He's Smart:
Obama - BA from Columbia University, JD from Harvard Law School
Fletcher - Harvard University

Athletic Experience:
Obama - Big basketball player
Fletcher - Played hockey until age eight

How He Rose Through the Ranks:
Obama - Member of the Illinois Senate from the 13th District --> United States Senator from Illinois --> 44th President of the United States
Fletcher - Sales and Merchandising Coordinator (Hockey Canada) --> player representative (Newport Sports Management) --> Assistant General Manager, Interim General Manager (Florida Panthers) --> Director of Hockey Operations, Assistant General Manager, Vice President of Amateur Scouting and Player Development (Anaheim Ducks) --> Assistant General Manager (Pittsburgh Penguins) --> 2nd General Manager of the Minnesota Wild

Taking Over:
Obama - The United States of America
Fletcher - The Minnesota Wild

Taking Over From:
Obama - George W. Bush
Fletcher - Doug Risebrough

Biggest Opponent:
Obama -John McCain/Sarah Palin/Hillary Clinton
Fletcher - Pierre McGuire

Slogans:
Obama - Hope, Change
Fletcher - Hope, Change

Promises (some of them):
Obama - Help save the economy; close Guantanamo Bay; withdraw troops from Iraq
Fletcher - A faster-paced, up-tempo, agressive style of hockey; land big name free agents

Second in Command:
Obama - Joe Biden
Fletcher - Tom Lynn

New Residence:
Obama - The White House
Fletcher - Wild offices, downtown St. Paul

New Person Extravaganza! Chuck Fletcher (part 1)

2009-05-22T22:06:00.008-05:00

To make sure we cover all bases when learning about new Wild GM Chuck Fletcher, 18,568 Reasons Why is doing a New Person Extravaganza! Here's how it's going to go down: we're all going to spend some time together getting to know Fletcher, but the catch is we're combining two features - Meet the New Guy and Tale of the Tape - to do it. The series will be in two parts, all comparing Fletcher to someone, whether they're a member of the hockey front office fraternity or have nothing to do with hockey, and hopefully helping you, the Wild fan, get to know the team's new GM. Without further ado, Meet the New Guy/Tale of the Tape - Chuck Fletcher version, part 1 of 2...

A new era in Minnesota Wild history officially began on May 22 when owner Craig Leipold announced the hiring of Chuck Fletcher as the second ever General Manager of the team, approximately five weeks after firing Doug Risebrough. Fletcher has Wild fans excited again and many execs and analysts praising the Wild's hiring decision. Talking about acquiring big name free agents, playing an open style of hockey, and bringing in lots of experience with talent scouting and contract negotiations, things seem to be looking up for the Wild. Let's look at how different things might be...

"This has been my dream since I realized I was a really bad hockey player at about the age of 8." -Chuck Fletcher, NHL.com

Name:
Risebrough - Douglas (Doug) Risebrough
Fletcher - Chuck Fletcher

Age:
Risebrough - 55
Fletcher - 42

Native Land:
Risebrough - Ontario
Fletcher - Montreal

Nicknames:
Risebrough - DR, Doug, Riser
Fletcher - Fletch, Chuckie, Brown Fox

Most Recent Employment:
Risebrough - Minnesota Wild GM
Fletcher - Pittsburgh Penguins Assistant GM

New Employment:
Risebrough - None (unemployed)
Fletcher - Minnesota Wild GM

Favorite Coach:
Risebrough - Jacques Lemaire
Fletcher - Todd Richards

Hockey Career:
Risebrough - Played for the Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames, capturing four Stanley Cups
Fletcher - Hockey career ended at age eight

Previous Hockey Involvement:
Risebrough - Was involved with playing, coaching, and managing prior to joining the Wild
Fletcher - Father is Cliff Fletcher and has grown up around hockey and hockey management

At Age 20...:
Risebrough - Was drafted 7th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1974 NHL Draft
Fletcher - Was attending Harvard University

Known For:
Risebrough - Making no moves at the trade deadline
Fletcher - Good drafting/player development, negotiating player contracts

Person Most Excited by Transaction:
Risebrough (firing) - Wild fans
Fletcher (hiring) - Wild fans, every hockey analyst, Brian Burke, Ray Shero, Jim Souhan

Person Most Disappointed by Transaction:
Risebrough (firing) - Risebrough, players who have had security with Risebrough
Fletcher (hiring) - Pierre McGuire, Minnesota Timberwolves

All of Your Burning Questions Answered in 3 Minutes and 32 Seconds

2009-05-19T22:14:00.007-05:00

It's been two weeks since I've last blogged, I know, it's bad. But not much has been happening and my internship has been keeping me busy (even small pro sports teams take a lot of effort, I promise).

I'm in the middle of a piece that should be up sometime within the next few days, so keep an eye out for that. But to keep you entertained (and to make me stop feeling quite as guilty about not blogging lately), here is a very amusing video for your enjoyment.

Ever wonder who wins in the Blackhawks' Wolverine look-a-like contest - Jonathan Toews or Brent Seabrook? Want to know who picks up the most girls on the road? Curious about how long Patrick Sharp has been seeing his girlfriend (some of you have to be curious about that because I seem to get a lot of "girlfriend" key word searches, according to Google Analytics)? The answers to all these questions (spoiler alert: the answers are Toews, Patrick Kane, and "seven or eight") and more, in the below video.

I think the real question is, does Cabbie have the most amusing job on the planet?

------------------------------------------------

Shameless plug: If you're bored with a lack of hockey games in your life and want a fun, inexpensive sporting event to attend throughout the summer, check out Minnesota's pro soccer team, the Thunder. Game schedule can be found here and you can purchase tickets here. The team plays in the upgraded National Sports Center, complete with the newly built Thunder Lounge. Also, if your children (or you, depending on the age of reader) likes soccer or just wants a fun summer activity, the Thunder runs a great camp all throughout the summer and all over the state where kids receive excellent coaching from pro players and coaches, a fun, healthy way to spend some time this summer, and awesome free stuff (who doesn't love swag?).

Cool Hockey Jobs: Mark Hughes, Easton Hockey

2009-05-04T19:22:00.022-05:00

Welcome to the newest feature on 18,568 Reasons Why: the interview series entitled Cool Hockey Jobs. I'll be running interviews I do throughout the offseason where I'll talk to people who work in hockey about what they do and why it's awesome. If you work in hockey and would like to be considered as a participant, or if you have any suggestions or people you think would be good for this series, shoot me an email [18568reasonswhy@gmail.com].

Last week, I had the great pleasure of interviewing Mark Hughes, the Director of Sports Marketing and Athletes at Easton Hockey. Below is the transcript of our conversation. A big thanks to him for taking the time to talk to me and to Grant Marek of Formula PR for setting it up. Make sure to check out Easton Hockey's newly re-launched website, where you can see new products, meet the endorsement team of NHLers, and enter to win customized sticks or skates.

18,568 Reasons Why: First, could you explain what goes into your job?

Mark Hughes: I have the great fortune of being the Director of Sports Marketing and Athletes for Easton. It’s a job that has many facets to it: I’m also in charge of public relations and the hockey business and I’m directly responsible for managing a group of very hockey savvy service representatives and into the locker rooms and the brand exposure for the company.

18,568RW: How is it to work with these pro athletes all the time, being involved with their production and their equipment, which is obviously a very important part of their game?

MH: I think the interesting part about it is, about there only being 30 National Hockey League teams, there are actually 750 accounts, and every player has certain needs, every player has different usage, every player puts different demands on the system, on the actual products. So it’s actually sort of a bigger job, I think, than most people really can get their arms around. I mean, every single player has a slightly different flex, a slightly different pattern, a slightly different length stick, and our job is to provide them a highly customized product so they can go out and play a sport at the highest level possible. At times it can be daunting, but at the same time it’s mainly rewarding to see a player that you worked very closely with go score a game winning goal in a game that’s extremely important.

18,568RW: A lot of people say that hockey players are the best pro athletes to work with, are super down to Earth. How has your experience been working with them? Any divas?

MH: Well I would say, in my history at Easton I’ve had the opportunity to work with National Football League players, I’ve had the opportunity to work with Major League Baseball players, certainly I’ve had the opportunity to work with National Hockey League players, and I would rank National Hockey League players as the highest on that list of just easy to work with. They’re just very down to Earth. I think the basis of that is that many of them come from very small town environments where there’s a strict set of community culture and as a result they’re extremely humble and I think the essence is they’re generally appreciative for the efforts that others make on their behalf.

18,568RW: Easton has a very elite group of players – [Dany] Heatley, [Ryan] Getzlaf, [Joe] Sakic, [Henrik] Zetterberg, [Jonathan] Toews – what’s the process of signing these athletes to work with Easton?

MH: I certainly wouldn’t leave Marian Gaborik off that list. He’s certainly one of our top endorsed athletes as well. There are 371 players that use an Easton stick; there are over 200 players that use Easton gloves; well over 200 players that wear Easton pants; almost 100 players that use Easton skates. So there’s no shortage of players, and no shortage of high caliber players, that use Easton products in the National Hockey League. We’re drawn toward not only a high level of play but also a very high moral and character. We really feel like we’re a very wholesome brand. Up until very recently we were a family-owned brand so we though it was important to protect that very wholesome, family-oriented aspect in our endorsed athletes. The names that you’ve mentioned all do a fabulous job at embodying those standards.

18,568RW: I receive stats from Easton in my email, and I know other media and other bloggers do too. What do you guys use those stats for other than media?

MH: I guess I should ask specifically what stats you’re referring to?

18,568RW: Like, this percentage of players use Easton sticks and this percentage of points are from Easton sticks…those kind of stats…

MH: I think with any business you’re looking for feedback. I think you always want to gauge where you’re at and where you’re at as a business and how impactful or how relevant you’re being. And I think perception is a qualitative measuring stick. Statistics tend to be a very quantitative measuring stick. And when you want to be in the marketing place and you want to be advertising to a consumer base, and you want to say “we’re the best”, we always feel it’s a more credible message if you have facts to back that up. And one thing the NHL stats provide us is a very factual basis for those types of product assertions. And that’s why we do it. We do it for internal feedback and we do it so that we’re not one of the many companies that throw around words that they grab out of a dictionary to label their products or their brand with. We tend to feel better, more credible, if we’re doing it based upon statistics that are available.

18,568RW: You guys are tweaking and adjusting equipment all the time, releasing new equipment; how often do the pros switch up what they’re using?

MH: It depends upon the player, it depends upon what type of product you’re talking about. One of the things that I think makes Easton a very special company is the people that work here and the company culture that is extremely dedicated to advancing the state-of-the-art. We probably invest at least as much, if not twice as much, in our R&D [Research and Development] efforts as many of our competitors probably do in their marketing efforts. You can create market share by having the best product or you can have market share by purchasing market share and you can create market share by creating a marketing machine that makes your product more desirable to the consumer. Our business model is very much predicated on investing in R&D and creating the best product. And we’ll have products that will hit the ice of the National Hockey League come training camp that, even though our numbers are reading 371, almost 52% of the league, we are absolutely convinced, and this has been validated by current NHL players, that the new stick that we introduced is better than the stick that we had now. So we’re encouraged by those results.

18,568RW: I know you guys just released a couple sticks, just re-launched the website; is there any other big Easton news coming up or new releases coming up soon?

MH: One of the things that we’ve been known for as of late is continually introducing innovative and new products to the market place. So we’ll have new products that will be on the ice at training camp for the National Hockey League and hence be available in the retail channel in the late September, October time frame. We have new stick product, we have new skate product, we have some new glove product that we’ll make available at that time.

18,568RW: Complete this sentence: The best part about working for Easton is…

MH: The people. Easton is a company that prides itself on a team environment, it prides itself on hiring great people, and allowing great people to do great things.

18,568RW: Is there anything that fans or Easton clients might not know about Easton that they should know?

MH: I would say the one thing that they may not know about Easton is its roots or its foundation was in the sport of archery. It started out as an archery company, and sort of then morphed into an arrow manufacturer and archery company, and then archery company, arrow manufacturer, aluminum bat manufacturer, and I think that’s really when the sporting goods side of the business hit the mainstream. And then of course having been known for the first two piece technology with the aluminum shaft and the replaceable blade, and the rest could be characterized as modern history, all the way through the first composite replacement blade to the Synergy composite stick and the great things that have followed.

A Glimpse Into the Wild Offseason

2009-04-29T19:16:00.002-05:00

...What wingers and best friends Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Stephane Veilleux are probably doing right now.

Ed note: It's finals week, but I finish school up on Friday so a lot more substantial posts will be coming soon.

The Offseason...Fun

2009-04-22T19:55:00.005-05:00

I apologize for the lack of updates, but this week has been busy (hopefully that will slow down after tomorrow) and, frankly, there hasn't been too much going on in the world of Wild hockey. But there's some great first round hockey going on, which I recommend you watch. If you want some Minnesota ties, you can look for some of the bigger names players from here (like Zach Parise, of the New Jersey Devils) or who played here (like Brian Rolston, also of the Devils).

Once the playoffs are over, I'll be doing some more season wrapup stuff, so stay tuned for that. I'll also probably be doing some contributing writing for Cycle Like the Sedins and their satellite blogs during the playoffs, which I'll link to.

If you guys have anything you want to see or hear about, guest posts, suggestions Tale of the Tapes, anything, send them my way at 18568reasonswhy@gmail.com.

In the meantime, Go Hawks!

In Wild news...

Defenseman John Scott, or BIG John Scott as they like to call him on the broadcasts, signed a one-year extension with the Wild. It's a one-way deal that will pay Scott $550,000 no matter whether he plays for the Wild or for the Aeros.

All-Star goalie Niklas Backstrom is having hip surgery (ala Marian Gaborik) and will be out an expected four to six months.

Rookie Cal Clutterbuck was snubbed by the NHL in their Calder nominations. Shame.

Ex-GM Doug Risebrough gave his press conference Tuesday morning. Here's the transcript, per Russo and Stensaas. The audio can be found here.

Risebrough Fired

2009-04-16T13:31:00.003-05:00

*Update* This has nothing to do really with Risebrough, but there's a really nice piece written by ex-Wild coach Jacques Lemaire on wild.com. It talks about his time in Minnesota and what he's going to do now. It's a worthy read.

Breaking news came from Russo on Thursday afternoon: As many Wild bloggers and fans have been calling for, Wild GM Doug Risebrough was fired by new Wild owner Craig Leipold.

This was, in my mind, a very surprising move. Not because Risebrough did not deserve it, but because I didn't expect Leipold to pull the trigger, especially so close to the leave of head coach Jacques Lemaire. Looking back, here are some comments Leipold made in February to Russo (emphasis mine):

Q: Can you talk about your philosophy with management and coaches in your career. You had one GM and coach in Nashville. Why no kneejerks firings? Why don’t you change the hierarchy in a league that changes coaches and managers like they’re changing their pants?
A: “First of all, I think my history that I have shows that I don’t get involved in player or coach decisions. And I feel real good about having earned that reputation. The fact is I don’t. I let Doug know really early on that if he asks me, I will give him my opinion. And if I ever thought that he would make his decision based on what my opinion is, I’ll stop giving it to him. And I would be very disappointed. I want to give him an opinion as a fan because he knows more than I’ll ever know about this game. And I’m not about to make decisions on players and coaches that he should be making.”

Q: Expectations, what do you expect with this team?
A: “I would expect this team to make the playoffs.”

Q: Would you do anything if they didn’t?
A: “No. As every fan, I would be disappointed. I’m looking at this team on the ice right now and I look at where we are relative to what I would consider the seven or eight teams we’re competing with, and we’re better than those teams. It’s my hope that we make it. And I think Gaborik’s going to be back in the end. I think that’s going to help us. It’s going to give us a little bump. I like our position.”

Q: So Doug’s in this for the long haul no matter what. Doug’s job is safe?
A: “Oh yeah. Doug’s fine. This is his team. He’s built it. Let’s be real honest: It’s been disappointing that Gaborik’s been hurt. You see how close we are in this race. Gaborik by now would have been worth 25 goals and 50 points. How many games does that win us? And if the answer is just five games, that puts us ahead of our division right now. So, yeah.”

The interview was conducted in February. Risebrough was "fine" then. A month later, in March, was when Leipold made the decision to fire Risebrough. A month after that, where we are now in April, the deed was finally done. And this makes me wonder, what happened during that month that made Leipold change his mind so drastically?

Not that I am criticizing this decision, because it was the right decision for the organization. Change was already afoot with the departure of Lemaire, possible departure of Marian Gaborik, and lack of a postseason berth. The Wild was stuck and something needed to happen if the team ever wanted to get past the point it was at now. With the core players it has right now, Minnesota can be a great team; everyone saw flashes of it during the season. But this change had to occur for them to go anywhere.

----------------------------------------------------

Notes

Lots of off-season surgery going on for the Wild. Wingers Andrew Brunette (knee) and Derek Boogaard (shoulder), defenseman Brent Burns (shoulder), and possibly goalie Niklas Backstrom (hip/groin) all will undergo (or already underwent) surgery this off-season.

Make sure to routinely check in with The Third Intermission and the respective Houston Aeros bloggers running it as the baby Wild make a run at the AHL playoffs (now including lovely features such as "Texting Barry Brust"!)

BallHype: hype it up!" src="http://ballhype.com/media/img/hype/button_96x22.png" width="96" height="22">

Welcome to the Playoffs

2009-04-15T20:15:00.008-05:00

The NHL playoffs start tonight and there are some good storylines which should lead to some good hockey. And even though the Wild aren't in it, I suggest you take advantage of great hockey before the offseason really begins and there's no hockey at all.

Many games are being broadcasted on Versus (see the schedule here) and their website has full coverage along with extra content from outside sources.

The team I have chosen to follow in the playoffs is the Chicago Blackhawks. To those of you who read this blog regularly, this shouldn't be a huge surprise as this blog is a big backer of Hawks captain Jonathan Toews. Leave your playoff predictions, picks, or good storylines in the comments.

The End of Two Eras

2009-04-11T16:30:00.009-05:00

*UPDATE 2* Lemaire made it official official in a press conference Monday morning. Video below.

*UPDATE* Lemaire made his leave official after the Wild's 6-3 win over Columbus, wrapping up the season. From the press conference after the game, per Russo: “I think it’s time for the players to get a new coach and myself look at other stuff.”

The game had concluded. Various Wild players were given pucks to throw into the crowd. All the other players had finished and gone back down the tunnel to the dressing room, still hanging onto the slight playoff hope that existed before the Anaheim-Dallas game concluded (ending with an Anaheim win and a Wild elimination.) But one player remained on the ice. Marian Gaborik, Wild original, sniper, and potential NHL superstar. He took his time; slowly skating around the rink, throwing pucks, waving to fans, all with a huge smile plastered across his face. Soaking up the love from the Team of 18,000 for possibly the last time.

The media scrum ensued. Head coach Jacques Lemaire stood behind his podium, in front of the bright blue background adorned with Wild and Xcel Energy Center logos. He addressed the media, talking about the great fans and the "special" effort from the team Friday night as his eyes shone and his throat tightened. He had already made his decision - the decision that he struggled with for so long last summer. He brushed off questioning reporters with jokes, "It's not a good thing that I tell you right now, because you might be depressed that I come back. Maybe you've seen enough of me." (Star Tribune.) Jacques Lemaire, fabled Montreal Canadien, lover of defense and the trap, only coach in the history of the Minnesota Wild, most likely will be saying goodbye.

Both Wild originals. Both well-known in the NHL. Both possibly leaving the team - one for another path or possible retirement, one for another town. And thus two separate legacies in Wild history would come to a close. Lemaire has coached this team since the beginning, building an identity and getting the most out of players. Gaborik has been the face of the franchise since the day he was the first draft pick in Wild history and, although his career in Minnesota has been marred with injuries and contract disputes, he's been extremely important to the team.

Only time will tell what will actually happen. Lemaire could continue coaching somewhere else, Gaborik could sign an extension to stay in Minnesota, but all signs point to both leaving. I could write about the love/hate relationship Wild fans have with both. I could write about what the team should do about their absence. I could write about how they represent the beginnings of the Wild organization, not the future. But instead, I want to take this post to thank both for everything they have done for the team, the fans, and Minnesota hockey. They helped build and shape a lowly 2000 expansion team and create memories that Wild fans will never forget (2003 playoff miracle run, anyone?)

So to Jacques Lemaire and Marian Gaborik: no matter what you decide to do, thank you.

Down to the Wire

2009-04-08T18:34:00.002-05:00

The Wild handily beat the Dallas Stars 3-1 on Tuesday night, but it probably won't be enough. The team's playoff chances are very, very slim and they will be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs with either a Wild loss or points gained by the Anaheim Ducks or St. Louis Blues.

There are two games left in the 2008-2009 season, Wild fans. Enjoy them.

Last Home Game: Wild take on the Predators (another team fighting for their playoff lives) on Friday at 7pm (CT) on FSN. Should be a good game between two teams still clinging onto a small bit a playoff hope (although I doubt the Preds have a purple shape.)

The One Where All Small Bits of Hope at a Miraculous Playoff Run Die

2009-04-05T14:56:00.003-05:00

It looked bad early. The Wild dug themselves into a 0-2 hole against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Red Wings. The first goal was a bit of a fluke as it bounced off of a referee and right to Jiri Hudler to bury it. It looked hopeful late. The Wild had tied it 2-2 (the first goal they scored also flukey) and it looked like they might be able to take it at least to OT or a SO, significantly helping their playoff hopes. And then, with 55 seconds left to play, Marian Hossa effectively closed all prospects of a playoff berth for the Wild with a wicked shot that beat goalie Niklas Backstrom, who was strong for most of the game. Technically the Wild has not been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but it is extremely unlikely.

Wild players continue dropping, too. Not only is the team missing players like Brent Burns, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, and Derek Boogaard and playing injured players, but apparently Nick Schultz sustained an eye injury during the second period of the game and didn't return (according to Russo.) Well, now they'll have extra time this spring to rest up and rehabilitate themselves for next season...

Count It

2009-04-04T11:53:00.005-05:00

I've grown fond of the purple shape that is the Wild's playoff hopes, so I've made an executive decision to use it for the rest of the season.

Wild shut out a shorthanded Calgary 4-0, showing streaks of how well this team can play. Goals came early and often (there's something different) and they built a three goal lead in the first period. This came against a goalie - Miikka Kiprusoff - who the Wild normally struggles greatly with.

Yes, Calgary was suffering some injuries and had some NHL debuts at defense, but it gave the Wild two points. And it showed that the Wild can play teams who are struggling - something they themselves have had some problems with throughout the year. At this time in the season, where Minnesota needs every single point they can get to have a chance to make it into the postseason, no one cares how they get their points as long as they get them.

Next Game: Wild take on Detroit in a Sunday afternoon (11:30 CT) match up, being televised nationally on NBC. One spectacular reason why everyone should watch this game? Trash talker Cal Clutterbuck is going to be mic'ed up.

Notes

I wrote a Hockey Orphan post for Cycle Like the Sedins. Go check it out here.

D-man Kurtis Foster was nominated by the Professional Hockey Writer's Association as a nominee for the Masterson Trophy. After everything Foster has gone through, I truly believe that he deserves to win it. At least a lot more than the Canucks' Alex Burrows (like Puck Daddy said: "What did Burrows overcome, exactly? The scorn of his peers?")

Congratulations to the Chicago Blackhawks and 18,568RW favorite Jonathan Toews for clinching a playoff berth last night (and helping the Wild) with a win over the Nashville Predators.

If Playoff Hopes Were a Purple Shape...

2009-03-31T22:37:00.005-05:00

One of the saddest things I've seen lately: the look of disappointment on Niklas Backstrom's face after the Canucks' game winning goal in their 2-1 OT victory over the Wild.

Update: My story on Cal Clutterbuck is now up on the Wild's website and you can find it here. It is also available in the current version of the Wild Game Day programs, available for purchase at home games.

High School Media Day Entries

2009-03-26T06:00:00.003-05:00

Sorry it took awhile, but here is my winning entry from the Wild's High School Media Day event. Along with my story, check out the winning video, made by my friend and classmate. Here's the link to the MHSPA website with judge's comments, winning story, winning photo, winning video, and more information. Here is the link to the story on wild.com.

Energetic winger showing he’s more than just a name

Holder of what many have dubbed the best name in hockey, Cal Clutterbuck’s now showing his skills are as memorable as his name, leaving his mark as an energetic,
hard-hitting rookie winger for the Minnesota Wild.

Since his latest call-up on Oct. 15, the 21-year-old Clutterbuck has established himself as a skilled and hard working forward for the Wild, providing hits, entertainment, and endless energy for the fans and team. After proving himself at the NHL level, Clutterbuck’s inspired play has earned him the respect of the league and the fans.

The Ontario native was drafted by the Wild in the third round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and spent three seasons with the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League, two on a line alongside wunderkind John Tavares. In the 2007-2008 season, he graduated to the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League, the Wild’s minor league affiliate. He played two games with the Wild but spent most of the season in the AHL.

But a mid-October call-up unexpectedly changed everything for Clutterbuck and the Wild this season. No one expected his stay with Minnesota to be very long, simply being brought as insurance while veteran Owen Nolan nursed an injury. But as the days added up, so did Clutterbuck’s hit count and he soon found himself a permanent spot in the lineup.

Now Clutterbuck leads both the Wild and the entire NHL in hits and is on pace to break the NHL single season hit record of 311. Not only has Clutterbuck played less than a full season, but he only stands at 5 feet 11 inches. However he does not see his height as a limit and instead embraces it.

“I don’t have the reach or the size that a guy at 6 foot 3 [inches] has,” Clutterbuck said. “I have to make up for the things that I don’t have in height and I try and just play the cards that I’ve been dealt and use that. But at the same time, I’m shorter than most guys so my center of gravity is a little lower and I think it helps me with my physical play and my speed so it’s not entirely bad.”

This attitude and perseverance has helped propel Clutterbuck to where he stands today, climbing his way up the pro hockey ranks through hard work and determination, and earning him the respect and adoration of fans along the way.

“It’s the thought that I might not be here full time or I might get sent down to Houston that drives me,” Clutterbuck said. “I want to be able to stay here and I think you can keep that mentality that you’re going to push yourself every day to get better and it will help you out in the long run. I think that knowing that I have stability and keeping the confidence that I do is important but also knowing that at any time I can just get shipped down so I just have to motivate myself every day.”

In his time with the Wild, Clutterbuck’s motivation and fan friendly attitude have helped him to win over the hearts of fans. Wild fans instantly took a liking to him for his huge hits on the ice and his friendly personality off of it. Clutterbuck has already participated in many community events and public appearances, including two Hockey Unplugged sessions.

Clutterbuck’s play has even resulted in the Wild blogging community spreading a campaign on his behalf for the Calder Trophy, awarded each season to the best NHL rookie. Virtual and real buttons have been distributed among bloggers, displaying the slogan “You can’t spell Calder without Cal.” Support spread rapidly and the cause was even featured on the widely-read Yahoo Sports NHL blog Puck Daddy. While many acknowledge that Clutterbuck’s chances of winning are slim, the campaign shows the appreciation fans have for his talent and hard work.

“It definitely makes you feel good,” Clutterbuck said. “It makes you feel like what you’re doing out there is getting noticed. I know it’s hard when you’re working really hard at something and no one really notices and it can be kind of depressing sometimes because you’re putting everything you have into something and no one really notices. To have someone, the fans notice what you’re doing and cheer you on, it just pushes you to keep going, to get better, and you just want to keep working hard and keep giving them what they want to see.”

Clutterbuck may not be the biggest player. He may not win the Calder. And he may not have the point production of a superstar. But his presence on the ice makes a difference for the Wild and he has appreciation and respect from fans around the league. Right now, Clutterbuck is exactly where he wants to be.

“This was my goal growing up...I just wanted to be an NHL hockey player,” he said. “I’m here now and I know that I have to work hard everyday to stay here as long as possible.”

Why I am a Wild Fan - Buddha

2009-03-24T01:00:00.000-05:00

While I'm off in Germany, I'm bringing in some guest posters. The question I posed was this: Why are you a Wild fan? Simple question, yes, but it yielded interesting answers that really show the love for hockey in the State of Hockey. Today's contributor is Buddha, from Minnesota Wild Times and Hockey Wilderness. Enjoy...

Writing on 18,568 Reasons Why. How far have I come? This is going to be fun folks; I hope you enjoy the ride for today. Depending on when this post goes up, you may already know that Elise has asked for some guest posts while she invades our NATO ally Germany, and attempts to again divide the country into East and West. While she is gone, we are charged with filling her little space on the interweb with our own ramblings. She was even nice enough to give us a topic to discuss: Why am I a Wild fan?

Giving this question to me threw me for a bit of a loop. Problem here is that it has been quite some time since my writing has allowed me to go full out fan boy. I have some professional writing that I do, and I have the two blogs I write for (insert shameless self promotion here: Hockey Wilderness and Minnesota Wild Times), but none of them allow me to go full out fan. I have to maintain at least a small sense of objectivism, if for no other reason than to be able to make my argument. While the blogs certainly have a fanatic slant to them, they are restrained and contained. Elise has given me this singular chance to let it all hang out, and for that I think her. Enjoy Germany, Elise, you really should have a Hamburger in Hamburg, it would just be classic.

I asked a friend how to keep this post to blog length, but I just don’t think that would have been possible. I hope you stick with me to the end, and I hope I make it worth your while.

Alright, so, why am I a Wild fan?

I am a Wild fan because I truly know no other way. I grew up playing hockey, and I made most of the friends I have today while playing hockey or discussing hockey. I cried my ten-year-old eyes out when Harvard beat the Golden Gophers in the NCAA championship in 1989. I cried again four years later when Norm Green stole my hockey team and (sorry Ms. C) moved them to some redneck town in Texas where they think Zamboni is an Italian Sausage. I love high school hockey, I love college hockey, I love watching mites and squirts level hockey. There is just something about the game that makes it a part of me.

Add the facts detailed above to the fact that suddenly, thrust back upon me is the chance to bear witness to professional hockey at the highest level. When the NHL announced that Minnesota had been awarded a new franchise, I was old enough to be “too tough” to cry about it, but I was so happy I was crying on the inside. Despite living in Grand Forks, I continued to cheer for my Gophers, as well as the Bulldogs, Mavs, and Huskies. I watched as the Wild drafted a team made up of the rejects of the league, and I watched as a hall-of-fame coach made those rejects a team.

I watched as the team morphed from rejects to Western Conference Finals contender, even flying out to Colorado on a spur of the moment whim to watch Andrew Brunette end Patrick Roy’s career. I have watched as the team has become a model of mediocrity and become the “also-ran” of the NHL.

Through all of this, I remain a fan. A die-hard some would call me. Writing about the team professionally and on the blogs has only served to fuel the fire even as I must suppress that fire in my writing. Learning the ins and outs of the league and the team has only given me more questions that I strive to answer.

Being a member of “The Team of 18,000” and buying 100% into the marketing campaign, I am truly a homer of all homers. I believe that if I wear the wrong jersey to the game, I will cause some kind of karmic backlash and cost the team in the standings. I have enjoyed watching Minnesota hockey fans show their knowledge of the game in full throated support of the team on the ice, and also as the boos rain down on the boys when they play poorly. I have enjoyed being there to cheer when the Wild clear the zone during a penalty kill, or when the X goes nuts after the Wild kill a long 5-on-3. I have even enjoyed giving a standing ovation to opposing players and teams when the reach a milestone while on our ice.

I am a fan because the Wild have made the team, whether through marketing or otherwise, a part of the state. Opposing fans criticize us for buying into the “State of Hockey” line that the Wild feed us. However, we were the state of hockey long before the Wild came along, and will be the state of hockey long after the Wild are gone from the face of the planet. I am a fan because they have incorporated the love and passion the state has for the game into the ambiance of the X, into the fiber of the team, and yes, even into its marketing.

I am a Wild fan because, with the Chris Simon incident behind us, the Wild have generally put forward a family friendly team, giving role models to the youth hockey player around the state and still alive in some of us. I am a fan because we have players like Andrew Brunette and Owen Nolan instead of players like Chris Pronger and Todd Bertuzzi. I am a fan because despite the support and defense we give the Boogey man, we know he deserved his suspension, and welcomed him back after he served it, all the while hoping he never does it again.

I am a Wild fan because I do not know how not to be. Despite the fact that there is a glut of hockey available to distract me from the horrors of the real world, the Wild game always is the first choice in my mind. I am a Wild fan because despite the fact that I criticize Doug Risebrough and Jacques Lemaire, I will still support whatever team they put on the ice and whatever style of play they choose to run. I am a fan because it is hockey, played at the highest level in the world.

I am a fan because it is part of who I am.

He's Back...

2009-03-22T14:39:00.002-05:00

Tonight's a big night for Wild fans...it's the return of Marian Gaborik.

Obviously I will not be able to watch it as I am in Germany. But if you did watch it, what did you think? How did he play? Was it right of the Wild to not let go of him at the trade deadline? Should they try to sign him to something short term?

It's your turn to let me know what you think. Leave thoughts in the comments.

Why I Am a Wild Fan - Minnie

2009-03-21T06:00:00.001-05:00

While I'm off in Germany, I'm bringing in some guest posters. The question I posed was this: Why are you a Wild fan? Simple question, yes, but it yielded interesting answers that really show the love for hockey in the State of Hockey. Today's contributor is Minnie, a rabid Wild fan who participates in the great tradition of Minnesota high school hockey Enjoy...

“Tonight’s attendance: 18,568! You are the grrreatest hockey fans in the world!” Every time these words are announced at a Wild game, a part of me does a little victory dance. I am proud to call myself a Minnesota wild fan because we, as Minnesotans, truly are the greatest hockey fans in the world. From pee-wee hockey tournaments in Eveleth, to Wild games at the Excel Energy Center, we brave our harsh, sub-zero winters to cheer on our home team. We know the game, we play the game, we worship the game. There is nothing better than being a hockey fan in Minnesota.

Without hockey, I’d be completely lost. I wouldn’t know what to do with all that extra obsessive energy. I’d be like Batman without Robin, peanut butter without jelly, or like a lone Daniel Sedin wondering where Henrik went. Luckily, here in Minnesota, I will never have this problem. Hockey will always have a place here in Minnesota; our ponds will always freeze, and dedicated fans will continue to fill the seats of the Excel year after year after year. The team of 18,000 will never fall short.

Turning Scorers Into Checkers

2009-03-19T01:00:00.000-05:00

The problem with the Wild has always been scoring. The team is built around defense thanks to head coach Jacques Lemaire's system. Marian Gaborik has complained about it, Pavol Demitra has complained about it, fans and announcers have complained about it. One essential thing to Lemaire's system is strong checking. But does the emphasis on checking and defense the team puts on young players turn them into checkers instead of scorers?

Russo had this the other day about Peter Olvecky: "The other day, I was sitting and talking with an NHL scout for a long time over lunch. He was going on and on and on about how good Olvecky can be. He said he thought he’d be a star when he first came to North America, but he’s still convinced he can be a top-two line forward in this league. He said it’s important 'the Wild doesn’t turn him into a checker.'"

The Wild's current checking line is (usually) made up of Stephane Veilleux, James Sheppard, and Cal Clutterbuck, and sometimes includes Dan Fritsche. They're all relatively young (27, 20, 21, and 23 respectively.) Veilleux, Sheppard, and Clutterbuck have all come up through the Wild organization. And all have a focus on hitting, defense, and checking more than scoring. But looking back before they joined the Wild organization, they were higher point producers, especially Clutterbuck and Sheppard. (numbers through Monday, March 16; seasons looked at include last two junior seasons through current season)

Veilleux
1999-2000: Val-d'Or (QMJHL) - 50 GP - 14 G - 28 A - 42 P
2000-2001: Val-d'Or (QMJHL) - 68 GP - 48 G - 67 A - 115 P
2001-2002: Houston Aeros (AHL) - 77 GP - 13 G - 22 A - 35 P
2002-2003: Minnesota Wild (NHL) - 38 GP - 3 G - 2 A - 5 P, Houston Aeros (AHL) - 29 GP - 8 G - 4 A - 12 P
2003-2004: Wild (NHL) - 19 GP - 2 G - 8 A - 10 P, Aeros (AHL) - 64 GP - 13 G - 25 A - 38 P
2004-2005: Aeros (AHL) - 59 GP - 15 G - 24 A - 39 P
2005-2006: Wild (NHL) - 71 GP - 7 G - 9 A - 16 P
2006-2007: Wild (NHL) - 75 GP - 7 G - 11 A - 18 P
2007-2008: Wild (NHL) - 77 GP - 11 G - 7 A - 18 P
2008 -2009: Wild (NHL) - 68 GP - 11 G - 7 A - 18 P

Clutterbuck
2005-2006: Oshawa Generals (OHL) - 66 GP - 35 G - 33 A - 68 P
2006-2007: Oshawa (OHL) - 65 GP - 35 G - 54 A - 89 P
2007-2008: Minnesota Wild (NHL) - 2 GP - 0 G - 0 A - O P, Houston Aeros (AHL) - 73 GP - 11 G - 13 A - 24 P
2008-2009: Minnesota (NHL) - 65 GP - 8 G - 5 A - 13 P

Sheppard
2005-2006: Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL) - 66 GP - 30 G - 54 A - 84 P
2006-2007: Cape Breton (QMJHL) - 56 GP - 33 G - 63 A - 96 P
2007-2008: Minnesota Wild (NHL) - 78 GP - 4 G - 15 A - 19 P
2008-2009: Minnesota (NHL) - 69 GP - 4 G - 12 A - 16 P

These chekers were not always checkers. They are still developing, especially Sheppard and Clutterbuck, and have shown offensive talent. But will they be able to develop that talent in the role they are currently in and how long will it take? The Wild have been on a development plan for some time now, and the fans are frustrated with the lack of results. Promising players like Benoit Pouliot and Roman Voloshenko have not impressed, and the team cannot score. Some players have excelled in this system. Captain Mikko Koivu has embraced it and is arguably one of the best defensive forwards in the league, it just took some time.

Veilleux might not be with the Wild much longer, but Sheppard and Clutterbuck seem to have found a comfortable place here in Minnesota. But watching their development in the coming years, what role will they take full time?

Agree? Disagree? Other players this has happened to? Thoughts on this type of development? Leave them in the comments.

Loser Point/No Point - Stars and Blues Double Post

2009-03-14T22:04:00.005-05:00

Wild 3, Blues 5

Plain and simple: If the Wild want to be a playoff team, they need to win games like this.

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Wild 2, Stars 3 (OT)

Because the blogosphere doesn't have enough Arrested Development references already...

Wild downed by the Dallas Stars (shocking) 3-2 in OT. Stars forward Steve Ott scored both Dallas goals to give the Stars a cushion before blowing it in the next period. The Wild didn't pick the pace up until the second period, when they scored twice to tie the game off goals by Mikko Koivu and Andrew Brunette. Dallas went on to win it in OT, gaining the ever-important extra point. Both Peter Olvecky and Dan Fritsche rang posts during the third period. I was impressed with the play of James Sheppard last night, who played solid defense and had numerous offensive chances when playing on a line with Brunette.

Next Game: Wild travel to St. Louis to take on the Blues Sunday afternoon, 5 pm CT, FSN. The Blues have a couple Minnesota connections, including natives Erik Johnson (out with knee injury) and David Backes, and ex-Warroad player TJ Oshie.

That Looked Familiar

2009-03-10T21:46:00.009-05:00

Remember: If you're interested in guest posting, send me an email at 18568reasonswhy@gmail.com.

First period: Wild shots - 3, Wild missed shots - a lot

The Wild seem to like playing catch up against the Sharks. Down 3-0 (again) the Wild began a comeback at the end of second period (again) and tied the game late in the third period (again.) This time though, the Sharks were the ones who prevailed in OT, won 5-4, and got the two points.

The two comebacks against the Sharks have been impressive. San Jose has been struggling lately with injuries but are still a great hockey team. But in both games the Wild have spent the first half of the game sitting back and watching the Sharks take a lead. There's only so many chances to make spectacular comebacks and it's still preferable to not dig the team into a hole it has to climb out of.

Game Notes: Forward Owen Nolan scored his 400th and 401st goals. Rookie forward Colton Gillies, call-up defenseman John Scott, and sophomore forward James Sheppard all struggled, playing only about seven minutes each. Goalie Niklas Backstrom has been giving up some big rebounds lately. D-man Marc-Andre Bergeron was a +3, d-man a -2. Martin Skoula. Marian Gaborik plans on joining the team when they travel to Colorado.

Calling All Guest Posts

2009-03-09T21:42:00.002-05:00

A week from today (Monday) I will be on a plane to Germany. I will be over there for a little under two weeks, missing five Wild games during a pretty critical time. But here's the deal: I'm not sure how much time I'll have to keep up to date on hockey while I'm gone or what my internet situation will be like. I would like the blog to still be alive during this time though, even if I can't get to it very often.

That's where you guys come in. I'll probably have some pre-written posts I can put up, but I would love to put up some guest posts too. If you're at all interested in writing something for the blog, email me at 18568reasonswhy@gmail.com. I don't mind whether you have a blog or not or whether you're a Wild fan or not, as long as you possess decent writing/grammar skills. If you do have a blog, great, I'll link back to it on the post. Depending on response, I may also solicit for guest posts too. But if you are interested, let me know as soon as possible.

email me

There's No Place Like Home

2009-03-08T22:58:00.008-05:00

The Wild probably wish they could tap their red shoes and redo some of that roadtrip. The team completed their road trip and West Coast swing this weekend with a double header against the LA Kings and the Anaheim Ducks. The team went 2-4 in this trip.

Welcome Back Foster
The big news coming out of the Kings game was the return of Kurtis Foster. The surprising part was that no one knew Foster would be playing until 15 minutes before the game started. Foster had worked out prior to the game when, not too long before game time, he was told to suit up for a sick Brent Burns, who was scratched after warm ups. The Kings scored on his first shift back, but it was not Foster's fault as he made the right defensive plays. He evened up his +/- later in the first period when he was on the ice for a Wild goal. One thing that's great about Foster is his attitude. When he got injured, he put in a spectacular amount of effort to get through some ridiculous rehab. He was always blunt about the injury and his return, but he kept an optimistic outlook all the same. When he was told to suit up unexpectedly and without warm ups, he took it as a positive, saying he didn't have time to get nervous that way. When he got scored on his first shift back, he cracked a joke, saying he got it out of the way. Foster played a pretty solid game overall (and in most situations) and provides another big shot for the Wild from the blueline. A big welcome back to him; I'm glad to see him back on the ice in a Wild uniform.

Wait...What?
The Wild ended up losing 4-3 to the Kings. Newly signed goalie Niklas Backstrom let in two soft goals early, uncharacteristic of him. They were nonthreatening shots, but Backstrom just didn't get his pads down quick enough on both. He was pulled for Josh Harding after letting in the third goal. Harding played solidly but let in the winning goal, giving him the loss (again.) This loss meant the Wild were swept in the season series by the Kings. I also suggest you check out A Queen Among Kings, Purple Crushed Velvet, Battle of California, or The Royal Half if you want a Kings side of things.

Check
The Wild's checking line of Stephane Veilleux-James Sheppard-Cal Clutterbuck has been playing pretty good hockey lately and continued this trend in the team's 3-2 win over Anaheim. They hit people (especially Clutterbuck) and provide energy for the bench. They have also been providing some points lately - Veilleux has three goals in the past two games, Sheppard's been making more confident plays in the offensive zone, and Clutterbuck has a great shot. Checking lines can be extremely important for teams, especially if they're good and do their jobs. It's good to see this line stay fairly stagnant, hopefully they can keep their play up.

Boogaard...
Russo mentioned in his pre-game post tonight about how bruiser Derek Boogaard may have a hard time getting back into the lineup after his five game suspension because coach Jacques Lemaire has felt like he has been able to roll four lines easier. Boogaard is signed through next year ($1.25 mil) but the Wild haven't needed a fighter as much lately so it will be interesting to see what the team chooses to do.

Apparently They Have Some Fight in Them After All

2009-03-06T06:43:00.003-06:00

Amazing comeback for the Wild against one of the top teams in the league.

Down 3-0, the Wild stormed back in the last two and a half minutes of the second period to get the score within one. Then, 12:23 into the third period, Sharks goalie Brian Boucher (Evgeni Nabakov is injured) let in a mistake. This tied the game and captain Mikko Koivu won the game for Minnesota with 14 seconds left in OT (4-3 final score.)

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In his post about Gary Roberts' retirement, Puck Daddy challenges whether there are any players left in the league who are "true warriors." Wild forward Owen Nolan was mentioned as a candidate, and I think he completely deserves that title.

In this season alone, Nolan has provided veteran leadership in a lockerroom in dire need of it, is one of the Wild's top scorers despite not playing every game, and proved to set a great example for the next generation of hockey players. The Wild have struggled when Nolan's not in the lineup and learned about sacrifice when, in the midst of a broken superstar throwing fits about his contract, Nolan demanded to be put back into the lineup when still injured.

The Sharks game was just another example of this. Nolan, already sporting a currently healing broken toe, was extremely sick. But he still played. He threw up on the bench after his first shift. He continued playing. He only played 9:04, a low total for him. That's still almost as much as rookie Colton Gillies and sophomore James Sheppard played Thursday night.

Nolan the warrior? There's no doubt in my mind.

Next Game: Wild continue their West Coast roadtrip with a visit to the Kings on Saturday, 3 pm (CT) on FSN. Minnesota has struggled against LA this season, so they'll look to carry over momentum gained from their victory over the Sharks into a game that they should be able to win.

Trade Deadline Day

2009-03-04T06:37:00.004-06:00

Trade Deadline

My pre-deadline thoughts are posted over at Cycle like the Sedins about what the Wild should have done and what position they were in.

Here's what actually happened today: Peter Olvecky cleared waivers.

Yes, that's actually all that happened.

Despite talks that Marian Gaborik/Kim Johnsson/Marc-Andre Bergeron/Stephane Veilleux might get traded, nothing happened. I've never been fond of the trade deadline, and this year certainly didn't improve the trend. While the Wild made no moves, other teams in the division did. The Calgary Flames added Olli Jokinen and Jordan Leopold; they should be a strong contender in the playoffs. The Edmonton Oilers improved by acquiring Patrick O'Sullivan and Ales Kotalik.

One trade I was disappointed by was the Chicago Blackhawks trading d-man James Wisniewski to the Anaheim Ducks for forward Samuel Pahlsson (along with some other players.) I see the value in this trade for both sides (as pointed out at Second City Hockey), but I will really miss Wiz with the Blackhawks. He was one of the more amusing players and great with the media and fans. Somewhere, Adam Burish is crying.

Wild Notes

The Wild lost to Vancouver on Tuesday night by a score of 4-2. Unless something miraculous happens, this team will not make it to the playoffs. And yet nothing was changed at the trade deadline. Interesting.

Goalie Niklas Backstrom was signed to a 4-year, $24 million extension. This is great news for the organization as Backs has been spectacular between the pipes. But this leaves a question mark looming around backup goalie Josh Harding. Harding is a good, young goaltender. His numbers don't show what he is capable of. Hards is great with the fans, especially kids, and is a prospect that's been with the Wild since he was drafted. An RFA this summer, there will be plenty of chance for the Wild to trade him sometime in the future, but I will definitely be sad to see him go.

Wild center Mikko Koivu was named the March captain. Like I've said many times before, this is Koivu's team now, there's no doubt about it. I wouldn't be surprised to see the rotating captaincy abolished soon (probably when Jaques Lemaire retires) and Koivu given the C permanently.

Speaking of Lemaire's future, Russo had this quote from him: "I wasn’t traded. You have to accept me for at least a month-and-a-half more.”

Gaborik Digging Himself a Bigger Hole

2009-03-02T18:51:00.008-06:00

Super sniper but oft-injured winger Marian Gaborik seems to be quickly losing all favor he had in Minnesota. Some of his recent comments about his injury and future return haven't sat well among the Team of 18,000 and, it appears, his teammates.

The team's veterans are showing a never-die attitude: Andrew Brunette (35 years old) is currently playing through a knee injury and Owen Nolan (37 years old) plans to play despite a broken toe. Both have shown incredible will to play this season despite injuries and have been crucial to the Wild's success. Nolan flew to Vancouver to join the team on Monday, saying, "I'm here to play. I'm not here to watch games or milk an injury." (Russo)

And then there were the comments from Gaborik's meeting with the media...

"Speaking of watching games, Marian Gaborik put his foot in his mouth today back in Minnesota when he voluntarily said when asked if he feels the pressure to return with the team sinking, “Quite frankly I haven’t really been watching games. I’ve been following the scores but I haven’t been watching games. From my perspective, I just really need to focus on how am I feeling, how everything goes with me and then if everything goes good I’m going to jump in to play. Definitely the pressure is on, but first of all I want to feel confident in my body and … so far everything is going well.”
Gaborik should probably hire a publicist. Whether he meant it the way it sounded or not, he sounds like a player who’s emotionally disconnected, and there were some teammates bemused by the comment. If you’re injured, you probably shouldn’t announce you don’t watch the team that pays you $7.5 million play games.

Gaborik also was inconsistent today with what the team’s been saying. Doug Risebrough’s said he’s hoping Gaborik will be the “shot in the arm” the team needs and that he’ll be back sometime between March 10-20.

Gaborik said he hasn’t set a timetable and will be back “toward the end of the month, hopefully earlier.”

By the end of the month? “We’ll have five games left,” said Eric Belanger." -Russo

Minnesotans have been patient with Gaborik, they've loved and supported him since his first season as an 18-year-old. But the injuries, contract holdouts, and apparent disinterest in anything other than his own health have built up and caused tension between not only Gaborik and the team but Gaborik and the fans.

Yes, Gaborik should worry about his own health. Yes, it can be hard watching your team play while you're injured. Yes, he has been separated from this team for some time. And yes, he most likely won't be a member of the Minnesota Wild much longer. But as a professional athlete, Gaborik should know better than to almost completely disconnect himself from the team.

The entire Wild organization is built on the idea of community and team and this goes completely against those values. If Gaborik doesn't care about the team and the fans, why should they care about him?

And if Gaborik's teammates no longer believe he cares about the team, his return isn't going to help. Teams are built on trust and, based on some of the comments from Wild players, they don't seem to trust him. Chemistry can be one of the most important things for a team but how is that going to happen when Gaborik's been not only separated from the time for a significant amount of time but not even paying attention to them.

The way I see it - the sooner the Gaborik situation is sorted out, the better for everyone involved.

Pengrowth Saddledome - Where Wild Dreams Go to Die

2009-02-28T11:37:00.012-06:00

*Afternoon Update* Forward Craig Weller was placed on waivers, according to Russo. Odd circumstances (forward Owen Nolan could have been placed on IR for an open roster spot) is leading to lots of speculation of what could be happening...

*Afternoon Update #2* Derek Boogaard has been suspended for five games for his elbow from last night's game (video here), according to Russo. Also, there's a chance recently recovered d-man Kurtis Foster might play against the Oilers.

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The new roadtrip started off on a sour note for the Wild, losing 4-1 to the Calgary Flames. This isn't really something new for the Wild, who have a terrible record against the Flames, especially when they play at the Saddledome in Calgary. Last night was no different, as Minnesota looked like they couldn't care less about the playoffs and the Flames showed why they have the Northwest Division pretty much wrapped up.

The first period wasn't terrible and the Wild escaped it with a scoreless tie, despite getting a 1:32 5-on-3. But Calgary scored two goals at the beginning of the second, one by Michael Cammalleri (UFA this summer...) 17 seconds in and one by Dion Phaneuf 37 seconds in. That sealed this game's fate. The Wild played a little bit better late in the game and Marc-Andre Bergeron scored his eighth goal of the season, but it didn't matter at that point.

The Wild have had serious issues beating division teams this year. One year after winning the Northwest for the first time, the Wild are struggling to even make it into the playoffs. It will be interesting to see where this team goes the rest of the season and what GM Doug Risebrough decides to do at next week's trade deadline.

Next Game
Wild continue their division trek as they travel to Edmonton Saturday night to take on the Oilers. The game will be shown on FSN at 9pm (CT) for all Minnesotans and will be feature on HNIC for Canadians. The Wild will need to prove the team can win games against close opponents like the Oil if they want to make it to the postseason.

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Huge congratulations go out to the Chicago Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews on his first NHL hat trick. The hat trick almost came earlier in the night when Toews scored on what was later deemed a disallowed goal. Conveniently, the arena had given away hard hats to the fans for the game, which were then showered onto the ice after both the disallowed goal and the allowed one. It really is amazing to see what he and cohort Patrick Kane have done for the Hawks and how much they love them in that city.

Hey, Remember When We Traded That Kid for Gaborik's BFF?

2009-02-24T18:47:00.008-06:00

One of Wild fans' sinificant memories of the LA Kings might be the trade of top prospect Patrick O'Sullivan to the Kings for (current division-rival Canuck) Pavol Demitra (and the great reaction it got at the draft.) Well that top prospect turned into a pretty decent player for the Kings.

He's just one of the bright stars for a team that, not long ago, were considered an easy game. The Kings currently sit in the middle of the Western Division pack yet have improved dramatically from last year. For a team that finished in the division cellar last year, they have played some impressive hockey this season. They still aren't a spectacular team by any means but they're playing much better and are definitely on the right track.

And in the few years, the Kings are going to only improve. They have a long list of great players to build around - Sully, Anze Kopitar, captain Dustin Brown (not playing against the Wild), Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson. This team could be very dangerous very soon if they keep developing their top tier talent well.

The Kings also have some great bloggers. Make sure to check out Connie (A Queen Among Kings), Marie (Purple Crushed Velvet), and Rudy Kelly (Battle of California) for the opposition's thoughts.

The Wild Bore Kris Versteeg

2009-02-22T23:08:00.004-06:00

"'It's boring to play against, and it's boring to watch,' Versteeg said. 'They really put you to sleep out there. They have five guys that basically just stand in front and just block shots.'" - Chicago Tribune

Unfortunately for Versteeg, the Wild won this game, 2-1 on goals from newcomers Dan Fritsche (controversial goal) and Peter Olvecky and spectacular goaltending from Josh Harding. Make sure to check out the highlights.

And just in case you want to watch 1:45 of Patrick Kane talking about his hair, you can.

The question from this game: has Harding proved himself to be a capable enough goaltender for the Wild to trade All-Star Niklas Backstrom?

Wild High School Media Day 2009

2009-02-18T19:42:00.074-06:00

I had the opportunity to go behind-the-scenes at the Xcel on Tuesday, Feb. 17 for the Minnesota High School Press Association's annual Wild High School Media Day. The event is not only a contest, but a chance for aspiring journalists/photographers/broadcasters to see what goes on in the front office of a pro sports team and talk to professionals.

Approximately 25 kids are chosen for the event, usually held in January or February, and it takes the form of a contest. There are three categories students can enter in: sports writing, photography, and broadcasting (done in a team.) The writers produce a feature piece on the selected player (chosen by the Wild), the photographers submit a picture, and the broadcast teams cover the event itself. I have attended as a writer for three of the past four years, winning the sports writing section last year, and this year marked my last year in this competition. Below is a narrative of the day and my experiences with this contest...

The morning of HS Media Day didn't begin all that well. One of the members of the broadcast team my school sent and I were running a bit late after attending our morning classes (meeting time was 10:30 at the X.) We were halfway to Xcel when he realized we had left the camera tripod in his car back at school so we had to turn around and go back to get it. Then I wasn't paying attention and got off on the wrong exit. Amazingly, we made it in good time and weren't late.

The group met at Gate 1 where we received our media passes for the day and met with Ryan Stanzel, the Wild's Coordinator of Media Relations and Team Services. He was in charge of the event and set everything up. We proceeded to the media elevator where went up to the Al Shaver Press Box, high above the ice. We watched part of practice from there before talking with Stanzel about his job and working for the Wild. After, Wild TV Analyst Mike Greenlay and Play by Play Announcer Dan Terhaar met up with us to talk about their work with the Wild. One interesting thing they talked about was the difference between calling a "network game" and an "area game", the difference being where the feed is broadcast to, national or regional. They discussed the level of homerism and the differences between the two.

Then the group split into photographers and writers/broadcasters. The photographers went to the lower level with team photographer Bruce Kluckhohn to shoot the practice while the rest of us toured the control room with Wild Manager of Broadcast Maggie Kukar. Having never seen the control room (where all the feeds come together, including music, scoreboard, and in-game entertainment), it was, to put it frankly, unbelievable. Seeing all the different aspects that come together to form the Wild game experience was amazing and I'm not sure how they do it still.

Once we were done in the press box, we trekked down to the event level and to the visitor's locker room. There, we briefly talked with the Wild's VP of Communications and Broadcasting Bill Robertson, Xcel Energy Center's Manager of Media Relations Jora Deziel, Wild Radio Personality Kevin Falness, Wild Manager of Creative Services Dewayne Hankins (someone asked him what his favorite font was), and both beat writers, John Shipley of the Pioneer Press and Russo from the Strib. As someone who would love to work media, PR, or communications for a professional sports team in the future, this experience was invaluable to me.

After the networking and executive part was over, we had a 15-20 minute group interview with Wild forward Cal Clutterbuck. The team usually selects good players who provide a multitude of interesting storylines for this event. In the past four years, the select player have been Nick Schultz, Mark Parrish, and Aaron Voros. Clutterbuck was a fun interview and the experience of talking to and then writing a feature aobut an NHL player was great.

The experiences this event has provided for me for the three years I have participated have been fantastic and it really does mean a lot to me that the Wild provides this opportunity. For any high school age kids who read this blog and are at all involved with journalism or broadcast at their high school, I highly suggest submitting an entry form for this contest in future years. I will throw a link up to the winning story, photograph, and video when they are announced.

A huge thanks goes out to the MHSPA for providing this event, the Wild and Ryan Stanzel for hosting it, all the professionals who took time out of their day to talk to a group of high schoolers, and, of course, Cal Clutterbuck for being a willing interviewee.

Who Are You?

2009-02-16T21:28:00.007-06:00

Sorry for the lack of update over the weekend, I was out of town. Sounds like I didn't miss much though, besides an implosion from the Wild.

I'm sure you know the basics, but in case you don't I'll bring you up to date: Wild gain three goal lead, Wild blow lead and give up two short handed goals along the way, Wild lose to the fourth worst team in the Eastern Conference. Final score 5-3 in favor of the Ottawa Senators. Got it?

But when does a defensive team turn into a team that's forced to be defensive because it can't score goals? And has the Wild lost it's identity?

Yes, it is exciting for a defensive team to score three goals, but defensive teams also don't give up five goals. They also don't allow two short handed goals in the same game. Or let go of a three goal lead to lose definitively.

The Wild have always been known as a defensive, trapping team because of coach Jacques Lemaire and that's the main stamp put on the team. And it has been true - the Wild normally are very defensive and it's worked for them in the past. But it seems that recently, this year especially, the Wild's been stuck in an anti-offense rut that it can't get out of. While it started out as defense-first and score when given the opportunity, it now seems like the strategy is try to get a lead and then hang on for dear life. This season's team doesn't nessecarily seem to be a defensive team and it certainly is not an offensive team. The team has to be tight defensively, but that's mainly because it knows it won't get much support up front and doesn't have a choice.

This year, I can't seem to come up with an identity for the team. If asked, I would probably say defensive, but truthfully that would be because that's just what it always has been. There's not a clear identity on the ice, and there's been no mention of a clear identity in the future. The message has been "youth!" and striving to build from within since the beginning. But there have been mistakes in signing and failures in acquisitions. The youth hasn't performed as hoped. Hopeful superstars turn out to be mediocre. The Wild currently seem to be an unidentifiable blob.

The organization has been stable since it's first season in 2000, but there are changes coming. The last player from the inaugural season and ex-franchise player Marian Gaborik will most likely not be with the Wild much longer. The coach that has been in Minnesota from the start, Lemaire, most likely will retire soon (and almost did after last season.) Many fans are upset with GM Doug Risebrough for not making more impact moves, especially at the deadline, and waiting too long to try and sign players, like Brian Rolston.

Things are going to be different. There's a good chance the Wild won't even make it into the playoffs this season. This is a time for the Wild to look at where they are and where they want to be and reform an identity, whether similar or radically different.

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Notes

Poor Lemaire keeps getting taken down in practice.

D-man Kurtis Foster continues his return (same link as Lemaire link above.)

Tough schedule coming up for the Wild.

Ever heard any stupid comments at hockey games? The girls from Kings World Podcast want to hear them for their next episode.

Kids These Days

2009-02-12T19:54:00.004-06:00

Most guys under the age of 25 are either in school or working and in subpar living conditions. But then again, most aren't professional hockey players being paid millions and living the good life.

Junior players and young NHL players are usually billeted, living with a nearby family during the season so they don't have to adjust to living on their own while also adjusting to playing a higher level of hockey. And while some players move into very modest housing when living on their own for the first time, some choose to live it up a little.

Even their past living quarters improve a bit, as witnessed by 20-year-old Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane (also known as P.Kane, depending on your level of awesome.) Kane's old bedroom would be pretty normal, if it was not filled with trophies and hockey memorabilia. And sneakers, including custom designed pairs that have phrases like "P.Kane" and "numba 1" on them.

Then there are those teammates who chose to live together, like 22-year-old TJ Oshie and 20-year-old Patrick Berglund from the St. Louis Blues. The boys share a nice apartment, which Oshie gives us a nice MTVCribs-style tour of.

And there's the semi-ridiculous. Phoenix Coyotes' 19-year-old rookie Kyle Turris has what looks to be a gigantic house, including a pool. I like Turris, he's a good player and seems like a nice guy, but does a kid who's still learning how to be by himself and trying to adjust to the NHL really need a house as big as the one in the below video looks?

And what's he going to do with it now that he's been demoted...?

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Mini Game Recaps

Wild 3, Avalanche 2 - The Wild won a game that should have been won. It came down to the last minute or so for Minnesota to pull ahead, but this was a division game against a depleated Avs team that was in the second night of a back-to-back. If Minnesota wants any chance of making the playoffs let alone winning the division (something the Flames seem to have in hand at the current moment) they need to win the games against their conference and, mroe specifically, their division.

Wild 2, Red Wings 4 - Poor goalie Josh Harding always seems to be stuck in net for the Wild's games against the Wings. Minnesota really didn't play all that poorly overall, except for a bad third period which saw three Detroit goals. Highlights include a beauty of a shorthanded goal by Wild center Mikko Koivu.

Notes

It's Hockey Weekend Across America beginning tomorrow. Participation is recommended.

Wild 3, Oilers 2 (SO)

2009-02-08T10:35:00.009-06:00

The Wild defeated the Oilers 3-2 in a shootout in a Sunday afternoon matinee. There was a good crowd at the X who really got into it during the ups and downs. It would have been nice if Minnesota had held onto the lead for the last five minutes in order to avoid giving Edmonton the loser point, but the outcome sent Wild fans home happy.

Some notes from the game:
- Poor Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom seemed to be getting beat up this game. There was one close call when an Oiler fell on top of him and it took him awhile to get up. Later in the game, Sam Gagner went in on a breakaway and tumbled over him.
- New acquisition Dan Fritsche has been playing fairly solidly thus far. One thing I was told about him when we first traded for him was that he had good speed. That's been noticeable so far and if he keeps using it he could be a solid player.
- As per normal Oilers games, it was a Derek Boogaard lovefest. These seem to be the games where Boogaard is in his element. But refs still seem to call weak penalties on him just because he's big and a fighter.
- The new checking line of Fritsche, James Sheppard, and Cal Clutterbuck has been playing well. All are good fore and back checkers with some offensive touch, Sheppard adds the defense, Clutterbuck adds the offense, and Fritsche the speed.
- Mikko Koivu added the nice touch of falling while celebrating his shootout game winner. He took it well in stride though.

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D-man Kurtis Foster returned to the ice today with the AHL Houston Aeros as the start of his conditioning stint. This obviously is great news, as Foster's injury last March was terrible. After following his process for the past ten months, it's nice to see Foster be able to get back on the ice. He had no points and was an even +/-. Check out his PONDcast interview with Kevin Falness or Foster's narrative on his return.

Koivu had his own fan club at the game. They were extremely loud and you could hear them throughout the whole arena.

Wild vs. Ducks

2009-02-04T16:03:00.002-06:00

Wild take on the Ducks tonight.
7 p.m. (CT) face off.
KSTC.
Live blog over at HTP.

Be there.

Meet the New Guy: Dan Fritsche

2009-01-31T14:03:00.025-06:00

"I've been hoping and waiting -- no, praying -- for this day to come. I don't think excited really even describes it." - Dan Fritsche, on his trade to Minnesota (Star Tribune)

rangers.nhl.com

Vitals

Age: 23
Position: Left Wing/Center
Drafted: 2nd round, 46th overall by Columbus in 2003
Contract Status: He's being paid $875,000 this season ($344,000 paid by the Wild) and will be a RFA this summer
Former Teams: Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers
Junior Merit: Memorial Cup Champion, London Knights (2005)
International Merit: WJC Gold, USA (2004)

So Far With the Wild...
Games: 2
Points: 0
+/-: -1
TOI: 22:23
Shots: 2

What People Are Saying

Blue Jackets GM Doug MacLean: "I recommended him to every team. He's just a heart-and-soul kid. Danny can fit in with that group real well in Minny. He's a guy who will compete hard, and I think he suits their style a little more [than the Rangers]. He battles. Some people question his hockey sense. I don't." (Strib)

Wild GM Doug Risebrough: "I'm sure [Fritsche's] confidence isn't real high right now. That's part of our job to build it back. ... At his age, with his experience level -- 200-plus games in the league -- it's a chance for him to find a home with a team that's looking to get younger." (Strib)

Wild Director of Hockey Operations Chris Snow: "We think Fritsche fits in our lineup because we've been playing with just one spare winger and no spare centerman. Fritsche can play center or wing, is a determined player who is hard to play against, has won (he won two championships as an amateur), and is experienced for a young player." (Wild)

Kerri, Some Like It Blue: "To be fair, he didn't get much ice time and was playing as a winger when he's a natural C. He also was jerked in and out of the lineup like nothing I've ever seen, so to ask consistency would be completely wrong of me. He was without a doubt a good team guy. However, he had this to say about the Rangers after the trade: "I've been hoping and waiting - no, praying - for this day to come," Fritsche said. "I don't think excited really even describes it. I can think of a million different things in New York. Coaches have their guys. It's been a long year for me up to this point." He said he was disappointed he didn't get claimed when he was placed on waivers earlier that week. I bolded "coaches have their guys" because this statement pulled at my heart, and most Ranger fans certainly felt for Fritsche, and Prucha, and those who aren't "Tom Renney's guys." I think most Ranger fans are happy to see him get a chance to play somewhere. I realize I haven't said much as to Fritsche's style of play, but after watching him get extremely limited icetime for only 16 games (most of which came in November).... I really don't have much to say. He seems like a hard worker, good backchecking skills and a bit of an offensive touch. A solid third or fourth line winger, and although he's a natural center, I've never seen him play at that position."

One overwhelming thing I've heard about Fritsche is that he's a spectacular person off the ice. This story embodies that notion, and, if you have the time, I suggest you read it.

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Mini Game Recaps

Wild 1, Oilers 3: I didn't get the chance to watch this game because I was out supporting the arts. But generally, when you're playing a division rival who's tied with you in very tight standings, it's good to put some effort forth and try to beat them (and sometime before the third period.) On the positive side, James Sheppard, who's stepped his game up, got a goal.

Wild 4, Canucks 3 (OT): Another rough, physical game against the Canucks. The drama of this game unfolded after a hit on Alex Burrows by Cal Clutterbuck. The refs gave Clutterbuck a five minute major for boarding (mandatory when the player is injured on a boarding call, Burrows was slightly cut), a 10-minute misconduct and a game misconduct. Apparently the refs thought Clutterbuck was going for the head, although Burrows saw Clutterbuck coming and turned and ducked a bit. However, being a stand-up player and guy, Clutterbuck admitted he probably should have backed off the hit some. But anyway, the Wild win and the Canucks continue their struggles.

Notes

Not only has the Clutterbuck for Calder campaign been pimped on Puck Daddy, but now on the printed pages of the Strib.

On a completely random sidenote, it was 40*F on Saturday. Not only is this ridiculously warm, but it breaks the 38 day streak Minnesota had going for days where the temperature did not rise above freezing (32*F).

CALder

2009-01-29T17:04:00.011-06:00

After receiving the unofficial award for the best name in hockey, Cal Clutterbuck's receiving support for a Calder Trophy bid. The notion was first hinted at by Russo before spreading through the Wild blogosphere and, today, to the pinnacle of hockey blogging, Puck Daddy.

Clutterbuck has been absolutely phenomenal for the Wild this season, playing a hard-hitting style while posting some points and charming Wild fans off the ice, too. So help support the cause! Post the official "Ya Can't Spell Calder Without Cal" button, sing his praises, mention the word "Clutterbuck" as often as possible, or write apology notes to those who have fallen victim to clutterbucking.

Because really, which is more fun to say - Steve Mason or Cal Clutterbuck?

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The Wild traded d-man Erik Reitz to the New York Rangers for Dan Fritsche.

Center Krys Kolanos cleared waivers and was reassigned to the AHL Houston Aeros.

Wild vs. Maple Leafs

2009-01-27T16:24:00.005-06:00

Wild defeat the Maple Leafs and baby goalie Pogge by a score of 6-1. Goals from Cal Clutterbuck, Marc-Andre Bergeron, Andrew Brunette, Owen Nolan, and two from Pierre-Marc Bouchard. I didn't get the chance to watch the game because I was at my high school's boys' hockey game, which they won by a fair margin, so congrats to them.

Game Notes:
- The Wild didn't take any penalties the entire game
- Clutterbuck set a franchise record with nine hits in the game, and now leads not only rookies but the entire NHL in hits
- Brunette played his 500th consecutive game
- The Wild continued their sparkling record against the Eastern Conference
- Steve Dangle talks about Pogge from a Leafs' perspective (video)
- The team placed Krys Kolanos on waivers and called up Peter Olvecky

Next Game: Wild travel to Edmonton for a Friday night game to take on the division rival Oilers (who lost to Buffalo 10-2 on Tuesday). Puck drop at 8 p.m. (CT) on FSN.

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Reasons why you should watch tonight's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs:

- Luke Schenn. He's a big, young defenseman who's making a name for himself despite only being a 19-year-old rookie. I've been excited for the Leafs to come to Minnesota so I can watch him play. I was upset I didn't get to see him when I went to the Leafs-Caps game so hopefully that will be righted tonight.

- Mikhail Grabovski. He's just entertaining.

- Vesa Toskala's man purse. Toskala's not actually in goal tonight, Justin Pogge is, but the video is amusing all the same.

- They're different. Wild fans don't get to see Eastern teams very often, especially Toronto.

- Steve Dangle. I watch his videos even when the Wild aren't playing Toronto. They're hilarious and a lot of what I know about the Leafs came from these videos.

- The Barilkosphere. Pension Plan Puppets, He Score, He Shoot!, Sports and the City, Die Hard Blue and White, The Wonderful World of Loser Domi, among others provide excellent entertainment and analysis. Check some of them out.

All-Star Weekend

2009-01-24T15:39:00.005-06:00

This weekend is the 57th NHL All-Star Game in Montreal. The Wild's representative this year is goalie Niklas Backstrom (although it arguably could have been center Mikko Koivu.) The All-Star Skills Competition is on Saturday and begins at 6 p.m. (CT) while the All-Star Game is on Sunday at 7 p.m. (CT). Both are being shown exclusively on Versus.

Backstrom mini-updates
MN Wild Twitter (a small note to whoever has done the last few twitter posts for the team, you might want to check the spelling of your team's goaltender's name - it's Niklas, not NiCklas.)
Wild All-Star Homepage

The Minnesota Wild and the All-Star Game: A Brief History

2002 (LA)
Patricipants: Marian Gaborik
Recognition: YoungStars Game

2003 (South Florida)
Patricipants: Gaborik, Nick Schultz
Recognition: Gaborik - Fastest Skater, Second Star; Schultz - YoungStars Game

2004 (Xcel Energy Center, MINNESOTA)
Patricipants: Dwayne Roloson, Filip Kuba, Pierre-Marc Bouchard
Recognition: Bouchard - YoungStars Game

Commemorative puck for the 2004 All-Star Game

2007 (Dallas)
Patricipants: Brian Rolston
Recognition: Arguably could have been given MVP

2008 (Atlanta)
Patricipants: Gaborik
Recognition: Held out of Fastest Skater competition because of groin, but would have had a good chance to win it

2009 (Montreal)
Patricipants: Backstrom
Recognition: ...we'll find out

Watch High School Hockey

2009-01-22T20:02:00.004-06:00

Sorry for the lack of a Kings game review...it's been a busy week. Luckily, things should slow down some after this week and the All-Star break will give some time to catch up.

To entertain you until the next post (probably tomorrow), I present to you one of the many reasons you should watch Minnesota high school hockey: TJ Oshie. Oshie spent his high school career playing for Warroad High School before playing three seasons for UND (we'll have to forgive him for that). He now plays for the NHL's St. Louis Blues.

Wild Win, Brunette Doesn't Break

2009-01-19T21:45:00.032-06:00

If you watched the first half of the first period of Monday night's game, you would think that the Wild were in for another game filled with turnovers and effortless play. But then Mikko Koivu took a harmless shot from a foot inside the blueline that deflected off Brent Seabrook's skate and behind a surprised Nikolai Khabibulin for the first goal. That changed the entire complexion of the game and gave the Wild enough of a spark to beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1.

Two powerplay goals by Marek Zidlicky (Coach Q probably wasn't too happy with those penalties - both hooks by Aaron Johnson) and strong powerplays overall carried Minnesota, as they controlled the puck and kept it in the Hawks' zone for most of the man advantage. Sophomore James Sheppard had a fantastic game, first making a sick move to fake out a defender shorthanded and then almost scoring later in the game (check out the highlights). But on a sidenote, the Hawks were missing one of their best d-men in Duncan Keith, who was snubbed from the All-Star Game and not only is a great d-man but makes partner Seabrook a better one.

Strong play by goalie Niklas Backstrom kept the Wild solid despite a lot of quality chances by the Hawks. Backstrom gave up some big rebounds but the Hawks couldn't capitalize on any of them. The Wild were badly outshot, 26-41. All-Star Patrick Kane, who's been in a mini-slump since his ankle injury, almost broke out of his goal drought but was absolutely robbed by Backstrom, who made a paddle save. Kaner was not happy about it and showed his frustration by slamming his stick to the ice.

One big thing that stood out was the play of Andrew Brunette. After injuring his knee last game and visibly limping this morning, Brunette played anyway. He was a key part of Zidlicky's second goal and received another assist on Cal Clutterbuck's empty net goal. True Iron Man right there.

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Next Game: Wild come back from their mini-roadtrip for a showdown against the LA Kings at the X. Faceoff at 7 p.m. on KSTC.

Danny Irmen was called up for the Wild in case any of the forwards go down before the All-Star Game.

Clutterbuck for the Calder Trophy!

Jonathan Toews likes NBC (seriously, this is one of the happiest interviews I've ever seen him give.)

So Much for Goal Scoring

2009-01-18T13:46:00.004-06:00

Well, Hockey Day in Minnesota was pretty good up until the Wild game. I didn't watch many of the high school games but I went to the SPA-Providence Academy game which was a good game to watch, caught about half of the Gopher game, and was excited for the Wild game until it actually happened.

It's that not the Wild necessarily played terribly in their 3-0 loss against the Anaheim Ducks, it's just that nothing went right. Yes, they could have played a lot better, but they did get chances and didn't play a terrible game. None of the bounces went the Wild's way, there were posts and barely missed empty nets, and the officiating was iffy at best.

The worst news of the night, however, was the injury to Andrew Brunette, the NHL's current Iron Man (active player with most consecutive games played) with 497. Brunette went hard into the boards with the Ducks' Ryan Getzlaf, hit them hard in an awkward position, and was in immediate and obvious pain. He couldn't even make it off the ice by himself, and had to be pretty much carried by Cal Clutterbuck, Mikko Koivu, and trainer Don Fuller. This is bad news for the Wild. While Brunette's been struggling a bit lately, he still provides a strong presence on the ice (usually on a line with Koivu) and can play behind the net or camp out in front. He also is a very influential leader in the locker room. The organization had no update for the media, but Brunette was on the team plane to Chicago (a one game roadtrip), according to Russo.
*UPDATE* Brunette is a completely ridiculous human being. Russo says Bruno is probable for tomorrow and that the team will not call up a forward.

Next Game: Wild travel to Chicago to take on the Blackhawks on Monday. I will be watching every minute of this game as my two favorite teams battle, and you can too because the game is being televised on VERSUS at 7 p.m. Deuce by Definition and I both answered questions for Sam from Second City Hockey, a quality Hawks blog. The answers will be in the always hilarious game program the Committed Indian, so make sure to check that out.

Bye Bye Benny

2009-01-15T22:34:00.006-06:00

"According to sources, a very upset Benoit Pouliot stormed out of the locker room with all his equipment during tonight’s game against Edmonton after apparently being told he was being demoted to the AHL Houston Aeros." -Russo

It was confirmed in a press release that Pouliot has been sent down to the minors.

Let's think about this for a second. For a guy whose biggest criticism is that he doesn't have the right attitude or work ethic and who was basically handed a job at the beginning of the season without proving himself in the minors, I don't think "storm[ing] out of the locker room with all his equipment" is the best reaction. Just saying.

Also, Wild win 5-1 over the Oilers. What's with all these (even strength) goals? Wonder how long it will last.

Both on more of these topics will come tomorrow, but right now I'm preparing for a speech I'm giving. I'm not fond of the whole public speaking thing; that's why I write.

Wild Win While Rest of Minnesota Freezes

2009-01-14T17:52:00.017-06:00

Wild fans who made the trek to the Xcel Energy Center Tuesday night got what they deserved - good hockey and a Wild victory. The windchill yesterday reached to the -30s, but the trip was worth it as the Wild figured out how to score goals and beat the Coyotes 6-3.

Minnesota started out on a good note, scoring two quick goals. The first was a blast from Marc-Andre Bergeron (who played his first game back from an injury) 46 seconds in and Owen Nolan scored on a beautiful play five minutes in. The Wild lost a step in the second. Although Andrew Brunette scored after the first five minutes, the Coyotes answered three minutes later with a goal Joakim Lindstrom. Mikko Koivu opened scoring in the third period 34 seconds but this time it only took the Coyotes 22 seconds to respond with a goal of their own, scored by Olli Jokinen. The Wild got into deeper trouble when the Yotes cut the score to 4-3 with a Steven Reinprecht goal, but Cal Clutterbuck scored on a breakaway after a beauty of a pass from Kim Johnsson and James Sheppard iced it with a goal with five minutes remaining.

Overall a good game for the Wild. Although fans and possibly players are used to beating Phoenix, they were in the unusual situation of being below them in the standings. But the Wild pulled things together and got the win. And the team scored six even strength goals; cherish that, Wild fans, it's not something you see often.

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Both Bergeron and Derek Boogaard returned to the lineup.

Good WildTV interview with Clutterbuck. He's been a fantastic addition to the team (sort of like the Aaron Voros of this year) and seems like an amusing guy off of it.

18,568RW and LoLaH favorite Jonathan Toews takes on the Sports Illustrated Pop Culture Grid.

Next Game: Wild take on division rival Edmonton Thursday at 7 p.m. on FSN. And with how close the divison and conference are right now, this game matters.

41 Down, 41 More to Go

2009-01-11T12:08:00.004-06:00

I don't get this team. Really, I don't. One day they'll play spectacular hockey - shutdown defense, controlling play, crisp passing, offensive chances - and then next they'll act like they don't care - sloppy defense, no skating, knocked off the puck by a gust of wind.

They cannot depend on goaltending to save them every game. They cannot depend on the powerplay to work every game (0-for-10 anyone?) since they can't score 5-on-5. They cannot depend on the kids to develop into superstar goal scorers overnight. They cannot play such defensive hockey that one mistake leads to a loss.

I suggest you go buy today's issue of the Star Tribune and take a look at the midseason review. It's a good recap of what's happened so far and Russo sums up the future of the season well at the end..."But where does the Wild go from here? Is this team good enough to make a real run in the playoffs? And if not, does eking into the postseason and being rewarded with Detroit or San Jose advance the process or debilitate it?" It's almost impossible to tell what's going to happen the rest of the season. Some days I marvel at the play of the team and how they're not higher in the standings, some days I wonder how they've won a game all season.

Yes, there have been struggles this season. The team lost their top goal scorer in Marian Gaborik, there's been a string of illnesses as of late, there have been some close games or calls which have not gone the Wild's way. But the team can't dwell on every little thing that's happened this season that has set them back, they need to move on and focus on the rest of the season. Going back and finding things to blame or places where something didn't go their way isn't going to help win more hockey games. Like Jack Falla's dad told him, "You can slash open an artery and it isn't going to change anything." Don't regret things in the past, learn from them and move on. That's what the Wild needs to do if they want to get anywhere this season.

And my message for the team? Fans can't blame you if you try hard. If there's a lack of effort or teamwork, yeah, they're going to get mad; they've been frustrated for much of this season. But if there's a solid 60 minutes where the whole team puts its best forth, that's all we can ask for, even if the team loses. The Wild aren't going to win every game, that's a given. But most Minnesota fans are pretty hockey savvy, they know what's going on, and if the effort isn't there, after awhile the fans might not be either.

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Pretty awesome fight by Craig Weller last night. One of the few upsides for Minnesota fans in a game where the Wild were dominated by an 18-year-old playing his sixth NHL game and a 20-year-old rookie goalie.

It was a painful weekend to be a Gopher fan. First time being swept this season, by rival UND, and by dominant scores of 3-6 and 1-6.

The young Blackhawks trio of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Kris Versteeg somehow manage to use the word "fun" five times in the span of about 15-20 seconds (closer to the end of the video).

Next Game: Wild return to the X to play the Phoenix Coyotes Tuesday (1/13) at 7 p.m. on KSTC. I'll be at the game, Kirsten will be at the game, and hopefully the Wild will pull out a win. I'm hoping Colton Gillies will return to the lineup; for his sake so he can face one of his best friends, Yotes' Kyle Turris, and for my sake so I can watch him skate (if you haven't before, just watch him skate sometime, he's a beautiful skater.)

Niklas, You're a Star

2009-01-07T22:38:00.003-06:00

The NHL announced the 2009 All-Star reserves today and included was Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom. Backstrom has been stellar for the Wild so far this year and is currently coming off back-to-back shutouts against Colorado and Boston, the latter being one of the top offensive teams in the league. There's always talk about how goalies' stats improve when playing for the Wild because of the strong defensive system in front of them, but that doesn't mean that the system can't break down sometimes (see: December) and Backstrom has stood tall through all of that and deserves this honor. With the struggle to score this year, the Wild has needed strong goaltending to keep them competitive and that's one of the main reasons the team can beat some of the top talent in the league. Congratulations to him.

But while the news of Backstrom's appointment is big in itself, many have been wondering one question: what about Wild captain and center Mikko Koivu? There were many assumptions that Koivu was going to be the Wild's representative this year as he has had a fabulous year and consistently been one of the strongest players on the team. But the decision is already made and the most Wild fans can do is hope Koivu will be at the top of the list if a Western Conference forward can't make it. Koivu is an extremely talented player, and, another big thing? He's still young and there's a good chance he will get even better. If he keeps his level of play this high, he'll definitely see his share of All-Star games in the future.

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Wild 1, Bruins 0: I did not get to watch the game; I was somewhere in rural Minnesota at my senior retreat. This is unfortunate, as I heard it was a great game. The Bruins are filled with lots of Minnesota connections and I think that was one of the more interesting aspects of this match up for me to read about before the game. Sounds like a solid game, and check out other sites or the newspapers for more in-depth analysis.

Next Game: Wild continue their roadtrip in Philly Thursday to take on the Flyers. Puck drop at 6 p.m. (CT) and Minnesotans can find the game on FSN.

Tale of the Tape: Nolan vs. Zeus

2009-01-05T12:58:00.007-06:00

Wild forward Owen Nolan has had a spectacular NHL career. Nolan gets injured, the Wild go through a disastrous stretch. Nolan returns (not completely healed), scores a few goals, and the Wild beat some of the top teams in the league. I'd say he's a pretty integral part of this team.

"This night it was all about God. The Irish God of War, to be more specific. Owen Nolan has finally answered our prayers..." -NiNY, Hitting the Post

Name:
Zeus - Zeus
Nolan - Owen Liam Nolan

Birthday:
Zeus - circa 700 B.C.
Nolan - February 12, 1972

Birthplace:
Zeus - Crete, Greece
Nolan - Belfast, Northern Ireland

Appears in:
Zeus - Greek mythology
Nolan - The NHL, the cover of EA Sports' NHL 2001 video game

Nicknames:
Zeus - King of the gods, ruler of Mount Olympus, god of sky and thunder
Nolan - Irish God of War

Symbols:
Zeus - Thunderbolt, eagle, bull, oak
Nolan - Grayed stubble

Family:
Zeus - Married to Hera, father of Ares, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Hebe, Hermes, Heracles, Helen, Hephaestus, Perseus, Minos, Muses
Nolan - Married to Diana, father of daughter Jordan and son Dylan

Hobbies:
Zeus - Punishing people by killing them, torturing them or turning them into animals or inanimate objects
Nolan - Fishing and hunting

Known for:
Zeus - His many...conquests, and Hera's jealousy of them
Nolan - Calling the last goal of his hat trick during the 1997 NHL All-Star Game

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Game Summaries

Wild 2, Wings 3 (SO): The Wild and goalie Josh Harding played very well in this game and possibly should have won in regulation. Leading 2-1 near the end of the 3rd period, the Red Wings scored a goal off an apparent high stick. The goal was reviewed and ruled a goal to the surprise of many. Who knows whether it was actually a goal or not. The Wild ended up losing in a SO, but gained a point and challenged an elite team.

Wild 2, Avs 0: Minnesota played good hockey in the team's first ever shutout of the Avs. For being in the second night of a back-to-back and a day after playing an excellent team in the Red Wings, the Wild played strongly and got the win. It also helped that the Avs took some stupid penalties, particularly Adam Foote and Darcy Tucker. Tucker continued to try and win over the hearts of Wild fans when he took a blatant (and stupid) penalty late in the game and then went after Cal Clutterbuck while on his way to the penalty box, pretty much sealing the Wild's victory.

Notes

Coach Jacques Lemaire is currently not too pleased with forward Benoit Pouliot and d-man Erik Reitz.

Congrats to 18,568RW favorite Jonathan Toews and sometimes linemate Patrick Kane (or, as he likes to say, P.Kane) on their spots in the 2009 All-Star Game starting line-up. P.Kane swears he didn't vote for himself.

Marian Gaborik and Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Hip Deficiency

2009-01-02T12:22:00.009-06:00

I think if you took Judith Viorst's children's book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day and changed it around a bit to follow the plot line of (ex?)Wild sniper Marian Gaborik's last year, it would fit quite nicely.

According to Russo, season ending surgery has been recommended for Gaborik, which would make it almost impossible for the Wild to trade him. Gaborik will undergo surgery Monday, can begin skating in six weeks, and could return in as soon as 10 weeks (but that seems to be best cast scenario.)

Alexander got gum in his hair when he woke up.

Marian was having a problem with his right hip before the season ended (but played through it so he could try to help the Wild in the playoffs.)
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Alexander got no prizes in his cereal box while his brothers both did.

Marian only got one assist during the 2008 playoffs while wearing the C, was criticized, then had to have surgery on his right hip while watching all the other teams that advanced farther than the first round.
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Alexander's teacher does not like his invisible castle drawing.

Marian's coach does not like his invisible defense.
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Alexander's yoyo goes missing.

Marian's best friend, Pavol Demitra, leaves the Wild for the division-rival Vancouver Canucks while other friend Marian Hossa gets a giant contract from Cup winners Detroit Red Wings.
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Alexander has no dessert for lunch.

Marian has a four hour dinner with GM Doug Risebrough and Asst. GM Tom Lynn about his future with the Wild.
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Alexander has to wear his hated railroad train pajamas.

Marian spends most of the 08-09 season injured while the Wild try to figure out what to do with him.
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Alexander wants to move to Australia.

Marian wants to move to the Eastern Conference.
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At the conclusion of the book, Alexander's mother tells him that everyone has bad days and Viorst followed it up with a sequel, Alexander and the Wonderful, Marvelous, Excellent, Terrific Ninety Days. But I have a feeling the story of Marian Gaborik and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Hip Deficiency won't have such a nice ending or sequel.

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Wild Notes

3-2 OT win over the Sharks: Well, that was certainly impressive and, from my perspective, unexpected. Apparently the key to this team is having veteran forward Owen Nolan in the line-up. The start of the slide occurred when Nolan first left the team with an injury and then the Wild wakes up and beats arguably the best team in the league. Who knows whether it was Nolan's return, whether someone finally stood up in the locker room and let the team have it, or whether all the negative reaction finally got to them, but they impressed in this game and hopefully it's a sign of a turn-around.

Center Mikko Koivu was named captain for the month of January. After one month of not having the captaincy - the worst month in Wild history - the C returns to Koivu. Good, albeit somewhat obvious, choice.

Next Game: The Wild beat a very good team on New Years Eve in the Sharks, but it doesn't get any easier after that. Minnesota takes on the Detroit Red Wings Saturday at the X. Start time at 7 p.m. and shown on KSTC. Let's see how the Wild stand up against another top team.

NHL Notes

The Winter Classic was fantastic and I hope you all watched it.

Here, Have a Badly Drawn Paint Cupcake (and Wild Talk)

2008-12-30T18:31:00.007-06:00

December 30, 2008 is the one year anniversary of the beginning of this blog. My love for this blog and this team have only grown over the past 365 days. Thank you to every reader who's passed through this site and every fellow blogger who has ever linked to me or left a comment. A huge shout out goes to the Wild blogosphere and the ladies of HLOG, whose members I have grown to adore and to Russo for being so ridiculously dedicated to covering the Wild.

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Moving on from gushing...after all, you probably came to this blog to read about hockey, eh?

I was in DC for the Wild's game on Sunday against the Blackhawks, but from what I've heard it's not worth it for me to watch the recording. Completely uninspired effort from Minnesota and a subsequent 4-1 loss. This game continued the Hawks' 9-game win streak.

I arrived in Minnesota in time to watch the game against the Calgary Flames. Another loss, but the Wild played better in this game and put forth a solid effort. At least compared to some of the games they've played of late. But the Wild can't beat the Flames...it's not part of how the team works; a 2-1 loss.

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One of the more interesting things that came out of this weekend is a quote from Wild center Mikko Koivu.

"'Nine wins in a row shows something about their team. But they aren't that good,' Wild center Mikko Koivu said. 'They outworked us tonight. We had one guy tonight, that was [goalie Niklas] Backstrom, who had the effort to play this game.'" - Second City Hockey

This quote's caused a reaction from Blackhawks' fans and was the leading story in a recent Puck Daddy "Puck Headlines". Make sure to read the comments made on the above linked story on Second City Hockey.

My reaction to the quote is this:

First, to clear some things up for the Hawks fans, here's a Koivu primer. He's been a member of the Wild his entire career, little brother of Saku (Habs), only 25, a spectacular center for a team with a serious depth problem at center, captain for the first two months of the season, an extremely respectable player, and extremely, extremely, extremely competitive (like freak out when losing pre-game hacky sack competitive.)

I think his competitiveness is probably the main reason behind the aforementioned quote. He simply hates to lose and is very frustrated with the current play of the team. The reason I mention this is that he seems to have been portrayed at the culprit/dumb hockey player in this situation who doesn't think before he speaks. That's not who Koivu is.

And the actual quote? I think it's been blown out of proportion.

As Blake mentioned in the comments in the original story on the Blackhawks blog, Koivu's emphasis was probably more on the fact that the Wild aren't trying and that they are much better than the way are playing. But the first part of the quote about the Hawks has been focused on more in the media.

Bottom line: the Hawks are doing well and no one should take away from that. They're my favorite NHL team after the Wild and I'll probably be paying even more attention to them for the next few years when I'm down in Evanston for school. But Koivu's not a bad guy, he's just frustrated and trying to snap his team out of its funk (yes, his team...he is the face of the franchise. If anything, it will provide good motivation for the Hawks and make the next game between these two teams interesting.

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Next game: Wild spend the last day of 2008 with the San Jose Sharks. Tune in for a 5 p.m. faceoff on FSN. Sniper/contract headache Marian Gaborik and his groin will be a morning skate decision.

Being blunt, I won't be watching - it's New Years Eve. I will not be home until sometime the next day when I will then spend the afternoon watching the Winter Classic. On another blunt note, all signs point to another Wild loss. Minnesota is struggling and San Jose is soaring. Not that I would mind a little New Years Eve surprise, but unless this team pulls some immense talent and effort out, it's most likely not going to happen.

*UPDATE* From Russo: Gaborik is not skating in the morning skate and therefore is obviously not playing. Forward Owen Nolan (whose injury kind of ignited the little free fall) asked the team if he could play and is being allowed to, despite not being 100 percent. On a side note, kudos to Russo for his great column in this morning's paper and for showing up to do his job even though basically the entire organization is mad at him now. I've been told countless times that one of the most important things in journalism, especially sports journalism, is accountability. His blog today is a good read, lots of interesting stuff; I'd reccomend you go check it out if you haven't already.

On an end note, well wishes go out to d-man Kim Johnsson and his family. Johnsson returned to Minnesota prior to the Calgary game because of a family emergency. He will play in the New Years Eve game. Hopefully everything is ok with him, his wife Jeanette, his daughters Filippa and Felicia, and the rest of his extended family.

Happy Holidays

2008-12-24T22:18:00.004-06:00

UPDATE: I'm home. Expect an update tomorrow. I'll also be writing a narrative on my field trip to the Verizon Center to watch the Caps-Maple Leafs game soon. Check out HTP for a live blog of the Calgary game.

Happy holidays to all readers. Hopefully you're spending it with friends and family who love you.

The Wild return to action on Dec. 28 against the Blackhawks and again on Dec. 29 against the Flames. I will be in DC until the 29th and I'm not sure what my internet situation will be like out there. I'll try to make it to somewhere wireless to update, but if I don't I know the other Wild bloggers are plenty capable of keeping you in the know.

Meanwhile, here's "Seasons Greetings" parts 1 and 2 from the Wild (keep an eye out for part 3, which should be coming soon.)

Moral Victory? Check. (And Interesting Gaborik Note)

2008-12-23T23:01:00.007-06:00

Was the Wild's 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes pretty? Not for most of the game.
Did they show spectacular puck possession, crisp passing, and shutdown defense? No, not particularly.
Did they display strong skating and good positioning? Nope, they were lying on the ice or tripping for a lot of the game and gave up more odd man rushes than they should have.
Was it a moral victory that should boost their confidence and gain fans' tentative respect back? Yes.

The win wasn't all that pretty and the Wild's play wasn't as good as it could have been. But it was a win nonetheless and not only did they score goals, but they came back from two goals down and held a lead.

But the most crucial part of this game, I think, was the penalty kill in the third period. First, Krys Kolanos received four minutes for a high stick. With 2:09 left in that penalty, Antti Miettinen received a hooking minor. That left two minutes of 5-on-3 to kill after already killing one penalty. But the team stepped up and showed real grit, killing off the penalty and preserving the lead. The crowd at the X noticed it, too; everyone was on their feet and cheering for every save, blocked shot, and clear.

Huge, huge effort from the penalty killing team of Mikko Koivu, Nick Schultz, and Brent Burns, who were out there killing the penalty for over a minute and a half. Another nod goes to goalie Niklas Backstrom for standing strong and making some big saves.

Fans remember things like that. I can recall some of the big goals or big games from last year. But one past instance I clearly remember is a crucial two minute 5-on-3 kill. And the effort from the team tonight during those four minutes will be remembered. It is play like that which gains respect and appreciation from the fans. And they earned it in those five minutes of the third period tonight.

This game ended the mini-holiday break on a positive note. But the team needs to carry this victory over into the rest of the season, especially since they have games coming up against teams such as Calgary, San Jose, and Detroit.

---------------------

Interesting note from Russo: Marian Gaborik is being held out of the lineup for the next two games, against the Chicago Blackhawks (Dec. 28) and the Calgary Flames (Dec. 29). While he did feel some discomfort during the last pair of back-to-back games, why would they pull him out of both? Especially after four days of rest? Also, the Wild said Gaby would dictate his schedule and when/if he plays, but this decision was made by the Wild, not Gaborik (he only agreed to it after.) Another interesting point from Russo - the roster freeze is lifted at midnight after the Wild-Flames game...keep an eye on this next week.

Tale of the Tape: Colaiacovo vs. Clutterbuck

2008-12-21T12:03:00.007-06:00

The Wild lost to the St. Louis Blues by a score of 4-2 last night (see further down in post) but one of the more entertaining threads of the game was the new rivalry between Blues d-man Carlo Colaiacovo and Wild winger Cal Clutterbuck. Not only is that a ridiculous battle to call based on names alone, but it escalated all throughout the game and included everything from hits to a cheap shot to a fight...let's compare the two in a Tale of the Tape.

"Clutterbuck was absolutely driving Carlo Colaiacovo loco tonight until he finally went loco. Hot cocoa or whatever his name, who fought Clutterbuck in the second, finally cross-checked him to the ice and began punching him in the face in the third with a 3-2 lead." - Russo

Birthdate (Age):
Colaiacovo - January 27, 1983 (25)
Clutterbuck - October 18, 1987 (21)

Hometown:
Colaiacovo - Toronto, Ontario
Clutterbuck - Welland, Ontario

Drafted:
Colaiacovo - 17th overall pick in 2001, Toronto Maple Leafs
Clutterbuck - 72nd overall pick in 2006, Minnesota Wild

Height:
Colaiacovo - 6'1''
Clutterbuck - 5'11''

Weight:
Colaiacovo - 200 lb
Clutterbuck - 213 lb

First NHL Goal:
Colaiacovo - November 8, 2005 against the Washington Capitals
Clutterbuck - November 24, 2008 against the Washington Capitals

Career NHL Fights:
Colaiacovo - 2
Clutterbuck - 2
*according to hockeyfights.com

Fun Hockey Fact:
Colaiacovo - Has a identical twin brother, Paulo, who plays goal for the Tilburg Trappers in the Netherlands
Clutterbuck - Used to watch Montreal Canadiens games as a kid with his grandma

Easily Injured by:
Colaiacovo - A lot of things, including missed hip checks (concussion), hand injuries, and knee surgery
Clutterbuck - The Houston Airport's parking lot

Proper Pronunciation of Last Name:
Colaiacovo - koh lee AK uh voh
Clutterbuck - Pronounced just how it's spelled: clutter buck

-------------------------------------

Game Notes:
- The bottom lines played better, especially in the Islanders game. Benoit Pouliot played better, Derek Boogaard and Krys Kolanos set up Colton Gillies' first NHL goal, James Sheppard sent Stephane Veilleux a beautiful blind backhand pass for a goal. That's good to see and hopefully they can keep that it, because that could carry the team far.
- The power play has been terrible lately. They haven't been scoring, and for a team that relies on PP goals so much, that's a problem. Also, the pointmen need to be more careful when they pinch. There was a ridiculous amount of times where a forward would pass back to the point, only to find no d-men to get the puck, one d-man on the other side, or d-men not paying attention. Having the puck leave the zone doesn't help the whole offense thing too much.
- The Wild need to work on passing, it was atrocious. They couldn't complete passes to save their lives and that led to a lot of turnovers, some of which led to goals.
- It's nice to admire our goals and pat ourselves on the back for scoring since it doesn't happen often, but don't let the other team score under a minute later.
- It would have been a perfect opportunity for the Wild to get back some points as the Chicago Blackhawks completed a western Canada sweep, beating Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton in their respective home buildings.

NHL-Related Notes:
- Note to aspiring Zamboni drivers: do not do this.
- A clip from Day in the Life: Nick Schultz...Jake Schultz, future NHL star?

- Mats Sundin finally chose who he wants to play for this (half) season. Unfortunately for Wild fans, it was the Canucks.
- Wild players are struggling in the All-Star voting standings. Go vote some more.

Next Game: Wild vs. Carolina Hurricanes at the X. I know I'll be there, and I know Kirsten will be there, so it will be a pretty good time all around. Feel free to leave me a comment or shoot me an email if you're going. Also, the St. Paul Police Department issued a warning to fans to not leave valuables in their cars during games because of an increase in break-ins around the X while the Wild are playing. Aka, street smarts.

Moving in the Right Direction

2008-12-18T09:23:00.006-06:00

Well...at least the Wild seems to be improving. The team finally got a point during their 3-2 OT loss to the Flames. Like Russo said, the team needs to take baby steps. After this many losses, it's going to take awhile to get things turned around and build the team's confidence back up.

I was going to write a longer review of the game, but I have an unexpected meeting at school I have to go to so I'll do a quick overview.

Positives:
- The team got a point
- The Wild scored two entire goals
- Marian Gaborik returned, scored a goal, recorded an assist, and didn't explode
- There was some boos directed towards Gaby at the beginning of the game, but fans warmed back up to him after his goal (a lot easier to dislike a guy when he's not scoring goals, eh?)
- Wild fans are still going strong in their dislike (and booing of) Todd Bertuzzi
- After a few off games, Mikko Koivu looked back to his normal, spectacular self

Negatives:
- The winning goal for the Flames came because of an obvious error - Antti Miettinen passed it back to the point but, oops, there was no one back there because Marc-Andre Bergeron and Marek Zidlicky both pinched at the same time, leading to a breakaway, a goal, and a loss
- The winning goal was scored by Bertuzzi
- Some of the reffing was iffy, on both sides
- Despite all the losses, it's still taking the Wild more time than it should to get going during the games; even my friend who doesn't watch hockey often asked why the players weren't moving well

Next game: Wild take on the Islanders at home Friday night. 7pm (CT) faceoff. MN broadcast on KSTC.

Four Losses and Counting...

2008-12-14T11:27:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was a good day. I found out I got into college early decision, my horse was jumping well, I didn't get lost driving to Eden Prairie for tennis. Everything was just peachy - until the Wild's game against the LA Kings.

I only got to watch the first period, but that was really all I needed to see. Bad effort from the Wild, lack of offense, defensive mistakes, and another loss (this time, by a score of 3-1). This is the Wild's fourth regulation loss; the last time that happened was in 2003. They've never lost five times in a row in regulation, but who knows what will happen in tonight's game against the Anaheim Ducks.

The most worrying part? The players don't see that there's anything wrong. According to Russo, five of the six players he talked to thought the team played fine the first two periods. There's no way the team can solve any of the many obvious problems there are with their game right now if they don't even see that those problems are there.

And if even the veterans like captain Kim Johnsson aren't going to acknowledge it, who is? I agree with Nick, there's a lack of leadership. Wes Walz retired last year and is currently assistant coaching for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Brian Rolston plays for the New Jersey Devils now. Owen Nolan has been in and out of the lineup and didn't make the trip.

The team is lucky they have goalie Niklas Backstrom playing so well because the games would be a lot more embarassing if he hadn't (why hasn't he been re-signed yet, again?). But maybe that's what is needed? To be completely blown out so they see how bad they are playing. I have no idea how they can play better. I'm just a blogger, all I can do is speculate. But there's no question that something needs to happen.

There's only so much the coaches can do and the players are the only ones who can turn things around. But if they don't do anything about it, the team is just going to continue their freefall through the standings.

Nice Blackhawks Story, Wild Notes

2008-12-10T20:20:00.009-06:00

I know this blog is Wild-focused and not Blackhawks-focused, but just bear with me as I share a Hawks story with you. If you really don't care to read about Chicago's reviving team, then skip past this section to hear more about Wild news.

The other day I received an email from my aunt. It was the latest in a long list of forwarded emails that shared the story I'm about to pass on to you. I got this email a few days ago, but was hesitant to post it because I didn't know about the validity of the story and hadn't heard anything about it from media sources.

But today I came across the same story on Deadspin, the only source I've found to have published the story. They verified the story (or at least the basis of the story) with Sarah Spain, a reporter for Mouthpiece Sports.

Update: More and more news sources are picking this story up. Here's the story told from the players' perspectives. Although they focused more on the funnier side with the McDonalds trip.

Here's the email:

"In the middle of a grueling six game road trip where a very young hockey team is away from home, the third game of the trip ends late on a cold Canadian Saturday night. This is the only break on the trip and the three days between games allow them the only break to get back home in their own beds for a couple of days before going back on the road. A scheduled commercial flight waits for them at Toronto 's International Airport for the short flight home; they could be home by midnight. This plane departs on schedule, but without a single member of the hockey team. Back in the locker room a vote is taken after the game was complete, and a unanimous decision is made by this young team to skip this flight and stay one more day. They make arrangements to check back in the hotel and on a frozen Sunday morning charter two buses that have no heat and begin a journey two hours straight north into a sparsely inhabited Canada, but where hockey is its passion. They arrive at their destination to the surprise of the team's general manager who is there attending his fathers wake. After a few emotional hours, this team boards the buses and head back for a two-hour trip back to Toronto. On the way they ask the drivers to stop in a tiny Canadian town because they are hungry. To the shock of the patrons and workers at this small hockey town McDonald's, a professional team walks out of two rickety buses and into the restaurant, which just happens to have pictures of two members of this team on its wall. The patrons know every single one of these players by sight being fanatic fans of hockey in these parts. One can only imagine their amazement of the locals seeing and entire professional hockey team sit down and have a meal in their tiny little town in the middle of a hockey season. After a while they board the buses and catch their same flight 24 hours later, giving one day to their general manager.

Have I made this up, is this an excerpt from some fictional book? No, this a true story of the Blackhawks last Saturday night and they decided to attend Dale Tallon's father's funeral. Its amazing that such a good story can be found nowhere on the internet, and not even mentioned in the Chicago papers. Had one of the Blackhawks got into a fight and punched some drunken loser in a Toronto bar it would be plastered all over papers and the television.

This being said, its hard to imagine any professional football, basketball, or baseball team doing this, but the members of the Blackhawks claim any "hockey" team would have done this. This is one reason I continue to be a big hockey fan, and another reason I am excited about this Chicago team.

I thought I would share as this story appears to have gone unnoticed."

The addition to this story from Spain, via Deadspin, was that the bus was heated and that the McDonalds the team stopped at was giving out Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews trading cards in the Happy Meals.

Anyway, nice story. I don't know why it hasn't been covered more.

------------------------

Marian Gaborik has practiced for the last two days without further damaging himself. He's on the current roadtrip with the team, but it's doubtful that he'll play. It will be interesting to see the kind of reaction he gets when he returns; when they flashed his picture on the big screen during a recent home game, the crowd booed.

New Wild commercial...not as good as the ones from earlier this season, especially with the humor and skill potential when using Brent Burns. But not terrible.

Speaking of Burns, he needs to be moved back to defense, even though the front office said they're hesitant to move him back without trading for a forward.

Wild are at Phoenix Thursday night to take on the Coyotes. The puck drops at 8pm (CT).

Sharp and Burish, 12-year-olds at Heart

2008-12-07T19:58:00.007-06:00

I've been a terrible blogger this week, and, for that, I apologize. But I have discovered that having a test/project/presentation/paper due in every class, after affects of pneumonia, a college decision coming within the next week, and some uninspired play by the Wild doesn't make for a good combination. Look for some more regular updates this week (even though the Wild are off until Thursday, I have some things I want to talk about).

I'm just going to put this out there: the Chicago Blackhawks have fantastic video coverage. Yeah, I know, up until last year their games weren't even locally televised. But between BlackhawksTV and Mouthpiece Sports, many hilarious videos are produced. I highly recommend checking them out. It takes a lot of restraint to not post them all up here every time I find one amusing. Ask Kirsten, I usually email her all of the links.

But BlackhawksTV did a recent three part series following roommates Adam Burish and Patrick Sharp around while they play pranks on the rest of the team, mainly roommates Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. It's one of the funnier things I've seen lately, so I've decided to share them with you. If you only have time to watch one, I would suggest the third one, it's the best of the series.

Hockey is good

2008-12-01T17:16:00.008-06:00

Paul Kukla has made an interesting proposal: make today Hockey Talk Day, a day filled with nothing but feel good hockey stories. Since I enjoy reading his work and since I think it's a good idea, below is my entry and I encourage all bloggers and all non-bloggers to participate.

Whether it's through watching hockey, playing hockey, or talking hockey, this sport builds relationships, both serious and casual. And that's one of the things I love about hockey and the blogosphere.

Nothing's more fun than the people you meet at hockey games. There are countless ways to bond at hockey games; talking about your how your team should sign this guy instead of that guy, coordinating chants and cheers, booing bad calls, complaining about the price of arena food and drinks. You never know who you're going to be sitting next to and what adventure it might lead to. I've had the entire range of people - from the bored teen girl who texts for the half of the game she's there to the drunk guy who spends the whole game coming up with insults to scream at the opposing team. Once, when the Wild were taking on the Phoenix Coyotes, a fan was yelling insults at coach Wayne Gretzky. After a few minutes, a man sitting a few rows ahead of me stood up and started screaming back. His screaming included something along the lines of, "Do you know who I am? I'm Marty McSorley." It was one of the more interesting almost fights I've seen in the stands of a hockey game.

But I've also built up some close relationships with fellow bloggers. Through the Wild blogosphere, hockey blogosphere, and HLOG, I've met people who I enjoy talking to on a daily basis and, in some cases, have become friends with outside of the hockey world. And one reason this can happen is because hockey fans and bloggers are some of the smartest, nicest people you will meet. It's amazing the amount of intelligent conversation spread across the massive and ever-growing hockey blogosphere. When I first started this blog, I was immediately accepted by the community and was never doubted on the basis of my gender or age. While it's obviously impossible to meet and interact with every hockey blogger, I wish I could.

And hockey has been a big part of my relationships with my friends, even those who aren't hockey fans. For my non-hockey loving friends, they know it's part of who I am - I was voted biggest sports fan in our senior poll. But they accept it and some of them have even accepted hockey into their lives. And one of my best friends, Kelsey (who has made many appearances on this blog), and I strengthened our friendship due to hockey. We stared becoming friends our sophomore year, but we really became best friends after going to our first hockey game together. Now we spend half of our time talking hockey or watching hockey and our brains have pretty much synched themselves.

Hockey fosters relationships and community, something I've been taught to respect since I was a tot. It sounds cheesy, but it's true. Hockey gives people something to start a conversation about and build relationships around. Like Kukla said, hockey is full of good, and that good deserves to be shown.

----------------

Check out my preview for the Wild-Avs game tonight over on the Versus website.

----------------

Apparently my push to keep Mikko Koivu as captain for an unprecedented third month didn't work. D-man Kim Johnsson received the C for the month of December.

5 Reasons Why Mikko Koivu Should Keep the C

2008-11-30T14:00:00.017-06:00

The beginning of a new month is approaching. December 1 is upon us and, for the Wild under the rotating captaincy system, that means a new captain will be named. Center Mikko Koivu has held that honor for the first two months of the season and had led the Wild to a 14-7-1 record. Back-to-back captains in the captaincy system has been seen before, players such as Brian Rolston, Andrew Brunette, and Brad Bombardir have all held the honor for consecutive months. But I don't believe any player has ever held the honor for more than two months in a row. More than two months in a season? Yes. But never more than two consecutive months (correct me if I'm wrong on that one.) The December captain will be announced Monday and I believe Koivu has proven himself as a superb captain and should keep the honors. Here's just five reasons why.

5. He can do everything
It's hard to define Koivu in one role. Offensive forward, defensive forward, checker, even strength player, power play specialist, penalty killer...he does it all and he does it all at a very high level. Coach Jacques Lemaire has said many times he feels comfortable playing Koivu at any time and he logs tons of TOI. Koivu has become one of the most valuable players to this team. I can deal with Marian Gaborik going down with an injury, but this team would be lost if Koivu had to miss significant time (something seen some last year when he was out with the broken leg.) He should be a top Selke candidate this season and is finally being recognized around the league as a guy to be watched.

4. The C has only elevated his play
Since receiving the C, Koivu's play has only improved. He's been one of the best players for the Wild this season and become the go-to guy. While certain players have underperformed with the C (see: Gaborik in last year's playoffs), Koivu has blossomed. Continued shutdown play? Yup, he's a +5. Offense? Yeah, he has 8 goals and 16 assists already. Killing penalties? Uh huh, he has a shorthanded goal and lead's the Wild's top-ranked PK.

3. He's elevated the team's play
The Wild have posted a solid record and had their best November in team history, going 8-5. He's improved the play of teammates, especially sometimes linemates Andrew Brunette and Antti Miettinen, the team's two leading point producers behind Koivu himself. The team seems to have good chemistry this year and has done better than anyone expected them to after some of the offseason losses.

2. He's liked and respected
Koivu is a very respected player, an important quality for a captain to have. He's known as a clean player around the league, he's respected by teammates and coaches, and the fans love him. He's rarely been called a dirty player (the only time I can remember is when Ryan Kesler hinted that he thought he was...see comments.) Lemaire thinks he's spectacular. He's a fan favorite. Koivu just seems to be universally liked.

1. He's the Wild's franchise player
Koivu has always fit the franchise player mold for this club, he just needed some time to grow into it. He has been brought up through the Wild's system since being drafted by them, is a member of the core group of players, completely embodies the Wild's and Lemaire's style of play, is a natural leader, and has found a home in Minnesota. Fans are getting sick of the injuries and contract debacles of Gaborik. Koivu's teammates nicknamed him "Franchise" for a reason, he has officially taken over as the face of this team and should be rewarded with the permanent captaincy.

Agree? Disagree? Have more reasons you feel should be mentioned? Leave them in the comments.

Let's Focus on the Third

2008-11-28T17:24:00.005-06:00

I spent most of the second intermission of the Wild's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning sitting in my seat, grumpy, trying to figure why the Wild were playing so terribly and why McGruff the Crime Dog was riding the Zamboni.

Minnesota had scored first off a nice shot by Owen Nolan, but were down 2-1 heading into the third. The first two periods were dull. Bad communication, bad passing, bad hockey. The crowd wasn't into it, the players didn't look that into it, and it was not the most enjoyable 40 minutes. Some odd officiating calls, too. I had basically accepted a loss - after seeing the Wild blow the last two games in the third I thought there was no way they could mount a comeback when they couldn't even close games out.

But apparently, while I was sulking, someone gave the players a good talking to, because they came out much, much better for the third. I was drafting a letter to the team in my head telling them everything they were doing wrong, when Marc-Andre Bergeron fired a shot that James Sheppard deflected in. After that, the tempo picked up greatly.

But four minutes after Shep's goal, captain Mikko Koivu scored a beauty off of pure effort (make sure to check out the highlights.) The crowd finally started getting into it and the Wild played a solid game the rest of the period.

With 5:05 left to go in the game, Nick Schultz took a high sticking minor. Koivu argued it and received a minor for unsportsmanlike conduct as well as a 10-minute misconduct (if someone can explain why he received this, please do.) But the team killed it off and finished off the game with an empty net goal from Eric Belanger.

Other Game Notes:
- The guys next to me managed to come up with every possible synonym for "short" whenever they saw Martin St. Louis. They just couldn't quite get over it.
- Speaking of St. Louis, his bright yellow stick is very distracting on the ice.
- Nice work by Shep all game. He not only got a goal but an assist, played strongly, and was a +2 in 12 minutes of ice time.
- Nice tribute to Wes Walz at the start, although it seemed very short and not very focused.
- Fans are getting restless with Brent Burns on wing...they want him back at D.

Review by Numbers - Wild 3, Stars 4

2008-11-27T09:32:00.009-06:00

A look at the Wild's 4-3 loss to the Dallas Stars Wednesday night through some numbers...

5
The number of posts/crossbars hit by the Wild last night

1
The number of penalties the Wild received for getting two faceoff violations in one puck drop

1
The number of players (Nicklas Grossman) whose jersey got stuck in glass after a Derek Boogaard check

10
The number of minutes it took to review (and overturn) Mikko Koivu's goal (guess who was supervising the goal judge? Mick McGeough)
*This number is approximate. There is no actual count of how long it took

0
The number of reviews of James Neal's goal, which was possibly played with a high stick

2
The number of disallowed goals, both to Koivu

1
The number of nets knocked off their posts by Marty Turco (there was no one else around him, he allegedly lost his balance) that led to overturned goals

3
The number of times Jacques Lemaire says Turco has done this against the Wild

300
The number of games for Wild forward Stephane Veilleux (congratulations to him)

Who Says All Clutterbuck Can Do is Hit

2008-11-25T17:06:00.008-06:00

Before I talk about the Wild's victory yesterday over the Capitals, I'm going to ramble on a little story. If you don't want to read it, skip to the next paragraph. So I went to the doctor's office yesterday to try and figure out what was wrong with me. After waiting for forever and a day, an old guy walks in with a Tablet PC. He reels off symptoms and checks off which ones I have. Why he needed a Tablet PC to figure out my diagnosis when my mom and I had already figured out it was most likely pneumonia, I don't know. But then he tells us that he thinks it's appendicitis. Of course, when I hear "appendicitis," I think "Nick Schultz" and "2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs" which then leads to feelings of disappointment, frustration, and sadness. Anyway, I have pneumonia, not appendicitis, and am now on antibiotics (if any sentences are incoherent, that's why) and very, very bored of daytime television. And that's the completely pointless and random story. Now onto some real hockey talk.

The Wild took on the Capitals last night and it was a game with many interesting points. Minnesota had a nice, healthy 4-goal lead all the way up to last 5:17, when the team decided to stop working and let the Caps' prime offense show off. In the span of 3:33, Washington scored three goals to pull within one (one of those goals was scored by Alex Ovechkin; Minnesota was one of the three teams he has never scored against.) And this was an injury-depleted Caps roster to begin with.

But one of the feel-goods of the night for the Wild was the effort by the kids who contributed on the offense. Cal Clutterbuck now has some goals to add to the hits he's been piling up. He scored two Monday night for his first two NHL points (those extra sessions to work on your shot before practice are paying off, eh Cal.) James Sheppard also scored, his first of the season. Lucky timing by Versus, as they had just finished interviewing Sheppard's sister and father, who were in the arena, and went back to do a quick follow-up after the goal. Sheppard hasn't had the easiest year thus far so it's good to see him finally get that first goal. Hopefully this first one (off a very nice shot, by the way) will lead to many more.

And nice catch by Hockey Wilderness: WCCO still doesn't know who Clutterbuck is.

Wild Highlights:
Clutterbuck's first goal - 0:50 *Make sure to not only watch Clutterbuck's reaction on this goal, but the boy in the Caps jersey behind the visitors bench*
Clutterbuck's second goal - 1:10 *Caps boy makes another appearance during the aftermath of this goal, too*
Zidlicky's goal - 2:40
Sheppard's goal - 3:00

Playing Catch Up

2008-11-22T16:46:00.006-06:00

Hey guys, I apologize for the lack of updates lately. I've been insanely busy this past week. I was going to do a nice, long catch up today, but a sudden virus has caused that to not happen. I didn't even have enough energy to finish People's Sexiest Man Alive issue. So here's a brief update on things, and hopefully I will get over this sickness soon and things will be back to normal.

Thursday: The Wild lost (again) to Vancouver, by a score of 3-2. Everyone had a fun time talking about Pavol Demitra's enjoyment in destroying his ex-teams. Mikko Koivu's the only one who can score for the Wild, and he showed that again here, scoring one even strength and one shorthanded.

Friday: The Wild players skated during practice. Hard.

Saturday: Minnesota vs. the St. Louis Blues tonight, 7pm at Xcel. TV feed is on KSTC.

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Minnesota Wild = Phoenix Coyotes?

Click to expand

That Sounded Exciting

2008-11-19T17:13:00.008-06:00

My experience with the Wild's 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins was through text messages. During the first period, I was trying to teach my friend how to make mac&cheese. During the second period, seven other friends and I were driving down Lake Street, ridiculously lost, on the way to a Buddhist meditation center for a history class. During the third period, we waited outside of the aforementioned Buddhist meditation center for 20 minutes (they forgot to unlock the door and didn't hear our many calls, knocks, and doorbell rings) before being let in and participating in their meditation.

Apparently the game, broadcast nationally on Versus, wasn't all that interesting. The Wild's only goal was a fluke, and the only thing they did to get it was lose a faceoff. They originally gave the goal to Andrew Brunette but he talked to the refs and convinced them to give it to captain Mikko Koivu. But ten seconds later, Minnesota's favorite Matt Cooke scored. Nothing else really happened the rest of the game. It went into a shootout where, again, d-man Marek Zidlicky was the scorer and goalie Nik Backstrom was phenomenal, winning it for the Wild. The Pensblog has a full recap.

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The Wild's next game is tomorrow at home against the Canucks (because that game was just so much fun against them last time.) Hopefully, for the Wild's offense's sake, goalie Roberto Luongo isn't as superhuman as in the Wild's 2-0 loss to Vancouver earlier this season. His numbers before that game were much more favorable for the Wild. Forward Pavol Demitra will also be back to face the Wild for the first time since he and the team parted ways this summer. BFF Marian Gaborik will not be playing, however.

I won't be able to update right away because I'm missing the game to go to the Jason Mraz concert.

On a sidenote/something I bring up everytime the Wild play the Canucks, I miss Willie Mitchell. I would not mind if he ever came back to Minnesota.

Welcome Back, Dupuis: Wild vs. Penguins

2008-11-17T19:01:00.005-06:00

Hey Wild fans, remember this guy? It's Pascal Dupuis.

The Wild traded him to the New York Rangers for Adam Hall, who then turned around and traded him to the Atlanta Thrashers for a 3rd round draft choice, who traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the blockbuster trade from last season.

But the Wild-Penguins game on Tuesday will be his first against the Wild.

Faceoff is 6pm (CT) on Versus. I highly suggest you read The Pensblog.

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Nice work by Russo on a piece about Kurtis Foster's continued recovery. I look forward to the day when I get to write about a healthy Foster again.

Toews Interview, Wild vs. Blue Jackets

2008-11-15T15:27:00.006-06:00

Last week, I had the opportunity to participate in a conference call with Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews. A thank you goes out Toews for being willing to do this and to Versus for setting the interview up.

Here is the link to the interview, split into three parts (just a heads up, each clip starts with the same introduction from the operator, it's not just the same clip three times.) I come in at 6:30 of the first clip. Good interview, good player, fun times.

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The Wild take on expansion buddies the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight. The Jackets have been on a roll lately and it's usually a good game between these two teams, sometimes games that end in some controversy. Last game, a late (11.5 seconds remaining in the game) tying goal by Rick Nash was called off because it was played with a high stick. Last season, Wes Walz was standing in front of the goal in overtime when one of the players shot the puck. Walz was then pushed into the net, but, first, the puck deflected up his pants. It was ruled a goal.

Postgame: Wild win 3-2 in a shootout. Not terrific hockey from the Wild, but enough to get the win.

I'm not sure when I'll be able to update because I don't know if I can get wireless at my dad's apartment, but stay tuned.

"I just let him know I'm P.Kane" Part 2

2008-11-13T21:36:00.007-06:00

This is Patrick Kane (also known as P.Kane.)

This is Patrick Kane's Calder Trophy bobblehead.

This is Patrick Kane's teammates showing him no mercy.

(h/t to Clare from All Hawks Hockey)

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Wild beat the Phoenix Coyotes 4-0 Thursday night, Minnesota's first home game since Oct. 30. D-man Brent Burns and forward Owen Nolan both were taken off IR and played solid games (forward Krys Kolanos was reassigned to Houston to make room.) The Wild scored all four of their goals on the power play (they went 4-for-7) and goalie Niklas Backstrom got the shutout.

Apparently all the Wild have to do to get some goals is get on the PP, screen the goalie, and feed d-man Marek Zidlicky one-timers. He scored two goals on two sick shots in two very similar plays. He seemed very excited and like he was definitely warming to the crowd at the X in his postgame interview with FS North.

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Don't forget: VOTE Koivu, Burns, Gaborik, and Backstrom for the All-Star Game.

Yoda Hangs Up the Lightsaber

2008-11-12T16:23:00.004-06:00

And by Yoda I mean ex-Wild d-man Keith Carney. And by lightsaber I mean skates. That analogy didn't work as well as hoped. But that's not the important part of this post. The important part is that Carney retired.

The Wild chose to not re-sign him this summer and Carney did not find a spot on the Blackhawks after signing a tryout agreement, so this isn't a very surprising development. The surprising part? People had to find out through the Pawtucket Times.

You can find highlights and stats about his career on other blogs. The bottom line is Carney was a great player and a great person and will be sorely missed around Minnesota.

To reminisce about good ol' times, I encourage you to search through the archives and YouTube, especially the first 18,568RW Tale of the Tape, a series which was inspired by Carney and his epic battle against Yoda.

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D-man Brent Burns practiced yesterday with the team and might play Thursday against the Coyotes...but at forward. Funny timing that the team is playing him at forward right when his mentor, Carney, retires.

Don't forget to vote for vote for the NHL All-Stars, starting today. Wild players on the ballot include Burns, forward/captain Mikko Koivu, forward Marian Gaborik, and goalie Niklas Backstrom. Although you may not want to bother voting for Gaborik since each player needs to have a minimum number of games played to be eligible; at this rate, that won't happen for Gaby.