Within a span of 3 minutes last night, The Wild had firmly entrenched themselves as the team in control; The Anaheim Ducks were on the heels reeling, and their slumping goaltender Jean-Sebastian Giguere was chased after Mikko Koivu's one timer goal. To say his enraged display on the bench wasn't warranted; he could have stood in net and let Brian Rolston's bomb from inside the blueline (thanks to Francois Beauchamin for the tip) hit him square in the face. Instead he ducked, and the puck went in just under the crossbar.
He (and all-world defender) Chris Pronger were completely frozen by Marian Gaborik on the ensuing 2-on-1; Gaborik used Pavol Demitra (2 assists on the night) as a decoy, and looked off both goalie and D and ripped a wrist shot into the top corner.
And well, what looked like a blind pass just happened to go onto the tape of Koivu, who hasn't missed a beat since returning from injury, who put it in the net past Giguere. He probably could have made that save. But he didn't.
Despite Corey Perry's goal shortly after Koivu's, which brought the score to 3-1, the Wild never strayed from their game plan, which was to eliminate any time and space the hulking Anaheim forwards and elite defensemen may have to make plays. Pierre-Marc Bouchard ultimately broke Anaheim's back when he scored on a breakaway with just a few ticks left on the clock in the second period. And to rub their faces in shit one last time, perhaps just to accentuate that this isn't the same team that was knuckled down in the playoffs, James Sheppard swatted a puck out of midair for his 4th, a powerplay goal with very little time left in the 3rd.
So now Giguere's temper tantrum will forever be encapsulized in pregame videos on the Titan Tron for future Wild/Duck matchups, and Minnesota takes the season series, 3-1.
Despite the obvious boxscore, and the opponent, should we be flying incredibly high about this win?
Yes and no. With the additions of Scott Niedermayer (the Ducks are now 12-3-2 since his return) and now Teemu Selanne (nice of you to grace us with your presence with 32 games left), the Ducks are gaining steam and returning to their Cup-winning form of last year. So, when you dominate and blow away a team like this, especially one who just punched you in the mush on their way to advancing, yes it feels good. Especially when the knock is that Minnesota can't handle the elite in the West.
Hold on though; let's not use tonight as a barometer for how they stand quite yet. We won the season series from Anaheim last year, and they beat us down. And this is still the first game back from the All-Star break, definitely not a contest found in April or even May.
But, the approach is different.
Captain Nick Schultz was an example of that. He played physical all night, stating "We needed to play hard...That's the way they play. They come at you and come at the net."
Maybe things are looking up...yet despite what may be seen as a epiphany of sorts, they gained no ground atop the Division, since both Calgary and Colorado won. And it won't get easier- in a game apparently no one will see, they go to Columbus Saturday Night (no tv from what I've seen), and then play host to both Detroit and Dallas next week.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Hahaha...
...from "Hockeydrunk.com"...
If the NHL was high school...
http://www.hockeydrunk.com/hockey/if-the-nhl-was-a-high-school
If the NHL was high school...
http://www.hockeydrunk.com/hockey/if-the-nhl-was-a-high-school
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
What a damn shame.
http://wcco.com/local/gopher.hockey.player.2.638730.html
From the looks of that mugshot, "meth" is the first thing that comes to mind.
From the looks of that mugshot, "meth" is the first thing that comes to mind.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Tommy Lynn, checkin in
his latest blog entry at Wild.com...
http://boards.wild.com/index.php?automodule=blog&blogid=2&showentry=158
http://boards.wild.com/index.php?automodule=blog&blogid=2&showentry=158
All-Star Weekend, all encompassingly
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=343885
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/13023-THN-at-the-AllStar-Game-Star-showcase-finally-lives-up-to-the-hype.html
http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/story.html?id=473cd7c5-4fc4-4076-b12c-f4e897eaee45&k=66475
http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/story.html?id=268089
You can also check out the commentary from Legendary Scribe Red Fisher in one of the previous posts.
I guess my take on the whole thing is that it is what it is; All-Star weekend is just one big celebration. The celebration of player's accomplishments which lead to all-star berths; coaches being named to coach the "game"; the rookies, youngsters, and future all-stars who get a taste of the hoopla with their very own little competition; Gary Bettman and Co.'s ability to somehow not fuck everything up; and most importantly the corporate sponsors.
Obviously many hope for a legit game- with the sheer amount of skill on the ice, who wouldn't? Each of the 30 teams, of course. While it would be great to see Dion Phaneuf absolutely hammer say, Mike Richards or Eric Staal in open ice, or watch Zdeno Chara step into a slapshot to which San Jose's Evgeni Nabakov has to stop, its just not going to happen because now that all the fun and games are over, its crunch time.
(That is why you didn't see Marian Gaborik do the speed skating contest. We all know the kid can fly, but we'd be lying to ourselves if we thought that there was a chance his groin could explode.)
To the players credit, the game did become somewhat entertaining toward the end after the West battled back to tie the game, and then take the lead on Gaborik's goal. I'll give em that. However, again, poor production values and a well-thought-up but poorly-planned-out skills competition disappointed me.
Before I get into it, Versus does deserve alot of credit for what it has done for the NHL in the past few years, giving the league an outlet (albeit a needle in the haystack for some) for its entertainment. Despite being behind the proverbial 8-ball (not being on ESPN), ratings are up this year.
However, there is work that needs to be done to bring the production quality up to where it should be. Everything just kinda seems disjointed, and it lacks that certain feel of the years past. That part, whether its on Versus or its just the hopeless nostalgic that I am, bothers me the most about this year's edition. It's the All-Star Skills Competition! You think Al Iafrate (with beautifully groomed skullet) and Al Macinnis in the hardest shot. You remember where Ray Bourque went 4 for 4 for two years in a row in the accuracy competition.
Its just not the same.
Maybe its the personnel decisions...Brian Rolston not in the hardest shot last year? Preposterous. That's the thing that irked me the most about the Breakaway Competition, the new event designed in the manner of a slam dunk contest, where creativity was king. Don't get me wrong about the guys that competed, but surely there could have been better (or at least more) candidates. Guys like Gaborik and Ilya Kovalchuk are snipers; I just can't see guys like them doing things that are overly creative. What about guys like Eric Staal (I've seen some of his moves), Mike Ribiero of Dallas (you would think he could have some tricks up his sleeve considering how slick he is with the puck), or even some of the young stars? You don't think Pat Kane, or Peter Mueller, or David Perron (who I have heard is an absolute wizard with the puck) wouldn't have some sort of flash to them? If their little 3 on 3 game of shinny counted toward the final score, why can't they compete in that challenge too?
By the way, props go to Alex Ovechkin, who fully embraces the concept of the all-star game; to have fun, ham it up for the camera, and to entertain. Who didn't want to see him connect with at least one of his creative shootout attempts?
So on a final note, and a nod to a previous post where prospect Steven Stamkos demonstrated various trick shots...its unfortunate that those he displayed were the most creative I saw all weekend.
I guess Stamkos was there in Atlanta too- maybe they should have asked him. In fact, that would be a nice way to promote the NHL Entry Draft...
But I guess the NHL just doesn't think like that...
PS...Late edit...the all-star jerseys were AWFUL looking. It looked like "Tron" out there.
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/13023-THN-at-the-AllStar-Game-Star-showcase-finally-lives-up-to-the-hype.html
http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/story.html?id=473cd7c5-4fc4-4076-b12c-f4e897eaee45&k=66475
http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/story.html?id=268089
You can also check out the commentary from Legendary Scribe Red Fisher in one of the previous posts.
I guess my take on the whole thing is that it is what it is; All-Star weekend is just one big celebration. The celebration of player's accomplishments which lead to all-star berths; coaches being named to coach the "game"; the rookies, youngsters, and future all-stars who get a taste of the hoopla with their very own little competition; Gary Bettman and Co.'s ability to somehow not fuck everything up; and most importantly the corporate sponsors.
Obviously many hope for a legit game- with the sheer amount of skill on the ice, who wouldn't? Each of the 30 teams, of course. While it would be great to see Dion Phaneuf absolutely hammer say, Mike Richards or Eric Staal in open ice, or watch Zdeno Chara step into a slapshot to which San Jose's Evgeni Nabakov has to stop, its just not going to happen because now that all the fun and games are over, its crunch time.
(That is why you didn't see Marian Gaborik do the speed skating contest. We all know the kid can fly, but we'd be lying to ourselves if we thought that there was a chance his groin could explode.)
To the players credit, the game did become somewhat entertaining toward the end after the West battled back to tie the game, and then take the lead on Gaborik's goal. I'll give em that. However, again, poor production values and a well-thought-up but poorly-planned-out skills competition disappointed me.
Before I get into it, Versus does deserve alot of credit for what it has done for the NHL in the past few years, giving the league an outlet (albeit a needle in the haystack for some) for its entertainment. Despite being behind the proverbial 8-ball (not being on ESPN), ratings are up this year.
However, there is work that needs to be done to bring the production quality up to where it should be. Everything just kinda seems disjointed, and it lacks that certain feel of the years past. That part, whether its on Versus or its just the hopeless nostalgic that I am, bothers me the most about this year's edition. It's the All-Star Skills Competition! You think Al Iafrate (with beautifully groomed skullet) and Al Macinnis in the hardest shot. You remember where Ray Bourque went 4 for 4 for two years in a row in the accuracy competition.
Its just not the same.
Maybe its the personnel decisions...Brian Rolston not in the hardest shot last year? Preposterous. That's the thing that irked me the most about the Breakaway Competition, the new event designed in the manner of a slam dunk contest, where creativity was king. Don't get me wrong about the guys that competed, but surely there could have been better (or at least more) candidates. Guys like Gaborik and Ilya Kovalchuk are snipers; I just can't see guys like them doing things that are overly creative. What about guys like Eric Staal (I've seen some of his moves), Mike Ribiero of Dallas (you would think he could have some tricks up his sleeve considering how slick he is with the puck), or even some of the young stars? You don't think Pat Kane, or Peter Mueller, or David Perron (who I have heard is an absolute wizard with the puck) wouldn't have some sort of flash to them? If their little 3 on 3 game of shinny counted toward the final score, why can't they compete in that challenge too?
By the way, props go to Alex Ovechkin, who fully embraces the concept of the all-star game; to have fun, ham it up for the camera, and to entertain. Who didn't want to see him connect with at least one of his creative shootout attempts?
So on a final note, and a nod to a previous post where prospect Steven Stamkos demonstrated various trick shots...its unfortunate that those he displayed were the most creative I saw all weekend.
I guess Stamkos was there in Atlanta too- maybe they should have asked him. In fact, that would be a nice way to promote the NHL Entry Draft...
But I guess the NHL just doesn't think like that...
PS...Late edit...the all-star jerseys were AWFUL looking. It looked like "Tron" out there.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Re: Stamkos
Yes! Teenagers fighting!
Seriously, here's a post game dust-up between the Sarnia Sting (with Steven Stamkos) and the Oshawa Generals (with wunderkind and the projected top pick in the 2009 draft John Tavares). James Delory of Oshawa and Stamkos were jawing at each other after the final buzzer, which lead to Delory spearing Stamkos, and Sting Captain Ryan Wilson took exception.
and here is the aftermath...
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jqvg7HIqzDxRJaSLPHLV1n13TAAg
Seriously, here's a post game dust-up between the Sarnia Sting (with Steven Stamkos) and the Oshawa Generals (with wunderkind and the projected top pick in the 2009 draft John Tavares). James Delory of Oshawa and Stamkos were jawing at each other after the final buzzer, which lead to Delory spearing Stamkos, and Sting Captain Ryan Wilson took exception.
and here is the aftermath...
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jqvg7HIqzDxRJaSLPHLV1n13TAAg
Saturday, January 26, 2008
More Steven Stamkos for that ass
Steven Stamkos, who is projected to go 1st overall in this year's draft, is nice enough to show the world what he think players will do in tonight's breakaway challenge.
Got It
Here's a link to the Burns HipCheck on Colorado's Cody McCormick:
http://www.nhl.tv/team/launch.htm?hlg=20072008,2,750&event=COL290
http://www.nhl.tv/team/launch.htm?hlg=20072008,2,750&event=COL290
Friday, January 25, 2008
#50...Spent the last year Rocky Mountain Way......
......couldn't get much higher.
And so here we are, on that proverbial high note after a 3-2 win over the injury-decimated Colorado Avalanche. Of course, the game shouldn't have been that close thanks to Nik Backstrom's gift that gave Colorado their first goal and subsequent momentum, until Ian Laperriere's late hit on Martin Skoula at Center Ice.
The boys woke up after that.
And since I'm talking about hits, how about Brent Burns' hipcheck on Cody McCormick? Magnifique.
Its nice to see Pavol Demita show up now, considering he's basically been horseshit for most of the first half, his goal and assist essentially made the Wild go; he set up Todd Fedoruk's 2nd goal of the season and scored the game winner in the 3rd.
Backstrom is solid, but he isn't the same goalie from last year; this is concerning considering Josh Harding is still a rookie and has yet to reach a level of consistency in his play. So as we stand atop of the division, and stare at the playoffs (barring some sort of obscene collapse), our backend is on the shaky side. Backstrom is committing to early on some pucks, not early enough on others, and is giving out an absurd amount of rebounds, which is not what you want out of your main guy (although one could argue that its goalie by committee right now, considering there are stretched of brilliance followed by a clunker by both guys), a guy you have 6.2 Million dollars invested in. Somehow, some way, either Backstrom has got to regain the form from last spring, or Harding has to take that next step (which could asking alot) and be that guy, otherwise we're looking at another unceremonious one-and-done come April.
But, there are positives, since I'm breaking it down at the All-Star Break. Todd Fedoruk is playing out of his mind, now seeing PP time and shifts with Gaborik and Demitra. Conversely, the fourth line with James Sheppard-Matt Foy-Aaron Voros-Mark Parrish-Derek Boogaard and whoever else Jacques puts on there is playing very well; they buzzed the Colorado net twice last night which shortly afterward the Wild scored. This sort of revelation enables to keep the top-6 guys a bit fresher when you can roll all four lines.
The blueline crew is playing well; sure everyone holds their breath when Martin Skoula is out there, but he had the most ice time out of anyone last night; Kim Johnsson is moving the puck with authority now- he'll step up and just skate the fucker out, which is what he was brought for. Nick Schultz is as steady as it gets, and despite a recent drought, Brent Burns is still the go-to guy on the offensive side of the equation. But outside of the top four, its a revolving door. Two guys out of Carney, Hill, Nummelin, and Foster need to step up and seize the opportunity to impress and show that they deserve to play every night.
As soon as that happens, then the machine will have every chance to get well-oiled and get a head of steam going into April.
And so here we are, on that proverbial high note after a 3-2 win over the injury-decimated Colorado Avalanche. Of course, the game shouldn't have been that close thanks to Nik Backstrom's gift that gave Colorado their first goal and subsequent momentum, until Ian Laperriere's late hit on Martin Skoula at Center Ice.
The boys woke up after that.
And since I'm talking about hits, how about Brent Burns' hipcheck on Cody McCormick? Magnifique.
Its nice to see Pavol Demita show up now, considering he's basically been horseshit for most of the first half, his goal and assist essentially made the Wild go; he set up Todd Fedoruk's 2nd goal of the season and scored the game winner in the 3rd.
Backstrom is solid, but he isn't the same goalie from last year; this is concerning considering Josh Harding is still a rookie and has yet to reach a level of consistency in his play. So as we stand atop of the division, and stare at the playoffs (barring some sort of obscene collapse), our backend is on the shaky side. Backstrom is committing to early on some pucks, not early enough on others, and is giving out an absurd amount of rebounds, which is not what you want out of your main guy (although one could argue that its goalie by committee right now, considering there are stretched of brilliance followed by a clunker by both guys), a guy you have 6.2 Million dollars invested in. Somehow, some way, either Backstrom has got to regain the form from last spring, or Harding has to take that next step (which could asking alot) and be that guy, otherwise we're looking at another unceremonious one-and-done come April.
But, there are positives, since I'm breaking it down at the All-Star Break. Todd Fedoruk is playing out of his mind, now seeing PP time and shifts with Gaborik and Demitra. Conversely, the fourth line with James Sheppard-Matt Foy-Aaron Voros-Mark Parrish-Derek Boogaard and whoever else Jacques puts on there is playing very well; they buzzed the Colorado net twice last night which shortly afterward the Wild scored. This sort of revelation enables to keep the top-6 guys a bit fresher when you can roll all four lines.
The blueline crew is playing well; sure everyone holds their breath when Martin Skoula is out there, but he had the most ice time out of anyone last night; Kim Johnsson is moving the puck with authority now- he'll step up and just skate the fucker out, which is what he was brought for. Nick Schultz is as steady as it gets, and despite a recent drought, Brent Burns is still the go-to guy on the offensive side of the equation. But outside of the top four, its a revolving door. Two guys out of Carney, Hill, Nummelin, and Foster need to step up and seize the opportunity to impress and show that they deserve to play every night.
As soon as that happens, then the machine will have every chance to get well-oiled and get a head of steam going into April.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
#49...The Long Dick Of The Post God
Now as quick as I am to scream "jinx stat" when it came to Minnesota's record in back-to-back games (6-1-1 going into last night), it just didn't seem that way; It would be one thing if Calgary simply blew us out of the water, dominating from start to finish, but it wasn't that way. In fact, the game could have gone either way from the drop of the puck to the final second.
Obviously things would have gone the Wild way if Pavol Demitra didn't hit the post, or if Brent Burns' improbable slapshot had gone in instead of bouncing off the goalposts three times (!) with a few minutes left in the third period.
Suffice it to say, I would have been happy with getting out of Cowtown with a point; given the historically bad track record the Wild has in the Pengrowth Saddledome (a terrible arena, in a terrible town, against a terrible team, with terrible fans, etc....), one could make the case that, despite the obvious "moral victory" tag, something is better than nothing.
But, this is nothing more than wishful thinking.
It was a tough loss, especially when Jarome Iginla was shutdown; nothing on the scoresheet for the Flames Captain. Its just that even if you contain Iginla, and reserve Dion Phaneuf to just breaking panes of glass with his slapshot (we're happy for you Dion), you still have to get the puck past Miikka Kiprusoff. And after Brian Rolston blew a slapshot by him early in the first period, that's all he gave us (including the posts.)
Its unfortunate that the Wild ebbed and flowed with the Flames all night; you could see the team was still on a crest off the Vancouver game, only to lose because of two defensive breakdowns. Nobody picked up Stephane Yelle for the Flames' first goal, and after Nick Schultz failed to poke the puck out of the defensive zone, Kurtis Foster was left to defend a mini two-on-one, which led to Craig Conroy's backhander that got past Josh Harding.
(It was nice to see a Wild goaltender hanging on to the puck and not giving up some big rebounds.)
In fact, one could make the case that when it seemed like there was a loose puck in space, that the Wild player closest to it was just a step too far.
So, its off the the Mile High; An injury-depleted Colorado squad, on our heels in the standings, awaits before the All-Star Break.
Either its gonna be a nice boost or a let down...
Obviously things would have gone the Wild way if Pavol Demitra didn't hit the post, or if Brent Burns' improbable slapshot had gone in instead of bouncing off the goalposts three times (!) with a few minutes left in the third period.
Suffice it to say, I would have been happy with getting out of Cowtown with a point; given the historically bad track record the Wild has in the Pengrowth Saddledome (a terrible arena, in a terrible town, against a terrible team, with terrible fans, etc....), one could make the case that, despite the obvious "moral victory" tag, something is better than nothing.
But, this is nothing more than wishful thinking.
It was a tough loss, especially when Jarome Iginla was shutdown; nothing on the scoresheet for the Flames Captain. Its just that even if you contain Iginla, and reserve Dion Phaneuf to just breaking panes of glass with his slapshot (we're happy for you Dion), you still have to get the puck past Miikka Kiprusoff. And after Brian Rolston blew a slapshot by him early in the first period, that's all he gave us (including the posts.)
Its unfortunate that the Wild ebbed and flowed with the Flames all night; you could see the team was still on a crest off the Vancouver game, only to lose because of two defensive breakdowns. Nobody picked up Stephane Yelle for the Flames' first goal, and after Nick Schultz failed to poke the puck out of the defensive zone, Kurtis Foster was left to defend a mini two-on-one, which led to Craig Conroy's backhander that got past Josh Harding.
(It was nice to see a Wild goaltender hanging on to the puck and not giving up some big rebounds.)
In fact, one could make the case that when it seemed like there was a loose puck in space, that the Wild player closest to it was just a step too far.
So, its off the the Mile High; An injury-depleted Colorado squad, on our heels in the standings, awaits before the All-Star Break.
Either its gonna be a nice boost or a let down...
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
#48, Oh ya the villian does get fucked with no vaseline
...to quote Ice Cube.
What a game; definitely worth staying up past your bedtime if you are still constrained by such rules. There was hitting (a ton of it), scoring (mainly by the good guys), some great saves (by the other team, and our team too; Luongo holds onto his rebounds though), and just some great end to end action. What was it, there was something like almost 10 minutes of nonstop play until Mikko Koivu's eventual game winner in the 3rd period.
Oh what sweet revenge for Koivu, who skated by the Canuck bench letting out an enthusiastic "Woo" after he scored on just a wicked wrist shot. Mikko Mouse, plain and simple, was a man possessed. You could see from the outset of the game that he was bound and determined to dominate the game whenever he set foot on the ice; he hit people (he missed Mattias Ohlund but smoked Matt Cooke), he controlled the play when he had the puck, and he had one hell of a shorthanded scoring opportunity. He was in every scrum, and even locked horns with the Sedin Twins (who were held in check.)
Another great effort from James Sheppard and Todd Fedoruk, who each got an assist during the game.
Alex Burrows = Bitch made. That's all I gotta say, and I do think one of these days Pierre-Marc Bouchard is gonna drop the gloves with the pest.
What can you say really? They went on the road, got the two points against a very strong home team, and now sit atop the division, and are now in Calgary tonight against the flames, again with the top spot being at stake.
Should I mention the record in back-to-back games?
What a game; definitely worth staying up past your bedtime if you are still constrained by such rules. There was hitting (a ton of it), scoring (mainly by the good guys), some great saves (by the other team, and our team too; Luongo holds onto his rebounds though), and just some great end to end action. What was it, there was something like almost 10 minutes of nonstop play until Mikko Koivu's eventual game winner in the 3rd period.
Oh what sweet revenge for Koivu, who skated by the Canuck bench letting out an enthusiastic "Woo" after he scored on just a wicked wrist shot. Mikko Mouse, plain and simple, was a man possessed. You could see from the outset of the game that he was bound and determined to dominate the game whenever he set foot on the ice; he hit people (he missed Mattias Ohlund but smoked Matt Cooke), he controlled the play when he had the puck, and he had one hell of a shorthanded scoring opportunity. He was in every scrum, and even locked horns with the Sedin Twins (who were held in check.)
Another great effort from James Sheppard and Todd Fedoruk, who each got an assist during the game.
Alex Burrows = Bitch made. That's all I gotta say, and I do think one of these days Pierre-Marc Bouchard is gonna drop the gloves with the pest.
What can you say really? They went on the road, got the two points against a very strong home team, and now sit atop the division, and are now in Calgary tonight against the flames, again with the top spot being at stake.
Should I mention the record in back-to-back games?
Monday, January 21, 2008
Sour Grapes
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/hnic/coachscorner/2008/01/post.html
Listen to Don Cherry after they talk about Rick Nash...he comments how Brian Rolston was "head hunting" during the shootout with Calgary, after seeing Dion Phaneuf injure Nik Backstrom on his slapshot attempt.
Gimme a break Grapes...
Listen to Don Cherry after they talk about Rick Nash...he comments how Brian Rolston was "head hunting" during the shootout with Calgary, after seeing Dion Phaneuf injure Nik Backstrom on his slapshot attempt.
Gimme a break Grapes...
#47...Villiany
#47 was a matchup between our beloved Wild and those dastardly Anaheim Ducks; And if Friday Night's game was the Vintage NES Duck Hunt Game, Todd Bertuzzi, despised by all, would be the laughing dog considering the Wild missed badly.Bertuzzi, Corey Perry, and Ryan Getzlaf formed a line which single handedly killed Minnesota; that line accounted for 9 points on the night. Who needs Dustin Penner, right?
After Perry's slapshot brought Anaheim to a seemingly insurmountable lead, somehow within 14 seconds the Wild had managed to make it 3-2; Nick Schultz batted a Marian Gaborik lob pass out of mid-air for his first of the season, and then Mikko Koivu ripped a slapshot that squeezed through Duck Goalie Jonas Hillier...and that's all they got. Brian Rolston came close when he ripped a wrist shot that hit the corner of the post and crossbar with a minute or two in the 2nd, but replays showed it just hit the post. Bertuzzi effectively ended it when he scored midway through the third.
Its funny how one man can make a difference to a team; Scott Niedermayer, a future hall-of-famer, returns, and suddenly Anaheim is rolling, and also strengthens a blueline which many consider the best in the league; Neidermayer and Chris Pronger are in the top 5 (maybe 3) defensemen in the league, much less the world; Francois Beauchamin and Mathieu Schneider are no slouches themselves. Now there is talk that Teemu Selanne is skating and working out again in preparation of a return to the league (with Anaheim), and now the Ducks are back to being a legit presence in the West. And considering the amount of retooling GM Brian Burke has done since they won the Cup, it is certainly impressive.
While its always a positive, but also slightly concerning, I felt the two best players on the ice for the Wild were James Sheppard and Todd Fedoruk. There is a nice little write-up about Fedoruk in today's Star Tribune, and to be honest, Fridge has been one of the better acquisitions in the past few years. He can skate well for a big man, and now that he isn't set on going out and dropping the dukes with the league heavyweights (an endangered breeed these days), he can go out, grind it out, hit people, and chip in when he can. He has clearly enamored himself to Jacques Lemaire, which is always a good thing for a player.
After a rough stretch, Sheppard has played very strong the past few weeks, and Friday night was no exception. He was a bit more physical, made some nice plays with the puck, and just looks to be developing to the point where he can be counted on night in and night out as the 4th line pivot while getting the late game ice time.
I thought Derek Boogaard was pretty damn good, getting almost 10 minutes of ice time...
But now is the time more than ever to get what you can before the All-Star Break; three road games against divisional opponents.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Another breakfast bit...
So one of the top Draft-eligibles this year is a kid named Kyle Beach, who plays for the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League. Beach is your prototypical power forward; scores, hits, fights, plays a power game. That aspect of his game is making many scouts drool, which has some saying he's in the mold of Cam Neely. However, the main drawback is that he is reckless on the ice, taking alot of bad penalties, that he is a locker room cancer.
So here is the recap of the recent Everett-Spokane Chiefs (with Wild Prospect Justin Falk) game...now go to the "also see: Bad power play dooms Chiefs...." which is a video that opens up.
Beach gets knocked the fuck out while being a jerk at the end of the game.
http://kxly.com/Global/story.asp?S=7733720&nav=menu683_4_4
Gotta love the announcer...BAM!
Edit: Found the youtube, although I recommend the above link for comedic value.
So here is the recap of the recent Everett-Spokane Chiefs (with Wild Prospect Justin Falk) game...now go to the "also see: Bad power play dooms Chiefs...." which is a video that opens up.
Beach gets knocked the fuck out while being a jerk at the end of the game.
http://kxly.com/Global/story.asp?S=7733720&nav=menu683_4_4
Gotta love the announcer...BAM!
Edit: Found the youtube, although I recommend the above link for comedic value.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Huh?
Assistant GM Tom Lynn blogs about consistency here.
http://boards.wild.com/index.php?automodule=blog&blogid=2&showentry=152
http://boards.wild.com/index.php?automodule=blog&blogid=2&showentry=152
#46...Goddamn you Jarome Iginla.
I think the title truly says it all; not to sound insensitive or mean, but Jarome Iginla is such an asshole.
Because fucking A, he is a good fucking hockey player.
I would imagine that teams and fans and douchebag bloggers like myself feel the same way about Marian Gaborik; we, Wild Nation, see him every game so that in a sense we sort of take what he does for granted. We know him well, we know his smell.
We see Iginla 8 times a year (barring an epic clash in the playoffs), and its always "contain Iginla" or "control Iginla", and rightfully so; Iginla has like a million points against the Wild. He flat out is Wild Killer Numero Uno (number one for the spanish-impaired.)
But putting aside an obvious team bias, Jarome Iginla is fucking good. He's got it all; power, strength, speed, a heavy shot, playmaking ability, some dangle...He is down right entertaining to watch. So kudos to Nick Schultz and Mikko Koivu and the parties responsible for "containing Iginla."
Other than the Iginla-lovefest I got going on, tonight was one of those nights where I wasn't completely sold on any sort of Wild momentum. Am I glad that we got a point out of it, despite the game being a home game? Yeah. Is it disappointing to lose in a shootout? Yeah. Are we lucky as shit that the Brent Burns goal wasn't waved off and then the whistle blew early on the following shift negating a Calgary goal? Fuck Yeah.
You can't win em all; so at least getting a point is good in the New NHL, especially in the cutthroat Northwest Division where 1st and 4th are a difference of two points.
Because fucking A, he is a good fucking hockey player.
I would imagine that teams and fans and douchebag bloggers like myself feel the same way about Marian Gaborik; we, Wild Nation, see him every game so that in a sense we sort of take what he does for granted. We know him well, we know his smell.
We see Iginla 8 times a year (barring an epic clash in the playoffs), and its always "contain Iginla" or "control Iginla", and rightfully so; Iginla has like a million points against the Wild. He flat out is Wild Killer Numero Uno (number one for the spanish-impaired.)
But putting aside an obvious team bias, Jarome Iginla is fucking good. He's got it all; power, strength, speed, a heavy shot, playmaking ability, some dangle...He is down right entertaining to watch. So kudos to Nick Schultz and Mikko Koivu and the parties responsible for "containing Iginla."
Other than the Iginla-lovefest I got going on, tonight was one of those nights where I wasn't completely sold on any sort of Wild momentum. Am I glad that we got a point out of it, despite the game being a home game? Yeah. Is it disappointing to lose in a shootout? Yeah. Are we lucky as shit that the Brent Burns goal wasn't waved off and then the whistle blew early on the following shift negating a Calgary goal? Fuck Yeah.
You can't win em all; so at least getting a point is good in the New NHL, especially in the cutthroat Northwest Division where 1st and 4th are a difference of two points.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Monday, January 14, 2008
Bitter, are we?
http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/7662468
I think Al Strachan comes across as jaded, and from all accounts from those who are more familiar with his work, they consider him sort of a hack.
I can see why.
I think Al Strachan comes across as jaded, and from all accounts from those who are more familiar with his work, they consider him sort of a hack.
I can see why.
#45...Like riding a bike.
I guess the storyline that I could pull out of tonight's 4-1 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes (no longer perennial chumps, they are in playoff contention) was that it looks like Minnesota is starting to get their second half swerve on. Josh Harding was very good again in net, and I felt that Minnesota was in control from the get-go, despite not scoring until the second period; Josh Harding's save on Craig Weller about a minute only meant that things would swing the Wild way.
For me, I'd say that one could make the argument that the win in Detroit was one of those proverbial make-or-break moments a team encounters during any given season; The fact that Minnesota went toe-to-toe with Detroit (in Detroit), the undisputed Big Dog in the NHL, and came away with a victory amounts to a huge boost for the team's confidence. So you take that win, and then sprinkle in the return of a key player, who was arguably the your best until he got hurt, and another gutty win the next night against a very spry and Jonathan Toews-less Chicago team, and the snowball begins to get bigger.
Now with tonight, what I saw was the shaping up of consistent line combinations. Obviously it can be hard to build chemistry when there is a revolving door of cast members. Pavol Demitra has looked like he has come back to life centering Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Brian Rolston, and that goes for all three zones. Eric Belanger has been primarily with Marian Gaborik, with Aaron Voros and Mark Parrish seeing time as the second winger; Mikko Koivu is back as the shutdown center, with Stephane Veilleux and a rotating cast for the second wing, and finally out to muck it up is James Sheppard centering Matt Foy and Todd Fedoruk. Foy, who's been living on the chopping block, only has a 3 game scoring streak, and doesn't look like he's heading back to the press box anytime soon. Sheppard has either a 4 or 5 game point streak, and Todd Fedoruk has registered points in back-to-back games. Not a bad night for Fridge, he got an assist and was a +3 on the night.
Four solid lines, and (for now) a goalie who is reliable.
Just in time for a stretch where we meet Calgary (who is coming in very hot), Anaheim (always tough), and Vancouver (nuff said.)
For me, I'd say that one could make the argument that the win in Detroit was one of those proverbial make-or-break moments a team encounters during any given season; The fact that Minnesota went toe-to-toe with Detroit (in Detroit), the undisputed Big Dog in the NHL, and came away with a victory amounts to a huge boost for the team's confidence. So you take that win, and then sprinkle in the return of a key player, who was arguably the your best until he got hurt, and another gutty win the next night against a very spry and Jonathan Toews-less Chicago team, and the snowball begins to get bigger.
Now with tonight, what I saw was the shaping up of consistent line combinations. Obviously it can be hard to build chemistry when there is a revolving door of cast members. Pavol Demitra has looked like he has come back to life centering Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Brian Rolston, and that goes for all three zones. Eric Belanger has been primarily with Marian Gaborik, with Aaron Voros and Mark Parrish seeing time as the second winger; Mikko Koivu is back as the shutdown center, with Stephane Veilleux and a rotating cast for the second wing, and finally out to muck it up is James Sheppard centering Matt Foy and Todd Fedoruk. Foy, who's been living on the chopping block, only has a 3 game scoring streak, and doesn't look like he's heading back to the press box anytime soon. Sheppard has either a 4 or 5 game point streak, and Todd Fedoruk has registered points in back-to-back games. Not a bad night for Fridge, he got an assist and was a +3 on the night.
Four solid lines, and (for now) a goalie who is reliable.
Just in time for a stretch where we meet Calgary (who is coming in very hot), Anaheim (always tough), and Vancouver (nuff said.)
Sunday, January 13, 2008
#44...Jesus just left Chicago
Minnesota Wild 2007-08...Season of the Rope-A-Dope.
Again the squizzzad gives up a ton of shots, yet manages a win. Josh Harding was fantastic after his wonderful relief appearance in Detroit. Harding's performance of late is a welcome sight, considering what seems to be a goaltending-by-committee. It shows that the team can be very confident when someone steps in and delivers a very good relief spot, then essentially stonewall the opponent the next night.
Its funny how after the Mike Russo story about the Lemaire/Gaborik friction, Gaborik has been very, very good since then. He was actually backchecking, on top of the constant offensive threat he poses.
But, the story of the night, and what seemed like an early (or late?) Christmas present was the return of Mikko Koivu. The Big Finn was such a welcome sight to the denizens of Wild Nation, and a reason to almost lend an optimistic look toward the final half of the season. And so much for being weened in, I guess Lemaire had him on the ice for nearly 20 minutes. Coupled with a helper, it wasn't a bad night for Koivu.
In fact, it wasn't a bad night for all.
Again the squizzzad gives up a ton of shots, yet manages a win. Josh Harding was fantastic after his wonderful relief appearance in Detroit. Harding's performance of late is a welcome sight, considering what seems to be a goaltending-by-committee. It shows that the team can be very confident when someone steps in and delivers a very good relief spot, then essentially stonewall the opponent the next night.
Its funny how after the Mike Russo story about the Lemaire/Gaborik friction, Gaborik has been very, very good since then. He was actually backchecking, on top of the constant offensive threat he poses.
But, the story of the night, and what seemed like an early (or late?) Christmas present was the return of Mikko Koivu. The Big Finn was such a welcome sight to the denizens of Wild Nation, and a reason to almost lend an optimistic look toward the final half of the season. And so much for being weened in, I guess Lemaire had him on the ice for nearly 20 minutes. Coupled with a helper, it wasn't a bad night for Koivu.
In fact, it wasn't a bad night for all.
Friday, January 11, 2008
#43...The Devil Went to Cabela's
...despite Nik Backstrom's effort to let in soft goals, the Minnesota Wild beat the Detroit Red Wings. In Detroit.
The Wild beat the Red Wings in Detroit.
Marinate on that. That statement itself borders on the absurd, considering the 9-1 total tally in favor of the spoked wheel over the course of the previous two meetings.
At one point The Wild had gone out to a 4-2 lead, on goals by Martin Skoula, Todd Fedoruk, Matt Foy, and Marian Gaborik, and looked to be in control.
Detroit's second goal by Valteri Filipula could be considered soft in the sense that Filipula essentially skated his way down from the top of the circles to the goal mouth and had plenty of room between the post and Backstrom, who had already butterflied. Upon a further review, Perennial Pain In The Ass Tomas Holmstrom had interfered with Perennial Powderpuff Kurtis Foster, shoving him backwards into Backstrom, and eliminating any line of sight to the puck. Let's continue on the soft-goal odyssey shall we?
Dallas Drake's shorthanded tally was essentially a dump in from just inside the blueline that went over Backstrom's shoulder. Painfully soft.
Niklas Kronwall's goal was a product of a pinch and a poke attempt at the puck that just kind of fluttered by Backstrom and into the net, tying the game at 4 and dashing any good feelings Wild Nation may have accumulated up until this point.
Well, thankfully for us, Josh Harding stood on his head, stopping 26 of 27 shots in the period and a half he played. He also stopped two of the three shootout attempts also.
Things got awfully hairy when Dan Cleary scored from his stomach late in the third period, which would have been one of those obscenity-causing meltdowns for many (including myself), but much to my (and many) surprise, instead of crawling in a hole and playing finesse and perimeter hockey for the remaining minute, Minnesota actually took it to the Wings; forcing the puck down in the zone, which culminated in Eric Belanger's tying goal: a grab the puck in mid-air but not close your hand on it and force to close to the ice so I can shoot it motion that beat Chris Osgood. You can find the shot at the game recap on NHL.com.
-The Wild got scoring from some unlikely sources; Martin Skoula, Todd Fedoruk, and Matt Foy, who was given a reprieve when Dom Moore was put on waivers. Foy responds with another multi-point game, but everytime he does that, he is a healthy scratch the following game. Kudos go to Moore, for playing well even though he was told he was put on waivers; but to add insult to injury, he took a puck in the face at one point. Ouch.
-The Wild play Chicago, and despite their record in back-to-back games, it'll be worth noting to see if they suffer some sort of letdown coming off a big victory in Detroit.
-Tonight is the return of Mikko Koivu. We shall rejoice.
The Wild beat the Red Wings in Detroit.
Marinate on that. That statement itself borders on the absurd, considering the 9-1 total tally in favor of the spoked wheel over the course of the previous two meetings.
At one point The Wild had gone out to a 4-2 lead, on goals by Martin Skoula, Todd Fedoruk, Matt Foy, and Marian Gaborik, and looked to be in control.
Detroit's second goal by Valteri Filipula could be considered soft in the sense that Filipula essentially skated his way down from the top of the circles to the goal mouth and had plenty of room between the post and Backstrom, who had already butterflied. Upon a further review, Perennial Pain In The Ass Tomas Holmstrom had interfered with Perennial Powderpuff Kurtis Foster, shoving him backwards into Backstrom, and eliminating any line of sight to the puck. Let's continue on the soft-goal odyssey shall we?
Dallas Drake's shorthanded tally was essentially a dump in from just inside the blueline that went over Backstrom's shoulder. Painfully soft.
Niklas Kronwall's goal was a product of a pinch and a poke attempt at the puck that just kind of fluttered by Backstrom and into the net, tying the game at 4 and dashing any good feelings Wild Nation may have accumulated up until this point.
Well, thankfully for us, Josh Harding stood on his head, stopping 26 of 27 shots in the period and a half he played. He also stopped two of the three shootout attempts also.
Things got awfully hairy when Dan Cleary scored from his stomach late in the third period, which would have been one of those obscenity-causing meltdowns for many (including myself), but much to my (and many) surprise, instead of crawling in a hole and playing finesse and perimeter hockey for the remaining minute, Minnesota actually took it to the Wings; forcing the puck down in the zone, which culminated in Eric Belanger's tying goal: a grab the puck in mid-air but not close your hand on it and force to close to the ice so I can shoot it motion that beat Chris Osgood. You can find the shot at the game recap on NHL.com.
-The Wild got scoring from some unlikely sources; Martin Skoula, Todd Fedoruk, and Matt Foy, who was given a reprieve when Dom Moore was put on waivers. Foy responds with another multi-point game, but everytime he does that, he is a healthy scratch the following game. Kudos go to Moore, for playing well even though he was told he was put on waivers; but to add insult to injury, he took a puck in the face at one point. Ouch.
-The Wild play Chicago, and despite their record in back-to-back games, it'll be worth noting to see if they suffer some sort of letdown coming off a big victory in Detroit.
-Tonight is the return of Mikko Koivu. We shall rejoice.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
BREAKING NEWS
http://nc.startribune.com/blogs/wildblog/?p=404
In order to make room for Mikko Koivu's imminent return (which is tomorrow, although he was ready to go tonight), Dom Moore was placed on waivers. Lemaire is adamant (for now) about Demitra staying at center, and I guess that means Moore is the odd man out.
Matt Foy is breathing easy somewhere.
In order to make room for Mikko Koivu's imminent return (which is tomorrow, although he was ready to go tonight), Dom Moore was placed on waivers. Lemaire is adamant (for now) about Demitra staying at center, and I guess that means Moore is the odd man out.
Matt Foy is breathing easy somewhere.
Keep the Calder
According to Wikipedia...James Sheppard happens to be going steady with this lass.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Sheppard
http://www.campusgirlsusa.com/girl.php?pos=62&p=1
Give Shepp the pimp of the year.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Sheppard
http://www.campusgirlsusa.com/girl.php?pos=62&p=1
Give Shepp the pimp of the year.
Western Conference Reserves named; Gaborik goes
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3190411
Congrats go to Marian Gaborik, who will be making his second trip to the all-star game. He is the Wild's lone representative, with 21 goals and 40 points in 37 games.
Gaborik will also be overjoyed to know that for at least one game he won't have to work hard for all three periods.
Congrats go to Marian Gaborik, who will be making his second trip to the all-star game. He is the Wild's lone representative, with 21 goals and 40 points in 37 games.
Gaborik will also be overjoyed to know that for at least one game he won't have to work hard for all three periods.
Welcome to the Bigs, kid
Matt Niskanen, Virginia native, former UMD Bulldog, and budding Wild killer, recently had his 21st birthday; to which Marty Turco celebrated in style. Niskanen, who felt no need to upgrade from his Pontiac Sunfire off his entry-level contract, was treated to a "pimped out" upgrade by Turco.
Turco, the mastermind behind the scheme, said Niskanen was required to drive the "new" ride around for at least a week...that's great stuff.
Turco, the mastermind behind the scheme, said Niskanen was required to drive the "new" ride around for at least a week...that's great stuff.
In under the radar
Apparently the Wild are having a major press conference today at 12:30, and both KFAN and KSTP have reported that the Wild are being sold.
here is the kstp link:
http://kstp.com/article/stories/S308983.shtml?cat=1
and Mike Russo's recently added story:
http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/13677817.html
If it is Craig Leipold, that's a good thing. Leipold, of Racine, WI (not that we should hold that against him), is well-respected in NHL circles, and is a die-hard hockey fan. Rumors have been swirling for a while that Bob Naegele is looking to get out, and I guess it comes to a head today.
here is the kstp link:
http://kstp.com/article/stories/S308983.shtml?cat=1
and Mike Russo's recently added story:
http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/13677817.html
If it is Craig Leipold, that's a good thing. Leipold, of Racine, WI (not that we should hold that against him), is well-respected in NHL circles, and is a die-hard hockey fan. Rumors have been swirling for a while that Bob Naegele is looking to get out, and I guess it comes to a head today.
"The Guided Missile"
good to see Aaron Voros getting some credit from folks outside of the Wild Nation...
http://slapshot.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/09/the-slap-shot-half-season-awards/
http://slapshot.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/09/the-slap-shot-half-season-awards/
But can they overcome the awful production values from last year?
http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/duthie/?id=226864
Its not a bad idea, but then a again there is a thin line between the unique and the absurd.
Its not a bad idea, but then a again there is a thin line between the unique and the absurd.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Fun with Audio
...for the cubicle-bound, plug in your headphones.
From KFAN:
Mike Russo on Chad Hartman:
http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/18227/podcast/MINNEAPOLIS-MN/KFAN-AM/HARTMAN010808_Russo.mp3?CPROG=PCAST&MARKET=MINNEAPOLIS-MN&NG_FORMAT=sports&SITE_ID=612&STATION_ID=KFAN-AM&PCAST_AUTHOR=KFAN_AM_1130&PCAST_CAT=Sports_Radio&PCAST_TITLE=Chad_Hartman_-_KFAN_AM_1130
Kevin Gorg on PA and Dubay:
http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/18227/podcast/MINNEAPOLIS-MN/KFAN-AM/PADUBAY0108_kevingorg.mp3?CPROG=PCAST&MARKET=MINNEAPOLIS-MN&NG_FORMAT=sports&SITE_ID=612&STATION_ID=KFAN-AM&PCAST_AUTHOR=KFAN_AM_1130&PCAST_CAT=Sports_Radio&PCAST_TITLE=PA_%26_Dubay_-_KFAN_AM_1130
Mike Greenlay on Sludge and Lake:
http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/18227/podcast/MINNEAPOLIS-MN/KFAN-AM/SL010808_MikeGreenlay.mp3?CPROG=PCAST&MARKET=MINNEAPOLIS-MN&NG_FORMAT=sports&SITE_ID=612&STATION_ID=KFAN-AM&PCAST_AUTHOR=KFAN_AM_1130&PCAST_CAT=Sports_Radio&PCAST_TITLE=Sludge_%26_Lake_-_KFAN_AM_1130
Dan Barreiro on The Lemaire/Gaborik brouhaha:
http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/18227/podcast/MINNEAPOLIS-MN/KFAN-AM/BAR010808_open.mp3?CPROG=PCAST&MARKET=MINNEAPOLIS-MN&NG_FORMAT=sports&SITE_ID=612&STATION_ID=KFAN-AM&PCAST_AUTHOR=KFAN_AM_1130&PCAST_CAT=Sports_Radio&PCAST_TITLE=Dan_Barreiro_-_KFAN_AM_1130
From KFAN:
Mike Russo on Chad Hartman:
http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/18227/podcast/MINNEAPOLIS-MN/KFAN-AM/HARTMAN010808_Russo.mp3?CPROG=PCAST&MARKET=MINNEAPOLIS-MN&NG_FORMAT=sports&SITE_ID=612&STATION_ID=KFAN-AM&PCAST_AUTHOR=KFAN_AM_1130&PCAST_CAT=Sports_Radio&PCAST_TITLE=Chad_Hartman_-_KFAN_AM_1130
Kevin Gorg on PA and Dubay:
http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/18227/podcast/MINNEAPOLIS-MN/KFAN-AM/PADUBAY0108_kevingorg.mp3?CPROG=PCAST&MARKET=MINNEAPOLIS-MN&NG_FORMAT=sports&SITE_ID=612&STATION_ID=KFAN-AM&PCAST_AUTHOR=KFAN_AM_1130&PCAST_CAT=Sports_Radio&PCAST_TITLE=PA_%26_Dubay_-_KFAN_AM_1130
Mike Greenlay on Sludge and Lake:
http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/18227/podcast/MINNEAPOLIS-MN/KFAN-AM/SL010808_MikeGreenlay.mp3?CPROG=PCAST&MARKET=MINNEAPOLIS-MN&NG_FORMAT=sports&SITE_ID=612&STATION_ID=KFAN-AM&PCAST_AUTHOR=KFAN_AM_1130&PCAST_CAT=Sports_Radio&PCAST_TITLE=Sludge_%26_Lake_-_KFAN_AM_1130
Dan Barreiro on The Lemaire/Gaborik brouhaha:
http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/18227/podcast/MINNEAPOLIS-MN/KFAN-AM/BAR010808_open.mp3?CPROG=PCAST&MARKET=MINNEAPOLIS-MN&NG_FORMAT=sports&SITE_ID=612&STATION_ID=KFAN-AM&PCAST_AUTHOR=KFAN_AM_1130&PCAST_CAT=Sports_Radio&PCAST_TITLE=Dan_Barreiro_-_KFAN_AM_1130
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
At the midterm...
Your Minnesota Wild....get a big fuckin C.
The Forwards:
Marian Gaborik...B...ya he had a 5 goal game, has only missed 5 games, and leads the team in points. BUT has been terribly inconsistent period to period, causing Lemaire to dwindle his ice time, and increase tension between coach and star.
Pavol Demitra...C-...utterly disappointing. When he's not injured, he isn't playing that great. At least he's showing some life centering (which he hates in Lemaire's system) Rolston and PMB.
Mikko Koivu...A...The best player in a Wild sweater until he was chopped down. How bad do the Wild need him back? Pretty damn bad; Koivu stabilizes any line he centers and plays in every role imaginable.
Brian Rolston...B-/C+...where Rolston goes, the Wild go...and Rolston has been pretty mediocre so far. Not what you want from a "team leader."
Pierre-Marc Bouchard...B-...He's been hot lately; which unfortunately is a precursor to a period where he can't be found with a microscope.
Eric Belanger...A...Finally, a bright spot. Having a career year, and has taken the mantle of fiery leader from Wes Walz. A very underrated off-season pickup.
Mark Parrish...B...A top 6 guy sometimes relegated to energy line duty; to his credit, Parrish is a team guy through and through. No matter where he plays (even strength, regular PP and now PK time), he's still good for at least 20 goals a year.
James Sheppard...B-...the pup of the squad, the 19 year old has played solidly; occasional stretches where he is overwhelmed, but times where you see flashes of what the kid can do. Has earned more ice time than what was expected, but he is a rookie after all.
Aaron Voros...A+...No one could have expected what Voros has done; 13 points in 23 games, hits every thing, fights, and plays like every game is his first and last. Lemaire even dispatches him with the top line.
Stephane Veilleux...B-/C+...Was playing great until he took a puck in the face a month ago, and hasn't reached that level since. Still, an energy guy who will hit, and fight, and kill penalties, and occasionally chip in an odd goal.
Dominic Moore...B-...Lost his job due to injury, but has come back into Lemaire's good graces, forming a seemingly effective shutdown line with Veilleux and Radivojevic.
Branko Radivojevic...C+...Was ok until his name was brought up as possible chopping block candidate, and has played very well since then.
Todd Fedoruk...C...Brought in to scare everyone on the roster, but is a decent player in his own right. I've been impressed with him despite being snakebit scoring wise, but will still fight. (everyone holds their breath)
Matt Foy...C...I don't get it with Foy, he must just rub Lemaire the wrong way; twice he's been scratched following multipoint games. Truly only a matter of time til he's on waivers.
Derek Boogaard...D...he hasn't played in god knows how long due to a balky back, and with the emergence of Voros and with Fridge on the roster, it may be a matter of time before the big man is in a different sweater.
The D:
Brent Burns...A-...Plain and simple the kid is a stud, and he's only gonna get better. He is still developing, but for every mistake he makes he will make 2-3 plays that make you say wow.
Nick Schultz...A...one of the most unheralded defensemen in the league, just got rewarded with the January captaincy. If he isn't locked up with a deal, he is gonna be a hot commodity come Free Agency. A guy you throw out against the top line night after night, and his offensive instincts are shaping up.
Kimmy Johnsson...B...not quite worth the price tag, but this year Johnsson is showing what he was brought in to do; use his skating and first pass to move the puck, and has become more involved offensively. He could still stand to shoot more.
Martin Skoula...C-...when he plays great, he's invisible. But when he's visible, its something terribly bad. Somehow he remains in Lemaire's good graces.
Keith Carney...C...I don't get how Carney, with all of his experience, continues to sit in the press box over guys like Skoula and Nummelin. Its a crying shame.
Petteri Nummelin...D...was hurt for a spell, but the bottom line is that he doesn't add enough offense to warrant overlooking his shoddy defense.
Kurtis Foster...C-...Hurt again by a puck to the face, but the big shooter can't seem to find the lineup. Actually showed a physical edge this year, but I guess it was for just one game.
Sean Hill...C...his rugged play is nice to see from someone in a Wild sweater, but will leave the play just to hit someone...which isn't that bad, but it is when it results in a goal.
The Goalies:
Nik Backstrom...C+...a shell of what he was last year; he'll play well for a stretch, and then tank uncharacteristically. At times looks and plays nothing like last year. Doesn't bode well for a team who is into giving up a ton of shots this year.
Josh Harding...C...he is still a rookie, but after starting very strong, has gone through a stretch where he looked overmatched. Wild Nation got spoiled off what we saw of him coming into this year.
The bottom line: this team continues to do well against lesser competition, but absolutely fails to show up against the elite in the West. The return of Koivu should provide a spark, but one man isn't going to be able to do it all.
The Forwards:
Marian Gaborik...B...ya he had a 5 goal game, has only missed 5 games, and leads the team in points. BUT has been terribly inconsistent period to period, causing Lemaire to dwindle his ice time, and increase tension between coach and star.
Pavol Demitra...C-...utterly disappointing. When he's not injured, he isn't playing that great. At least he's showing some life centering (which he hates in Lemaire's system) Rolston and PMB.
Mikko Koivu...A...The best player in a Wild sweater until he was chopped down. How bad do the Wild need him back? Pretty damn bad; Koivu stabilizes any line he centers and plays in every role imaginable.
Brian Rolston...B-/C+...where Rolston goes, the Wild go...and Rolston has been pretty mediocre so far. Not what you want from a "team leader."
Pierre-Marc Bouchard...B-...He's been hot lately; which unfortunately is a precursor to a period where he can't be found with a microscope.
Eric Belanger...A...Finally, a bright spot. Having a career year, and has taken the mantle of fiery leader from Wes Walz. A very underrated off-season pickup.
Mark Parrish...B...A top 6 guy sometimes relegated to energy line duty; to his credit, Parrish is a team guy through and through. No matter where he plays (even strength, regular PP and now PK time), he's still good for at least 20 goals a year.
James Sheppard...B-...the pup of the squad, the 19 year old has played solidly; occasional stretches where he is overwhelmed, but times where you see flashes of what the kid can do. Has earned more ice time than what was expected, but he is a rookie after all.
Aaron Voros...A+...No one could have expected what Voros has done; 13 points in 23 games, hits every thing, fights, and plays like every game is his first and last. Lemaire even dispatches him with the top line.
Stephane Veilleux...B-/C+...Was playing great until he took a puck in the face a month ago, and hasn't reached that level since. Still, an energy guy who will hit, and fight, and kill penalties, and occasionally chip in an odd goal.
Dominic Moore...B-...Lost his job due to injury, but has come back into Lemaire's good graces, forming a seemingly effective shutdown line with Veilleux and Radivojevic.
Branko Radivojevic...C+...Was ok until his name was brought up as possible chopping block candidate, and has played very well since then.
Todd Fedoruk...C...Brought in to scare everyone on the roster, but is a decent player in his own right. I've been impressed with him despite being snakebit scoring wise, but will still fight. (everyone holds their breath)
Matt Foy...C...I don't get it with Foy, he must just rub Lemaire the wrong way; twice he's been scratched following multipoint games. Truly only a matter of time til he's on waivers.
Derek Boogaard...D...he hasn't played in god knows how long due to a balky back, and with the emergence of Voros and with Fridge on the roster, it may be a matter of time before the big man is in a different sweater.
The D:
Brent Burns...A-...Plain and simple the kid is a stud, and he's only gonna get better. He is still developing, but for every mistake he makes he will make 2-3 plays that make you say wow.
Nick Schultz...A...one of the most unheralded defensemen in the league, just got rewarded with the January captaincy. If he isn't locked up with a deal, he is gonna be a hot commodity come Free Agency. A guy you throw out against the top line night after night, and his offensive instincts are shaping up.
Kimmy Johnsson...B...not quite worth the price tag, but this year Johnsson is showing what he was brought in to do; use his skating and first pass to move the puck, and has become more involved offensively. He could still stand to shoot more.
Martin Skoula...C-...when he plays great, he's invisible. But when he's visible, its something terribly bad. Somehow he remains in Lemaire's good graces.
Keith Carney...C...I don't get how Carney, with all of his experience, continues to sit in the press box over guys like Skoula and Nummelin. Its a crying shame.
Petteri Nummelin...D...was hurt for a spell, but the bottom line is that he doesn't add enough offense to warrant overlooking his shoddy defense.
Kurtis Foster...C-...Hurt again by a puck to the face, but the big shooter can't seem to find the lineup. Actually showed a physical edge this year, but I guess it was for just one game.
Sean Hill...C...his rugged play is nice to see from someone in a Wild sweater, but will leave the play just to hit someone...which isn't that bad, but it is when it results in a goal.
The Goalies:
Nik Backstrom...C+...a shell of what he was last year; he'll play well for a stretch, and then tank uncharacteristically. At times looks and plays nothing like last year. Doesn't bode well for a team who is into giving up a ton of shots this year.
Josh Harding...C...he is still a rookie, but after starting very strong, has gone through a stretch where he looked overmatched. Wild Nation got spoiled off what we saw of him coming into this year.
The bottom line: this team continues to do well against lesser competition, but absolutely fails to show up against the elite in the West. The return of Koivu should provide a spark, but one man isn't going to be able to do it all.
#40-42...A broken record.
While I wasn't able to catch the Dallas game here in Minnesota, nor the Nashville game, I did sit and watch the game last night against the Stars. I guess a Billy Preston song comes to mind, "Will it go around in circles?"
I mean, the trend (which looks like it its irreversible) is that the Wild play great against the lesser clubs, and fall flat on their collective face against the elite; but following a stirring comeback against Edmonton, and a strong effort against San Jose (we got Skoula'd!), and then a six-goal outburst against a Dallas team who had thrown up an eight-spot on us a week or so earlier, things were looking good right?
From all accounts of the game against th
I mean, the trend (which looks like it its irreversible) is that the Wild play great against the lesser clubs, and fall flat on their collective face against the elite; but following a stirring comeback against Edmonton, and a strong effort against San Jose (we got Skoula'd!), and then a six-goal outburst against a Dallas team who had thrown up an eight-spot on us a week or so earlier, things were looking good right?
From all accounts of the game against th