Something's Gotta Give

Wasn't that the title of some bad Jack Nicholson movie? Anyhoo, that's the title of today's post because the Wild play a critical game in southern Alberta tonight against the Flamers. Despite Calgary's best efforts to bring in some new faces, their team has yet to win consistently. Miikka's been pretty good this year (albeit far from prior Vezina form) and they've been dreadful on the road. Having said that, however, tonight they play at home where they have been outstandingly good and will surely be up for the game.

I hope #24 is in the lineup for the Wild tonight, bringing a physical presence to the ice. I also am eager to see Adam "Do it all" Hall continue to assert himself and can't wait to see how Dommy Moore looks in the road whites.

The game is on national TV in Canada tonight so it will be especially nice to thump the Flames in front of millions of canucks. I plan on making some french toast with a side of back bacon, eh. Prediction: Wild 5 (Gaborik 4, Moore 1), Flames 2 (Vail, Clement).

The Rise of Martin Skoula

As maligned as he was earlier this season, I think the time has come to say that Martin Skoula has turned his season around. He has become Lemaire's favorite defenseman, averaging over 20 minutes a game and currently sits with a plus 2 rating. For perspective, Petteri Nummelin is a minus 17. Skoula is finally playing with some confidence; he's a guy who can lead the breakout, play solid defense in front of the net and excels on the PK.

Now please don't get me wrong here. Martin is still prone to the occasional bad turnover and so forth. All I'm saying is that he no longer sucks as much as he used to. He has become an above-average defender that doesn't make bad mistakes very often. Not exactly high praise.

If I had to rank the Wild defense corps, I'd put them in this order: (1) Skoula (2) Kim Johnsson (3) Brent Burns (4) Nick Schultz (5) Keith Carney (6) Kurtis Foster and (7) Nummelin. Foster and Nummelin excel in the offensive end, but their play in front of the Wild net has been less than super. Johnsson's getting better, but he is clearly not the $4.0m offensive defenseman they hoped he was.

With the playoffs approaching, take a guess who the only member of this group that has their name etched on the cup? Number 41 -- his name is on the bottom row.

Super Storm 2007

The weather people here are all tingling with excitement over this weekend's impending Superstorm 2007, which will arrive in two waves. Friday night and Saturday night. They're all quick to point out that "depending on the track of the storm" we may get anywhere from 5 to 18 inches by Sunday night. This is Minnesota, people, don't get soooo excited. If it snows, we'll shovel, simple as that. So, if you don't here from me for a while it's because the WPB World Headquarters have collapsed from the weight of all that snow.

On a side note, is anyone else really, really excited to watch the Sabres-Sens game tomorrow night?

Avalanche Dead

I think I may have an ulcer after that game. Oh well, the important part is that the Wild took 2 points in Denver tonight and put Colorado further back in the mirror. Backstrom very solid once again; it certainly will be interesting when Manny gets back. Koivu with a HUGE ASS GOAL near the end. Too excited for complete thoughts. Must end post and go to bed.

Playoff Wishes

I hate to put this to print because there are still several games remaining, but for all practical purposes the Wild are in the playoffs. Barring a substantial collapse, the team will qualify for the playoffs and finish in one of three slots: 3rd (by winning the NW division), 7th or 8th. Looking at the rest of the teams from the Western Conference, I have come up with my list of the teams I'd like to face in the first round:

1. Anaheim -- I wouldn't have any problem with playing the Ducks in the first round. They're playing poorly now (and have been for a long time) and it would give us a chance to settle the score from 2003. Knocking Pronger out would be worth the price of admission.

2. San Jose -- This is another team that started the year out red-hot, but has cooled. I'd feel confident playing them also.

3. Nashville -- You know what, I wouldn't be too upset if we drew the Preds in the first round. The Wild seem to play them well and I think they're prime for a first round collapse. Plus I'd really like to see them get jack-frickin-squat from the Forsberg trade.

Those are the 3 teams I'd want to face. The other teams scare me for a variety of reasons, the biggest of which is goaltending. I wouldn't want to face Luongo, Kipprosoff or Hasek in the playoffs. What about Dallas you ask? I wouldn't want to play them for selfish reasons...they are no fun to watch and play the most boring style of game in the conference.

Rocket Science

Last night the NHL had the perfect opportunity to present its product to the sport-watching world. The NFL season is over, MLB has yet to start spring training and the NBA had an off night after the All Star Game. Plus, it was Versus's exclusive hockey night...what a great chance to showcase the new NHL. So, what do they do? They schedule a game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Boston Bruins, 2 teams vying for Top 5 picks in the NHL draft. What a dreadful matchup.

And to top it off, they're following it up tonight with another HD Versus game with the Flyers. America can't get enough of this team apparently.

Crazy Rumor of the Day

Word has it there were Montreal scouts in attendance last night in St. Louis and that they were looking at Backstrom. With that in mind, here's my WPB "Crazy Rumor of the Day:"

Niklas Backstrom & Pierre-Marc Bouchard for Saku Koivu & Sheldon Souray

From the Wild's perspective I probably wouldn't pull the trigger. PMB's only 22 and has huge upside, while Saku's in his 30's and Souray is an unrestricted free agent after the season. It would be tempting, though, especially if they'd take Benoit Pouliot instead of Bouchard.

Peter the Ordinary

As I watched last night's 4-1 dismanteling of Nashville I had to wonder if Peter Forsberg was having a case of deja vu. Surely he must of thought back to the 2003 playoffs when he was rendered meaningless by Wes Walz and the Wild beat the Avs in 7. Forsberg was shadowed by No. 37 last night and barely got a shot on goal. So, I say this to you experts who have mentioned Nashville and the Cup in the same sentence hundred of times this past week: NOT SO FAST.

XM Gripes

For the last few weeks I've been listening to a cheap XM radio I bought for my aging Accord and I've listened to nothing but hockey talk during both commutes. In connection with that I have the following gripes:

1. I think I've heard the following statement about 1000 times: "No one wants to play ________ in the playoffs. No one." I've literally heard this about Minnesota, Calgary, Vancouver, Nashville, Anaheim and San Jose in the West alone. Get another take.

2. I've also heard Denis Potvin give his daily breakdown of the exciting Flordia Panthers every single frickin' morning. I realize Potvin is an analyst for the team, and he is quite entertaining, but it'd be nice if he just didn't talk about the Panthers so much. I don't care that much about Gary Roberts.

3. The correct pronunciation is "about" not "aboowt".

4. I don't understand why they give soooo much time on the Boomer Gordon show to those doofuses from hockeybuzz.com. I listened to some goofball from Nashville spout cliche after cliche for 20 minutes straight yesterday and don't get me started on Ecklund.

5. This one isn't a gripe, it's actually something I enjoy. Listening to Phil Esposito talk about drinking and having fun with various ladies on the road is good radio. Gotta love Phil.

Now don't get me wrong here, I'm very happy that I've got the opportunity to listen to hockey talk around the clock, but these things were driving me a little batty. I feel better now.

Coaching Greatness

I just started reading Ken Dryden's book "The Game" and I'm enjoying it quite a bit. Widely regarded as the best hockey book ever written, it contains a very good perspective on the great Montreal teams of the past and an insider's view of their coach, Scotty Bowman. Dryden's contention was that Bowman was a great coach because he didn't have a "system." He molded his systems to the types of players he had; if he had a team made up of mainly offensive skaters he'd play a more wide open style of hockey, and if he had a bunch of big, meatly players he'd play more physical. Adaptation according to the talent.

This got me thinking a bit aboot Lemaire. Lemaire, stubborn as he is, sticks to his system, sometimes to a fault. A friend of mine I'll call "Hat Trick" pointed out to me that it will be interesting to see what happens to Dupuis with the Rangers. Will he continue to be the PK specialist and play on the checking line or will he develop into the scorer that he showed in his early years? It was clear that Lemaire molded Dupuis into a tight-checking defensive forward and that Dupuis wasn't happy with that role. Time will tell.

Now, I'm not saying that Lemaire needs to abandon his trapping system completely, I'm just saying he should adapt it a bit for the team he's got now. Gaborik, Demitra and Parrish are offensive stars and he should adapt his style for theirs.

Champs in Town

Tonight we get a look at the defending Cup champs, the Carolina Hurricanes. Like the Wild, the Hurricanes are fighting for their playoff lives and are currently slotted into the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. Although Thunder Bay native Eric Staal isn't having the year he had last year, this is still a very dangerous team. I'm looking forward to this game for 3 reasons: (1) it'll be nice to see Kurtis Foster and his slapper back on the ice for the power play, (2) I'd like to get a look at newly-acquired gritster Adam Hall and (3) see if Mike Commodore has gotten a haircut. Man, he had some crazy hair going last year in the finals.

Bye Bye Pascal

While it wasn't the major move I was looking for, I'm all on board here. Today the Wild send Pascal Dupuis to the Rangers for Adam Hall. I'll be the first to admit I don't know much about Hall, but reports indicate he has potential to be a pretty good power forward and has some grit.

A few entries back I posted the need for grit on the team, and it looks like assistant GM Tom Lynn was listening. Here is Tom's take on the trade:

"Because the element of grit is not widely available in the trade market, we feel we are getting a player that brings more of that physical element while New York is getting more of a penalty killer. Having that toughness is definitely needed in a playoff push."

I'll miss Dupuis, though. He's been here since the beginning and has been a terrific defensive player for the team. Early on he was thought to be the 2nd scorer behind Marian Gaborik, but that never quite happened.

Look Who's Got a Point Now

1st Period
NONE

2nd Period
02:09 MARK PARRISH, Snap Shot - Assists: MARTIN SKOULA and BRANKO RADIVOJEVIC
14:19 TODD WHITE, Snap Shot - Assists: DEREK BOOGAARD and BRANKO RADIVOJEVIC

3rd Period
06:35 PPG - PAVOL DEMITRA, Slap Shot - Assists: BRENT BURNS and PETTERI NUMMELIN
09:05 MARTIN GELINAS, Tip-In - Assists: NATHAN HORTON and STEPHEN WEISS
11:28 NATHAN HORTON, Wrist Shot - Assists: STEPHEN WEISS
13:47 PPG - BRENT BURNS, Slap Shot - Assists: TODD WHITE and BRANKO RADIVOJEVIC

Wish List

All I hear lately on talk radio and all I read on hockey rumor blogs concern the question "Is my team a buyer or a seller?" "Where will Foppa go?" and "The Rangers need a 3rd line faceoff specialist." The trading deadline is aboot 3 weeks away and I'm already tired of the endless speculation about who the Wings will acquire next.

It's pretty much a given that those zany Alberta teams will make a significant deal or two and it even sounds like the Canucks may enter the trading fray. I ask this: why aren't the Wild more involved? We're a borderline playoff team in need of some grit. Grit, pure unadulterated grit. Where can we find some? Forsberg -- too expensive. Guerin -- nice player, but no thanks. I think the answer lies in St. Louis in the form of Keith Tkachuk. Although I've had some problems with his flying elbows over the years, no one can say he isn't gritty. He can go into the corner and emerge with the puck. He'll mix it up and that's exactly what we need...a player with passion, and I won't even mind if it comes with some flying elbows.

Game Preview: Wild at Stars

I don't do a bunch of these game previews because I don't normally read them myself, but because tonight's contest is nationally televised (7:00pm on Versus HD) I thought I'd give it a shot.

The pressure tonight will be squarely on one Niklas Backstrom, who is expected to get his 3rd straight start in goal, a first for the "rookie" goaltender. Coming off his most impressive victory, a 1-0 shutout of Phoenix, Backstrom needs to hold the Stars to a goal or two tonight because I can't see the Wild scoring more than 3 against this stout defensive team. 52 year old Sergei Zubov anchors the defense for the Stars and Marty Turco has been his reliable self during the regular season. I'm not sure if weasel-boy Mike Modano is back from injury yet.

Quick prediction: Minnesota 2 (Bouchard, Gaborik), Dallas 1 (Giles).

A Memo to Vancouver and Calgary

Wish I Was There

6:30 AM practice this morning for our mites team and only 4 of the 9 kids showed up. We skated indoors, but it was still wicked cold.

The Wild play in sunny Phoenix tonight while the temperature here will not go above 0 degrees F until sometime on Tuesday. Regarding tonight's game against the Coyotes, I'm hoping for a LaRaque-Boogaard rematch. Hopefully Derek won't be a healthy scratch.

A Blog Aboot Hockey

Great win for the team last night in Denver. Marian played like a Top 5 player in the league, Backstrom was solid and they put some distance between themselves and the Avalanche. Losing Manny won't be a huge loss for this team; Backstrom is Mr. Consistent, albelit not spectacular, and won't let many softies in. We're comin, and we're headed for the No. 3 seed when all is said and done.

If you haven't done so already, I heartily recommend checking out Star Tribune writer Michael Russo's blog. Russo's a true hockey expert who covers the team for the paper and his blog has been great so far, with plenty of tidbits about the team that you wouldn't know. He also shares his knowledge of the Florida Panthers, the team he covered for a decade before moving north.

Two huge appetizer nights coming up: tomorrow night the Wild are in Phoenix, so I'm going to go Southwestern and make some fajitas for the game. For Super Bowl Sunday I'm undecided as of now; your suggestions are welcome.