Boogey Breaks Linesman's Rib

I just love the Anaheim TV guys' call of this Boogaard fight. You'd think he took out a shiv and stabbed the Pope.

Oprah and Me

Oprah's recent announcement that she was ending her historic TV run in 2011 got me to thinking. How long can I continue Wild Puck Banter? I guess I always thought when I started that I'd run it for a season or two and then walk into the cornfields like Terrance Mann. But a funny thing happened along the way, I actually enjoyed posting my hockey thoughts and watching the games from a blogger's perspective.

Having said that, everything comes to an end. With that premise in mind, I am here to announce that Wild Puck Banter will cease on September 8, 2011, one day before Oprah's finale. While I'm not intentionally trying to steal the spotlight from the Queen of Daytime TV, I think the timing is spot on. I'm fully expecting to field calls from plenty of media journalists in coming days, trying to interpret this decision. Memo to Larry King: I'm available Tuesday night before the Wild play in Anaheim.

Wild Christmas Gifts

Look what Santa left in the Minnesota Wild fan's stocking this year:

• A general manager who understands it's necessary to keep draft picks to stock the minor league team.
• An agitator named Cal Clutterbuck who not only draws countless penalties, but has a wicked wrist shot as well.
• Someone else besides #24 who can win a fight.
• An alarm clock that woke up Martin Havlat and his scoring talents.
• A capacity crowd on nights the team plays anyone. Not like the half empty rinks I see everywhere else.
• A bottle of homemade Baileys brought over by our generous neighbor. (That one is just mine, actually)
• Teams like Detroit, Edmonton and Dallas struggling.
• Good hockey being played in Denver. (I know, why is this good? Because, my friends, Colorado is our logical rival and it's good to see them playing well again.)
• The possibility of a Winter Classic played in Minnesota next year. Come on, Bettman, make this happen!

Glad tidings to all and Merry Christmas!

Evolving Hockey Love

I don't post as much as I used to and I'm not sure why. Back when I started Wild Puck Banter I had intended to blog after each game, give my thoughts and opinions about what had happened in that game, and comment about the NHL game in general. I started out with much gusto, posting 4 to 5 times a week and watching countless hours of hockey.

These days I don't blog that much anymore. I've got a first year squirt and the responsibilities that come with it. While I still watch most of the Wild games, I do miss one here and there. I seldom stay up past 10pm and watch the West coast games and often fall asleep on the couch just as the Canadian national anthem is sung in Vancouver. I have seen countless hours of youth hockey this year, worked the concession stand and penalty box many times and could enjoy watching the passion that fourth graders have for the game.

My love of this great game is evolving. Five years ago I could name every team's top prospects and explain in depth why Jacques Lemaire's trap was a good thing for the game. Today not so much. Ask me today where the best hockey bars in St. Paul are and I couldn't give you an answer, but ask me what northern rinks have the best locker rooms and I can write you a long list. I'm seeing the game through the eyes of my son now and that's a good thing.

I see his excitement when his team scores a goal. I feel his sadness when he doesn't get a shift in the third period because the coach lost track of the lines. I share his hunger when we stop for a egg mcmuffin and hash browns before weekend morning games. Hockey for me is changing, that much is clear.

Up in Smoke

Wow, what a grizzly picture. The over/under on bad hockey fire jokes by local media members is 32.

One Year Ago

In presidential elections the candidates often ask their constituents "Are you better off now than you were one year ago today?" Ronald Reagan asked it in 1980 and ended up demolishing Jimmy Carter. Obama asked the same question in 2008. For hockey teams that have gone under management and/or coaching changes the same question can be asked. In Minnesota, I think the answer is a resounding "probably".

Last year around this time the Wild front office was led by Doug "Give Pouliot More Time" Risebrough and the team was coached by Jacques Lemaire. The team was in the playoff hunt and waffled around 9th place in the conference. The team was bare of quality prospects and Marian Gaborik was hurt.

Fast forward to today. Risebrough and Lemaire were replaced by Chuck Fletcher and Todd Richards, respectively. The team is currently sitting at 11th in the Conference and gaining. Martin Havlat more-or-less replaced Gaborik and has underachieved to date, although playing much better the last handful of games. Thanks to a couple of good trades and last summer's entry draft, the Wild now have some more depth and a few more prospects.

But is the team playing better? Over the course of the entire season to date, no, but as of now they probably are. They're winning at home and even won a game in Calgary last weekend. Fletcher has shown he has the walnuts to trade underachieving players (i.e. Pouliot) and seems better equipped mentally to stock a farm system than Risebrough. Richards isn't Lemaire, but let's give it some time.

Overall, I feel really good about where this team is headed. The only downsides right now are (a) concussion injuries to PMB, Brent Burns and Petr Sykora and (b) missing the playoffs but not sucking enough to warrant a high draft pick. Time will tell, but I think we can affirmatively say that things are getting better. They're getting better all the time.

Kerfuffle

There seems to be a bit of a feud going on between Hockey Wilderness and Abel to Yzerman. Can't we all just get along? It might just be a sign that the Red Wings are losing a grasp in the standings that one of their bloggers is taking the time to attack Minnesota hockey. While I don't agree with most of what was posted on HW either, I'm not going to write a 1000 word diatribe about it. It's just his opinion. Move on, both of you and stick to action on the ice.

Which, as it turns out is a red-hot Wild team. A team that is climbing in the standings faster than something that climbs things really fast. No off to Canada with games in Montreal and Ottawa...

The Rebirth of Martin Havlat

Read the following sentence slowly: Martin Havlat scored the overtime winning goal last night in Calgary. Two unlikely gems from that: (1) Yes, Havlat scored, and (2) the Wild win in Calgary. If Havlat continues his turnaround from mediocrity, the Wild are a borderline playoff team. If he struggles, the team will struggle. Simple as that.

System Taking Hold

This is not a misprint: The Minnesota Wild have scored 5 goals in 3 straight games. The first line of Miettinen-Koivu-Brunette is clicking at a ridiculous rate. Derek Boogaard is getting assists. Yes, they are becoming fun to watch again.

Since taking over at the beginning of this season, Coach Todd Richards has preached an offensive system. 20 games in and people started to wonder if that was the right move. Some blogs were calling for Richards to be fired and Havlat to be released. But changes take time, people. You can't switch from cable to satellite and know which channel the NHL Network is on without going through the guide first for a few days. As evidenced by the past 5 or 6 games it is clear that the Wild now know the channels on their new system.

On a side note, I am getting really fed up with the number of games on Channel 45. I wouldn't be upset at all if they broadcasted the 45 games in HD, but sadly that isn't the case. I've said it before, but it bears repeating. Hockey in HD is spectacular. Hockey in standard definition is not. It has almost come to the point where I'd rather watch HDNET's "Get Out" instead of watching the team on 45.

Another side note, try the Spicy Gyro Sandwich at Dino's Gyros. It's just like their original, delicious gyro, but with a kick. Spicy feta cheese makes all the difference. And no, this is not a paid advertisement, but if Dino is reading this please contact me.

Memo to Tyler Cuma: Don't Pack for the WJC

Canada's training camp roster for the upcoming World Junior Championships was announced this morning and former 1st round draft pick Tyler Cuma was not on it. Granted Cuma has missed a handful of games due to injury and suspension, his missing the roster does not speak well of the player's perceived abilities. Cuma, who made the Canadian team last year, is considered a project and will not likely make the Wild roster until at least 2011-12.

That being said, good defensemen take a while to develop. Just as Jack Johnson.

In a related note, does anyone know if this year's World Juniors will be televised again on NHL Center Ice and/or the NHL Network? It's terrific hockey to watch and the crowds are always amazing.