Life Without Russo

I tend to worry about things that other people don't think about. It's a problem I've tried to work on for many years, to no avail. Things like "I hope Chipotle doesn't stop serving the new brown rice" and "Why doesn't the Food Network give Giada more airtime, she's clearly underexposed."

With the NHL my main concern is the playoffs. It's been nearly 10 years since the Minnesota Wild won a playoff series and it's been a few years since they've even made the postseason. Like most cliches, this one is true: There is nothing like the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The intensity is unmatched in professional sports. And while I worry that Minnesota hockey fans are missing this spectacle, season after season, last night another reared its ugly head.

What if Star-Tribune Hockey Wonk Michael Russo decides to take another job because he's tired of not covering a playoff team? By no stretch am I pandering here when I say he may be the best beat writer in the NHL, so I'm concerned he may leave for greener pastures and stick us with some ordinary dude. What if he yearns for the sun of South Florida again and wants to cover the playoff-bound Panthers? Or what if the dreaded Vancouver Sun offers him a generous contract with coffee perks and promises of never having to cover games in Detroit?

You see, fellow fans, not making the playoffs on a consistent basis has more far reaching implications than just not being able to take part. They better get this thing turned around soon or we may have to start courting Adrian Dater, heaven forbid.

Nystrom Scores!

Maybe my attitude is just piss-poor lately because the of team's struggles, but doesn't it seem like players who are released by the Wild achieve some success with other teams? Look at Eric Nystrom. He was pretty well worthless with the Wild in 2010-11, scoring 4 goals in 82 games, but now with the Dallas Stars the dude has 16 goals in 65 games. What gives?

Another example from the past is Dominic Moore. After being traded to Minnesota in 2007 he scored just 3 goals in 40 games, but since then has prospered, most recently in Tampa while scoring 53 points in 2 seasons. I point the finger at Lemaire and Risebrough on that one.

There are others...Pascal Dupuis and Aaron Voros come to mind. Ok, you got me on Voros, but I still liked him when he was here. But the question is whether there is anything to be learned from this. Does Nystrom's success in Dallas mean anything other than the old "sometimes a player just needs a change of scenery" cliche? My answer is starting to lean to "yes", Coach Mike Yeo holds some of the blame. Granted, the team isn't putting out the effort it should, but I get the feeling that Yeo's act is wearing thin with some of the players. I'm nowhere near ready to call for his firing, but stay tuned.

The Depths of Hell

After a 7-1 loss last night in Denver I'm rethinking things. Just how bad are the Minnesota Wild playing right now? In all seriousness, I'm not sure they could beat the UMTC Golden Gophers in a best of 3. Defensemen are turning the puck over, forwards can't find the net with the puck and now even the goaltenders are letting in softies. Over the last 18 hours I've asked myself the following questions, in no particular order:

(1) Was the blazing first 2 months of the season a mirage?
(2) Is Coach Mike Yeo really the right guy for the job?
(3) Are any of our defenseman legit NHL players?
(4) Is Dany Heatley done?
(5) Why does my basement bathroom smell like a dead raccoon is in the shower?
(6) Despite the prospects, did we get hosed in the Brent Burns' trade?
(7) Does Chuck Fletcher know what he's doing?
(8) After Nail Yakupov, who are the best players in June's draft?

I can honestly say I don't know definitive answers to any of these questions, outside of #5. This prolonged slide has got me questioning everything about the team and the answers are nowhere to be found.

In an attempt to make me feel better, I watched this clip 3 times:

We're Not Alone

Every year I hear complaints from Minnesota Wild fans that there aren't enough native Minnesotans on the team. And when a Minnesotan is traded by another team, I'm sure Star-Tribune scribe Mike Russo fields endless e-mails and tweets asking why the Wild didn't make the move. The same must apply when Minnesotans are released by others as well. Every time this happens I wonder to myself if we are alone in this provincial thinking.

Well, after watching Ron McLean's interview with a pissed-off Brian Burke Saturday evening I can safely say we are not alone. McLean asked Burke straight out if he feels any pressure to bring in some Ontario kids to the Maple Leafs. Burke smartly replied that he takes the best players, regardless of birthplace. The Toronto fan base (and media) must be exponentially worse at badgering the hometown NHL team to bring in local talent. Kudos to Burke for not caving, so far.

Granted, it would be nice and cute if the Wild were also stocked with home-grown talent. Think of a roster with Zach Parise, Jake Gardiner, Blake Wheeler, Dustin "Every Day I'm" Byfuglien and Paul Martin. Maybe even fire Mike Yeo and bring in the Wooger to coach. All kidding aside, I wouldn't mind seeing Dan Terhaar replaced with Frank Mazzocco, he was the only reason I watched UMTC hockey in the past.

A Crock of Crap

After the Minnesota Wild traded defenseman Nick Schultz to Edmonton for defenseman Tom Gilbert, some of the media pundits asked why this deal had been made. And while most agreed that it was because the Wild needed a guy who could skate the puck out of their zone without turning it over, there were others who thought other, more Machiavellian reasons were at play.

Perhaps the Wild acquired Gilbert in an attempt to curry favor with either (or both) Zack Parise or Ryan Suter. After all, Parise and Gilbert played youth hockey together in Bloomington and Suter and Gilbert both played for the University of Wisconsin at the same time. This is complete and utter hogwash. Gilbert, Parise and Suter are not Lebron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. Does anyone actually think Parise would give Minnesota the edge simply because Gilbert is here? Imagine this exchange:

Parise's agent: "Zack, you've got 5 similar contract offers here, each for about $8.0 million a season for 5 years. The offers are from New Jersey, Minnesota, New York, Philadelphia and Boston."

Parise: "Dang! All of those teams, with the exception of the Wild, were playoff teams last season and are legit Cup contenders, but you know what? I'd love nothing more than to play with this kid I played Squirts with 20 years ago. He seemed like a good guy then."

In order, here are the reasons why big-time free agents choose their new team:

1. Money.
2. Quality of Team.
3. A Great City.
4. Number of Players on the Team You Played Pee-Wees with.

Get a grip, people, the Wild have to win first in order to attract the best.