WILD PUCK BANTER

Evaluations at the Break

2012-01-26T12:46:00.003-06:00

At the All-Star Break, how should we evaluate the Minnesota Wild's season. If you just ignored the manner in which the season progressed and looked at the current result only you'd have to be pleased. The team is 8th in the Western Conference and would qualify for a playoff spot if the season ended today.

Unfortunately we know how they got here, though. The started off the season great and played an exceptional November, zooming their way to first in the entire league. Then mid-December came along and they played like the worst team in the league for about a month. Now it appears they're playing a little better and go into the break on a 2 game winning streak.

What is the cause for this inconsistent play? Injuries, for one. Youth and inexperience also. And add the fact that Dany Heatley is continuing his fast descent down the goal-scoring mountain and you have the season in a nutshell.

As long as I'm evaluating the team, it's probably fair to evaluate my blog. Like the team, my blogging has been inconsistent at best. I mean, only 18 posts since the season began, how is this possible? My only explanation has to do with (a) complacency and (b) HBO. The terrific start for the Wild got me pining for the playoffs to start and it turns out they were still months away. In addition to that I started subscribing to HBO and watching a lot of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "The Wire". In fact, I often think Larry David would be an interesting character on "The Wire". He'd be pretty good.

Like the Wild, I will plan to be at my very best when the season resumes on Tuesday. But unlike the team, I can't trade myself to a contender if my blogging lags.

Please Don't Panic, Chuck

2012-01-18T12:27:00.003-06:00

One month ago the Minnesota Wild were riding high, things were going great. They were on top of the Western Conference, the Houston call-ups were all producing and Mike Yeo looked like a genius. Fast-forward to today, the team is struggling badly, the rookies look over matched and their captain is out for at least a month. What should be done?

Wild GM Chuck Fletcher is at a crossroads here. He can make some moves to help the Wild maintain their playoff spot or he can be patient. The easy thing to do would be to trade some of their young players and prospects for quick fixes. Deal Charlie Coyle and Josh Harding for Zach Parise, or how about Marco Scandella for Ryan Malone? If the Wild made a few moves they'd have a good shot to make the playoffs this season and the fan base would be happy.

But I wouldn't do that. This team is built for the future, not for the present. Sure, they played out of their skulls good hockey in November, but that was an anomaly. This team as it's presently constructed isn't a top-tier team. This squad's brightest days are ahead with such players as Mikael Granlund, Jason Zucker, Johan Larsson and the aforementioned Coyle. Scandella will come back from Houston and be a better player.

Two seasons from now this team will be a Cup-contending team with the current roster plus the prospects coming of age. Why trade one or more of them now so the team can get into the playoffs as an 8 seed? I'm not saying Granlund is as talented as Evgeni Malkin, but can you imagine if the Penguins had dealt the rights to #71 just to make the playoffs before Sidney Crosby arrived?

Patience is hard here, especially with our recent playoff drought. But listen to me now and believe me later when I say this team will reach a Cup Final within 3 years if they don't trade any of their top young guns.

Captain Obvious

2012-01-10T17:27:00.003-06:00

To state that "Wild forward Dany Heatley needs to score more" is akin to the following statements:

1. The Sun needs to come up tomorrow morning if we're going to be able to sustain life on Earth.
2. Boy, I sure hope gravity works tomorrow when I'm driving to work.
3. A cold beer would taste good right now.

And while I do like the fact that the local newspapers are covering hockey, I'd like it so much more if anyone outside of Mike Russo would tackle a real hockey topic. For example, what Lou Nanne thought Brian Lawton had that Steve Yzerman didn't.(*) That still bothers me.

(*) Someday I'll post my argument here that Lou Nanne, by way of poor drafting, was responsible for the North Stars leaving.

Struggling for Eighth

2012-01-10T12:36:00.003-06:00

Yep, it's been a while since I've put up a Wild-related post on this site. I've been busy breaking down the new season of ABC's "The Bachelor" and believe me, I have plenty of thoughts in that area. But since this isn't a Bachelor Blog, I'll write for a bit about my favorite National Hockey League Team.

They were first place in the Western Conference a few weeks ago and are now struggling to maintain the 8th seed. What has gone wrong? I really don't know. Were they the best team in the West? Obviously not. Are they one of the worst? No, not that either. I suspect they'll pull out of this tailspin soon and spend the rest of the regular season fighting for a playoff spot.

Clearly they are a better team and Columbus, Anaheim and Edmonton. This much I know. Are they better than Dallas, Colorado, Calgary and the Quebec Coyotes? Some nights they are, other nights not so much.

Chapter 1

2011-12-31T11:31:00.005-06:00

In an attempt to explore the uncharted waters of my creative mind, I have decided to write a short fictional story about Jacques Lemaire, Abraham Lincoln and a 1974 Ford Pinto. Here is the first installment:

Maybe it was something I ate. I should learn from my reckless eating habits, but it appears that I had finally gone too far. It was late in the evening, I had just finished watching two periods of West Coast hockey and I was hungry. Walking into my kitchen I realized I hadn't been grocery shopping in weeks and there was nothing to satisfy my cravings.

There's no easy way to say this, so I'll just put it out there. I drove to Taco Hell and ate three chili cheese burritos. I'm not proud of myself, but it is what it is. After I got home I went straight to bed. I guess I can blame it on the burritos, or the late night, but I've really got no one to blame besides myself for having the dream that changed my life.

I didn't realize it was a dream, so you can throw out your "Roy just watched 'Inception' again and is now trying to rip it off" theories. It all seemed very real; not once did I question its zany circumstances. I was parked outside a small cafe in downtown Duluth, sitting in my blue and white Ford Pinto in the pouring rain.

I wasn't hungry in the dream (I guess burritos carry over to dreamland), but sitting there in the Pinto I felt the urge to walk out into the rain and enter the diner. Why, I don't know, but just go with me here for a bit. I opened my door and stood up in the blinding rainstorm. No one was on the street and it appeared to be the middle of the night. All was dark except the lights coming from the cafe.

As I opened the door and entered the diner, the smell of bacon enveloped my nose. I could hear some Johnny Cash playing in the background and only 2 people were seated in the entire restaurant. They were sitting on the same side of a booth, sharing a sandwich. Then it donned on me who they were...Abraham Lincoln and Jacques Lemaire were eating a BLT. Lemaire stood up and said in his French-Canadian accent "Come on over, Roy, we've been expecting you."

A Glimpse of Future Glory

2011-12-09T12:37:00.002-06:00

As I sat at my computer yesterday afternoon reading the injury news about Devin Setoguchi, Cal Clutterbuck and Josh Harding I came to the very realistic viewpoint that the Minnesota Wild were primed for a poor performance in Los Angeles. The team was riding high, but they were near the end of a West coast road trip and missing several key players. I told myself a 5-1 loss wouldn't be unexpected.

But they went ahead and destroyed the Kings 4-2. Things are going sooo well for our team it seems it doesn't really matter who they suit up; everyone contributes.

I know this isn't going to last. Sooner or later the Wild are going to start losing again, but I don't expect them to fall too far. Are they the best team in hockey? Obviously not, but they are clearly a playoff team. They are better than I thought they'd be at this point, but that doesn't change my thinking that they're a 5-8 seed in the Western Conference.

Having said all that, I'd like to reiterate that this team's best days are in front of them. Fans of the team know that within 2-3 years the roster will bear the names of Mikael Granlund (who will be this team's first superstar), Jason Zucker, Brett Bulmer, Charlie Coyle and Johan Larsson. And keep in mind I haven't even brought up the possibility of Zach Parise.

Enjoy this season, Wild fans, for it portends to be a glimpse of future glory.

At the Rinks: The CRIC

2011-12-07T12:37:00.003-06:00

It isn't too often that I add new features to the site, but I think this will be a successful one. Each week I will attend a local high school hockey game and submit a review of the rink. This week: The Coon Rapids Ice Arena, or more affectionately dubbed "The CRIC".

Last Saturday I attended the first boy's high school game at The CRIC, a contest between Coon Rapids and Robbinsdale Armstrong. While the game itself was a fairly exciting 3-3 tie, I was more concerned with the surroundings.

While anything's an improvement over their previous home, Cook Memorial Arena, I felt The CRIC did a number of things well. First off, it was very bright inside, almost to the point of needing sunglasses. The ice sheet was very well illuminated and the arena had a nice set of windows along the top of the wall for plenty of natural sunlight. And although their are only bleachers on one side of the rink, they were marginally comfortable.

Concession-wise they leave much to be desired. After learning from an inside source that the hot dogs were puny, I opted for a personal pizza. What I got was a small microwaved Red Baron. I don't know if I'd expect more, but it just wasn't very tasty. Outside of the usual nachos and pretzel offerings I didn't see much variety.

The atmosphere also lagged a bit. The crowd wasn't into the game and the music played between puck stoppages reminded me of the selection played across the street at the roller rink. I did enjoy, however, the intermission music they played during a team timeout...it was straight from the Common Man's progrum; presumably a shout out to Coach Mileski.

Overall, I give the place a B-. Great, well-lit building with a poor crowd and bad pizza.

Next up: The St. Louis Park Rec. Center.

A Look at the New Rivals

2011-12-06T12:51:00.006-06:00

With NHL Realignment a done deal, it is time to say goodbye to our Northwest Division rivals and hello to a new bunch in the unnamed Central Conference. While I'll miss watching Roberto Luongo skate to the bench mid-period after being pulled, I have a hunch I'll like getting to bed a bit earlier and not having to watch many away games starting at 9:00 Central Time.

With that in mind, who in the the new Conference will become the Wild's biggest rival? Here is a quick look at the contenders using a 5 star rating system:

(1) Chicago Blackhawks (****) ~ I wouldn't mind seeing a rekindling of the old North Stars-Blackhawks rivalry, but Steve Larmer and Al Secord are no longer active. Can I grow to hate Jonathan Toews and Company? To quote Jeff Dubay, "Yeah, I think so!"

(2) St. Louis Blues (***) ~ another good past rival, but they've fallen a bit. Having said that, it'll be nice to pencil in 12 points at the beginning of the season.

(3) Columbus Bluejackets (1/2 *) ~ assuming they'll still be around next season, I have some trouble getting excited about playing a hockey team from Ohio, Miami excluded.

(4) Nashville Predators (**) ~ a competitive team with a neckless coach. Something tells me I could muster some hatred towards Jordan Tootoo also.

(5) Dallas Stars (****) ~ the natural pick with the Norm Green history and all. We'll see what develops.

(6) Detroit Red Wings (***) ~ who knows. The way they're whining about not being in the Eastern Conference they may end up there sooner rather than later. That, and the fact that their roster is aging faster than Giada's provolone, makes me shy away from them as a legit rival.

(7) Winnipeg Jets (**) ~ again, we'll have to see what develops. One thing to look forward to is more Wild appearances on early HNIC games. We'll also get to see Dustin Byfuglien shatter the magical 300 lb. number.

Great Teams of NHL History

2011-11-24T09:57:00.005-06:00

On this Thanksgiving it's time to give thanks for the Greatest Teams in National Hockey League history:

(1) 1984-85 Edmonton Oilers ~ finished first in the NHL with a 49-20-11 record on their way to winning a 2nd straight Stanley Cup. The team, led by Wayne Gretzky, Jari Kurri and Mark Messier were just beginning their dominance. Could score at will.

(2) 1967-68 Montreal Canadiens ~ finished with a 42-22-10 record and dominated the Stanley Cup playoffs. This team was stacked with several future hall-of-famers.

(3) 1925-26 Montreal Maroons ~ the great team of the first half of the 20th Century. Led by superstar Nels Stewart, this team was solid, top to bottom and revolutionized the game by deivising the 2-2-1 "Coolidge Trap".

(4) 2011-12 Minnesota Wild ~ it's not a stretch to assume this 13-5-3 team will be parading the Cup down Kellogg Boulevard come next June. With it's unique blend of veteran scoring savants (Heatley, Koivu and Setoguchi) and promising young defensemen (Spurgeon and Scandella) this squad may rise in my rankings. Stay tuned.

(5) 1981-82 New York Islanders ~ nice team. Finished 54-16-10 and won the Cup.

Possible Playoff Matchups

2011-11-21T13:13:00.002-06:00

The Minnesota Wild are 1st in the Western Conference, so we thought it'd be a good time to look at some first round playoff match ups against possible #8 seeds:

(1) Wild v. Red Wings ~ as of today I'd say Wild in 4 games because the Wings are getting older and would be completely tired out by the time the playoffs roll around. This series match up is very unlikely, however, because the Wings probably won't qualify for the post-season.

(2) Wild v. St. Louis ~ I'd pick the Wild in a sweep. The Blues don't have the goaltending to match up to the Backstrom-Harding double punch.

(3) Wild v. Edmonton ~ Probably the Wild in 4. The Oilers have some talented younger players, but they lack post-season experience.

(4) Wild v. Los Angeles ~ Wild in 4. I don't yet trust the Kings on the blue line. Doughty and Jack Johnsen are overrated and overpaid. Give me Spurgeon and Prosser any day.

Good Things Come in Threes

2011-11-16T15:58:00.003-06:00

The Minnesota Wild are currently in 2nd place in the Western Conference. I got an extra Spicy Chilito in my bag from Zantigo on Monday. And now today I found out I can watch classic episodes of Good Times online at TVland.com. Dynomite!

Letters to the Editor

2011-11-08T12:13:00.010-06:00

With the Wild in Calgary tonight (I'll be watching the game from the Chipotle Basement) I thought this would be the perfect time to another edition of "Fake Letters to the Editor".

*****
Dear WPB,

In your estimation, which Sunday comic strip character most closely looks like Wild winger Pierre-Marc Bouchard?

-C. Schultz, St. Paul.

DEAR C: I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS A LOT LATELY, AND HE IS THE SPITTING IMAGE OF THE ADULT VERSION OF P.J. FROM THE FAMILY CIRCUS.

*****
Dear WPB,

I've got a hankering for a blog about life in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. Any ideas?

-A. Cooper, NY.

DEAR A: TAKE A GANDER AT "LIFE IN THE CR"...IT SHOWS A LOT OF PROMISE.

*****
Dear WPB,

Any thoughts about Josh Harding's good play of late? Should a highly-compensated Finnish goaltender be concerned about his future with the team?

-N. Backstrom, St. Paul.

DEAR N: I LOVE HARDING'S PLAY LATELY; HE'S SHOWING HE CAN BE A #1 NETMINDER IN THE NHL. I SAY PLAY HIM AND BACKSTROM EQUALLY UNTIL FEBRUARY, TRADE BACKSTROM FOR A TOUGH DEFENSEMAN AND SIGN HARDS TO AN AFFORDABLE EXTENSION.

Last Canucks Post

2011-11-06T09:38:00.003-06:00

Remember back when the Vancouver Canucks used to have a Stanley Cup contending team? Last year they finished first in the Western Conference, made it to the Cup Final and came within a few goals of hoisting the trophy on home ice. But then the unthinkable happened...they choked away a Game 7 on home ice, something nearly impossible to do.

"There's always next year" said some of their fans before lighting some dumpsters on fire and inciting mayhem in the streets. After all, almost all of the players were coming back, so why shouldn't they succeed again?

Fast-forward to today. Vancouver sits in 11th place in the West with an underwhelming 6-7-1 record. Their team leaders are faltering miserably and the great Vancouver fans are (gasp) booing the home team. Luongo's been average at best and even the Sedins have forgotten who's who.

Meanwhile, here in Minny things are looking up. Thanks to a new, fresh-thinking coach and an infusion of talent, the Wild are in 4th place in the West and riding a 4 game winning streak with convincing wins over said Canucks and the ancient Red Wings. It's a good day to be a Wild fan.

In fact, the Canucks have become such a non-factor that I refuse to spend any more time with my whole "Vancouver Sucks" montra. Going forward, I won't be spending any more space on the team from BC. If you're looking for me I'll be on the high road.

The Blonde Curse

2011-10-27T13:10:00.008-05:00

After countless hours reviewing film, I think I've finally come up with a reason why the Minnesota Wild don't have much (ok, any) success in the playoffs: it's that blonde chick that always sits behind the home bench. Since she started sitting there many years ago, the Wild have had only one successful playoff run. Could she be the Wild's version of the Wrigley Billy Goat Curse?

The picture above was snapped while she was alledgedly reciting some sort of incantation against my favorite hockey team. Why hasn't anyone noticied this before? It's high time she moved her seats to behind the visitor's bench.

5:33pm UPDATE: She has been a frequent topic of discussion on various Wild boards before, but this is the first time she's been linked with witchcraft. I like to think of her as a cross between Meredith Baxter-Birney and Shannen Doherty from the Charmed years.

I'm Huge in Horlivka

2011-10-25T16:45:00.005-05:00

I did some in-depth analysis last night of the traffic (and lack thereof) on this web site. What stood out to me was where most of my readers originate from. With that in mind, here is a list of countries with the most visits to Wild Puck Banter:

1. USA.
2. Ukraine.
3. Canada.
4. Finland.
5. China.

What strikes me is my popularity in Ukraine. On a per-capita basis, this is the country where I pull in the most readers. Having said that, look for a substantial increase in Ukrainian hockey news and commentary on Ukrainian television in the coming weeks. Until then, Ласкаво просимо в джунглі товаришів!

Raising Capital

2011-10-21T16:32:00.002-05:00

In an attempt to try and earn some cash to pay for NHL Center Ice(*), I've decided to sell the naming rights to my basement, home of Wild Puck Banter, to the first corporation that offers me $171.00. Imagine your company's name in a post like this:

"Pierre-Marc Bouchard sure had a crappy game last night. I swear I saw him turn over the puck at least 8 times from my seat in the Chipotle Basement."

Give it some thought and e-mail me at the address over on the sidebar.

(*)The free trial ends on Sunday.

Blasphemy

2011-10-19T12:29:00.004-05:00

I know I'm prone to knee-jerk reactions, but isn't that in the job description of a hockey blogger? Well, it hurts me to say this, so I'm just going to take the "rip the band aid off" approach and say it. Mikko Koivu might not be as good as we think he is.

Since the lockout it's been accepted fact in the State of Hockey that Koivu was the best player on the team and that he was significantly underrated by hockey wonks league-wide. For years I've spent countless blog entries praising the skills of our captain and wondering how freaking good he would be if he had talent around him. Koivu for Selke and whatnot. Looking back, I think I was slightly off base.

Koivu is a very good checking center, period. He's a good team leader and works harder than any other teammate, but he's not an elite player in the NHL. If I were to rank the Top 20 centers today I'd have to leave #9 off of the list. He's not that skilled offensively and rarely makes his line mates great. On a Cup-contending team he'd be a 2nd or 3rd line center, truth be told. Now that's not to say "he sucks", clearly he doesn't. He does what he does very well, he's just not on the level with the best.

Personally it is very hard for me to admit this and I'm sure I'm in the minority around here. I just think it's time we all took a realistic look at this roster and realize what we have.

82-0-1 Within Reach

2011-10-09T11:28:00.003-05:00

Well, last night sure was encouraging wasn't it? The new guys paid immediate dividends, Backstrom was very sharp and I found a new flavor of Doritos to enjoy. Looking ahead, I'm fairly confident they'll be battling for a playoff spot and may even win the Cup. On the not-so-positive side, Terhaar and Greenlay haven't improved one bit and I had to mow the lawn yesterday.

All things considered, however, a good way to start the season.

2011-12 Predictions

2011-10-04T09:15:00.004-05:00

As is the case with many hockey blogs, I offer you my predictions for the upcoming season:

Mikko Koivu and Devin Setoguchi will represent the Wild at the All Star Game.

Nik Backstrom will start 60 games.

PMB will miss 40 games.

Star-Tribune hockey wonk Mike Russo will complain about having to go to Detroit.

Dany Heatley will score 30 goals.

Vancouver and Calgary will suck. (I'm really going out on a limb here)

The Wild will finish 6th in the Western Conference.

Giada will make more tasty pasta dishes while wearing low-cut shirts.

Hart winner: Stamkos. Vezina: Rinne.

Ok, drop the puck already!

Retire Number 55

2011-09-21T12:58:00.004-05:00

If I were a hockey betting man, I'd lay a small wager on this. And while it may come off as sounding completely ridiculous, it's not too far-fetched to predict that someday Nick Schultz's #55 will be hanging from the rafters of Xcel Energy Center. Why, you ask? Well, here are my reasons for believing so:

1. He's played more games than anyone in a Wild sweater, currently 681. That's 248 more than the next active player, Mikko Koivu, and Schultz is only 28 years old. By the time he retires, this number could be unbreakable for decades.

2. He's signed for 3 more seasons at an affordable $3.5m per. Assuming he isn't going to get traded (seriously, what team would trade for Nick?), he's going to play another 240 games here. I can see him signing another 3 year deal after that to finish his career here.

3. Who else? At some point the Wild need to retire a jersey, and outside of Koivu I can't think of anyone else. It'd be embarrassing to have only one jersey hanging after 20 seasons of existence.

4. His number won't be in high demand after he retires. I can see the argument against retiring Schultz's number if we wore something like 3 or 7, but 55? I'd even expect no one would choose that number if it weren't retired.

So there you go. Several years from now you'll stumble into Xcel and see #55 hanging from the ceiling and forget about all the turnovers, missed shots and general invisible play. All you'll remember is that I called it here first.

Tragic

2011-09-07T12:36:00.001-05:00

I'm floored. RIP #38.

Center Ice v. Gamecenter Live

2011-09-05T16:35:00.003-05:00

Since the lockout I've purchased NHL Center Ice every year on Direct TV. The coverage has been mostly good, with most of the games appearing in high definition. My only major complaint has been the lack of HD broadcasts for Hockey Night in Canada. Last season The NHL Network usually carried the early game in HD, but the late game (probably featuring a certain unnamed club from British Columbia) was only available via a standard definition feed. Watching hockey in SD is akin to eating chicken wings without any buffalo sauce. I also then had to watch "Afterhours" in that same poor quality.

I am considering switching to NHL Gamecenter Live this season and watch most of the season on my iPad or laptop. From what I've read, the picture quality is very similar to HDTV and it has DVR-like controls. The only setback being I'd have problems falling asleep on the couch to the sounds of Canadian TV analysts trying to explain why Luongo let another one through his leg pads; it's hard to drift off while holding onto a computer.

Does anyone have advice for me on this? I believe the prices for each are similar...somewhere in the $170.00 range. Also, if anybody out there is willing to sponsor me for this and pay for both, I'd be willing to right a detailed review after the regular season concludes.

Do You Believe Me Now, Trinity?

2011-09-03T11:26:00.003-05:00

In 1995 Keanu Reeves starred in a terrible film based on a good short story called "Johnny Mnemonic". It was a science fiction film in which Keanu played a cyber courier with a data storage device implanted in his brain. The film was poorly received and bombed at the box office. Keanu's fledgling film career was near done.

So what does he do? A few years later he decides to play a remarkably similar character in a movie about a hacker sent to another dimension. Why would someone take on a role that was very close to one that he had failed at a short time ago? Of course, the film he took on was "The Matrix" and it completely revived his career and changed the way science fiction movies were made. The lesson to be learned here: just because an idea doesn't work once doesn't mean it won't work again if the parts are right.

Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher hired unproved commodity Todd Richards a few years back to be his coach. Granted there wasn't much talent, but Richards failed. When facing the prospect of finding a new coach, Fletcher could've taken the easy road and hired an experienced coach like Craig MacTavish or Ken Hitchcock, but Fletcher believed he had found his Neo in Houston Aeros Coach Mike Yeo.

It took huge balls for Fletcher to hire another unproven NHL coach, there is no question in that. But Fletch must have believed in his heart that Yeo was the best coach for the job and that being the case, this was the right move. Only time will tell whether or not Yeo is Todd Anderson or Ted "Theodore" Logan. I, as well and Wild Nation, are hoping he is The One.

Pee-Wee Be Gone

2011-08-31T16:45:00.005-05:00

My youngest son is 11 years old and has decided to leave the world of travelling hockey. Hold on a second, let me go get that box of kleenix. Ok, much better. Like I wrote, competitive hockey is over (at least for a year) in our household.

Hockey for him started at the age of 6 when he could barely skate. He learned quickly and became a fan of the game. Near the end of a long first season (October to March), he had decided that he didn't like it too much and we decided to take a year off and just skate for fun outdoors.

After a year off he decided to take another run at it, this time as an 8 year old. He skated as a Mite and had a blast. His teammates were friends, the competition wasn't intense and he loved the small-sided games. I thought he was hooked.

He came back the next season as a first year squirt and again had fun, but didn't care for the 3-4 nights a week his schedule entailed. He did, however, enjoy the out of town tournaments and staying in hotels in such exotic locales as Baldwin, Wisconsin and Owatonna, Minnesota. Actually Owatonna is a good hockey town with a tremendous arena...check it out sometime. Hockey had won him over again, partially, and he was willing to give Squirts a second year.

Last year to help sell him on the game I decided to help coach. While I had a blast, he was still luke-warm on the game and all of the practices. We made it through the year ok...not too many early start times, but by February he had had enough. "I don't think I like this anymore, Dad" he said, and I think it wasn't due to my poor coaching. I told him that we'd re-evaluate come August and here we are.

He'd be a first year pee-wee this fall if he'd play, but now he's not so sure. "I like to play, I just don't want to play (so often)." Ok, this is good; he still likes the game, just in smaller doses. My hope is that there does exist recreational hockey for kids his age who don't want the 3-4 night requirement. I think he'd be happy with 1-2 nights, so hopefully we'll find something. If I can't find something I may have to get him a fake ID and sign him up for some bar-league hockey. :)

My brief coaching career is over, though, so I'll have to start yelling at TV hockey once again. After all, I think I learned enough last season to qualify me to do that.

Mustering Hatred for Winny

2011-08-29T17:38:00.009-05:00

How does one generate hate towards a city and its hockey team when there is no history in place? It's very easy (almost too easy) to hold bad feelings towards the Vancouver Canucks. From their roster to their overrated city, I have no problems whatsoever feeling good about whenever the hockey team stumbles. It also takes me little effort mustering up hatred towards another Wild rival, the Calgary Flames. From that smug Jarome Iginila to the ugliest arena in North America, it's a no-brainer for me to dislike that franchise.

Now I have a problem...a new team has appeared just north of me across the border, the Winnipeg Jets FKA Atlanta Thrashers. By all accounts the people of Winnipeg are good people who, like Minnesotans, suffered the loss of their hockey team and were able to get one back. It sounds like a nice little city and I'm happy they're back in the NHL.

But having said that I cannot allow myself to be pleasant. Atlanta's former team is a bunch of underachieving pretenders who will not succeed in the Western Conference when they get moved. I don't like their new logo, their old logo and I can't remember half the time the correct spelling for Winnipeg. Is it Winnipeg, Winnepig, Wennipig, Winnepig or Winnipig? Whatever the spelling, I'll look forward to the future victories the Wild will enjoy there.

Koivu with Talent? Ridiculous.

2011-08-27T12:50:00.008-05:00

Minnesota Wild Captain Mikko Koivu has never played on a line with any sort of goal-scoring talent, yet he has averaged around 60 points a season over his entire career. Over that six season span he has played with such scoring savants(*) as Antti Miettinen, Stephane Veilleux, Eric Belanger and Andrew Brunette. Ok, Brunette was a good player, but most of his former linemates were stiffs.

Fast-forward to this upcoming season. Most Wild experts project the Wild's first line to be comprised a combination of Koivu, Dany Heatley, Pierre-Marc and Devin Setoguchi. I don't think I'm going out on too skinny a limb here by putting the over/under on 2011-12 Koivu points at 80. He'll score somewhere around 30 and assist near 50. Another All-Star Game appearance, a Selke nomination and maybe even a Finlandia Vodka sponsorship are all in this future.

And don't even get me started on 2012-13 when the Finnish Mario comes over.

(*) I still haven't been able to locate the Sarcasm font.

One to Go

2011-08-26T15:51:00.003-05:00

What do you do when your dream comes true? This is a question that's been asked in the past by Boston Red Sox fans after the 2004 World Series, New Orleans Saints fans in 2009 and many other long-suffering franchises. I can say without any conviction that I felt the same way this past April when the UMD Bulldogs won the NCAA hockey championship.

Growing up in Duluth, Minnesota I had four main goals that I wanted to witness during my lifetime: (1) a Bulldog hockey championship (2) a Twins championship (3) father two healthy children and (4) see the Minnesota North Stars hoist the Stanley Cup.

The Twins were able to check their item off my list in 1987 and then again in 1991. My wife gave birth to two healthy boys in 1995 and 1999, so that one was also fulfilled. And this year the Bulldogs gave me a 75% completion rate.

I know I'll never see the North Stars raise the Cup, and no I didn't take any comfort when the Stars beat the Sabres in 1999. The North Stars died for me when they left and nothing could bring them back. So, I've formally amended my last goal to "see a Minnesota hockey team hoist the Cup" And while I don't think this will happen this season or next, it is possible within 3-4 years.

Sounds of the Season

2011-08-22T16:40:00.005-05:00

I can almost hear worthless FSN play-by-play voice Dan Terhaar saying after a Wild goal "They're not booing, they're saying Seto-GOOOOO-chi."

Just Be Yourself

2011-08-19T10:50:00.002-05:00

Recently I’ve heard a lot of talk about this being the season the National Hockey League can capture many more sports fans because of the NBA lockout. How the NHL can seize this great opportunity and make itself attractive to the American sports fan and show them how great hockey truly is. To this I say hogwash. Stop trying to cater to people who don’t follow the sport and concentrate on pleasing the existing fan base.

For years Bettman and Company have tried to expand the game and make it more popular. Move franchises south. The glow puck. Shootouts. The list goes on and on. The NHL needs to stop trying so hard to be one of the “Big 4” sports leagues and just accept (and embrace) the following facts:

1. The NHL has the most loyal and rabid fan base of any North American sport.

2. People who don’t like hockey will never watch it on a regular basis.

3. No one wants to hear Muses’ “The Uprising” during stoppages anymore.

Once these are accepted it’s time to focus on how to make the game better, not make it more popular. Being the most popular certainly didn’t work out for multiple Heathers in the 1988 cult comedy and it isn’t a good idea now. Make the game better, not bigger.

2011 NHL Draft ~ What to See

2011-06-03T13:08:00.003-05:00

So you're making plans to attend the 2011 NHL Entry Draft in St. Paul and you're wondering what else you can do while you're in the Twin Cities. Well, here are some suggestions of historic places to visit:

1. Dino Cicarelli's former home in Edina ~ see for yourself where Hall of Famer Dino walked down his driveway wearing nothing but a t-shirt.

2. The office where Doug Risebrough came up with the plan to not trade Marian Gaborik or Brian Rolston before they entered free agency.

3. Bloomington IKEA ~ see the location where the North Stars played for 25+ years and enjoy some Swedish meatballs while you're at it.

4. KFAN(*), WCCO or 1500ESPN Radio Studios ~ don't care too much for hockey talk on the radio? Then these are your stations.

5. Wild Puck Banter World Headquarters ~ see where the magic happens every single day.

In all seriousness, out of town visitors would be remissed not to take a brewery tour at either Summit Brewing of St. Paul or Surly in Brooklyn Center. Damn fine beers. Is it 4:00 yet?

(*) Brandon Mileski excluded.

Back in Bidness

2011-06-02T12:56:00.006-05:00

It's been a long sabbatical from the world of hockey blogging, but I think I've reached a place where I'm ready to start writing about hockey once again. A few months ago I was faced with a personal crisis when my beloved team, the Minnesota Wild, sucked again for the third straight year. Not only that, the team I loathe more than any other was having a fantastic season, not to mention now has a 1-0 lead in the Finals(*). Following professional hockey(**) wasn't something I wanted to continue, so I decided then and there to direct my attention to the world of Major League Baseball, the "great American past time".

I gave baseball a shot, honest I did. I started watching ESPN's "Baseball Tonight" on a regular basis, went to a few Twins games and read some box scores here and there. I even tried to score a game once but found it rather difficult to hold onto my Grain Belt and write 6-4-3 at the same time. Night after night after long, miserable night I tried to stay awake and watch some West Coast games, but never did I make it past the 4th inning. Baseball has a way of making me drowsy, it seems.

Last night was the final test. I turned on the Twins-Tigers game at 7:30pm and tried my best to watch it and enjoy the fine subtleties of the game. Didn't work. As the Twins manager was making yet another trip to the mound and FSN was promoting their post game spectacular for the 19th time I decided enough was enough. There's a lot of things I can endure, but this isn't one of them. I cannot listen to Dick and Bert talk about Joe Mauer's bilateral soreness anymore. So, at 7:49pm I switched the channel to puck and I liked what I saw.

I didn't see a player put himself on the disabled list because of soreness, I watched a group of athletes pushing themselves past the pain in an effort to drink from the Stanley Cup. I had forgotten what had driven me from the sport I loved and was now back in its spell. Hockey is the greatest sport, sans none, and I only needed some time off to appreciate it; I just wish I wouldn't have spilled my Nordeast trying to figure that out.

(*) I may throw up in my mouth if f-in Raffi Torres scores another goal.

(**) Obviously I was still watching College Hockey; we all know how that ended up.

Major Announcement Upcoming...

2011-05-31T15:44:00.001-05:00

...regarding the future of Minnesota hockey blogging.

Do The Wild Need To Make A Trade?

2011-02-22T13:44:00.002-06:00

On Sunday, the Minnesota Wild began life without Mikko Koivu. Wild fans know that he will be back in the lineup at some point soon – likely not before three weeks have elapsed - but the question now is whether the team needs to make a move.

For a while, general manager Chuck Fletcher stood by the motto that the return of Guillaume Latendresse would serve as enough of a boost for the team. But with Koivu out, there will be a far greater sense of urgency.

Koivu is a tough player to replace even via a trade. Not only is he the team captain, NHL betting fans know that he’s the team’s do-it-all. He’s clearly a leader, he’s valuable offensively but he’s also the team’s best special teamer as he contributes greatly both on the power play and on the penalty kill.

There are options available to Minnesota, but nobody is uber-excited about them. Pierre-Marc Bouchard or Eric Nystrom could be moved off the wing to play center and the team recalled Cody Almond.

Dallas Stars forward Brad Richards might be an option but the Wild are not typically a team to make a big splash at the trade deadline. They are in a tough spot as they are right in the thick of a playoff race, tied with those very same Stars for the eighth and final playoff spot. Weakening their roster and helping theirs could give them a great boost.

But the bigger likelihood is that the Wild either make a more subtle trade or just ride things out as is. That likely invites even more of a burden on the shoulder of goaltender Nicklas Backstrom, but he is 5-2-1 in his last eight with a GAA of 1.36. Riding his hot goaltending until Koivu is ready to return might be the route that the Wild choose to take.

Stay tuned. The NHL trade deadline is February 28th.

If Only

2011-02-21T12:25:00.005-06:00

I'm getting really sick and tired of these pathetic Eastern Conference teams not competing in games against the West. How can the Minnesota Wild expect to gain any spots in the Western Conference Standings when teams like Montreal go belly-up against the Flames? 4-0 to Calgary? Ridiculous. If the Wild played in the Eastern Conference they'd win a division and probably get a Top 2 seed in the playoffs, but instead they're a #8 in the West. Frustrating.

Switching gears a small bit, where would you have the Minnesota Wild finishing the season in the Eastern Conference? Picking a final resting spot for them is tough to gauge, like with most NHL picks. Soooo many things change on a daily basis and injuries will always play a role.

Armageddon

2011-02-19T17:23:00.005-06:00

Move the Semicolon!

2011-02-17T12:25:00.003-06:00

It's high time the world realized the underwhelming performance of the semicolon and moved it to a more appropriate place on the keyboard. Why should such a under-utilized and misunderstood punctuation mark occupy an important space on the keyboard?

Take a look at your keyboard right now. Place your fingers where they should be placed as if you were a good typist. All of your fingers are touching popular, often-used letters except for your right pinky; that is placed above the semicolon. Why don't they move another letter over there instead? Maybe slide the "W" over to the semicolon spot and move the semicolon/colon key out of harm's reach. Hell, the semicolon probably wouldn't place in top 5 if the AP had a "Best Punctuation Mark" poll. This is just speculation, but I'd place it 6th behind the period, comma, apostrophe, quote marks and the @.

These keyboards were designed over a hundred years ago when the semicolon was first introduced. Writers and English professors probably had high hopes for it and thought it would catch on like gangbusters. But that didn't happen and now it's high time for a change; revolutions were started with less.

Nick Schultz Doesn't Suck Anymore

2011-02-16T12:01:00.005-06:00

When exactly did Wild Defensman Nick Schultz stop sucking so badly on the ice? For years I have winced whenever he went back to handle the puck or try to break up an odd man rush. I remember shaking my head in disgust when he signed his long-term deal with the team, but now I actually think he's priced fairly.

Nick was never going to be the #1 defenseman many thought he would be early in his career. He is what he is...a solid #2 or #3 who doesn't provide a lick of offense (25 goals in 660 games played), but he has developed into a pretty decent player in the defensive zone. He rarely turns the puck over and seems to always be positioned in the correct spot. He's certainly better than old whipping boys Martin Skoula and Filip Kuba and we should be happy about that.

Will he ever be an all-star? Nope, but he fills a need on this team. My only wish is that he'd develop a bit of a mean streak. The dude only averages about 35 PIM a season and I'd like to see him mix it up more when called upon.

I Was Wrong

2011-02-04T13:01:00.004-06:00

On December 31, 2010 I wrote on Twitter that "Richards must go." It really summed up months of frustration about the team's poor play and at the time I truly meant it. Fourteen games later, a 10-4 record and with the team currently sitting in 7th position in the Western Conference, I can say that I was wrong.

Wild coach Todd Richards has this team playing at a very high level, especially on the road. He is getting outstanding contributions from young defensemen, coaxing great performances from both goaltenders and even has winger Martin Havlat playing at all All-Star level. This team has come together and seems to be heading in the right direction.

Bloggers (and many other fans for that matter) are often criticized for having knee-jerk reactions to poor team play and unfortunately that was the case for me. Then again, if the team loses tomorrow night in Phoenix I reserve the right to call for GM Chuck Fletcher's head. It's a good thing I can't fire myself.

Glee Over Puck

2011-02-02T12:24:00.004-06:00

Last night my parenting skills came into play big time. My son, a freshman at a local area high school, joined his school's show choir last September. Think Glee without the wheelchair kid. Anyways, they've been practicing 2-3 times a week for 4 months and last night was their first performance. Two days before yesterday I get a call from a good friend who's offering me and my wife tickets to the Wild game against Los Angeles. Tickets in the FSN Suite with free beer, hot dogs and brownies. Seems like a no-brainer, right?

Well, after close consultation with my wife we decided to attend the show choir performance instead. School over hockey. Glee over free beer.

Needless to say I had my phone giving me constant updates of the game and it sounds like I didn't miss much at all. A scoreless tie that went to a shootout with the good guys on top. Now I've got a slew of good husband and father points in the bank in addition to not sitting through a relatively boring hockey game. Just missed out on the free food and possible run-ins with FSN heartthrob Anthony LaPanta.

As it turned out my son didn't even know that we were offered the tickets. On the way to school this morning I told him I didn't miss much by attending his show instead of the game. His response: "Dad, you're such a moron for not going to the Wild game." I didn't have the heart to tell him it was in a suite.

My Son Wants an Avalanche Jersey

2011-01-07T12:30:00.003-06:00

What to do? We were watching the first period of last night's Colorado-Phoenix game and he blurts out that he'd like an Avs jersey. I was stunned. As far as I can tell, I have three options:

1. Pretend I didn't hear him and change the channel.

2. Buy him said jersey and watch his emotional well-being get ripped apart as the Avalanche slide out of the playoffs.

3. Buy him a green Cal Clutterbuck jersey instead and tell him the store was out of Avalanche jerseys.

I opted for Option #1, but it didn't stick. He asked me again this morning.

Jason Zucker

2010-12-27T12:32:00.003-06:00

This would be the logical place to write in-depth about last night's pathetic loss to the Detroit Red Wings, but let's just move on from that, shall we? Let's not talk about the embarrassing effort showed by the team and forget it even happened. Let's focus on something positive like Minnesota Wild prospect Jason Zucker.

Zucker, a forward for Team USA in this year's World Junior Championships, is a natural scorer. He scored the second goal in last night's victory over the Finnish team and shows huge upside. After the WJC he will return to the Denver University Pioneers, where he leads the nation in goals by a freshman with 14 in 18 games. Jason was picked 59th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft and this looks to be a steal. My best guess is that Zucker will sign with the Wild after this season and spend 2011-12 in Houston before debuting with the Wild in 2012-2013.

2 Posts in 1 Day

2010-12-22T13:19:00.002-06:00

Yes, this ties a Wild Puck Banter record; I don't know what's got into me. Anyways, I just wanted to announce that I'll be live-tweeting my drive up to Duluth, Minnesota tomorrow from the Twin Cities. It's bound to be an exciting read, so be sure and tune in tomorrow around noon. Follow my Twitter feed and learn all you ever wanted to know about this road trip to the Jewel of the Northland.

Not All is Lost

2010-12-22T12:38:00.004-06:00

Some hockey wonks have the opinion that in today's NHL a team needs to be bad for a few years in a row in order to get better. To sit at the bottom of the standings, accumulate top draft picks and then make a run. This is how the Pittsburgh Penguins (Fleury, Staal, Malkin and Crosby), Chicago Blackhawks (Kane, Toews and Barker) and some others have been built. Sure, this works, but I don't really think this is the only way.

Those who think this way tend to believe that the Minnesota Wild need to gut the franchise, sit in the NHL's basement for 2-3 years and then get better. Yes, this would work, but why throw away those seasons? Why subject their fans to multiple years of piss-poor hockey?

Smart general managers can make it work without the benefits of consecutive Top 3 picks in the entry draft. Examples? Take a look at the Philadelphia Flyers. Their only Top 10 pick since 2003 was James van Riemsdyk at #2 overall and he's not even among their best 10 players. They've built their team through free agency, trades and low draft choices. Are they the exception? How about the Dallas Stars, currently first in the West? The Stars haven't had a Top 10 pick since 1996 besides Scott Glennie (who?) at #8 overall in 2009. Yet another? I give you the Colorado Avalanche with one Top 10 pick since 1993, Matt Duchene.

These teams became very good teams by other means than sucking for many years and this gives the Wild hope. Wild GM Chuck Fletcher can build a good team without being really, really bad for the foreseeable future. And I for one believe he is on the way. Sure, he blew the Leddy for Barker trade, but the team's future is getting brighter thanks to top prospects like Marco Scandella, Jason Zucker and Michael Granlund.

Local Connection

2010-11-29T13:12:00.001-06:00

Do you need some tickets to go see the surging Wild? Check out a new sponsor of ours, Tickettrump.com. They're a local company that would love to fix you up with some great seats.

Go Back to NYC

2010-11-19T15:40:00.005-06:00

Marian Gaborik (pictured above at Blaine Chuck-e-Cheese) makes his return to Minnesota tomorrow night and I, for one, will not welcome him back with open arms. Marian was this team's franchise player, he was everything. When healthy, he's right up there with Alex, Steven and Ilya in goal-scoring ability.

Often when it's clear that a team's star is "going to test the free agent waters" the team has a chance to trade this player and get something in return. Not with Marian. When it became clear that he was not going to re-sign with the Wild, GM Doug Risebrough waited a few months and then lost all trade value when Marian injured his groin playing hacky-sack.

An f***ing hacky-sack game kicked this franchise in the groin and put the Wild in the tailspin that they have yet to recover from. Sure, I think they're on the right track, but without Marian they're years behind schedule.

Will I boo? No, because I can't afford a ticket to the game, but I will not enjoy my beer as much when watching the game from the comfort of my basement.

Backstrom Back

2010-11-15T11:30:00.003-06:00

It appears that the Nik Backstrom of 3 seasons ago has returned. After 2 average seasons Backstrom has taken his play to another level and is having a fantastic season once again. After least season many pundits were labelling the goalie as simply another product of the Jacques Lemiare system, but clearly he is not. Backstrom is a Top 5 goalie in the NHL and is starting off this season as a legit Vezina contender.

See today's sponsor if you're interested in Online Sports Betting or Sports Betting News.

Coincidence? I think not.

2010-11-09T13:18:00.003-06:00

The world is a brighter place today. Since Martin Havlat scored the game-winner on Friday night, it seems like everything is a bit nicer. It's 65 degrees outside and the sun is shining. My food has more taste, my neighbors are friendlier, my car is running better, and yes, the Minnesota Wild has a winning streak. Granted they haven't exactly been blowing teams out of the water, but they're winning, pure and simple. They're getting fantastic goaltending from both goalies, they're getting clutch goals from players like Brent Burns (he's still on the team?) and most important to me, they're fun to watch these days. When faced with a viewing decision of Wild hockey or "Giada at Home" I actually watched puck and I wasn't disappointed.

The team is finally playing under the system Coach Todd Richards has been preaching about for over a season and as it turns out, it works! Puck possession, quick breakout passes and hitting have been noticeable over the past week. And I'm coming around to the opinion that this team may contend for a playoff spot this season. Yes, I said it...this season.

And all because I'm able to have a beer again. Thanks Marty!

17 Long Days

2010-11-05T13:13:00.004-05:00

I started this silly Martin Havlat Beer Strike 17 days ago and it's really pissing me off. Why can't the man score a stupid, lousy goal and get this over with? I'd take anything at this point...a tap in empty-netter, a disallowed kick-in, hell, even a deflection of his stick into the Wild's net would work for me. Beer is something I took for granted in the past and this idiotic stunt of mine has made me realize how much I miss it.

And I'm not talking about the tasteless domestic brews like Miller Lite or Bud Lite either. I miss the Octoberfest beer from Sam Adams. I miss the simple black and white beauty of a freshly-poured Guinness Draught. A Corona with a lime. St. Paul's Summit Extra Pale Ale. I had a big, juicy cheeseburger the other night and had to choke it down with a Pepsi, an F-in Pepsi for God's sake! Enjoying a cold beer after a long day at work was something I could look forward to during the day, but no longer.

Until Martin Havlat scores a single goal, that is. The Wild are at home tonight against the Flames and I'm holding out hope that he'll get one. My basement fridge is still full, waiting for Marty to hit the twine. You can do it, I know you can. Oh, who am I kidding...I may as well stop at the gas station on the way home for some sugared-up soda. FML.

Thirsty But Strong

2010-10-28T13:17:00.004-05:00

Today is the 8th day of my Martin Havlat Beer Strike. To date, he hasn't scored a goal this season and I will continue to abstain from beer until he scores.

I'm not sure if this is coincidence, but via his agent, Havlat is complaining of a lack of playing time. In this blogger's opinion, Havat's playing time has been reduced because (a) he just isn't playing at a $5.0 million level and (b) the Wild have been shorthanded for a ridiculously long time and Havlat doesn't (nor should he) play on the PK.

Another theory that's been offered as to his goal scoring drought: he now wears Derek Boogaard's #24 and Boogey hasn't scored since 2007.

It Begins Tonight...

2010-10-22T11:52:00.003-05:00

The new back-up gets his first start in the most overrated city in North America.

Same Old Roberto

2010-10-20T12:48:00.004-05:00

Enough has been said about the incident with the fan last night, so I won't go into that. What I really wanted to write about today was Roberto Luongo. Look at these numbers: 39 minutes played, 18 shots faced, 12 saves, while making $6.7 million this season and locked up for several more.

It's a good thing they took his captaincy away from him so he could better focus on stopping the puck.

On an unrelated note, no Havlat goals last night, so my beer strike enters Day #2.

The Martin Havlat Beer Strike

2010-10-19T13:10:00.004-05:00

How much do I want this team to make the playoffs? Enough to sacrifice, my friends. Enough to give up the one thing that makes me happy, good beer. In an effort to motivate the supremely-talented but often scoreless Martin Havlat, I am staging a beer strike. Until Havlat scores I will not consume a single beer. Hopefully this will happen sooner rather than later.

On a side note, Vancouver's in town and all indications are that the Sedin twins are staying in the honeymoon suite at the Saint Paul Hotel. They like to make their trips to Minnesota into romantic getaways.

Miettinen's Problem Solved

2010-10-18T13:52:00.001-05:00

The Koivu-Brunette-Miettinen line has been together for a few years now and I think I've finally realized the problem. What usually happens is Koivu skates down the ice brilliantly, curls into the corner, passes the puck to Andrew "Big Ass" Brunette behind the net who then dishes it out front to Miettinen for the open shot. At this point, Antti fires the puck wide by about 6 inches.

I used to think that he was used to playing with bigger nets in Finland, but now that we've seen the Wild play in Helsinki we know that's not the case. Instead of breaking up this line and pairing Koivu with someone who can hit the net on a regular basis, the Wild should focus their efforts on getting the NHL to make the nets bigger. It's very simple: with a bigger net, Miettinen becomes Ovechkin.

Here Comes the Oil

2010-10-12T13:31:00.004-05:00

Home opener Thursday night against the upstart Edmonton Oilers. While most hockey experts had both the Wild and the Oilers missing the playoffs this season, almost all of them had the Wild finishing ahead of Edmonton. But I ask you this, Wild fans, as of today whose roster would you rather have? Minnesota's based around Mikko Koivu and a bunch of question marks or Edmonton's youth talent led by Taylor Hall and Jordan "Don't Call Me Lady" Eberle?

Friday Grab Bag

2010-09-24T12:46:00.004-05:00

Not much to write about today other than a few random notes:

Tonight's preseason game at St. Louis is on KSTC-45 in standard definition only. There is absolutely no excuse for this.

The only Wild players ranked in the Top 20 by position in this week's The Hockey News were Mikko Koivu (#19 Center) and Nik Backstrom (#16 Goaltender), and as much as I'd like to argue that they missed some other Wild players, I tend to agree. Although Mikko should be Top 10.

This is definitely chili season. Spicy chili season.

I see no reason why I can't wear lounge pants AKA pajama bottoms to a youth soccer game. Comfy as hell.

I think I'm really going to enjoy watching the Edmonton Oilers this season; they appear to be a collection of young talent who are bound to be in a bunch of 7-4 games.

The NHL Center Ice package at $170.00 is still the best bargain on television.

I am completely jinxing the team by writing this, but the UMD Bulldog hockey team seriously has a shot at a national title this year if Kenny Reiter plays well. Not even Stalock-good, just be decent, Kenny.

Last night's season premiere of "The Office" was horrible. I hope this isn't a trend, but most great series tend to peak in their 3rd season.

Over and out.

NHL App for iPhone MIA

2010-09-14T13:12:00.002-05:00

Since purchasing an iphone a few weeks ago I've discovered several decent applications that I use almost every day. I have also found several that I used once and then deleted. Most of the major sports leagues seem to have their own apps, for example, MLB.com has a terrific application that lets you listen to all of the live games in addition to providing live boxscores.

Much to my chagrin, the NHL doesn't seem to have one yet. It would seem like the logical place to promote their GameCenter Live package, let alone promoting the league as a whole. They could list schedules, statistics and even include links to prominent independent hockey blogs like Kukla's Korner and Wild Puck Banter. I for one would buy the app and even offer this website for free.

Maybe something's in the works, I don't know, but I think the league is missing out if there isn't.

NAHL Showcase Hockey

2010-09-13T11:40:00.002-05:00

Once again it's time to watch some good September hockey, and what better forum to do so than the NAHL Showcase Tournament in Blaine, Minnesota? I intend to be there every day and take a look specifically at the Minnesota-born prospects. Look for posts and frequent tweets starting on Wednesday, September 15th.

Kurt Russell Film Festival

2010-09-06T10:09:00.004-05:00

Part of my kid's education involves watching great cinema. Thanks to Netflix and TNT I've been able to expose them to forgotten films like "Strange Brew" and "Exorcist III". In this vein this weekend we started a film festival devoted to a great, underrated film superstar Kurt Vogel Russell.

Logically we started with his early Disney movies in which he and a group of frat buddies torment poor Dean Higgins. He experimented with various recreational drugs in these films that enabled him to win weightlifting competitions and/or become invisible.

Next up we moved into Kurt's John Carpenter period. After "The Thing" we watched "Escape from New York". His portrayal of Snake Plissken (pictured above) holds up against any action hero before or since. Quick question: why are Carpenter's movies titled "John Carpenter's The Thing" instead of just "The Thing". Ego?

Then we watched a few comedies including the very underrated "The Best of Times" with Robin Williams and his classic "Captain Ron" in which he again dons an eye patch over his left eye.

Unfortunately the weekend is drawing to a close and we haven't even been able to watch such great films as "Miracle", "Big Trouble in Little China" and "Stargate". I had also meant to include Kurt's appearance as a jungle boy on Gilligan's Island, but didn't get to it.

All in all I think my point has been made. Kurt Russell is an American cinema icon.

Wake Me Up...

2010-09-05T12:01:00.005-05:00

...when September ends. Yes, it's time for my annual post done in early September whining about the fact that we've got another month of no hockey. I've tried hard this off season, dear readers, to watch different sports like soccer and The Bachelorette, but just couldn't make anything work. I've managed to pick up a few non-hockey books also, but they just didn't cut the mustard. Here are 10 non-hockey things I've learned this summer:

1. Boneless wings are not a substitute for buffalo wings. They're just big, misshapen chicken mcnuggets. Stick with wings.

2. I cannot sit through an entire baseball game without a beer every 3 innings.

3. Speaking of beer, Grainbelt Nordeast rocks.

4. It's not a good sign when the girl behind the counter says "cool, I've never poured a Guinness before."

5. Make sure you stretch out before riding an elephant. They're wide animals and it's very easy to pull a Gaborik.

6. English Premier League football is fun to watch.

7. I now like T-bone steaks better than ribeyes.

8. Entertainment Weekly should be renamed "Vampire Weekly". They devote too much space to True Blood and Team Edward and not enough to Brooklyn Decker.

9. Giada can make some wicked antipasti.

10. There is no substitute for puck.

Having said that, we're almost there. The Wild open the season in Lapland on October 7th against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Grasping at Straws

2010-07-30T12:11:00.003-05:00

No one argues the point that August is the slowest month of the year for a hockey fan. No games, drafts or free agent frenzy; just a month for beat writers to go on vacation (yes, I'm talking about Mike Russo here) and others to dream for the upcoming months. Even The NHL Network seems to be taking the month off...between showing re-runs of past playoff games and episodes of "Top 10 Back-up Goalies of the 1991 Playoffs", the network has little to offer.

I have a solution: develop a hockey TV drama in the spirit of "The West Wing". Watching the inner-workings of the NHL League Headquarters would make terrific TV...actors that look like Gary Bettman and Collin Campbell could argue about the league's insanely inconsistent conduct policies, pseudo-Bettman could go suit shopping and maybe even have Brendan Shanahan play himself for a few episodes during sweeps weeks. I'd start by trying to talk Kevin Spacey into the Bettman part, in a Lester Burnham-like role. Then team him up with Nick Nolte for the Campbell part; the hijinx would come naturally. I'd watch every week, as long as they didn't schedule it against "The Real World: New Orleans". Knight's a spectacular d-bag.

Adrian Dater is no Hater

2010-07-29T11:59:00.002-05:00

Of all the 4 major American sports (baseball, basketball, football and hockey), it is hardest to evaluate a hockey player by just looking at statistics. In baseball, statistics are everything and number guys poor over them in endless fashion with some success. Basketball is a bit harder...there is no stat for hustle and team play, but in the end you can still look at a game and see who scored, passed the ball and grabbed some rebounds. Football is even harder...how do you evaluate a guard? But again, for quarterbacks, halfbacks and receivers the statistics usually can indicate the better players.

Hockey is different. You can't look at a box score and determine the best player on the ice for a given game. There is so much more to the game than just tapping in a goal on a wide open net. They've added some stats in the last few years like "hits" that add more to the puzzle, but in the end you can't evaluate a player without watching the game.

Where am I headed with this? Mikko F. Koivu, my friends. When Avs shill Adrian Dater recently posted his 10 best centers article, there was some outcry that Koivu shouldn't be included on the list, let alone appear at #7. Is Evgeni Malkin twice as good a player than Koivu simply because he scores twice as often? Of course not. Dater was completely in the right putting Koivu on the list, only I would argue he should've been a bit higher.

Burritos for Bloggers

2010-07-26T12:47:00.003-05:00

Yesterday afternoon via Twitter I announced my bold ambition to donate $8.50 to the "Burritos for Bloggers" Foundation once I hit 100 followers on my Twitter account. Within 7 short, hungry hours I had reached 75 and the number continues grow. Pledge your support for this terrific organization by following me at http://twitter.com/wildpuckbanter.

WPB Book Club Main Selection

2010-07-26T12:32:00.003-05:00

For those of you who enjoy a good post-apocalypse, vampire-infested world book I highly recommend picking up Justin Cronin's "The Passage." Because of its similarities to "The Stand" I was intrigued by the premise...a military experiment goes awry and millions die...but it turns out to be more than that. It's a story of a little girl who helps the last vestiges of humanity survive all while holding out hope that the National Hockey League can find a way to close a loophole in its Collective Bargaining Agreement. Ok, the latter part of that sentence isn't completely accurate, but it's a good read anyway.

Projected Lines

2010-07-22T13:04:00.003-05:00

Yes, we've reached that part of the hockey year where I struggle to come up with topics to write about. I've had an internal debate about whether or not to post my feelings about this season's edition of The Bachelorette, but thankfully that got scrapped. In lieu of that, here are what I think the Wild's lines look like for the upcoming season:

Brunette-Koivu-Bouchard
Latendresse-Cullen-Havlat
Clutterbuck-Kobasew-Miettinen
Nystrom-Weller-Brodziak (Staubitz alternating)

Zidlicky-Zanon
Burns-Schultz
Barker-Mitchell (*)

(*) Notice I included Willie Mitchell. This is a complete guess based upon the team's need for another veteran player. In his alternate, you could substitute Stoner or maybe even Marco Scandella.

Where's Shep? My gut tells me he'll be waived after training camp.

Maybe Versus Isn't Soooo Bad

2010-07-13T12:13:00.005-05:00

After watching 5 minutes of last night's MLB Home Run Derby on ESPN I came away thankful that the network doesn't have rights to the NHL. Can you imagine Chris "I can make up stupid nicknames for everyone" Berman anchoring the NHL Skills Competition? Versus may have a poor market presence, a cheap studio and some of the worst play-by-play guys in sports, but at least they don't have a tubby, over-juiced anchor who wears bad cabana shirts.

Getting the Band Back Together

2010-07-12T12:11:00.002-05:00

I accidentally stumbled across Wild GM Chuck Fletcher's plan the other night while watching The NHL Network. Game 4 of the 1981 Cup Finals was being replayed; an upstart Edmonton Oilers team against the 4 time defending champion Islanders. It then donned on me: Chuck's trying to reassemble the 1981 New York Islanders by using kids and nephews of the cup-winners.

First part of plan: get Clark Gilles' nephew Colton on the team. Former GM Doug Risebrough had already accomplished this by taking young Gilles several spots ahead of where he was ranked. Gilles floundered in his first NHL season and spent 2009-10 in the AHL.

Second part: sign Eric Nystrom. Done. Nystrom, as you may recall, is Bobby Nystrom's son. Perfect!

Third part of plan: find out of Bryan Trottier or Mike Bossy have any offspring that can put the puck in the net.

With All Due Respect, Hell No!

2010-07-10T10:09:00.001-05:00

Retire already, please.

My Name is Robbie Earl

2010-07-08T12:17:00.003-05:00

Minnesota Wild winger Robbie Earl signed a contract with the team yesterday, agreeing to a one year deal. Earl, who spent what seemed like 11 years at the University of Wisconsin, actually played pretty well for the Wild last season, appearing in 32 games and scoring 6 times. It's a two-way contract, so expect to see Earl on the flight between Minneapolis and Houston several times next season.

On an unrelated note, I've come to enjoy a good gyro. Roy out.

Crazy Talk

2010-07-06T15:14:00.002-05:00

Which of the following is more likely?

(A) Ilya Kovulchuk signs with the Wild.
(B) I eat a vegetarian burrito at Chipotle.
(C) Terhaar becomes a competent play-by-play guy.

At this point, I'd have to go with "A," but only considering the alternate choices.

Eric F-in Nystrom!

2010-07-02T12:10:00.002-05:00

Sure, all the ballyhoo and excitement was about the team signing UFA Matt Cullen yesterday, but to me the underrated signing was that of Eric Nystrom. Nystrom, a left winger, will provide much-needed grit and toughness to the Minnesota Wild. Here are some reasons why I am upbeat about this:

Dude's only 27. Still improving.
23 career NHL fights over 3 seasons. Boogaard's semi-replacement?
Another American on the team that lacks in that area.
Played for a division rival...although Calgary's not a factor anymore, right?
Anytime we sign another forward it means less ice time for Shep.

Things are looking up. Cullen and Nystrom yesterday, Guillaume signed, another talented Finn drafted...we're on our way!

Winter Classic Snub Again

2010-05-28T20:54:00.002-05:00

With word today that next season's NHL Winter Classic will be played in Pittsburgh by another two Eastern Conference teams, I have to ask the question: When is it our turn? Bring the New Year's Day game to Minnesota; play it at Target Field. Pittsburgh versus Washington? Please, let's give the national TV audience some variety. No one likes steak and caviar every night, mix in a pork chop once in a while.

I pledge not to watch any more Winter Classic's until Gary Bettman apologizes to all Minnesotans and to Wild Puck Banter personally for this snub, this giant oversight. All we want here is a little respect, is that too much to ask?

I'd be less upset if they'd just bring the game west of the Mississippi River for a change. It doesn't have to be in Minnesota...Denver would be a great setting as well. But as we know, it's all about generating TV revenue, and like it or not, over 97% of the American public lives within 2 hours of NYC. (bad attempt at sarcasm)

Coney Gut Bombs

2010-05-26T13:34:00.004-05:00

With the Stanley Cup Finals coming up, I offer you the perfect food to offer your guests. Make Coney Island Hot Dogs. Not chili-cheese dogs, there is a difference. "Coney Gut Bombs", as I like to call them, are skin-on wieners(*) that are covered with a sweet meat sauce made of various items including beef, brown sugar and ketchup. There are many recipes for this mixture, and most are good. Add mustard and onions to taste and you'll have a great combination for your viewing party.

As far as a drink to pair it with, I suggest going with beer. Maybe something a bit lighter like Bell's Two-Hearted Ale. You can't miss with that.

(*) This is sure to get me some hits from people not exactly looking for hockey information.

Guillaume Latendresse: How Much?

2010-05-06T13:21:00.003-05:00

Clearly the first priority in this off season for the Minnesota Wild is signing power forward Guillaume Latendresse to a multi-year contract, but at what cost? His numbers in a Wild uniform last year were terrific...55 games, 25 goals, 12 assists. If you compute that over an 82 game season he'd have 37 goals, 18 assists for 55 points.

Comparably speaking, I liken him a bit to Dustin Penner. Penner's a big forward who can score. Last season with the Edmonton Oilers, Penner's numbers looked like this: 82 games, 32 goals, 31 assists for 63 points. Granted, Penner is 26 and Latendresse is only 22, but I still like the comparison.

Penner is in the middle of a 5 year, $21.25m contract with the Oilers. While I don't think I'd sign Latendresse to a 5 year contract at this point, I think the average salary is acceptable. If I were Chuck Fletcher, I'd try and ink him to a 3 year, $12.0m contract. If he balks, offer him a one year, $4.5m contract. Then again, if I were Chuck Fletcher I'd have a much bigger TV and I probably wouldn't be writing this blog.

Memories of January

2010-04-14T11:23:00.002-05:00

Just a picture from this last January. Fresh outdoor ice.

FWIW, My 1st Rounds Picks

2010-04-13T14:32:00.002-05:00

Caps over Habs in 5.
Devils over Flyers in 5.
Sabres over Bruins in 7.
Pens over Sens in 6.

Sharks over Avs in 4.
Preds over Hawks in 7.
Canucks over Kings in 5.
Wings over Yotes in 6.

The Future: Emerson Etem

2010-04-07T11:20:00.003-05:00

Flash forward to June, Wild GM Chuck Fletcher steps up to the podium and says "with the 8th overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the Minnesota Wild are proud to select Emerson Etem of the Medicine Hat Tigers."

I would be elated. For one, they don't take the hometown kid, Nick Bjugstad, who would be a complete reach at number 8. Bjugstad may go on to have a great NHL career, but (1) he's not the 8th best player in the draft and (2) he's headed to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in the fall, a place where great players go to stagnate.

Etem is a scorer, something the Wild lack. He's a California kid who's going to develop nicely in Medicine Hat for a few years into a Zach Parise-type winger. Having said that, I'm not going to lie here and say I'm a Emerson Etem expert. Truth be told, the main reason I like the kid is because he's got a great hockey name. Emerson Etem, try it.

The Falling Avalanche

2010-04-01T13:58:00.003-05:00

Nice play on words, huh? Once thought to be dwellers of the Northwest Division, the Colorado Avalanche shocked the hockey world by quickly climbing to first place to begin the regular season. Rookie sensation Matt Duchene had the Islanders wondering if they picked the right guy, Goaltender Craig Anderson (pictured above with Susan Sarandon) had people thinking Vezina and first year head coach Joe Sacco was a shoo-in for the Jack Adams Trophy. But it was only January.

Teams show their greatness (or lack thereof) in February and March, and that is when the Avalanche showed their true colors. Anderson showed fatigue and started allowing some bad goals. Duchene, also a victim of a long regular season, hasn't been the explosive player he was in November.

The team is tumbling in the standings and is hoping to hang onto 7th or even 8th place in the conference so they can get destroyed by the Sharks in the opening round. Then again, IT IS the Sharks we're talking about here; anything can happen.

Is Colorado a first place team? Clearly the answer is no, but they're not a last place team either. Hope should swell in Denver as the Avalanche are on the upswing. They've got some nice building blocks and hopefully (for them) they'll continue to improve.

Wild Playoff Chances

2010-03-29T15:37:00.002-05:00

At this point all hope is lost with regards to the Minnesota Wild's playoff chances. That being said, they haven't been mathematically elimated yet. I'd put their chances at about 0.072 percent. Sports betting has never seen a more ridiculous wager.

Yes, paying the bills my friends.

Moving East?

2010-03-24T14:47:00.002-05:00

Rumors and innuendo, that's our specialty. Let's see what could happen this off-season if you believe plugged-in hockey guys like Ken Campbell:

1. The Phoenix Coyotes return to Winnipeg and become the Jets, Part Deux.

2. The Atlanta Thrashers are sold and moved anywhere west of the Mississippi, like Seattle or even Kansas City.

If #1 and #2 happen there is a good chance the Minnesota Wild would leave the travel-intensive Northwest Division and become part of the Central Division, along with the Blues, Bluejackets, Predators and Blackhawks.

Here's why: Detroit has been whining for years about playing in the competitive Western Conference. They say they're more suited for the East from a TV time zone standpoint. So, if the Atlanta franchise moves West, Detroit would get first dibs at taking their spot in the Eastern Conference. This leaves an opening in the Central Division, something the Wild covet. They'd be reunited with old Norris Division foes Chicago and St. Louis and also have most of their away games on in the same time zone. Winnipeg would take Minnesota's spot in the Northwest Division and rekindle old rivalries with Calgary and Edmonton.

It's a dream scenario for the Wild, but not completely far-fetched.

Conventional Wisdom Hogwash

2010-03-19T12:54:00.000-05:00

Lately I’ve heard plenty of talk about the Detroit Red Wings. Yes, the 8th place Detroit Red Wings. Most of the talk has been centered around the Wings being a “sleeping giant” and “the team no one wants to play” in the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs. To this I say “Hogwash” with a capital H.

First off, Detroit may not even make the postseason. They’re currently in 8th place, only ahead of the 9th place Calgary Flames by one point. Sure, chances are good, but they’re not a lock. A bad bounce here, or a poor Jimmy Howard game there and they’re watching the playoffs.

Secondly, IF they make the playoffs they’re the 8th seed. Why wouldn’t Chicago or San Jose want to play the 8th seed as opposed to the 5th, 6th or even 7th seed? The Red Wings are the 8th seed because they are the 8th best team in the Western Conference. Sure, the national media will tell you that the Blackhawks would rather face 7th place Nashville than the Wings, but this is silly. You should always want to play the lowest-seeded team, regardless of mystique. Regardless of Hockeytown. Regardless of overrated Red Wing speculation.

And yes, before people start up with the “Well, the Wild aren’t even in the playoffs” talk, I agree. The Wild are in rebulding mode and won’t make a serious playoff run for 2-3 seasons.

WCHA Road Trip

2010-03-13T15:48:00.005-06:00

On a whim I attended last night's opening round WCHA playoffs in Duluth, Minnesota. It was the 5 v. 6 match up, Colorado College and Minnesota-Duluth. What follows is a running commentary of events before and after the game:

1:30pm ~ decided to try and find tickets for game. Purchased 3 on the glass seats on the blueline for $20.00 apiece on Ticketmaster. Must not be hard tickets to get.

3:00pm ~ left for Duluth. My boys (ages 14 and 10) are in backseat watching Season 1 of something called "The Amanda Show".

4:02pm ~ stop in Pine City, Minnesota for dinner at local Pizza Hut. Cheese pizza and bread sticks all around. Crabby waitress doesn't appear to be a hockey fan and doesn't bring us a box for leftovers until prodded multiple times.

5:39pm ~ arrival at the Holiday Inn parking ramp in downtown Duluth. For some reason they've set up the ramp so cars must drive on the left-hand side. Designer must have been from Britain.

5:42pm ~ on the glass elevator with what I assume to be a skateboarder. Pants on the ground.

5:53pm ~ on the way to the DECC we stop off and watch some curling action at the Duluth Curling Club. Olympic fever seems to be rampant up here, all curling lanes are full and bar is full.

6:30pm ~ sitting down in our seats we realize that there is no one else in the arena, well at least only about 100 people. We'd have a great opportunity to upgrade our seats had we not been on the glass.

7:02pm ~ last line of the National Anthem: "...and the home of the BULLDOGS!" Classic.

9:01pm ~ Twittered to @bruceciskie, voice of the bulldogs, "Wave!". Ciskie reluctantly agrees and gives a weak wave from press box.

9:47pm ~ Bulldogs win in overtime. Crowd of 3,461 goes nuts.

10:14pm ~ back at parking ramp, car not vandalized. It IS downtown Duluth.

10:30pm ~ kids fire up "Pee Wee's Big Adventure" on DVD player in backseat. Love the movie, especially the part when Pee Wee tells Dottie "there's things about me you wouldn't understand, things you shouldn't understand." True words indeed, Mr. Herman.

12:29am ~ made great time on the highway despite fog that was thicker than Rosie O'Donnell's back hair. Home at last.

Mailing It In

2010-03-12T12:16:00.003-06:00

If only the NHL regular season were like a Netflix DVD. That way the Minnesota Wild could just press the stop button, put the poor season in the return envelope and send it back to Netflix, only to get a new, fresh season in the mail a few days later. After last night's lethargic 5-1 loss in the Motor City, it is clear that with 15 games remaining the team has given up.

And with only 15 games left, it's time to say goodbye to James "The future power forward of 2007" Sheppard. Shep's a restricted free agent at the conclusion of the season and I can guess with amazing clarity that he won't be back. And it's not like he wasn't given playing time to figure this game out, either. Sure, he did get rushed to the NHL by former GM Doug Risebrough, but he's had plenty of time to overcome that.

Team MVP?

2010-03-09T19:01:00.001-06:00

For my thoughts on who this team's MVP is, check out our sister site, Pucks Gone Wild.

Free Derek Boogaard

2010-03-06T16:13:00.004-06:00

Ok, so it was a knee on knee hit, but Derek Boogaard really didn't mean it. Two game suspension? There goes that 12 minutes of ice time for #24. Kidding aside, I do agree with the suspension. Derek's a repeat offender and it was a bad hit, intentions be damned.

My gut tells me these are the last 20 games he'll be in a Wild sweater anyways. He is a UFA after this season and I'm sure some other team will offer him a multi-year deal for around $750k per year, something the Wild can't afford to do for a player that hasn't scored since Mr. Ecko was still alive on Lost. John Scott can handle the fighting responsibilities next season while logging some important ice time for less money.

Contract the Oilers

2010-03-05T17:38:00.003-06:00

There's been a lot of talk lately about relocating some NHL franchises from Southern US markets to Canada. Rumors have circulated about the Atlanta Thrashers moving to Winnipeg, the Phoenix Coyotes to Hamilton and even the New Jersey Devils to Toronto. What has escaped some NHL pundits is that there is a team struggling in the Great White North that no one ever talks about: The Edmonton Oilers.

It's hockey blasphemy to suggest that a canadian city can't adequately support an NHL team. After all, Canada is the birthplace of hockey. Kids come skating out of their mother's uteruses at birth for crying out loud. But the legend of hockey in Canada has blinded most to the fact that even some cities in Canada don't merit an NHL franchise. Edmonton is one of those cities.

It's a city of roughly 700,000 people, a little bit less than Indianapolis, Indiana. The economy up there is in such poor shape that people are no longer going to the games. They prefer to spend their money on life's necessities like food, clothing and Molsons. Sure, they're still averaging 16,000 people per game, but if they lost their team these fans could just hop in the car and drive down to Calgary, which leads me to my second point.

Why does Alberta deserve 2 franchises? It'd be like St. Paul and Duluth getting NHL teams. Does Duluth need a team? No, because they can come down and watch the Wild. Calgary and Edmonton are too close to each other, simple geography.

And don't even get me started on the team's performance. No playoffs in 3 seasons and this season is more of the same. Oh sure, they won some Stanley Cups in the 1980's, but that was only because they had the extreme good fortune of drafting #99. The team is inept and only a complete teardown and rebuild in another city can fix it.

So where should they move the Oilers? I don't really care, maybe Winnipeg, maybe Oklahoma City. My only point here is that Edmonton has lost the ability to maintain and care for an NHL team.

Extending Zidlicky

2010-03-02T13:07:00.002-06:00

Today's post title sounds like the name of a Tarantino film, but in this case it's what Chuck Fletcher aims to get done in the next 24 hours. Star-Tribune beat writer and hockey wonk Michael "I used to cover the Florida Panthers and I hate early morning flights" Russo is reporting that it will end up being for $12.0 million over 3 years. The sticking point appears to be Marek Zidlicky's desire for a no-trade clause, something Fletcher dislikes. Zidlicky is 33 years old and there is no way he should be given a no-trade.

I like the deal; Zidlicky has brought offense to the blue line and is very capable of running the PP. Having said that, if he insists on the no-trade, I'd say goodbye and look for his replacement via free agency this summer.

Oh, one more quick thing. I heard Kevin Gorg on KFAN this morning raving about Pittsburgh's acquisition of Jordan Leopold for only a 2nd round pick. Note to Gorg: there's a reason Leopold's been traded several times throughout his career...he's not that good. He's decent on the PP, but a complete defensive liability. If he was the great d-man you liken him to, he'd still be in Calgary. No wait, Colorado. Errr, Florida.

Peter Mueller Available?

2010-03-01T13:13:00.004-06:00

Word is leaking out that the Phoenix Coyotes are not happy with the development of forward Peter Mueller and are shopping him around prior to the upcoming trade deadline. This being the case, the Wild should make an effort to see how much Phoenix is looking for in return. Mueller, 21, would appear to be regressing after his rookie campaign.

2007-08 ~ 22 goals, 32 assists in 82 games (0.66 ppg)

2008-09 ~ 13 goals, 23 assists in 72 games (0.50 ppg)

2009-10 ~ 4 goals, 12 assists in 53 games (0.30 ppg)

Often times a young, promising player just needs a change of scenery in order to rediscover the path to hockey greatness. Mueller, an upcoming RFA, was the 8th overall pick in the 2006 Entry Draft and clearly has talent. If I were Wild GM Chuck Fletcher I'd offer the Coyotes someone like Kyle Brodziak and a 2nd round pick to see if they'd bite. Give up a first rounder for Mueller? Probably not, without getting more in return.

Kipper the Sieve

2010-02-26T17:08:00.002-06:00

Above is a picture of Finnish (and Calgary Flame) goaltender Miika Kipprusoff trying to explain to Team Finland GM Jari Kurri why he sucked so badly in today's first period against Team USA. After letting in three quick goals, the Finnish coach threw the hockey world a curve ball by keeping the Sieve in goal. After another one was let in, Kipper pulled himself and let Nik Backstrom play. Hopefully Kipper's play continues into the final 20 games of the NHL regular season.

Avoid This Film

2010-02-20T17:06:00.004-06:00

Warning: this blog entry contains spoilers. And burrito news.

I watched "Law Abiding Citizen" this afternoon and now I have no way of getting those 110 minutes back. All I knew about it going in was that Jennifer Aniston's new beau plays a guy in prison who's somehow able to kill guys on the outside. Oh, I also knew Jamie Foxx was in it too. Not a good movie. A bit too predictable and boring in spots. I don't want to give anything away, but let's just say Mr. Aniston is Morgan Freeman Shawshank like. Not enough big explosions, either.

After the movie I flipped on the third period of Switzerland-Norway. Definitely the best game of the Olympics so far, and I love those NORGE jerseys.

Next weekend I'll be in the Christmas City of the North, visiting my parents and partaking in a burrito and Duluth's Burrito Union. Word has it the burritos are as big as poodles and they serve many good microbrews.

I Should Move to Saskatoon

2010-02-19T12:38:00.003-06:00

Sometimes I really feel like things would be better for me if I moved to Saskatoon. I wouldn't have to deal with NBC's uninterested-at-best coverage of Men's Hockey. I wouldn't have to deal with watching the epic USA-Canada game on Sunday in standard definition. I'd get hockey information on the evening news. I'd be able to go to Tim Horton's for a coffee and breakfast sandwich. Sleemans' would be in every liquor store. Heck, I don't even think I'd mind the cold that much because I'm from Minnesota. I do love my country, it's just frustrating to be a big time hockey fan and not be able to watch the game (in its entirety) when it's on.

Twitter Gonzo

2010-02-17T15:32:00.004-06:00

Due to my inferior social-networking skills, I have accidentally deleted my Wild Puck Banter Twitter account. Why did I do this? Not sure, but it has nothing to do with being a product of the Duluth, Minnesota school system. I'm looking into getting it reactivated.

Update: I have now created a new account. Click on this link.

Hope Floats

2010-02-11T11:35:00.003-06:00

Hope. It's a wonderful thing, just ask Andy DuFresne. And when I look at today's NHL Standings I get filled with hope. Hope for future Minnesota Wild success.

It used to be that a team had to draft in the Top 5 for several seasons in a row in order to accumulate winning talent. Examples include the Ottawa Senators of the 1990's, the Pittsburgh Penguins of about 5 years ago and the Atlanta Thrashers. Oh wait, strike that last one. Anyhow, the point being was that you had to be very bad for multiple seasons in order to succeed down the line.

That theory being in place, the Wild have struggled in recent years, but not struggled enough. No Top 5 picks outside of the disaster known as Benny Pouliot in the last decade. How can this team improve without landing top talent?

Well, faithful readers, there is hope. Teams such as the Phoenix Coyotes and the Colorado Avalanche have given us hope. A team can win without an Ovechkin on the roster. A team can win without any big name stars and only 7,500 people in the stands. (Yes, Colorado, that's a shot at you.)

Take a look at which teams would make the playoffs if they started today. Among them are the Coyotes, Avalanche, Sabres and Senators. All thought to be non-playoff factors for years. All this just proves that if you have a group of good players that play as a team you can win. Hopefully the Wild are on this track.

Wild Prospects

2010-02-03T12:29:00.005-06:00

As of today, here is my ranking of the team's best prospects:

1. Marco Scandella (D) ~ finally, finally, finally a 2nd round draft pick can play. He was arguably Canada's best defenseman in the last World Juniors and appears to be getting better every month. Pierre McGuire calls him "a monster".

2. Nick Leddy (D) ~ despite an early-season injury, he's had a good season in the WCHA. Still a few years away, but nothing he has done has diminished his 16th overall selection. McGuire calls him "a monster".

3. Tyler Cuma (D) ~ the former first round pick has disappointed so far to date, but defensemen tend to develop slowly, so I wouldn't give up on him yet. Odds are good he'll be in Houston next season.

4. Anton Khoudobin (G) ~ Houston's all star goaltender will probably be backing up Backstrom next season.

5. Colton Gilles (LW) ~ Despite playing in the NHL last season, I still label him as a prospect. He's only 20 and could someday be a gritty presence in the corners. McGuire had called him "a monster" but has since retracted that quote.

As you can see, the Wild are fairly deep with prospects on defense. I see them drafting forwards this upcoming summer.

Dino Belongs in the Hall

2010-02-02T17:51:00.003-06:00

With all the fuss about Bert Blyleven not getting into the Baseball Hall of Fame, a former North Star great's quest for the Hockey HOF has gone a little unnoticed. Make no mistake about it, Dino Ciccarelli should be in the Hall of Fame. Let's examine his numbers:

1232 Regular Season Games Played

608 Goals (232 on the Power Play, 8th all time)

592 Assists

1200 Points

141 Playoff Games Played

73 Playoff Goals

He had 21 points in 19 playoff games during the 1980-81 North Star run to the Stanley Cup Finals AS A ROOKIE.

By comparison, HOF member Luc Robataille scored 668 goals (many assisted by the greatest playmaker of all time) and was a no-brainer pick. Cam Neely, who brought much more to the rink than his scoring, only scored 395 career goals and is also in.

Why not Dino? Sure, the guy was a bit of a hothead and sometimes he brought out the trash without any pants, but that doesn't disqualify him. I know a lot of people who take out the trash butt naked, it's no big deal IMO.

Overrated are the Sharks

2010-01-30T09:32:00.002-06:00

Yes, I know I just about say that about every good team the Wild faces, but in San Jose's case I actually believe it's somewhat true. Sure, they've got a good line or two, and sure, they're boasting the best point total in the NHL, but when was the last time they made the Stanley Cup Finals? When was the last time you heard Evgeni Nabokov giving a Vezina acceptance speech? Never, my friends, never. All the San Jose Sharks are is a team of underachievers that used to be made up of Minnesota North Star castoffs.

Remember that? In 1991 the expansion Sharks were allowed to select players from the North Stars to start their team. Players like Shane Churla, Brian Hayward and even Doug Zmolek were selected. A year later the North Stars made the Cup Finals, something San Jose has yet to accomplish.

Objects in Your Mirror

2010-01-29T12:41:00.004-06:00

Another game, another two points. Last night's victory in Colorado was hardly a great game from a spectator's standpoint, but it was a good game to watch if you're a fan of Josh Harding. Harding looked very sharp, shutting out the Avalanche 1-0. Marty Havlat scored the only goal. The team is now off to San Jose for a 9:30 CST start against the Sharks.

Despite the recent surge, the question still remains: is this a playoff team? The answer, from this blogger's viewpoint, is a resounding probably. I know you can't throw out games in October, but since November 1st, this team has been playing very, very good hockey. If they selected NHL playoff teams like they do NCAA basketball teams the Wild would certainly be in, due to their play as of late. They are a team on the come, and they're about to pass Calgary.

One other quick thing...I went to "The Tooth Fairy" last night and came away with a couple of quick thoughts:

(1) The Rock, Julie Andrews, Billy Crystal and Ashley Judd all need to look at themselves in the mirror and really give some thought to where their careers are at. Why, Ashley, why?

(2) ESPN's Steve Levy made a quick cameo as an ESPN hockey broadcaster. I really miss games done by Levy and Darren Pang. Great duo.

(3) If you're a movie theatre serving nachos and cheese, why wouldn't you offer jalapeno peppers on the side? Nachos w/o jalapenos are nothing more than bad doritos.

Looking for Sponsors

2010-01-27T14:46:00.002-06:00

With the rapidly-approaching Hockey Day in my Basement only 10 days away I'm in need of a sponsor or two. Ideally I'd like a restaurant like Dino's Gyros or Sammy's Pizza to sponsor the day and provide me with food, but at this point I'd settle for some pizza rolls. I could call it "Totino Pizza Rolls Hockey Day in my Basement" or "Hockey Day in my Basement Brought to you by Dino's Gyros". The possibilities are endless.

Now onto tonight'sgame against the Red Wings. Rumor has it Josh Harding will get the start in goal. The game is tres importante. With the Wings holding down the 8th spot in the conference, the Wild cannot afford to lose another 2 points. The run to the playoffs begins now.

Hockey Day in My Basement 2010

2010-01-23T14:49:00.009-06:00

Saturday, February 6, 2010 has been decreed "Hockey Day in my Basement". I plan on spending the entire day doing hockey-related activities to honor the greatest sport. Here is a tentative schedule of events:

8am to 9am ~ Watch NHL on the Fly with coffee and Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
9am to 11am ~ Watch the film "Miracle".
11am to 11:40 ~ drive son to Squirt hockey game in Blaine.
11:40 to 12:40 ~ attend Squirt hockey game and work time clock.
12:40 to 2pm ~ Stop for tacos on way home and discuss the game.
2pm to 3pm ~ Play NHL 2010.
3pm to 5:30 ~ Watch Red Wings v. Kings.
5:30 to 7pm ~ Make crock of chili, go on beer run and watch HNIC.
7pm to 9:30 ~ Flyers v. Wild.
9:30 to 11:30 ~ Watch "Youngblood" again.
11:30 to Midnight ~ Fall asleep on couch during HNIC After Hours.

I cordially invite everyone over for what promises to be a fun day. Rumors are swirling that FSN personalities (oxymoron, right?) Kevin Gorg and Anthony LaPanta are making plans to attend part of the day. Merchandise like sweatshirts and commemorative can coolers will be available in coming days.

Getting Ridiculous

2010-01-22T12:12:00.004-06:00

Some thoughts about last night's Shootout loss to the Wings:

Let's just spot all of the Wild's future opponents 2 goals before the game starts because clearly that's what this team needs in order to get motivated. Sure, you can call them The Comeback Kids, but the proper nickname would be The Late Risers.
Josh Harding injured. This is not good considering the approaching trade deadline. Hopefully he gets back soon so his talents can be on display. It'd be great if they could move him for a 1st round pick, but that may be pushing things a bit.
Nik Lindstrom has lost a step. The best defenseman of his generation can still play, but he's not elite anymore.
I'm liking the two-flavored Doritos bags. They mix two different kinds of Doritos in one bag and create a nacho symphony of flavor. Right on, Frito Lay!
Tomorrow is the Minnesota rip-off version of Hockey Day in Canada. Having said that, I'm all for promoting the sport around here, so I'll be tuning in.
Has anyone seen "The Hurt Locker?" I don't remember being that tense watching a movie since the shaving scene in "Youngblood". See it soon.

Fake Mailbag

2010-01-19T12:42:00.001-06:00

Yes, it's time again to answer questions posed by fake readers in another installment of Fake Mailbag:

Dear WPB:

I'm a long-suffering Canucks fan. Year after year my team seems to assemble overrated, overpaid talent and can never seem to win a big playoff series. Between our starting goaltender and the Supertwins we can't even afford to add anyone else significant. Any thoughts?
M. Gillis, Vancouver, B.C.

Mr. Gillis: First off, go get yourself a 12 pack of Sleeman's and find a nice spot on the couch. Then pick up your remote control and find the Center Ice channel that the Wild are playing on. ~Editor

Dear WPB,

Do you think there's any chance I can get Chuck Fletcher drunk at the next GM meetings and get him to take Benoit Pouliot back?
B. Gainey, Montreal.

B: I'd give Pouliot another 5 to 6 seasons to develop. He's clearly got an upside, it just takes half a decade or so to develop. ~ Editor

Dear WPB:

What an insane blog you've got here. All you seem to do is take cheap shots at teams ahead of the Wild in the standings, rip on your best players and spend countless paragraphs about places in Minneapolis to find good burritos. I can't believe they let you have a spot on the prestigious Fanball Sports Network.
M. Gaborik, NYC.

Dear MG: You raise an excellent point regarding burritos. If you ever find yourself in Duluth, I'd heartily suggest stopping in at Burrito Union. ~Editor.

Dear WPB:

What are your top 5 Organized Crime Films of all time?
R. Ebert, Chicago.

Rog, here they are:
(1) Goodfellas. (2) Godfather. (3) Godfather 2. (4) Miller's Crossing. (5) Donnie Brasco. ~ Editor.