Interesting & believing only goes so far

Wild television color analyst Mike Greenlay commented to rink reporter Brad Bombardir after the Wild scored a goal in the final period to pull within one of the Detroit Red Wings was that this Minnesota Wild team knows how to make things interesting. Then after tying the score seconds later, Greenlay said that "it's a team that believes". While these two adjectives are so very true when describing the Wild, they are unfortunately, two phrases that have not produced consistent winning results. Simply put, they are not finishing the job. Yes, the Wild have become the 'comeback kids on ice' but they don't have much to show for it. Clawing their way back into games, only have the team lose that really close game is not helping out in the standings. These games are labeled premium games as far as the ticket office folks within the organization are concerned, but are also premium ones to the team in terms of the standings. And they have been unsuccessful in climbing that ladder.

Minnesota has given up the games opening goal in 34 of their 51 games played to date. The teams record stands at 12-19-3 when their opponent nets the games first goal, which is second worse in the NHL. If you consider that when the Wild score first they are 12-4-1, it is not hard to figure out one thing that this team needs to win games. And their lapses in the early parts of games does not necessarily seem to be isolated to road-play, as at home they have had their share of giving up the games first goal. Another interesting take is that Minnesota has the leagues most one-goal games with 30. Their record stands at 17-9-4 in those games but their winning percentage really drops off when the games end in 2 and 3 goal separation.

The results of the Wilds comeback against the Red Wings last night was another loss, this time in a shootout. Minnesota earned the 'freebie' but made no movement in the standings...and this trend is getting old fast. Currently the Wild have earned 52 points, 6 points out of the final playoff spot that is held by...Detroit.

M11 makes appearance 

Brent Burns, who has been missing in action for much of this season, and also a good chunk last season as well, made his return to the Wild lineup tonight after being sidelined with a concussion. It may have been a bit of a surprise because all reports indicated that he had only 2 practices with the team since he was cleared to resume full workouts. And along with the return of Burns was the Wild debut of the new M11 helmet, a joint venture in head-wear protection, known as the Messier Project, between Mark Messier and Cascade Sports. The new helmet was specifically designed with the concussion epidemic, as it is referred to on the official Messier Project website, in mind. The technology behind the project centers around a 'new liner system' that is geared more towards absorbing more of an impact within its design.

It is good to see Burns back...and one hopes that if these new helmets help the concussion problems that have plagued many NHL players this season, we will see many more donning the M11.

Check out the Messier Project.

Fletcher further stamping his team

Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher is wheeling and dealing these days, as two low-level acquisitions were made recently. One move looks to add what hopes to be a piece that fits this hockey clubs puzzle, while the second move subtracted a piece that the GM's around these parts have been trying desperately to make fit. Neither move should make a huge impact but lower-level moves like these sometimes are the most important to a team because they fill role positions that are sometimes hard to come by...and you never know what a change in scenery will do for a player.

The latest move really takes a player off of our roster that has never reached the height of what the expectations were for him. Taken with Minnesota's first pick (4th overall) in the 2005 draft, Benoit Pouliot was traded to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for LW Guillaume Latendresse. Pouliot was seen as a scoring sensation for his OHL Sudbury team, where in his last two seasons of juniors he amassed 132 points in 118 games. But as for his pro career in the AHL and NHL, there was not nearly as much offensive production. To date, he has only netted 18 points in 65 career NHL games. Drafted the same year (4th round, No. 45) Latendresse had higher amateur numbers than Pouloit but has similar point production per games in the NHL. He has netted 85 points (48-37) in 232 NHL games, all with the Canadiens, but was also seen as an underachiever within that organization...much like Pouliot was seen here. But over the past three seasons, Latendresse has averaged 15 goals a season and his 6'2"-230lb frame provides much needed size at the wing position.

Here is a good read on Latendresse from AllHabs...

The earlier move came via the waiver wire when the Wild claimed C Andrew Ebbett from the Chicago Blackhawks. This move seems to be a win-win for Minnesota and is one that should have the fans excited, as the upside to Ebbett could be big while the downside is basically non existent. Ebbett, a former Michigan Wolverines player who netted only 2 points against the Minnesota Gophers in 8 games, averages just over a half-point per game in the NHL, as he has scored 9 goals and added 24 assists in 63 career games. He is seen as a skilled player who will hopefully fill a huge void that the Wild have at the Center position, a void that has been present for several seasons.

Burns out...again

Unfortunately, the 'illness' that apparently sidelined D Brent Burns against the Islanders has turned into another concussion problem for our promising blue-liner. If you recall, Burns missed a big chunk at the end of last season with a concussion, one that seemed to have gone undiagnosed and had been possibly lingering for some time while he continued to play. This has not been a very strong season for Burns, and now one has to wonder if this once Canadian Olympic Team hopeful has again been playing when he maybe should have been sitting.

Clutterbuck domain dormant

There was rumblings last season that our own Cal Clutterbuck should be considered for the Calder Trophy as the leagues top rookie because of his checking craze. It was a tongue-and-cheek movement to say the least, and if you go back and check the dates you will find that it was actually started right here. But when the fan base kept the ball rolling on this Calder campaign, CalClutterbuck.com domain was purchased by someone local and a one page site was introduced to the web. However, after following up on the site this season you will find a 'GoDaddy.com' parking page, as there is no trace of Cal and site seems to be vacant and very dormant. This is unfortunately because being as popular as he is, one would think that with a character like Cal as the subject, page after page of info could fill a nice fan website.

The journalist with 2 hats

Michael Russo may have burned a few bridges for his blog yesterday, but at least he got something off his chest I guess. I am not sure what prompted his latest 'Rant', but calling out one of the Minnesota Wild's young guns is probably not the best thing for a beat writer to do, especially when that reporter is constantly looking for material withing that locker-room. In fact, calling out anybody on that team is a lose-lose for Russo. But whatever the reason or motivation behind his blog yesterday, I don't agree with how it was laid out or where it ended up.

Without re-hashing his work, Russo basically blasted Burns for being inaccessible on his or the teams off-nights when a few stalls over, James Sheppard answers all of his critiques, no matter what the circumstances may be. I believe Russo's point is that Burns has been given a pass for his shoddy play, while Sheppard is being torched at every turn, by both the fans and media. And the one player of the two who you would expect to stand up and face the music is Burns, when in fact it is Sheppard.

Which brings me to this...which one is frustrated with Burns, Russo the reporter or Russo the columnist?

This is confusing to me too, but it seems that this newspaper journalist has taken on several hats in order to fit the job description. What I don't agree with is the platform that is used to bake players, as Russo the columnist posts this in his blog, while the print and web edition take on the reporter in Russo, where we are given 'just the facts please'. I guess the problem comes, and maybe this is what confuses me, when both devices to cover one subject is used. By doing this, readers don't know who is covering the team and it also comes across as if there are two different teams being covered. In fact, it would not surprise me if that, before answering any question or having any conversations with Russo, the players insist on knowing which guy they were talking to, the columnist or reporter.

Russo is a great beat writer and does an exceptional job at covering the team. His reports are usually spot-on. And on the flip side, his blog is equally as informative and enlightening. I would never suggest anything less than Russo gives fans but I sometimes wonder if he has overstepped his boundaries. This latest is an example of how his coverage may suffer because of the shot that he has taken at Burns, the outcome of which could include less material coming out of the locker-room. Then there was a blog written a few days ago. It had an allegedly funny story about another person banned from the X by our previous front office. Funny to Russo, and I'll give him the fact that the story was mildly entertaining. But to then hide behind the paper by not naming names was nothing more than not standing up like a man (Russo's inference about Burns) and revealing the whole story.

And I am wondering if Russo's latest blog should have not have named names as well.

Trick or Treat? Wild fans receive both

The trick was played on us by our new GM Chuck Fletcher and new Head Coach Todd Richards. They sold Wild fans on the notion that under this regime, we would see a more exciting brand of hockey. The treat for Wild fans will be an all-out rebuild of this roster.

It was not so long ago that the buzz was in the air. The new look Wild would be playing an aggressive style that would prove to be not only more pleasing for the fans to watch, but would also result in a more successful team. What was missed by most was one simple thing. Our roster did not change enough along with the changes in coaching philosophy and style. You want to run a horse in a race, you actually need a horse. Folks are finally coming around and seeing this. But the fact is that this team has too many average players to push the puck and force the play as much as is needed in an 'uptempo' style of play.

Looking at the additions made by our Wild this past off-season tells me one thing, and that being they are all expendable. We did not pick up young and promising minor leaguer's, but instead a few steady veterans and one high-profile scorer. The end results will prove to be that come the trade-deadline, most of these players may be gone. And that is probably the approach that should be taken. You will not hear it from the Wild front office, but as the season drags on with limited on-ice results, this team will move closer and closer to the process of a major overhaul. Much of the thanks for this goes in part to our old GM for not stocking up on young talent. If we had it, make no mistake, they would be here soaking up minutes and valuable experience. But because the Wild's minor league system is lacking in talent, option 'B' was to fill the roster and hope for the best. But the best may not be good enough and the time to unload may come.

Rookie mistakes

You could essentially classify all Wild players as rookies at this point. It looks at times as if this team has no clue as to what they are supposed to do. The mental errors that are usually seen from the 'younger' crowds in training camp, are becoming regular habit for much of this roster. But the rookie-type mistakes that may be the most obvious are the ones coming from Coach Richards. To be fair, he is a rookie at leading an NHL team. But there is really no excuse for limiting the ice time of a player who is supposed to be one of your leading scorers. And to not only bench a seasoned scorer, but to then turn around and scratch him from you lineup indicates that there may be much to be learned.

Coming in, fans expectations may have been too high. This is because of the 'trick', but that blame goes squarely on the shoulders of the Coach and GM, both of whom did the selling. But by all indications prior to them being hired, Fletcher and Richards are two individuals who are projected to become very successful in the NHL...let's hope that all the pre-hire chatter was not all hype.

End result

It may be a long and painstaking period for Wild fans. But I truly believe that this team is moving ever so close to being in a total overhaul mode, thus the 'treat'. Only seven players on this roster have deals that extend beyond next season. Of those, Martin Havlat, Brent Burns, Nick Schultz, and Niklas Backstrom may be the only ones worth holding on to. And even from that list, two could arguably be used in deals without having sellers remorse. The obvious priority that needs to be first and foremost, is signing Mikko Koivu to a long-term deal this off-season. Beyond that, look for another 'new look' Wild come next season...trick or teat?

DirecTV update

Without going into the pricing details, let's just say that after a few phone calls and emails, this is one satisfied customer.

Remember that DirecTV is without the Versus network, as the two sides have yet to reach a new deal on carriage. So I decided to roll the dice and voice my displeasure to DirecTV. The results of my efforts include all of the regional sports channels (sports pack, over 35 channels)...and NHL Center Ice for the remainder season.

Not bad...

Koivu named captain for the 09-10 season

As expected, Minnesota Wild General Manager, along with Coach Todd Richards, made the popular choice, and correct decision, when they announced today that center Mikko Koivu will serve as the teams permanent captain for this season. Left out was the notion that he will serve full-time for years to come, but I would guess that he will wear the 'C' as long as he is employed by owner Craig Leipold.

Koivu was the obvious choice, especially amongst fans. There were however, several other picks that could have been made that would have also made sense. Andrew Brunette and Owen Nolan are two players that command respect, both because of their work on and off the ice, but also because they are seasoned veterans who have had very successful careers. A case also could have been made to name Brent Burns or Nick Schultz as captain as well. But in the end, Koivu is really the face of this team and franchise.

From season #1 back in 2000-01, the team has always rotated the designated captain, and it worked out fine. Coming in as an expansion team, with a new identity, it seemed like a good idea since they really did not have a franchise leader. But that changed long ago and this move was long overdue. With the changes made from the front office to the bench boss, this was one of those things that you knew would crumble, along with a few other things that as of yet, have not turned out all that well (but it's early).

As for the history of who's been captain of this team...by my count the Wild have named 22 different players as captain. Some of the not so obvious choices include Scott Pellerin (November 2000), Matt Johnson (December 2002), and Alex Henry (October 2005). And again by my count, the longest serving captain in Wild history was Brad Bombardir, who captained the team for 8 months and the teams 2003 playoff run, followed by Andrew Brunette and Koivu, who both led the team for 7 months. Hopefully now, the history will change forever and fans can start counting seasons or years, not months.

Along with the Koivu news, the team also announced that serving as alternate captains, on a rotating basis, will be forwards Andrew Brunette, Martin Havlat, & Owen Nolan, and defensemen Kim Johnsson, Nick Schultz & Greg Zanon.

The official release is below...

For Immediate Release
Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009

MINNESOTA WILD NAMES MIKKO KOIVU CAPTAIN

SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher and Head Coach Todd Richards announced today that center Mikko Koivu will serve as the team’s full time captain for the 2009-10 NHL season.

“Mikko possesses all the qualities you want your leader to have,” said Richards. “He is passionate, has a great work ethic and competes for everything. The way Mikko plays defines him as the leader of our team.”

Koivu, 26 (3/12/83), has recorded five points (2-3=5) in seven games with the Wild this season. The 6-foot-2, 214-pound native of Turku, Finland led the team in scoring in 2008-09 with 67 points (20-47=67) in 79 matches setting career-highs in assists, points, penalty minutes (66), shorthanded goals (four) and game-winning goals (three) and ranked third in the NHL in face-offs won (857) and fourth in face-offs taken (1,625) for a 52.9 face-off percentage. Koivu also served as the team captain four times last season (October, November, January and March/April).

In his fifth season with Minnesota, he has tallied 189 points (59-130=189) and 210 penalty minutes in 289 career games. Koivu ranks third on the Wild’s all-time list in shorthanded goals (six), fourth in assists, fifth in scoring, seventh in goals and 11th in games played. He was originally selected by Minnesota in the first round (6th overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

The team will rotate the alternate captains each game among a leadership group consisting of three forwards (Andrew Brunette, Martin Havlat and Owen Nolan) and three defensemen (Kim Johnsson, Nick Schultz and Greg Zanon).

Great seats are still available for all Minnesota Wild home games including Wednesday, Oct. 21 when the Wild wears its new third jersey for the first time against the Colorado Avalanche at 7:00 p.m. For more information on single game ticket packages visit www.wild.com/ticketpacks.

-- WILD --

Follow the Minnesota Wild on Twitter and Facebook.

'Up-tempo' review + captain thoughts...

The 'system' of our Minnesota Wild of old looks to be long gone, if a one game-sampling is any indication of how this team will play the game throughout the season. Gone was the constant dump and chase play, gone was the one-man fore-check, and gone was the era of the defenseman staying home. Yes, it looked like a different team during last nights season opening 2-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, but whether or not that translates into wins is yet to be seen. The one thing that you can take away from this game in reference to the teams new 'system' was that it was entertaining to watch.

Although the game was filled with mistakes from our Wild, which is something I would expect from any team this early in the season and especially from one which saw so many changes this past off-season, but the team was in it until the end and had several chances late to tie the score. Truth be told, this game could have gone either way, as the solid goaltending at both ends kept the teams alive. However, if the team does not correct some of their shoddy play, it could be a long season because sooner or later, our goaltending will break.

The biggest change that was obvious was the play from the point. And the biggest recipient of barn door opening under Coach Todd Richards system seemed to be Brent Burns. He finished the game with 4 shots on goal but was a constant force in the offensive zone. He did play reckless at times, but overall it was nice to see one of our blue-liners playing down low in the offensive zone.

The one constant from teams of old appeared to be the Wild's stellar goaltending. Niklas Backstrom picked up where he left off a season ago, making several key saves early. In fact, if not for his play in the early stages of the game, it could have easily been a blowout from the beginning. But fortunately for Minnesota, he was on his game from the opening and was a force throughout.

For a team that does not break the 30-shot total on the road often (only 9 times last season), putting 33 on the net last night was nice to see. For the game they were out-shot, as Columbus had 39, but it was a positive to see the Wild shoot that number on goal. The actual scoring chances for Minnesota were mostly in tight, and I honestly saw a lot of them. I differ in this from other bloggers out there, but from my view, the team really took it hard to the net and created some very good chances. One shift in particular saw the Wild hold the puck deep in the offensive zone for a period of time that made it look as if they were on the power-play, when in fact it was an even-strength situation.

Overall I would say that it was a good opener for the team. They do have plenty to work on, as the team was rarely in sync and there were plenty of sloppy plays, but they played it hard and were in the game. There is no doubt that the tempo did definitely change from seasons past to last nights game, and things could get interesting if the Wild find a way to score some goals...although I am not holding my breath because I don't see that happening.

Koivu the force...but no 'C'

Russo made reference a while back to the bulk that was apparently put on this off-season by our favorite center. Well last night during the first shift of the game, fans saw first-hand the strength of Mikko. There was a scrum down low in the Wild's defensive zone, and Mikko, without any speed going in, absolutely leveled a Columbus player (Chimera I believe) head-on, sending the Blue Jacket to his rear. It was a classic hit, but one that rarely sees one player on solid footing after the hit while the other is in the prone position.

And speaking of Koivu, what is the delay in naming him permanent team captain? I know the team had several players, including Mikko, missing for much of the preseason because of a variety of ailments, but it is obvious to most fans who should don the 'C'. The room is filled with great candidates, as several veteran players should be considered, but when you get down to it (& to use an overused statement), this is Mikko's team.

Don't forget about the festivities...from my in-box

The Minnesota Wild announced the schedule of events for its 2009-10 Home Opener against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, Oct. 6. Face-off is slated for 8:15 p.m. and Xcel Energy Center gates will open at 6:30 p.m. The team will hold a Wake-Up Rally from 6:00 to 9:00 a.m. outside the Xcel Energy Center on both sides of Kellogg Boulevard. Fans can stop by and receive a muffin, coffee, Coke products, a Pioneer Press and a team wall calendar. The team will also host a Pre-Game Party starting at 5:30 p.m. on the top floor of the RiverCentre Parking Ramp. Activities will include live music, food and beverages and interactive hockey games. The pre-game party is free and open to the public. Minnesota is 7-0-1 all-time in Home Openers, winning its last seven overall. All fans attending Tuesday’s game will receive a Minnesota Wild wall calendar presented by Wells Fargo, FOX Sports North and Xcel Energy.

Outlook is perplexing...no faith in 'system'?

Usually going into a season, I have a pretty good handle on how the season will play out. Of course, the NHL season can be quirky with injury's, but minus the games lost due to the IR factor, I can normally see things clearly. Unfortunately, I don't have a clue going into this season. The puck finally drops tonight for our Minnesota Wild and I have no idea how this team will finish and am at a loss, as I don't know what to think or believe about this current team. I do believe that even with the roster shakeup and the departure of the teams one true star, Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher found a way to improve his team this off-season. But I am not so sure that I have faith in the 'system' that new head coach Todd Richards is preaching...because I still don't think that the team has enough fire-power.

The hole filled by Fletcher when he added Martin Havlat was an outstanding plug to find. He will be the player that make fans forget about our previous noodle-groin scorer Marian Gaborik...but only if he stays healthy himself. We have been through the 'scorer is scratched' ringer, and it would be nice to see a full season from our go-to guy. But if you look at a 4-season comparison in games played, Havlat has missed more games (138 missed) over that time period compared to Gaborik (121). The good news is that the most recent season was spectacular for our new go-to guy, as he recorded 77 points in 81 games last season, and all signs point to him continuing that success. But even though I believe that adding Havlat was huge, the real find for Fletcher may turn out to be the addition of Petr Sykora. It's not every day that you can get what should be a 50 points producer into camp on a 'try-out' basis.

One of the strong zones that has been pretty constant throughout the Wild's short existence has been the D-zone and with it, very solid goaltending. In fact, the goaltenders that the Wild usually roll out have usually been a top goaltending duo in the league. And our current #1 guy, Niklas Backstrom, is coming off a stellar season. Not only did Backstrom set franchise records for wins (37) and shutouts (8), he was the only goaltender in the league to place in the top 5 in shutouts, GAA (2.33), save % (.924), and wins. Now with that said, the great Wild debate in the past has been whether or not the goaltenders in particular, were the benefactor of a 'defensive system' that was instilled by our former coach Jacques Lemaire or did the Wild always get it right when acquiring goalies. We should get our answer this season. Even if Backstrom seems to be having an off-year, waiting on the bench is Josh Harding, who is seen as a starter by many in this league. So this team does have able and competent players between the pipes but it is yet to be seen what effect the 'system' will have on their games.

On the blue-line, the one thing I do find refreshing is that defense will be leaned on more heavily for offensive production and will be expected to be in the play in the offensive zone. This is something that has always been a thorn in the side of the old regime, but the outcome of holding our D back had always been a solid D-zone. With this new system, I would expect more production from a guy like Brent Bruns, who should have a great season, but will also not be surprised by the teams increase in goals against. I would also expect Nick Schultz to continue his defensive style, and really don't know what to think about our new guys, Greg Zanon and Shane Hnidy, as they both have not been offensive-defensman in the past and would expect them to be hopefully solid shut-down guys.

I would agree with most observers that, for the most part, this team has improved this off-season. However, there is one glaring area that has haunted this team for several seasons and was not addressed by our new management...the lack of scoring centers. The fact that the team was still experimenting with Pierre-Marc Bouchard at this position tells a lot. The team did add Kyle Brodziak (from St. Paul....Alberta), who is a solid two-way player, but other than Mikko Koivu, the team does not have a good scoring center.

I am more confused now than when I started this post. If you were one of the few that waded through this, you can probably tell that this is a mess start to finish, which scares me. Because I cannot get a handle on this team, the only conclusion I can come up with as to why that is may be because of our new 'system'. I love offense and scoring as much as the next fan, but one of the comforts I had with Lemaire was the fact that the team almost always played great defensive hockey. And for a group of players who were not the most gifted scorers, which is what the Wild have had in seasons past, that was a real blessing. From day one, the Wild have never been a slouch in the D-zone and that carried them to many wins.

And from what I see from this current team...not a a lot of gifted scorers.

Random thoughts...

The power of the agent

Minnesota Wild defenseman, Brent Burns, who apparently was injured during a practice back in late January and subsequently suffered a concussion, played several games with this condition and his agent is now pointing fingers. The allegations from Burns' agent, the infamous and very familiar Ron Salcer, is that the team failed to recognize the severity of this condition and allowed Burns to suite-up for games covering a six week period. In the end however, it was only the power of the agent, after a meeting with Burns over lunch, that ended this situation and allowed Burns to get the proper diagnosis.

You know there are two sides to every story and there is obviously one here. Of course the Wild maintain that the situation was not obvious to them, and Burns seems to be the reckless type that would play through any discomfort if given the chance. But it was the agents comments that to me are the most troublesome. Salcer was quoted as saying that it took him all but 'three minutes' to realize his client had a concussion, which is what bothers me about this finger pointing. It's easy to sit back and play the blame game but in this situation there seems to be plenty to go around. Point the finger all you want Salcer, but my question to you is where were you? I have no doubt that there is constant and frequent chatter between player and agent and you would think that at some point during this questionable six week stint, Salcer would have exercised his power to diagnose the situation over the text messages that were flying back and forth.

GM search

I won't question the decision by Wild owner Craig Leipold to fire Doug Risebrough, but we need to keep our excitement in check. This new GM hire will shape the face of the Wild for years to come and the scary part is that Leipold seems to be leading the charge as a fan, not an owner. With all due respect to fans, we don't always know what is best, as we don't always have all of the information on what is behind key decisions and moves. Knee-jerk reactions and decision made on a whim are what kills professional sports organizations. I understand that this may have been the right decision, but the next one is even more important. Please Mr. Leipold, get someone in here that has a proven record and a style that will keep this team a factor for years to come...

Unwatchable syndrome

There was a period of time this season that the Wild were putting out such a bad product that I could not bear to watch. It was their inferior play that kept me from FSN, or whatever channel they happened to be on for that particular game. Today however, I suffer from a different problem, the Wild-less playoff syndrome. The fact that our favorite team is idle because of a few missed opportunities and I find that some of the NHL playoff games are well, unwatchable. You can accuse me of being a bad hockey fan if you want, but I am having a real hard time without seeing Minnesota in uniform. I understand that the playoff brand is the best hockey you will find, and I truly believe that. However, without the Wild, it seems pointless to me. It's a funk that has happened in the past and seems to come and go, but so far this post-season, it is sticking. Hopefully it will be before sometime in October that I take in another NHL game, but the way things are looking right now, I have my doubts.

Wild thoughts...

Gaborik's audition

The one thing Minnesota Wild winger Marian Gaborik is doing right these days is shining during his league-wide audition. The small window of opportunity for him to showcase his talents is closing fast but he is really making the most of it. Since returning to the ice after missing the previous 41 games, the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent has played surprisingly well in the 3 games, netting 5 points. For the season he has 10 points (6 goals & 4 assists) in only 9 games played.

I have mixed feelings on his recent return and success. This team needs him badly, there is no question about that. And at a time when earning victories is at a premium, you want Gaborik to contribute. But you also have to consider the fact that it seems clear that he will not be back, for whatever reason, and he now has a free stage, or rink, to showcase himself. Mistakes were made by the Wild's management and quiet frankly, he should have never been allowed to enter the season unsigned. But here we sit, with the slimmest of margin of making or missing the playoffs, and our elite player is our lame-duck option.

Goal differential

It always makes me laugh when I read predictions on how many games the Wild must win to make the playoffs because it really is a shot in the dark. Simply put, the magic number for the Wild to get into the post-season is 1...as in 1 more win than Anaheim, Edmonton, Nashville, and St. Louis. There is a good chance that we could pass a two of those four, as the Wild have a key set of games remaining against the Oilers (March 29) and Predators (April 10). But earning more wins than all four of those teams is probably not going to happen so you can bet on a tie-breaker rule kicking in. And things are so tight that I will go out on a limb and say that making it or missing it will come down to the tie-breaker rules. If by chance the Wild do make it, I am betting that the one tie-breaker that will propel them will be the last one, goal differential. That's right, a team that has had trouble scoring goals will be thanking their coach, a coach who demands defensive responsibilities, that they have a tight defensive system. The Wild will almost undoubtedly win a goal deferential tie-breaker scenario with the four teams that are currently battling with for the last two spots.

Still looking for consistency

Not a bad road-trip recently, when the Wild finished 1-1 in back-to-back games against the teams of New York. It was a short road-trip that featured a mostly lack-luster performance in a 2-1 loss to the Rangers, followed by a 6-2 win over a terrible Islander team. Two games in two nights and Minnesota was as inconsistent as ever. It's unbelievable to me that a professional team can ride a roller-coaster all season long, as the Wild have done. The urgency has been written on the wall in front of them for some time, yet they still don't want to read the message. And with only 8 games remaining, if it has not sunk in by now, it probably won't. The Wild's next chance to buck the inconsistancy trend comes in the stinky Saddledome, where Minnesota is a lifetime 3-17-4.

Koivu in, maybe...Burns out, still

Not sure yet on the first part, but signs are pointing to Mikko Koivu making the trip to Western Canada for a two games against the Flames and Oilers. On the other side of the injury list sits Brent Burns, who has missed Minnesota's past 11 games with what is being called 'concussion like' symptoms. Now as I blogged earlier, it puzzles me that in his previous four games, all on the road, he logged over 19 minutes of ice time in each. In fact, in his last two games of that road-trip, he played over 23 minutes in each. Now I am not prepared to question his handling, but one has to wonder, if he was not injured off-ice sometime after his last game on March 5 against the Sharks, how many games had he been playing in with 'concussion like' symptoms?

Burns still out, Gaborik back in

Brent Burns, one of the Minnesota Wild leaders on the blue-line, is still sidelined with what has been described as 'concussion like' symptoms. Now on it's surface, this would seem like a reasonable explaination to his absence, being that hockey is a sometimes violent game that showcases a fast-pace and is heavy with hits. But what has not been explained so far is what actually happened to cause this. There has been no 'incident' so to speak of, to reference from, that we could look back on as to how he was injured. There was no big hit, crash into the boards, or a vicious elbow to the head, as far as we know. Burns last played in the Wilds 4-3 OT victory against the Sharks back on March 5th, where he logged over 23 minutes of ice time, and that is the last we have heard from him. So far he has missed 9 games and counting, as it does not sound as if he is even close to returning.

The question I have is, when and how did he get hurt? I don't expect injury specifics from the team and am surprised we have been given as much as the 'concussion' phrase. But the lack of info coming from the broadcast as well as the print media have me scratching my head. The only logical explanations I can come to as to what has happened are that he either got hurt before or during the San Jose game and played through any discomfort he was having, he injured himself the following day during the 'light' practice session, or that he injured himself away from the rink. Now seeing how the Wild were in the middle of a road-trip, I find it hard to believe that this was caused by anything that happened on-ice. I say this because first off, there would have been something written or said about an 'incident' that would have had to occur to produce concussion symptoms. The games and practices were all covered by the broadcast crews as well as the beat writers. And secondly, as I said earlier, he not only played over 23 minutes against the Sharks, the last game he played in, but also logged as much ice-time in a game two days earlier against the Canucks.

For a group of reporters that brought us the info on a broken toe and a partially or fully torn ACL, there is not much coming out on Burns...and that has me worried. I guess until I hear different, I'm not buying what little we are being told.

Gaborik returns

After only appearing in 6 games, Minnesota Wild star forward finally returned to action today in the Wild's 3-0 victory over the Oilers. His impact was better than expected and we can see why he is referred to as an 'elite' player in this league, when healthy. He was obviously not up to speed, as he has always amazed fans with his ability to blow by opponents. But his hands seem to be there already, as he made several good plays down around the net and had several chances to get in on the scoring. The most impressive part was that Gaborik lasted over 17 minutes on the ice, good for 24 shifts. To be honest, there was definitely some rust to his game but overall the team had to be pleased with the way that he played.

I have hammered Gaborik pretty hard. First I dismayed that he could turn down what was reportedly a very fair contract extension before the season began, or early into it. Then I was puzzled about his decision to undergo a surgical procedure when it was clear that the Wild organization did not support that decision. Finally I was dumbfounded when I find out that during his rehab following that procedure, he did not even have time to follow and watch his teams progress.

Well today all is forgotten, for the moment, as Gaborik finally returned to the ice. Fans were ecstatic upon hearing the he would be in the starting lineup today. It was if there never was any Gaborik scuttlebutt. Unfortunately for the Wild, the facts remain the same however...he is set to become an unrestricted free agent at seasons end. Losing him for nothing, letting him walk away, would mean that this team will be without an elite player for years to come. No, he is not a player to build around, such as the way a team would build around Mikko Koivu. But he is the type of player that brings to the team a certain dynamic that is only seen in the leagues top players. These type of players are not found on the waiver wire, teams are very seldom the beneficiaries of top-flight elite players in a trade, and you don't just pick them up as an unrestricted free agent, as could be the case for some team this off-season. Through the draft is the way teams acquire such a player.

Nolan continues to amaze

He certainly has to be one of GM Doug Risebrough's top off-season signee's. His grit and determination are not only huge for this particular Wild team, they are downright heroic. Word is that he has been playing with a broken bone in his foot but you would never know it. And check the team stats...and after todays 2 goal performance, this veteran is leading the team with 22 goals. Not bad for a player who was probably acquired almost as an afterthought when considering scoring.