The killer clause

The 'no trade clause' (ntc) or 'no movement clause' (nmc) language in a players contract can be a huge windfall for the player but on the other end, be a such a burdensome and hand-tying clause to the team that happens to ink that player. While I cannot site the origins of these clauses, the player agent that happened to persuade the first deal with this in it was a genius. It not only gives the player security within a certain franchise and organization, but it also grants that same player the upper-hand should a team want to move in a different direction that did not include said player. And if a player wanted out of a certain city or team, this contract clause, depending on the terms, makes it more likely that an agreeable destination will be the final landing spot. We all witnessed the fiasco that occurred this off-season with disgruntled Ottawa Senators forward Dany Heatley, who wanted out of Ottawa. At the time it was reported that the Senators and the Edmonton Oilers had a solid deal in place, but the one individual on the players side who had the power of veto exercised it, and the deal fell through. One has to wonder whether or not our own Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher is cursing ex-gm Doug Risebrough for allowing a veto clause into the contract of Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom.

Backstrom has been a franchise goaltender and his numbers speak for themselves. Before signing a new four-year, $24 million contract last March, one that reportedly contains a ntc or nmc, he was the sole goaltender in the league that ranked in the top 5 in the five major goaltending categories (gaa, w, sv% & so). He ended the season in the same fashion, finishing near the top in all five statistical categories. And for his career, Backstrom is the Wild's all-time leader in wins (115), was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy last season, and has career 2.34 gaa to go along with a .919 sv%. And to think he was originally signed as a free-agent before the 2006 season.

These are all top-notch qualities that should not be overlooked. However, he is three days shy of turning 32 and it seems his best days are at present. That considered however, he is still a player that would garner top value and could be a piece that re-fills the prospect and draft choice void left by Risebrough. The fact is that this team is in no position to make a series run at the Stanley Cup in the near future and now is the time to get the team younger. While they have been playing solid as of late, they are still on the outside of the Western Conference playoff window looking in. And you can bet that things will not dramatically improve before next season. Trading Backstrom should not be considered a sell-out to the season either, as the Wild have a backup in Josh Harding who is more than capable of playing as the #1 guy. In fact, although he is currently injured, he has earned more starts...starts that will undoubtedly give him more confidence and hopefully elevate his game to a new level. Backstrom's ntc or nmc is a problem and could prove to be a tricky situation, if that route is sought by Minnesota. But I believe that Fletcher would be negligent in trying to improve this franchise if he were to ignore the possibilities of dealing our franchise goaltender.

Minnesota on the road...again

It is finally official. The Wild will open next season on the road, as in on the road overseas. Minnesota will open the 2010-2011 season in Helsinki Finland in a two game 'home & away' series with the Carolina Hurricanes. It was also reported that the team will partake in an exhibition game against Mikko Kiovu's former team, Turuk TPS, a team in which he is part owner of. I am sure that there was much celebration from Kiovu and fellow Finnish players Niklas Backstrom and Antti Miettinen when the announcement was made. But for some players, I wonder if secretly this was looked at as undo burden. With the way the Wild are situated in the league's Western Conference, time-zone travel is at its worst and this just adds to that pile. I am all for exposure for the NHL, even globally, but this is another example of how this league misses the mark. The league has attendance issues and lagging franchises in terms of revenue, and a 'North American' type tour may be a more appropriate way of exposing the NHL in areas that could really make a difference.

In terms of hitting the road overseas, this will be a first-time experience for the Wild but will mark the third time an NHL team from Minnesota crossed the ocean. The Minnesota North Stars embarked on a round-robin exhibition series with the Washington Capitals in Sweden in 1980. That tournament, which included Swedish club teams AIK and Djurgarden, was sponsored by a Swedish newspaper, which ponied up a $28,000 prize for the winner. And more recently in 1990, the North Stars traveled to the Soviet Union with the Montreal Canadiens, where the two teams played a combined 8-game exhibition schedule against Soviet national league teams.

In-sync suspensions

Just a follow-up...Two Wild prospects were disciplined this week for actions stemming from illegal hits that occured on the same night. Val-d’Or Foreurs defenseman Marco Scandella was suspended 15 games by the QMJHL for his 'hit to the head' and Houston Aeros forward Colon Gillies was given a major and game misconduct for boarding, which resulted in a 2-game suspension from the AHL. Both games were played on February 3rd.

Fletcher's sweet moves

Minnesota Wild fans thought they were getting a mover and a shaker when the team announced several years ago that the organizations first GM would be longtime NHL'er Doug Risebrough. Risebrough was a hire that was seen as a coup of sorts, as luring a name like his to an expansion team was sure to bring instant credibility to the new franchise. What fans received instead were blockbuster trade deadline moves such as the deal that brought in Chris Simon for a sixth round draft pick. Enter new GM Chuck Fletcher and his limited experience. His few moves to date have given fans faith in the front office again, which is a concept that has been missing for some time. Fletcher managed to get rid of excess baggage in Benoit Pouliot while acquiring what looks to be a strong power-forward in Guillaume Latendresse. Fletcher also recognized early that the Wild was very thin up the middle and plucked Andrew Ebbett off of the waiver wire. The 'key-goal' impact that these two players have had offensively for this team has been immediate and will hopefully last all season long. The two combined for the OT winner last night against Nashville, as Ebbett scored his second goal in a Wild uniform, with one assist going to Latendresse, who also notched a goal earlier in the game. And speaking of Latendresse (2nd rounder, 45th overall by Montreal)...he has netted 3 points in 3 games with Minnesota.

A funny side-story...WCCO radio runs a Wednesday segment called "Fletch", featuring Fletcher and Strib columnist Sid Hartman. Well, if you ever listen to Hartman, who is still a sport icon in this town, you will know that he has lost something over the years...and he called Fletcher 'Cliff' several times during their interview. To Chuck's credit, he let it pass and played it like a pro.

On a roll

It is a mini-roll, but one that is badly needed. First off the Wild is on a three-game winning streak. Not bad for a revamped team that only one season ago had only one four-game winning streak and only two three-game winning streaks all season long. Secondly, the Wild have earned points in 9 of their last 11 games, going 6-2-3.

The unfortunate results of the Wild's recent success? The team is still bottom dwellers in the Western Conference, only 1 point ahead of last place Anaheim and Edmonton. The good news is that next up on the schedule are those Ducks, and putting together a four-game win streak would be quite an accomplishment, considering the early season troubles that plagued this team.

Sellout reaches minimal numbers

Eight tickets distributed was the difference in the Nashville game becoming a non-sellout, which would have halted the streak at 339 for regular season games and 379 games overall. Everybody now knows, thanks to Russo, that this streak is superficial at best, and one wonders what game will finally be known as the one that cracked the streak...only the Wild knows this, since it seems to be in their direct control. Whatever game is chosen, it is pretty clear that the team is having a hard time finding legitimate ticket buyers, as a crowd of 18071 has to be the lowest in the franchises history.

Looking for votes

I suppose this could be considered trying to stuff the ballot boxes, maybe...but head on over to The NHL Arena anyway and vote for your favorite Wild blog, Wild-Puck of course!

It seems to be a friendly place to discuss the Wild and the NHL...as is Wild-Puck [Minnesota Wild Message Boards].

What I like about Fletch

I would be hard pressed to formulate an accurate opinion on the Minnesota Wild's new GM that would be accurate and hold true in the long-term, but I'll give you my first impressions, which I hope will not change. Likable, humble, genuine, knowledgeable, confident...are just a few words I would use to describe Minnesota's newest hockey professional. And what I really liked the most about Chuck Fletcher is that he actually came out and said IT during his very first press conference, the it being that all teams play some form of the 'trap'. Yes, it took all of about 1 or 2 questions from our reporters before one of them uttered the phrase 'trap' and whether or not the Wild would finally abandoned that type of system. I loved the answer Fletch gave because it exposed the lack of NHL knowledge that the newsman who did the asking actually had. Fletch said something to the effect that all NHL teams play some sort of a trap...and thus it was finally said by someone within the organization other than our previous and original leaders in Doug Risebrough and Jacques Lemaire. The old guard, GM Risebrough, had said this same thing for years. But the problem was that nobody would listen simply because his choice in a head coach, Lemaire, is known as the father of the defensive system. But now Wild fans and hopefully media writers will finally start putting that in their minds. I have contended this all along but as you may or may not know, the readership here is not what you would call wide-spread.

There is basically one thing that separates all NHL teams, quality of rosters. In simpler terms, teams are better because they have better players, not because they play a different system. They all play the same basic system, but the teams with the higher-end players score more because they have the goal scorers and thus can play a different style within that defensive system. Take Pittsburgh for example. The Penguins employ not one, but two of the leagues elite players who both reached above the 100 point mark during the regular season. And in Detroit, they had eight players above 50 points this season. And our Wild? Only Koivu and Brunette made it to 50, with Koivu netting 67 points and Brunette staying at 50. And offense is what fans love to point to when grading our Wild but peeking on the defensive side of the puck, the Wild were only better than Pittsburgh and Detroit by less than one-half a goal per game average. Now considering that league-wide there was a well over a goal against per game difference between the top and bottom, half a goal is not that great a difference. I don't know how more clear it could be but watch the two aforementioned teams play and you will see that they don't lack talent in the D zone. And what is most obvious is that both employ high-end offensive players...and that is the difference.

The only thing missing from that press conference the other day was not a hockey relate news maker but instead a hockey news deliverer. It seems that our press core was short-handed. Absent from press row was our Wild MVP writer and StarTribune employee Michael Russo, who is apparently on vacation. The whole event kind of reminded me of this past Wild season when our Wild team played the majority of its games without star forward Marian Gaborik. Funny, but during the teams biggest news-maker day since perhaps the day it originally introduced Lemaire as its first ever head coach, our star writer was not even in the room. It was obvious to me that he was not there, and I suspect that the 'trap' question may not have been asked had he been there. Kudos to Russo because he is the only media guy who has also spread the word that the trap is used league-wide, and is not something unique to our Wild in seasons past.

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.

Arrogance and/or incompetence?

There were apparently too many miscalculations made by ex Minnesota Wild GM Doug Risebrough, because sometime today, owner Craig Leipold gave him a pink slip. From everything I have read and heard since the end of the Wilds' regular season, this move is a big surprise. Myself, I am not sure what to make of the move, other than the good news is that this franchise has a chance to move itself in a new direction. I applaud the work that Risebrough has done, but in the end, there were too many misteps that led to where the team sits today, at home instead of playing and earning millions a series.

The end of the end may have come when Risebrough coined the phrase, 'managing expectations'. Pretty peculiar way of ducking for cover if you ask me. A better way to explain what happened this season would have been to admit that errors were made in letting a couple of free agents go after last season. Another problematic decision that could have been brought up was the fact that there was a huge blunder by the front office to deal Marian Gaborik when it was clear he was going to play out his current contract and enter the summer as an unrestricted free agent. And it is funny to me how 'professionals', including GM's & player agents, can conduct business as if it were recess time on the playground. Sorry to disappoint, but there is a time to swallow that pride and open up to the one guy who can persuade a certain player that the Wild have a good offer and bright future. The problem is that the Wild seemed to be unwilling to offer another good contract and really did not have a bright future, with Risebrough at the helm.

Risebrough did a lot for this franchise. I cannot begin to imagine what the pain would feel like when trying to build a new team from scratch. We were competitive, to a point, and did well for a brand new organization. The problem was that they seemed to be stuck and there was not much in the well to push it out of this rut. Maybe now though, with the right GM to lead this organization, fans can once again start to appreciate the play of our Wild.

It's all over

It was a nice effort, but the Minnesota Wild's 3-2 loss in the nationally televised game against Detroit all but put an end to this inconsistent and disappointing season. Mathematically the Wild are still in the chase for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, but realistically, it would take a miracle to reach it. Minnesota entered the game 3 points out, with a game in hand, and needed the 2 points awarded for a win to have any hope. But now the team sits much further on the outside, with little hope of an extended season. At one point not too long ago, in order for the Wild to climb back into the hunt, it needed a little help from some of the other clubs. Now they need a ton of help, and considering that there are only 3 games remaining for all teams involved, it would be a safe bet to call it over.

The game today was a typical Wild game. Scrap for a couple of periods, while getting out-shot badly, and rely on the stellar play of its All-Star goaltender. The hope remained as Minnesota pulled to a 2-2 tie late in the second period. And for much of the third, the Wild looked as if they would steal the game and actually came away with the better scoring chances. Unfortunately, the much better and more talented team found the back of the net with less than a minute remaining in the game. Wild netminder Nicklas Backstrom played another solid game and held the team in it but as has been the case all too often this season, it was not enough.

All attention will now focus on GM Doug Risebrough and whether or not he can dig this team out of the hole that he has put them in. The talent that he seems to let go without batting an eye has not been replaced during his tenure, a that trend has to end in order for this franchise to climb the standings for years to come. Puzzling is the fact that Wild management does not see things the same way and at some point you have to start to question their level of expertise. I have a feeling that new Wild owner Craig Leopold will be stepping in shortly, after the seasons end, to sort through things. In a perfect world, it would be a wise to try and convince Coach Jacques Lemaire to give things another season, something I doubt will happen, especially if Risebrough departs.

It's been a roller coaster season and will end fittingly...a win here and a loss there. The disheartening part to this is that player personal miscalculations were made and I am afraid that if some drastic changes are not in the works this off-season, we will be looking at years of seeing our franchise ending its season on the last day of the regular season.

Lack of depth at C is killer

Mikko Koivu, who has done everything asked of him by the Minnesota Wild, went down awkwardly against the Oilers yesterday and apparently did some damage to his knee. The official word from the Wild is that Koivu had an MRI performed today and that he will be held out at least a week, possibly longer, depending on the results of the test. This is not good news...

In a season where the Wild are trying to scratch and claw their way into the post-season, losing the #1 center is the last thing that this team needed and is a recipe for how not to make the post-season. Unfortunately for Minnesota, Koivu is not easily replaced and there is no one on this roster that can even come close. Get ready for a huge dose of James Sheppard...

So the question that has plagued this organization for almost two seasons is why have the Wild and GM Doug Risebrough not addressed the teams lack of depth at the center position? Everybody in the hockey world saw this teams shortcoming before last seasons trade deadline and were sure that this would be dealt with then. Fans literally screamed for Risebrough to trade for a decent center but instead we got a seldom used thug in Chris Simon. Then after the teams early exit from the playoffs, the attention turned to off-season moves. Surely the Wild will acquire a center, right? Not so fast because the need apparently became not one, but two offensive, puck-moving defensemen (who by the way, have become real defensive liabilities).

I give Risebrough credit for a few of his off-season acquisitions. He brought us current players Brunette I & II (although part II is not as good as part I), Foster, Skoula, and former players Roslton, Demitra...to name a few. But it seems his deficiencies lie in the fact that he may not be a good evaluator when it comes to his teams top needs. For the past 2 seasons he has failed to beef-up the middle at a time when this team has had a real hole down the center. It was almost laughable last season, when you knew that the Wild were poised and ready for a good playoff run, when nothing happened to meet the shortcoming at the center position. That chuckle turned to maddening when zilch was done this past off-season.

Now we sit with no real option up the middle, as Koivu is likely down for the remainder of the season.

Russo radio goes television

Not only does Wild beat writer take the time to indulge fans with chat sessions and a weekly Russo Radio gig on KSTP am 1500, he also takes his act on the road as well. Our favorite Wild writer made an in studio appearance on NHL Live, a daily XM Radio broadcast, this afternoon . But for those of us lucky enough to have Directv, the show is also aired on the NHL Network, complete with in-studio cameras. Russo, in the New York area to cover the Wild's upcoming trip against the Rangers & Islanders, did a short segment today with host Don La Greca and E.J. Hradek.

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.

Lemaire knows this game

Minnesota Wild Coach Jacques Lemaire has a pretty good track record. He has accumulated a total of 11 Stanley Cup Championships as a player, coach, and also as a member of the front office. Twice he has been awarded the Jack Adams Award (1993-94 Devils, 2002-03 Wild) as the NHL top coach. His knowledge for this game goes well beyond the rink and his expertise should never be questioned. That is why I take notice and pause when I hear him utter such things as "maybe this is the team we have" when explaining his teams inconsistent, up & down play.

There really is no mystery or secret here...the Wild do not have the right players and our coach knows that. Lemaire has once again hinted at retirement and the fact that he is given teams that are lacking has to be one of the main reasons. Wild fans should celebrate every day that Jacques has been and is behind the bench because without him, this franchise would have never been able to enjoy the successes that it has already had. Unfortunately for us, all indicators point to Lemaire's departure at this seasons conclusion and this time, he means it. Another sour spot for the fans is the fact that our coach's 'ally', GM Doug Risebrough, will most likely remain in place. Fans come down pretty hard on Lemaire and that is not right. His 'system' has saved this franchise from becoming, not a model to follow, but a model to ridicule. Risebrough is responsible for giving Lemaire the tools he needs to complete the job of winning himself another cup, and that certainly has not happened this season.

Boogaard's fight card

Apparently, Minnesota Wild enforcer Derek Boogaard has a date to meet with some of the NHL heads to discuss his future. The league is in the middle of looking into fighting and its place in the game. Although there is plenty of room for changes, I am sure that the league will once again foul this up and we'll be left with something even worse than we already have. And that might not be their fault alone. Time and time again I have heard enforcers bellow about the 'instigator' rule and how it has hurt the job of the tough-guy on teams. Obviously the extra 2 minute penalty is in the back of the minds of the fighters. Now I hear that enforcers want the instigator rule actually enforced, which is a complete flip-flop from previous opinions. So what we are left with again is NHL management not fully aligned on what they want to do and the players on the opposite side not knowing which is the way to go. We constantly hear that fighting is in place to keep 'order' on the ice when the fact is, fighting does not serve as a deterrent anymore. The league is filled with cheap players who never have to answer to their bush-league play so I don't see how keeping fighting alive will do much for this. I believe the 'staged' fights are what needs to be left alone. Too many times players who traditionally are not involved in fights have to answer the bell simply because of their hard checks and aggressive play. The stage fights are almost always between the teams two heavy-weights, and that are the bouts fans like to see.

Gophers outside soon

With the completion of TCF Banks Stadium coming soon, talk has turned to the other maroon & gold team that would like to take its turn on the field. Only the field in this case will be a frozen sheet of ice as the Gopher hockey team will undoubtedly be given a chance at one of those famed outdoor games. The problem I see already came to us a week ago when famed sport columnist Sid Hartman had a piece in his StarTribune column about how the U would be looking for an opponent outside of the WCHA.

And Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi said the Gophers will stage an outdoor hockey game in the new stadium in either 2010 or 2011. Maturi said he will try and make it a big outdoor hockey week with high schools, colleges and even the Wild participating. "We'll invite a school outside of the WCHA, maybe somebody like Boston College," Maturi said.

So I ask the obvious question, why would we invite someone like Boston College? We have the best rivalries in all of college hockey right here in the WCHA, not to mention the fact that it would be a huge slap to the in-state schools. I truly like some of Minnesota's non-conference opponents and in fact probably enjoy games against Michigan more than any other team. But to make an off-handed comment about something like this really shows that the 'upper management' at the U is out of touch.

Risebrough did all right by me

Sorry, this may offend some of you hard-core Minnesota Wild fans, but I believe General Manager Doug Risebrough was right to leave his roster as is, and forgo any trade deadline moves yesterday. It is clear that this team, with its current roster, is not going anywhere this season and the last thing the Wild needed was an acquisition that would have been here short-term. I thought that he may have been able to move a few of our 'second tier', soon to be unrestricted free agents, as Minnesota has four (Marc-Andre Bergeron, Kurtis Foster, Martin Skoula, & Stephane Veilleux, plus Marian Gaborik) who will soon hit the open market. But as you saw by the moves made yesterday, there really was no demand for any of these type of players. I have no doubt that the team made attempts to unload, but short of giving them away your best play right now is to ride them to the end, as there is still that outside chance of making it to the post-season.

What irked me today was an online petition I came across calling for the firing of Risebrough. I think a knee-jerk decision because of the lack of movement yesterday would not benefit the long term future of this team and fans would not like the end results. I am as frustrated and disappointed as the next fan and wanted to see something happen. But the fact is that this team, even with an Olli Jokinen, is going nowhere this season and if you believe otherwise, you should take off the Wild colored glasses and check the roster again. What is going to give us a clue as to what direction the team is heading will come after the season is over. This is where Risebrough has a history of making his best moves, and I see no reason to believe that he will not be plucking some nice acquisitions during the summer months ahead. I agree that the trick with this management team is to get them to better target and resign the assets that they have, and in a timely manner. After all, there is no doubt that by waiting to sign Niklas Backstrom cost the team possibly a million dollars a season for the four year contract. I also agree that letting Andrew Brunette (first stint with Wild) and more recently Brian Rolston walk were not in the best interest of this team. But making a big-time move would have further put this team in the hole for years to come.

You be the judge...

Comments from Minnesota Wild GM Doug Risebrough regarding his philosophy when dealing with pending unrestricted free-agents seem somewhat puzzling to me. Rather than get something for the asset, the unrestricted free agent, he contends that he is not afraid to let them go for nothing in return. Consider that this is the same GM who admitted that he made a 'mistake' when he allowed Andrew Brunette to walk following the NHL lockout, where Brunette had previously netted 49 points for the Wild during the 2003-04 season. And more recently, last seasons pair of Pavol Demitra and Brian Rolston were also shown the door when the team elected not to re-signed them. Interesting to me is the line Risebrough gives concerning losing Demitra and Rolston...'has had no bearing on our season'. Why don't you be the judge...

The Wild currently have 65 points in the standings, with a record of 30-26-5. Last season, after the 61 game mark, the teams record was 34-22-5, good for 73 points. Total goals scored a season ago, using the same 61 games played, was 169 for and 166 against. So far this season the Wild have a league the fifth worst offense, scoring only 2.48 GFA, for a total of 155 goals. On the defensive side, the team is the second best in goals allowed, 2.33 GAA, for a total of 144 allowed. And as for the two big names let go after last season, season totals for the pair had Rolston netting 59 points while Demitra put in 54 points. And at the rate the Wild scores, we'll be lucky if we have two players reach the 50 point mark by seasons end and Mikko Koivu is already over, with 56 pts.

To be fair, one has to consider that Marian Gaborik played a full season last year and had career marks goals, assists, and points. But on the flip side, you also have to take into consideration the fact that Pierre-Marc Bouchard has fallen off his pace of last season when he had career numbers in assists (50) and points (63), with Rolston his linemate the majority of the season. So take a look at the numbers and decide for yourself. I have done so myself and the one thing that keeps coming back to the front of my mind is that this team currently sits in 10th place in the Western Conference and last season they won the Northwest Division.

NHL Network free preview

Don't forget about the preview that started today and runs through Saturday. There are many great shows that air, including a 3 hour trade deadline special that runs on Wednesday. Apparently the preview is offered to over 34 million subscribers of various distributors, that include both satellite and cable providers. So chances are that if you don't already have this network, you should be able to have a look for yourself.

Trouble in The State Of Hockey

That's what Russo seems to think, and after last nights performance, he may be right. Our Minnesota Wild have always been known for their 'button it down' play when they were able to get a lead. The franchise history has been one of holding onto that lead and earning the two points. Last season for example, the Wild had a 23-3-4 record when leading the game after one period. And when leading after 2 periods, this team has been almost unbeatable...in past seasons that is.

Post-game blowup

I am not sure what the mindset of the players were last night. And if you heard any of Coach Jacques Lemaire's comments after the Wild lost 5-3 to Ottawa, after blowing a 3-0 first period lead, you would have noticed by his tone that he did not understand them either. In fact, even though I have not heard all of his post-game news conferences, I cannot recall one where our coaches level of anger and disgust was this high. And in my opinion, he had a right to be this upset. In fact (you heard it here first) this game will be looked back upon as the straw that broke Lemaire's back when we ponder why we are in search of a new coach before next season.

Our veteran leader

You have to love the energy and grit that Owen Nolan has been showing this season, and especially of late. His leadership qualities are definitely on display at the rink as fans can see that he is trying so desperately to carry this team on his back. And for an NHL'er of his age, this is no easy task. The 37 year old has 27 points so far this season but his point totals in recent games are whats impressive to me. Over the past 9 games, Nolan has 11 points that included 4 multi-point games. And it was a great spectacle watching him try to complete a hat-trick last night before the roof caved in and the team folded. Before the collapse though, he did net 2 goals and added an assist, all in the first period. I give credit to GM Doug Risebrough for this signing...

To Trade Or Not To Trade...

Yes, that is the question that faces every NHL team this time of year. Unfortunately for the Minnesota Wild, the question is complicated this time and has many factors to consider. It seems this season, more than any other, there are more pieces to the puzzle that are not fitting in as they should. And by that I mean off-ice and contractual issues, not on-ice issues. The unfortunate thing is that the pieces not fitting was done by the teams own doing. And I am one of those fans that deeply wants the team to make a big move, make headlines in the NHL. But I am not so sure this is the season to make such a move. There are too many unknowns with two of it's big players...

First we have the Marian Gaborik factor. He was supposed to be the 'ace in the hole' for the Wild this season, as I believe GM Doug Risebrough was set to field offers from all sides of the NHL for this franchises first legitimate star. But his surgery has somewhat melted the ice away to how big a payday Gaborik would see and/or the big return the Wild would get for a trade. I do believe that there was an earnest attempt to lock-up Gaborik earlier this season. And if published reports are correct, there was a legitimate offer on the table. It seems however that either the team waited too long to strike up meaningful contract talks or that Gaborik absolutely does not want to play for this team. So the team now has to explore other avenues. And at this point, I am uncertain what a Gaborik trade would fetch in return, although anything is better than letting him walk. But I stand by my thought that the best thing to do would be to sign him, long or short-term.

The once 'hidden gem' in goaltender Niklas Backstrom, has to also be considered when talking trade. His value is certainly as high at has ever been and he would most undoubtedly be the most sought after goaltender if he were on the trading block or was allowed to enter the market of unrestricted free agency. If the Wild end up re-signing Backstrom, they will either get lucky with a 'deep discount' taken by the Finish netminder (who has stated publicly that he would like to stay), or they will end up paying a pretty big load over what they could have signed him to before the season began. I am not a believer that the Wild cannot afford his true market value, so if he is either traded or allowed to walk, don't buy the line that the team cannot compete when it comes to paying their players. The option of trading Backstrom could certainly bring in some big talent. Remember, he is in the middle of an All-Star season, where he is at or near the top in every goaltender stat. I admit that I go back and forth on a possible Backstrom trade, but I do think it needs to be an option and am actually warming up to the idea.

With the current core group of players on this team the question has to be whether or not they can compete in the post-season and make a deep run into the playoffs. As the roster sits now, I don't think that they can. In fact, standing pat with this group may bring an early vacation and no playoff run at all. But would a significant addition make that much of a difference? With a healthy Gaborik I think it would. Believe me, I was the biggest anti Risebrough campaigner after the Chris Simon deal last season. I want my team to be involved when it comes to signing the big name players. However, this season is different. There might be something to be said for letting the roster ride and concentrate on the off-season moves. However, there should be no question though, both Gaborik and Backstrom need to be moved if they cannot re-sign them in the next few weeks.

And that is what I am referring to when I say it's more complicated than in years past. You have two marque players set to become unrestricted free agents at seasons end, who were allowed to play-out the final year of their contracts. Sign one or both, trade one or both, who knows what Risebrough will do. I don't see an easy answer, other than to deal them if you can't sign them. But as for a 'big deal' that will push this team into a deep run, I don't see it happening.

Trade Our All-Star?

I have come across an increasingly number of pieces written on a subject that, at first glance, seems absolutely ridiculous to me...and that is for a call to trade goaltender Niklas Backstrom. I guess trading an All-Star player is not a new concept as even The Great One was traded a few times in his career. But for some reason from the get-go, I cannot grasp this idea and imagine unloading one of the teams few big assets, let alone one that was our single representative and just participated in his first All-Star game. And when assessing the play of our team so far this season, a team that is going to be fighting to the end to make the playoffs, the one true consistent bright-spot has been the solid play in our defensive zone. And Backstrom can take a ton of credit for that as he has been simply brilliant.

But the cases I have seen have put up some pretty good arguments for making a deal. First however, I would like to discount one that has been bothering me for some time now. The Lemaire 'system', as it's called, has given credence to the idea that you can plug anyone into the net and get the same stifling results, or so it has been uttered. I cannot disagree more with this notion. It really gives zero credit to Backstrom or the solid goaltenders that have graced our young franchise. A quick look will show you that, yes indeed, our Wild have had pretty good goaltending from the beginning. In fact, our Wild have had league-leading goaltending at times. However, upon further review, the fact is our past goaltenders have seen success beyond the 'system'. And lets face it, all teams play the same or a different variety of the 'system' (a blog for a later time).

It started with Manny Fernendez, who has yet to convince me that he is a legitimate season-long #1 guy, then was bulked-up by the addition of Dwayne Roloson a few years later. The Fernandez-Roloson duo peaked when they carried the team to the 2003 Western Conference Finals. Enter Niklas Backstrom. The Backstrom-Fernandez team compiled a league leading 2.24 GAA combined, while virtually splitting the season in half. Fernandez, after having some lost time due to a knee injury, is having a very solid season in Boston, going 14-3-1. Roloson has had a decent career after leaving the Wild, playing on a mostly ordinary Edmonton Oilers team. His play in the 2006 playoffs, where he went 12-5, carried the Oilers to the finals before they eventually lost to the Carolina Hurricanes. So, looking at what has come and gone in nets for the Wild, it seems to me that the two main players have recorded some very decent numbers since their departures. And other than the three above mentioned netminders, the team has not inserted another goalie of any significance. But according to these 'trade Backstrom' pieces, waiting in the wings is that guy of 'significance' and what folks think is the 'plug-in guy', Josh Harding.

The argument takes shape and make sense to me when you address the issue of why we sit, yet again, with a premier player being allowed to play out the final year of a contract. In other words, General Manager Doug Risebrough has waited too long to get Backstrom signed. Our GM fumbled with Gaborik and now it looks as if he has painted himself into a corner with Backstrom. Some think that the price, now that his All-Star status has been solidified, will be too much for the Wild to take on (something I question). So the obvious thing for Risebrough to do to gain some credibility back would be to unload him while the price is high. The problem I have with that notion is that Doug's track record with the Wild has not been too good when it comes to making an NHL trading deadline move.

The question that has to be addressed before a deal is made however, is whether or not the team feels Josh Harding is a capable goaltender. After all, the team is still in the race for a playoff spot and without good goaltending, teams seldom go deep into the post-season. I don't care who the Wild pick up on the scoring end in a Backstrom trade (assuming they go after points), it is not going to out-weigh bad goaltending. So far this season Harding has only seen action in 10 games, starting 7, and has 1-5-1 record. His two key goaltender numbers are good, as he has a 2.17 GAA and a .929 SV%. But only starting 7 games is hardly a comfort, especially for a player who would be expected to backstop the defense. On the career side, Hardings experience is not much deeper. He has started a total of 39 NHL games over the past 4 seasons, and holds a record of 17-23-0-4. For his career, he has a 2.53 GAA and a .929 SV%. Unfortunately he should be considered an unknown, with his lack of experience, and one that cannot be looked to steal games as Backstrom has done so far this season...at least as far as we know.

There are a few wild-card factors that should be mentioned when discussing a possible Backstrom trade. First off, Backstrom seems to enjoy his team and has stated publicly that he would like to stay. Whether or not that desire would equate to him taking that 'home-town' discount, who knows. Even though he is only in his 3rd NHL season, he is not young by league standards, as he has plenty of professional experience in Europe and may be at a point in his career where he wants to stay put. The second factor could throw this whole idea into a spin and is not likely, but the Wild could swap goaltenders in a deal. The decision to make a move such as this would be strictly a financial one and would probably be geared for the future. The final factor would be to abandoned any notion of a playoff run this season and mold a deal that would be solely for the future. And truth be told, any one of these factors could play out as this management team is hard to figure out. But short of keeping Backstrom or dealing him for some proven players, our faithful fans will be outraged and vocal.

In the end, I really don't know what the best move might be. On one hand you have a proven asset that if traded, would command a lot in return. On the other hand, I am not sure that Risebrough has it in him to pull the trigger on a big deal. What's left is absolutely the unthinkable, and that would be to let him walk at seasons end.