Wilderness Walk for 1-25-2011: Game Day Edition

One game left before a week, a week, without real hockey. This is going to be depressing, isn't it? Truly there is nothing worse than an All-Star break, other than the game itself, I guess. News yesterday was that both Mikko Koivu and Martin Havlat may be asked to be injury replacements. That might entice me to care a little more. Might. For now, we have one game left, one game to hang onto through the break. Let's hope it's a good one.

We have a fun Walk today, we really do. Plenty of Wild news, most of which is from, well... me. We also have some new Faux Guardians, and even some material for the worshipers of "the savior." No, nothing sacrilegious. I promise. Notice the quotes, please.

Make sure you don't overwhelm yourself today. Plenty of really good stuff to read. Pace yourself, and don;t get lost. If you lose us, check in on Facebook for the Question of the Day, we'll circle back for you. Also, we need some new information for the HWRG2000. Anyone have any fake information we could plug into it? Send it our way. Finally, we had a couple requests to start up the ol' Create-A-Caption fun on game days again. So, have at it. Take your best shot at a caption for the picture above.

Finally, we do have some ideas to keep you entertained during the break. Don't think we will forget about you. One way or another we'll have something to keep your attention. Join us all week for some fun.

Wild News

NHL Standings: Life on the Bubble - SB Nation Minnesota - A quick look at where the Wild sit in relation to their respective peer groups. Written by someone you may know.

Wild Week: Rest and Relaxation - SB Nation Minnesota - What's on tap for the week? A bunch of nothing, mostly.

The Fourth Period :: Minnesota Wild :: To Trade or Not to Trade, That is the Question - An early look at the trade deadline for the Wild. (This concludes the self promotion portion of the Walk). 

Wild update from the Windy City; Will Wild have more than 1 All-Star? | StarTribune.com - Some good stuff from Russo, who I believe is with former VP Dick Cheney in an undisclosed location in case of nuclear war. We will need a good sports writer, after all. Yeah, I didn't know Cheney could write, either. Hi-oh!

Wild looking to build some momentum in final game before all-star break - TwinCities.com - Would be nice to enter the break on a win. Just sayin'.

System News

The Third Intermission: New to the blog! ACME blown two-goal and third-period lead tracker. - Apparently the Aeros have a knack for blowing big leads, and T3I is going to track that for us.

Enemy News

For Leddy, trade is working out nicely | StarTribune.com - Ah, "The Savior" gets the attention due to him. If he were still Wild property, clearly this would be a Cup contender. Actually, this is a pretty good piece from Youngblood, make sure you check it out.

Chicago Blackhawks - chicagotribune.com - Turns out, the Chicago area loves them some Hawks. 

blackhawks - Chicago Sun-Times - The competition.

Second City Hockey - SBNation home for the Hawks. Great, amazing people run this site. Also, check out "The Committed Indian" a publication one of the writers actually sells outside the games. I may or may not have helped with this issue. 

KiPA's Korner

Hitting The Post: Calgary back in it?; Canuckleheads win big - Freakin Nuckleheads.

Off the Trail

PENSBLOG GUARDIAN PROJECT: The Unemployed | TPB - If you remember, the Pensblog is re-doing the Guardians. We missed a couple. We make up for it now.

PENSBLOG GUARDIAN PROJECT: Mr. 67 | TPB

Rookie Couture Playing Like Veteran All-Star - Versus - Russo took on the fun of writing for Versus. In this one, he makes the case for Logan Couture. Good stuff.

Shattuck Enjoys Another Crosby - Sid the Kid's sister following in his footsteps.

Finally

Another one bites the dust - This appears to be a post about the Blues. Why include it here? Here's why:

That brings us to the guy I think should be at the top of the list for the Blues. Martin Havlat. That's right, that Martin Havlat of the Minnesota Wild. He is currently on pace for better than 70 points. He is insanely skilled, and can finish a play. If you are the rebuilding Wild, can you really hang up on Doug Armstrong if he rings you up and offers you, say a first rounder and two top level prospects for Mr. Havlat, and say, a third round pick? The Blues could package their pick in either this year or next year's draft, as well as one of their upper end defensive prospects (Jonas Junland comes to mind) and a forward (Jaden Schwartz? Phillip McCrae?) for one of the more talented players in the league. For the cost-conscious Wild, this would have to be an enticing offer. Three pieces to help rebuild the core of your team around Miko Koivu and Niklas Bacstrom? I would have to at least listen. 

When attempting to come up with a good trade for your team, make sure you understand where the other side is at. First, Havlat is one of the pieces they are building around. Second, the Wild are "cost conscious?" Hardly. $58 million being spent, 10th highest in the NHL. The Blues? Fifth from the bottom. Finally... a top defensive prospect? The Wild could really use a defensive prospect, am I right Wilderness? Like a freakin hole in the head. Oh, and apparently the "k" key on their keyboard must be busted.

Enjoy your day all. See you at game time.