Wilderness Walk: 10/7/2011

by nathaneide on Oct 7, 2011 8:09 AM CDT in Wilderness Walks

Good morning all, and welcome to the walk.

I'm your guest host, as Bryan is shirking duties and heading to do something somewhere that isn't going to opening night with me. Screw him.

Moving on.

I heard the Leafs won last night. That's nice. Toronto fans shouldn't get used to it.
I hear Don Cherry made an ass of himself last night. That's nice. We should all be used to that by now.
Matt Cooke is the leading scorer. Puke.
Jaromir Jagr scored his 1600th career point. He's old.
Boston lost. Schadenfreude.
The Yankees lost. Schadenfreude

Season opener events:

The Wild's Wake-Up Rally, presented by Kwik Trip, is this Friday, Oct. 7, from 6-9 a.m. along Kellogg Boulevard in front of the Saint Paul RiverCentre. Fans are invited to make the rally a part of their morning commute, driving eastbound by the Science Museum, and westbound outside RiverCentre. Breakfast items include milk and banana bread provided by Kwik Trip, coffee by Cameron's Coffee and newspapers by the Star Tribune and Pioneer Press. Coke products, Wild calendars, magnetic schedules and pocket schedules will also be provided. Also, KFAN's Power Trip Morning Show will be broadcasting live.

On Saturday, Oct. 8, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. the Wild will host a Pre-Game Party at Gate 2. The party will include live music (Uncle Chunk, as well as the St. Paul Como Park High School band), the KFAN pre-game show (5-6:30 p.m.), autographs from NHL alumni as well as food and beverage.

At Saturday's game, all fans will receive a free Minnesota Wild calendar courtesy of FOX Sports North, Wells Fargo and Xcel Energy, as well as a Minnesota Wild Hospitality Card featuring special offers from area restaurants. In pre-game ceremonies, the Wild will pay tribute to deceased "teammates" Derek Boogaard and Pavol Demitra. As a part of the tribute, beginning Saturday, Wild players will start wearing commemorative stickers on their helmets.

Shuttlebus_medium Special thanks to our new sponsor, Bennett's Chop and Railhouse. Join Joe and the crew for their Season Opener pre-party from 4-6 pm Saturday. Live music, Prizes, Shot for a shot contest, Drink specials, Wild dinner specials, Pictures with the Hamm's Bear, Autographs with Jack Carlson, and as always free shuttle rides to and from the game on the Bennett's shuttle bus from Gate 1 to the restaurant. Start and end every Wild game at Bennett's. Save on parking, spend it on their fabulous food and great drink specials. I'll be there, will you?

Should be a great time. Reservations accepted at www.bennettschopandrailhouse.com

The StarTribune's look at the start of the season (in case you didn't read some yesterday)

NHL 2011-12 preview: Predicting the conferences
NHL 2011-12 preview: Russo's predictions A look at award winners from 2010-11 and Michael Russo's predictions for 2011-12:
With Lundin on shelf, Scandella gets a chance Mike Yeo said he believes Marco Scandella will be a top defenseman in the NHL for a long time
Wild's Opening Night Roster
Dany Heatley: Risk and reward As Dany Heatley sits, sweat dripping from his curly hair, he looks around the locker room with a playful grin
Four things to watch about the Wild The consensus is the Wild will once again be a playoff spectator come April
Farewell to Nystrom, hello to youngsters As the preseason ended and the Wild began preparing for Saturday's regular-season opener, one thing became clear to General Manager Chuck Fletcher and coach Mike Yeo: It was time to find out more about the youngsters on the team

More on the Wild's North Shore Adventure from the local scribes

Rick Lubbers: Duluth would go Wild today, if team gave us the chance | Duluth News Tribune | Duluth, Minnesota Hello Minnesota Wild players and coaches - welcome to your practices in Duluth. If we may bring up one small gripe, it’s that we wish you had chosen to spend some time bonding with your fans here.
Former Bulldog Coaching Wild Goaltenders Duluth, MN (Northland's NewsCenter) --- Hockey fans in the Northland may recognize one of the Wild's coaching staff. After all, his picture is scattered around AMSOIL Arena.
Howie Blog " Wild impressed with the new Amsoil Arena
Wild team-bonding trip to the Northland draws praise

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Comments

Lots of good stuff today.

Russo’s Heatley article, and there is a blog with some of the Heatley extras are both very good reads. In the blog there is a funny little story about when Heatley saw a #15 Atlanta jersey sometime after he started with that team and was getting a little cocky about it… turned out to be an old Brunette jersey. Funny stuff… plus the slight jab at James Sheppard there is hilarious.

The blog about the 4 things to watch about the Wild is a great one. It not only rips on Mittens and Good/Bad Zidlicky, but it’s got a great line from Yeo and is a good baseline summary of what the main items are for the team going into the season.

by Krotz the Wall on Oct 7, 2011 10:07 AM CDT reply actions

Hehe

I liked the last line of the W2W4 regarding Backs and the shootouts

Being from Minnesota, it would be rude to put something clever here.

by redheadzeb on Oct 7, 2011 10:36 AM CDT up reply actions

So whose going to the game tomorrow?

I’ll be there in sec 124

2010-2011 Minnesota Wild Fantasy League Champion
President/CEO of the Tutu Many Slapshots fantasy hockey club

by Chris Winner on Oct 7, 2011 10:18 AM CDT reply actions

I am

but I will be on club level.

Follow me on twitter: @tara_novotny

by taralynn09 on Oct 7, 2011 10:30 AM CDT up reply actions

Sec. 111 as usual

Being from Minnesota, it would be rude to put something clever here.

by redheadzeb on Oct 7, 2011 10:30 AM CDT up reply actions

I'll be there

Up in the box. Not sure where we’re sitting yet, but rumor has it we’ve moved closer to the real media folks.

Proprietor of Hockey Wilderness - We take Minnesota hockey WAY too seriously.

by nathaneide on Oct 7, 2011 10:34 AM CDT up reply actions

Im in, 104 Blue Line

by ThatGuy22 on Oct 7, 2011 11:10 AM CDT up reply actions

Living Room Couch

Middle seat

Mikael Granlund: The Great Hope

by NorthernStar on Oct 7, 2011 12:49 PM CDT up reply actions

Bet your Beer will be cheaper...

Because it’s always $7 dollar beer night at the Xcel

by ThatGuy22 on Oct 7, 2011 1:48 PM CDT up reply actions

Thought that it was $9 now.

by Krotz the Wall on Oct 7, 2011 1:55 PM CDT up reply actions

$9 for ONE glass of beer

good times.

I was at the Twins game and debated spending $7 for 12oz of beer, and I just couldn’t do it. And I love beer.

by Pewterschmidt on Oct 7, 2011 2:03 PM CDT up reply actions

They raise it?

Last year it was $7 at Wild and Swarm games. That seems like a large increase in prices.

by ThatGuy22 on Oct 7, 2011 2:06 PM CDT up reply actions

I think so.

by Krotz the Wall on Oct 7, 2011 3:36 PM CDT up reply actions

The "Big Beers" are $9

You know, the Summit and the like. I still think you can get a $7 16 oz. beer from the food vendors. I’m not sure what the aisle jockeys are slingin’

I stick with the Summit; if I’m going to pay, may as well go with the most quality for the money.

Being from Minnesota, it would be rude to put something clever here.

by redheadzeb on Oct 8, 2011 1:16 PM CDT up reply actions

I’ll be there, too. Usually in 110 row 6 but we float around 110 a little.

"Pain heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory lasts forever." Shane Falco
"The Sharks got the better deal. They got a Burns. The Wild lost a Burns. You need a Burns to be good." KFAN's Jacques Lemaire 6-25-2011

by minnesotagirl71 on Oct 7, 2011 2:56 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

105 8th row

by wildfan1976 on Oct 7, 2011 11:49 AM CDT reply actions

Great article on Heatley

From that and the Rant he seems like a pretty good guy. I’m less worried about future drama with all the previous negative media, etc. on him. BTW do you think the second comment on that article could have been from Shane Hnidy (hnidynight)? He did play for Ottawa, Atlanta & Minnesota.

by HonorableH on Oct 7, 2011 2:05 PM CDT reply actions