Former Player Tracking: The List Grows

by BReynolds on Jan 14, 2012 1:30 PM CST in Features

As Chuck Fletcher pulls the Minnesota Wild closer and closer to respectability, the list of players he has jettisoned continues to grow. Some of the players on the list walked during free agency with no effort to stop them from Mr. Fletcher. Others were traded for nothing in return. Now, the list grows yet again as we add a name lost through waivers.

Indeed, we add Colton Gillies to the list as he heads east to Columbus. You can't blame the Jackets for trying anything and everything to jump start their squad. At the same time, you have to wonder what they think he brings to the table. Will he be put into a second line role that the Wild were unwilling to give him? Will he simply be put right back into the same role on a struggling team? Is he really better than anyone they already had?

We'll find out.

We also add a gem of a person and player to the list in John Madden, who has signed with the Florida Panthers in our layoff from this post.

Brent Burns

#88 / Defenseman / San Jose Sharks

Height: 6-5

Weight: 219

Born: Mar 09, 1985

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - Brent Burns	40	7	8	15	12	16	4	0	1		118

Burns' numbers have slowed, but look at theat SOG total. Yowza. We'll take that every day of the week and twice on Sunday. His play has been welcomed 100% in San Jose, which is no surprise. He's a key piece on a very good team, and they are having good success.

Martin Havlat

#9 / San Jose Sharks

Height: 6-2

Weight: 217

Born: Apr 19, 1981

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - Martin Havlat	26	2	13	15	8	16	1	0	0		62

Havlat is injured. We'll save our barbs until he's back over the boards.

Whoops.

Cam Barker

#13 / Defenseman / Edmonton Oilers

Height: 6-3

Weight: 215

Born: Apr 04, 1986

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - Cam Barker	12	1	0	1	3	14	1	0	0		21

Still out with his ankle surgery. Of course... they likely aren't missing much.

Antti Miettinen

#20 / Right Wing / Winnipeg Jets

Height: 6-0

Weight: 190

Born: Jul 03, 1980

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - Antti Miettinen	11	0	2	2	-7	0	0	0	0		11

Huh. Two points in eleven games, and a -7. Looks like a great pick up for the Jets.

Andrew Brunette

#15 / Left Wing / Chicago Blackhawks

Height: 6-1

Weight: 215

Born: Aug 24, 1973

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - Andrew Brunette	44	9	8	17	-10	2	4	0	0		50

Bruno's role has slipped quite a bit in Chicago, to no real surprise. He's on the third line, still getting some power play time, and adding his leadership to the team. Accepting limited roles is exactly what vets need to do, and that is exactly what Bruno did. Good on him.

Chuck Kobasew

#17 / Right Wing / Colorado Avalanche

Height: 6-0

Weight: 192

Born: Apr 17, 1982

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - Chuck Kobasew	35	5	4	9	-10	22	0	1	2		43

Would anyone notice if we just took Kobasew off the list? The answer is likely the same as the question "Would anyone notice if they took Kobasew out of the lineup?"

James Sheppard

Hopefully someday, Sheppard is back.

Eric Nystrom

#24 / Left Wing / Dallas Stars

Height: 6-1

Weight: 193

Born: Feb 14, 1983

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - Eric Nystrom	37	13	2	15	-4	9	0	0	1		66

Oh, the cooling effect. Still, good to see that Nystrom has remembered the game that got him to the NHL and is having success.

Jose Theodore

#60 / Goalie / Florida Panthers

Height: 5-11

Weight: 185

Born: Sep 13, 1976

	GP	MIN	W	L	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2011 - Jose Theodore	29	1630	14	8		66	2.43	805	739	.918	2

Theodore was injured, and put on IR to start the New Year. The prognosis was a couple weeks. Should be back soon.

John Madden

#10 / Center / Florida Panthers

Height: 5-11

Weight: 190

Born: May 04, 1973

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - John Madden	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		2

Just three games in, we'll give this a little time to play out.

Colton Gillies

#18 / Left Wing / Columbus Blue Jackets

Height: 6-4

Weight: 189

Born: Feb 12, 1989

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2011 - Colton Gillies	37	0	2	2	-5	10	0	0	0		24

Enjoy the Richards regime, Colton.

What it All Means

Good to see all of these guys continuing to play the game. Even the guys we poke fun at, it is still good to know they are around. Hopefully the guys that are hurt can get back in, and the guys looking for new starts can find some success in their new homes.

None of it has cost the Wild much, so... it's all good.

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Comments

I miss Burns but I'm still not convinced he would have been disciplined enough to play Yeo's system.

Of course we are finding out most of the team isn’t disciplined to play his system.

by cgp711 on Jan 14, 2012 1:49 PM CST reply actions

What defencemen does fit the system right now?

maybe schultz, emphasis on maybe. guy still cant break out of his own end for the life of him. The wild need a d man like Burns so badly right now esspecialy with the Scandella regression (used it). I REALLY like Phillips and Coyle looks pretty damn good too so i think in the long run it was good for the team, but right now it sucks

by Burnsie4mvp on Jan 14, 2012 2:01 PM CST up reply actions