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Wilderness Walk 5-20-2013: Happy Monday Edition

2013-05-20T13:00:09Z

Good morning Wilderness! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed the moisture falling from the sky, not in snow form. We had a busy day of hockey yesterday as the Hockey World Tournament finished up in Sweden with the host country claiming gold over Switzerland and USA found a way to win the bronze medal in a shootout over Finland. If your in the Twin Cities area it was a good day to have a 'stay in bed and watch hockey' day.

Our afternoon and evening hours gave us a pair of NHL playoff games where we saw the Boston Bruins beat up on the New York Rangers, and your evening game between the Ottawa Senators and the Pittsburgh Penguins could not be decided in 60 minutes, or 80 minutes for that matter. I won't bore you with the details folks, that's what the links are for.

Wild News

Rand: Here's what local pro teams are missing | StarTribune.com
With all 4 big local teams "getting better", we ask why what we have is not enough, and what is needed to break through to the next level.

Off The Trail

Sunday Funnies: Choker’s Anonymous | Backhand Shelf
Because who doesn't like to have chuckle at other peoples expense?

Don Cherry says NHLers 'nuts' to play at hockey worlds - Yahoo! Sports
Don Cherry, never short on words, gives you his take as to why hockey players shouldn't play hockey.

Pittsburgh’s Gulf Tower turns into goal light for Penguins’ playoff run (Video) | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
The Penguins are not a team I have an appreciation for, but this is pretty cool.

Greening scores in 2nd OT; Senators rally to beat Penguins to cut series hole to 2-1 | StarTribune.com
Ottawa ties the game very late in regulation. Then both teams felt like playing almost half of another game before they would finish up.

Johnny Boychuk breaks tie, Bruins beat Rangers 5-2, take 2-0 lead in Eastern Conference semis | StarTribune.com
Boston wins convincingly at home, and we also saw the rare playoff hockey fight.

Sweden nabs gold at hockey worlds on home soil
Sweden won the world hockey championship Sunday, defeating Switzerland 5-1 in the gold-medal game in Stockholm.

U.S. beats Finland, claims bronze at World Hockey Championship - CBSSports.com
The U.S. downed Finland in a shootout to claim its first medal at the World Hockey Championship since 2004.

First Round Bust: #NHLDraft2013: Minnesota High School Hockey Part I: The Headliners...Connor Hurley, Edina HS
Edina standout Connor Hurley on the Wild's radar?

2013 Central Scouting Final Rankings Movement Tracker | The State of Hockey News
With the Wild's season over, a welcome distraction from what might have been is to focus on what can be.

Awkward: this rendition of the American national anthem | Backhand Shelf
To those who would point fingers and laugh, you try singing in front of thousands of people sometime. That being said, you should at least know the song your going to sing in front of so many, props to her for finishing it.

Wilderness Walk 5-19-2013: Lazy Sunday Edition

2013-05-19T14:02:10Z

Good morning Wilderness, and welcome to your second consecutive stormy morning here in MN. If your not here, insert your own weather quip here. The Wild are still out of the playoffs, and my entire family aside from me is ill at the moment so pardon me for being brief this morning.

Reminder: This week the HW editors and staff will bring you the defense and goalie grades for the Wild. Everyday their is more content being published so you can get your hockey fix in summer so stick around would ya!?

Wild News

Minnesota Wild: Evaluating Franchise After Round 1 Exit
Examining the Minnesota Wild's trajectory after their return to the playoffs in 2013.

Minnesota Wild: Free agent Bouchard wants more ice time, not money - TwinCities.com
Pierre-Marc Bouchard has spent 11 years in Minnesota, playing for three head coaches and two front office regimes while battling concussions that sidelined him for almost 150 games over four seasons.

Off The Trail

Crosby's hat trick puts Penguins firmly in control of series with Senators | StarTribune.com
Dan Bylsma has spent more than four years watching Sidney Crosby be Sidney Crosby

Brunner, Smith lead charge as Red Wings beat Blackhawks 4-1 in Game 2 to tie Western semifinal | StarTribune.com
In case they weren't aware already, the Chicago Blackhawks now know they're going to have to earn it if they want to get past Detroit

Ottawa star Jason Spezza to return to Senators lineup for Game 3 against Penguins | StarTribune.com
Jason Spezza doesn't have much time to return to form if the Ottawa Senators want to extend their season

Sharks fined $100,000 for GM Doug Wilson's comments about Raffi Torres' suspension | StarTribune.com
NHL to the Sharks, "If we wanted your opinion we'd give it to you."

Logan Couture scores PP goal in OT to give Sharks 2-1 victory over Kings in Game 3 | StarTribune.com
I didn't have time to watch anything last night, but the Sharks don't lose at home either so it wasn't too torn.

Rangers (the other kind) help motivate Boston Bruins as they push toward Stanley Cup | StarTribune.com
No, not the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers....

NHL’s awesome ‘Playoff Sounds of Round 1′ video is your ‘24/7’ fix | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
Some audio/video clips put together for your enjoyment.

Penner blasts refs for having ‘gall to guess’ on goalie interference call | ProHockeyTalk
Everyone's a critic...

Switzerland shuts out Team USA, faces Sweden in gold medal game | ProHockeyTalk
It's their first finals appearance since 1935.

NHL Three Stars: Niemi, Couture shine for Sharks; Wings even up Hawks | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
Self explanatory

Kings goalie Jonathan Quick abuses officials, gets game misconduct and $200 fine (Video) | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
Still not as good as this

Wilderness Walk: 5-18-2013

2013-05-18T13:00:09Z

Good day, Wilderness! As boring as the offseason can be, the Walk still must go on. It's going to be a relatively short one, and most of it will be off the beaten path. Have your hiking boots on? Good. Now, let's take a Walk.

Wild News

Wild have options in net, but even more questions - FOX Sports North - Will this mean that the Wild finally trade Backstrom? We'll just have to wait and see what happens later in this offseason.

Minnesota Wild's Xcel Energy Center Named Best Arena Experience in NHL - Gone Puck Wild - Yeah buddy! While the X has been the only arena that I've gone to (so far) for watching hockey, it sure is something being there. To the energy that goes through the building when a goal is scored (plus the goal horn that sounds awesome in person), to the singing of the Wild anthem, there's a lot of things to love about the Xcel Energy Center.

Jason Zucker Has Earned Bigger Role With Minnesota Wild For 2013-14 - Rant Sports - Here's some more perspective about ~~the Wild's best rookie~~ one of the Wild's best rookies this season.

Off the Trail

Crosby leads Penguins to NHL playoff win | SBS World News - Go Penguins!

Sharks critical of NHL for suspension of Torres | Big News Network - I would have to agree. Here's what GM Doug Wilson had to say about Torres' hit, and I quote: "Upon review of the incident, it is abundantly clear that this was a clean hockey hit. As noted by the NHL, Raffi's initial point of contact was a shoulder-to-shoulder hit on an opponent who was playing the puck. He did not leave his feet or elevate. He kept his shoulder tucked and elbow down at his side, and he was gliding -- not skating or charging."

Red Wings need to create goals, not havoc | Canada.com - Yeah they do. This is what they will need to do if they want to have a shot at taking down the big bad Blackhawks.

2013 NHL Draft Spotlight: The Masked Men - The Hockey Writers - Even though the NHL's draft is still a little over a month away, mock drafts are already being created by many.

NHL Playoffs: Grades for Night 18 - CBSSports.com - Here's a look at some grades of some key players in the playoffs.

Minnesota Wild Final Season Grades: The Right Wingers (Staff Writers' Grades)

2013-05-17T19:03:28Z

Today is a great day for you, WIlderness! You get 2 grades posts in the same day! Earlier today, the editors put up their grades for the Wild's right wingers, now it's time to see how us staff writers graded them.

Dan Czarnecki (WIMinnesotaWildFan)

Devin Setoguchi: B

Seto had an ok season with the Wild this year. It really helps when Cullen is there with him on his line, but when he was gone, Seto seemed to disappear too. Finishing as the 5th best player of the season for the team is "B" worthy in my books though.

Cal Clutterbuck: C

Not the best season for Clutterbuck, but it wasn't all that terrible. He simply didn't live up to our expectations this season. Sometimes, I felt like he was trying to get physical and throw some hits on other players, but failed to do so. Other games, he would come out ready to spring into action and just pounce all over the opposition. I thought one of the best moments Clutterbuck had during our regular season was when I got to see him score one of our 2 goals in an aggressive game against the Los Angeles Kings. All players have their good games and bad games, and it was especially evident with Clutterbuck.

Jason Pominville: B+

Pominville's debut with the Wild wasn't as great as expected. Being a former captain for the Buffalo Sabres, we thought he would have done more out on the ice. In my opinion, I think his only best moment during this season was during his debut in our 2nd last game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. We all just need to give him some time, and come next season, he'll be an entirely different animal for the Wild.

Charlie Coyle: A

Sensational start for this kid. He knows what he's doing out on the ice, and best of all, he had Parise and Koivu to help him out along the way. I see a great future for him.

Torrey Mitchell: B

Man, is Mitchell fast! Along with Zucker and Coyle, I think he really knows how to get into the offensive zone, and just be aggressive on our forecheck. He brought a lot of life to our 4th line.

Aaron Holm (The Nooge)

Devin Setoguchi: B

When the Gooch was acquired during the 2011 entry draft along with Charlie Coyle I was pretty pumped. I really want to like this guy, but his streaky behavior gets in the way sometimes. His 27 points this year (13g/14a) ties him with the ageless wonder Matt Cullen at 4^th for the Wild's regular season points leaders. His +5 was also 2^nd for the Wild behind Cullen as well. His 5 PP goals were 2^nd again, behind Zach Parise. He's got a great shot, and he really vamped up his physical play this year. All in all it was a pretty good year for the Gooch, and with next season being a contract year one might hope he finds some consistency.

Cal Clutterbuck: C-

I'm sorry Pascal William Clutterbuck, it was a rough season for you. Your shots seemed to sail high and wide of the net almost instinctively, your physical play seemed to be missing at times, and to top it off you had some über jerk from Edmonton cheap shot you in the waining moments of a game that was decided early. Overall it was an off year, and a contract year to boot. And while you may be a fan favorite around these parts, I get this feeling your time here is up. Your 10 points (4g/6a) was not up to snuff and we certainly cannot blame your missing 6 games this year as the culprit. On the bright side, you will always be my wife's favorite player so for that you don't get a D.

Jason Pominville: B

In just 10 regular season games played you racked up 9 points (4g/5a). While the cost to obtain Pom-Pom may have been larger than most would like, I have reminded a lot of these folks that you are not a 10 game rental and we get to look forward to seeing what you can do with a full season starting this fall. We didn't get much a sample size from Pominville this year in a Wild uniform, but from what we did see I'm a big fan. He's a leader, he has a nose for points and how can you not like calling this guy Pom-Pom?

Charlie Coyle: B-

Another acquisition in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft trade, Coyle showed a lot of potential and Yeo put a lot of stock in him but thrusting him up to the top line with Koivu and Parise. In 37 games Coyle notched 14 points (8g/6a). Coyle is a big body forward which is something the Wild desperately need going into next season. His 2 post season assists are nothing to get overly excited about, but then again nobody's point production in this years brief excursion to the 2^nd season was anything to get excited about. Coyle has a lot of time to prove his true worth, and being a rookie thrust into big minutes on the top line I think he did pretty good this year. I look forward to watching this kid grow up on the ice in the coming years.

Torrey Mitchell: B-

Mitchell along with Jason Zucker are probably the 2 fastest skaters the Wild have right now. And while his numbers are not overly impressive (4g/4a 8pts) his ability to get deep into the offensive zone on the forecheck was awesome. He helped the 4^th line establish pressure and wear down opposing defense's throughout a game giving the top guys better opportunities. He played his role about as well as anyone could ask of him. I don't have a whole lot of complaints about Mitchell, and his upsides do out-weigh his down. I like the guy and think he will fit in with this group nicely going forward.

Eric Burton

Devin Setoguchi: B

After scoring 20 or more goals in his last three seasons with the San Jose Sharks, Setoguchi’s production dropped slightly in his first season with the Minnesota Wild. This season Setoguchi’s production seemed to pick up a bit placing fifth on the team in scoring and second on the team in goal scoring with 13 goals. I believe that Setoguchi is a talented forward that can do better point wise and expectations will be high for him going into the final year of his contract.

Cal Clutterbuck: C+

After scoring 15 goals and 27 points the season before Cal Clutterbuck’s offensive production dropped off significantly, scoring four goals in 42 games. Clutterbuck is a RFA and the Wild will look to resign him in the offseason. For the Wild to be successful in the future, they need to get secondary scoring for third and fourth line forwards like Clutterbuck. This season the Wild didn’t get the needed secondary scoring from him. On the positive side, Clutterbuck was able to keep the opposition preoccupied with him once again, as he racked up impressive hit totals. A healthy Clutterbuck has the ability to score 20 goals and lead the NHL in hits over an 82 game season. Not Clutterbuck’s best effort.

Jason Pominville: B

Came to Minnesota via trade on April 3, 2013 and played in 10 games for the Minnesota Wild before his regular season was ended prematurely due to a concussion from a dirty elbow by L.A. Kings forward Dustin Brown. Pominville missed the final two games of the regular season as well as the first three games of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. When he was healthy, Pominville was a welcome addition to the offense because he gave the Wild another offensive threat that they didn’t have pre-trade. Pominville didn’t have enough time to develop a chemistry with his new teammates and look for him to take a bigger role in the offense and the power play next season.

Charlie Coyle: B-

Was the Minnesota Wild’s top-scoring rookie this past season, scoring eight goals in 37 games. Coyle is a big bodied forward with good hands that has an amazing upside. The sky is the limit with Coyle, who will only get better as he gets more game experience. The Wild eased Coyle into the lineup and his play made it hard for the Wild to send him back to Houston. I think once Coyle gets it, he’s going to be a great second or third line forward in the NHL.

Torrey Mitchell: D+

If there is a forward on the Wild roster that really doesn’t do much for me, it’s Mitchell. A fourth line forward, his role can be filled a by almost any dime-a-dozen player that’s floating around the NHL. His presence on the Wild really, I can go either way. Unfortunately, the Wild have him under contract for two more seasons, so we might be stuck with him for another season. I don’t have much in the way of expectations for Mitchell and I was unimpressed with his play this past season.

Tony Wiseau

Devin Setoguchi: B

At this point, Seto is who he is. He's not going to be that guy you see in glimpses who can carry a team, not for a whole season, anyway. But you know what? We saw those glimpses from Seto last long enough so that you could call him a good second liner, instead of merely an inconsistent one. It's also nice to note how much more physical he was this year, which should serve him well if he sees himself on the outside of the Top-6. If this is the Seto we see next year, I'll be very satisfied.

Cal Clutterbuck: C

Clutter was OK this season. It's going to get pretty crowded soon, so OK might not be enough for him to stick around once he goes RFA.

Jason Pominville: B+ Pom Pom showed when he played for the Wild why Fletcher put up the package that it took to acquire him. Once moved from the first line, he solidified a third scoring line for the Wild (PMB-Brodz-Pom), which was insanely valuable. Unfortunately, Dustin Brown decided to be a piece of poo and ran his elbow into Pom's head, effectively ruining his season. If Pom is healthy, he'll soften the blow of losing Hackett and Larsson.

Charlie Coyle: B+

Coyle started off overwhelmed, but really came into his own, improving his point production every month. He became what you don't expect a rookie to become- a steady contributor on the first line. Obviously, he needs to work more on imposing his will on his opponents, and getting more comfortable with the highest level of hockey, but these are just nit-picks when we're talking about a 20 year old. B+

Torrey Mitchell: C

I have no strong opinion on Torrey Mitchell.

Andrew Ferraro

Devin Setoguchi: C

Setoguchi finished second on team in hits with 92, a big improvement (per game) over last year’s total of 73. He finished plus-5 this year and scored the playoff-clinching game-winner against Colorado on April 27. His 27 points were good for No. 2 on the team as well. He gets a B, though, mostly because he went 14 games before that without scoring a goal. The team needed more, and he did not deliver.

Cal Clutterbuck: C+

Cal again led the team in hits with 155, but his overall play dropped a bit. That was evident as his usually better scoring production dipped to just 10 points (four goals overall). He missed seven games in the middle of the season with a lower body injury, and he had zero power play or shorthanded goals this season. Seven of his 15 were of that variety last season.

Jason Pominville: B

Really, this should be an incomplete grade. The Wild gave up a ton for Pominville, and he got injured after just 10 games with the team. He did not play the last two games of the regular season because of an "upper body" injury. After his first game, he recorded four goals and five assists in his next seven games before getting hurt. I believe he will help the Wild tremendously next season.

Charlie Coyle: A-

Eight goals, six assists and a plus-3: these numbers aren't flashy, right? But for a rookie that many did not think would contribute to the big club much this year, I think these stats are worthy of the "A." Coyle was permanently called up after the Clutterbuck injury. He scored his first goal and was fairly consistent, with the exception of two poor games against San Jose and Edmonton at the end of the season. Kid has a future, and I am glad I got to see his start in Houston.

Torrey Mitchell: C

After he scored in back-to-back games against Phoenix and Dallas, he got sick and never was the same after that. Zero of his goals came after the March 29 disaster in Dallas. He had just two helpers after that and did not really do anything during the team's slide down to the No. 8 seed. From April 11 though the 26 - just over two weeks - he was minus-4 with just one helper. He did win 50-percent of his face-offs, which was a career-high for the sixth-year player.

Giles Ferrell

Devin Setoguchi: C

Seto had a roller coaster season, having a hot streak in march, sandwiched between two cold streaks. He really clicked with Matt Cullen, but once Cullen went down with injury, Seto never recovered. He can be a goal scorer the team needs, but sometimes you wonder where his head is. He was a much better player than last year, so lets hope he can make similar improvements going into next year.

Cal Clutterbuck: D

In his previous 4 seasons with Minnesota, Cal has been a constant thorn in the opposition's side. He brought the intensity every night, when he went in for a hit. He got into the oppositions head with those hits, and his ability to chirp when skating by the bench. He also was a good secondary scorer on the team. This year, you rarely found those aspects in Cal's game. He had a awful year in terms of production, and you never came away from a game going 'Cal really got inside that team's head". Never really got the feeling Cal was comfortable on any line this year either.

Jason Pominville: A

After being acquired for two top prospects and two draft picks, Pominville was everything the Wild hoped. He put up 9 points in 10 games, and gave the team 3 great scoring lines. But then a Dustin Brown hit wiped out the remainder of his season, and in the 2 playoff games he played, he never looked the same. All in all, Pominville's play before injury was 'A' worthy.

Charlie Coyle: B+

After a demotion early on in the season, Coyle got a second chance with the team, and never looked back. He became a rock on the top line with Koivu and Parise, and had very few bad games this year. His stats do not do justice for how good he played this year, so you would have to watch the team every night to appreciate how good he was, in his rookie season.

Torrey Mitchell: C+

Mitchell didn't have great stats, and his start to the season was quite awful. But, he got better with each passing game, and made up for his bad start. He had a great work ethic, and played hard, despite playing most of the season on the fourth line. Look for next year to be much better from Mitchell.

Minnesota Wild Season Grades: The Right Wingers

2013-05-17T14:11:25Z

As the week wraps up, your Wilderness editors bring you the last of our grades for the forwards. The staff will be post their grades for the RWs later today as well.

Devin Setoguchi

Bryan- Clearly the greatest right wing ever to play the game, Setoguchi is without fault, and has absolutely no negatives to mention whatsoever. The Wild should violate the CBA and renegotiate Setoguchi's contract right now and give him the maximum contract. If they have to trade Niklas Backstrom and Mikko Koivu to do it, so be it. There just is absolutely no way they can let Setoguchi go another day without paying him more than Sidney Crosby.* Grade: A++++*

Dan- Last season, if he wasn't scoring, he was pretty much useless. This season, he introduced a gritty side to his game and it has paid huge dividends. Not only does he hit and forechecks hard now, his new found skills have also helped his offensive production as now he can start creating his own chances rather than just rely on a playmaking linemate. (Dan forgot to give him a actual grade)

Emilie- Setoguchi's grade is really tough (I actually left his for last). As far as scoring goes, He was 2nd on the team for goals scored (although the beginning of the season was horrible for him) 5^th for assists and 4^th for overall points. But I can't help but think that Seto is better than what his stats are saying. Parise had almost twice as many shots as Seto did. Seto picked up his physical game a lot this season, and it suited him very well. If he continues to improve on that area of his game (as well as improving his goal scoring), he has a real threat to be handful for every single team that plays against him. I still feel like Seto can play much better than he did throughout the season, so that knocks his grade just a bit. B-

JS- He's kind of hard to grade as well. Sure, he found a physical side to his game, had a good offensive season and was generally working hard on the ice, but he mostly rode Matt Cullen's coattails. He proved himself to be utterly useless without Cullen and he really just had a good mid-season. What happens if Cullen isn't re-signed? Will Setoguchi disappear into nothingness? Could he find chemistry with Jason Pominville? Was it just a strange year? Well, based off what we've seen of him before, I'm kind of scared. It's like he became only slightly better than Cal Clutterbuck was supposed to be. Grade: C+

Cal Clutterbuck

Bryan- Clutterbuck's hitting has become predictable, his irritation of other players subdued, and his agitation lessened. Maybe it was the short season, maybe it was something else, but Clutterbuck just did not seem as effective as he has been in the past. Usually players up their game in a contract year, but Clutterbuck seemed to lose a step somewhere. It's difficult to place it exactly, but something was missing. Grade: C

Dan- What happened? Clutterbuck seems to be a neutered version of himself. He still skates hard and forechecks with energy, but gone are the days where he delivers devasting hits that agitate the bejusus out of opponents. He has turned from the perfect third line forward to just a good third. C

Emilie- Cal had a rough year. He was all but invisible on the scoreboard, and even his trademark high hit count was pretty low (Setoguchi often end the game with more hits than Cal). For the firsts half of the season, it seemed like Cal's heart wasn't in the game, and while it got better as time went on I can't help but think how much better the team would have been if he had preformed to the level he played last season. He's made himself pretty expendable and honestly I wouldn't be surprised if he is traded in the offseason. C-

JS- Speaking of Clutterbuck, where the hell was he this season? Seriously, I barely noticed him. Sure, he still led the team in hits, but he also posted the worst point per game average since his rookie season, and that's mostly thanks to his ghastly 4.3% shooting percentage, 3rd worst among regular team forwards, surpassing only noted snipers Mike Rupp and Zenon Konopka. The last three seasons, he maintained a shooting percentage close to 10%. Shooting at 10% would have added about 4 goals, which would have been closer to his average. He played well in the playoffs though, which is good. Can't have too many good playoff performers. That being said, lackluster season overall. He can do much more. Grade: C

Charlie Coyle

Bryan- I'm not sure anyone expected Coyle to jump to the big team this season, let alone jump up and take the top line right wing position. He has the makings of a real threat, and showed real skill. No one will ever forget "The shift," making his place in Wild lore set already. He needs to finish a bit more often, and truly find his role in front of the net, but he is a damn fine hockey player, and will be a very good player for a very long time. How this kid barely even got a sniff on the power play is beyond me, but I guess it leaves something to look forward to next year. Grade: A

Dan- Coyle was good for a rookie but just isn't good enough to play on the first line in my opinion. Great kid, probably has a future with the Parise-Koivu duo but now just isn't the time. Sorry. B-

Emilie- No one expected Coyle to play as well as he did this year, and anyone who says they did is a big old liar. After watching him in Houston, I knew he had the talent, but he was still hesitant, like something was holding him back. I figured it would take him this season, and maybe into next season before he was ready to show the world what he's made of. I have never been so happy to be wrong in my life.

His first stint up was a little rough, but he went back to Houston and focused on exactly what the coaches and his line mates had told him to work on. When he was called back up for the second time, he showed that he earned his spot on the first line. He's nearly impossible to knock off the puck, and he will battle the best of them at the boards and come out on top more times than not. He still had some rookie mistakes, but overall the kid looked great. I'd like to take the shift out of a date, and maybe marry it if that's possible. B+

JS- Loved his play this season. He deserves an A just for ''The shift'' against the Canucks. His point production wasn't where a first line player's should be, but he only played 5-on-5 with pretty limited power play time. I love that he got penalty kill time, as it shows potential and versatility. There were some clear growing pains though; he fought the puck a lot, didn't always make the best choices and seemed hesitant at times. All normal parts of being a rookie. This kid will be good. His play along the boards is nothing short of beastly and it often takes two players to take him down, which gave more space to Koivu and Parise. He's the power forward we had during Guillaume Latendresse's prime. The question now though is ''Is he a first line player?'' I'd have to say no for now. Later? Who knows. We'll see what he does with his sophomore campaign. Grade: B

Jason Pominville

Bryan- Not much to go on here. If not for a disgusting Dustin Brown elbow, we may have more to work with here. Right now, it feels unfair to assess him. Grade: I

Dan- You rarely notice him but he gets the job done. I am still unsure if he was worth the price but he makes the Wild alot more dangerous. He wasn't around for long so its hard to give him a fair grade. B

Emilie- A lot of people like to knock Pominville because of who was involved in his trade. Anyone who actually watched the Aeros this season will tell you that although it stings a bit to lose Johan Larsson, neither him nor Matt Hackett were pieces that haven't or can't be replaced.

Pominville joined the team and did exactly what was asked of him. He started scoring goals (would have been nice to have more scored), and made the first 3 lines solid scoring threats that kept opponents on their toes. If Dustin Brown hadn't decided to show the world how dirty he can play (Like there was really any question), the playoffs would have had a completely different look. I'm excited to see what Pominville can do with a full season on this team. B+

JS- Kind of hard for me to grade him fairly since I missed about half the games he played with the Wild, but I know that he may have saved the Wild's season by scoring about a point per game when no one else was scoring. It's a shame the usual iron-man had to take an elbow to the face at the end of the season. I'm excited to see what he can do in a full season, but I'm wondering where he'll play. Could Yeo really keep this guy on the third line? Sure, it's basically a label, but it seems kind of wasteful. Then again, he'd be a good two-way complement to Brodziak and Clutterbuck, who play some tough minutes. His production would take a hit, but it would certainly alleviate Brodziak's load. Anyhoo, he was great, but it's a shame he didn't stick with the first line. The chances were there, but Parise and Koivu were both in a funk. Maybe they'll try again next season. Grade: B+

Torrey Mitchell

Bryan- The speed we were told about was not a myth. Mitchell is one of the fastest, if not the fastest player on the team. The forecheck Mitchell can create is impossible to believe if you do not see it with your own eyes. Yes, he's still a 3rd / 4th line guy, but if you were to give this guy the hands of Parise, he would be a super star. He's good, and the Wild made a huge impact to their team in signing him. Grade: B+

Dan- An underappreciated star player for the Wild. What made our fourth line so good half way around the season was its speed and tenacious forecheck, large thanks to Mitchell's game. He isn't going to score too often but he's going to cause some create some havoc on crucial minutes that need to be killed. B+

Emilie- Mitchell was the catalyst of the 4^th line this season. His speed is remarkable, and there were so many times I actually felt bad for him because he was stuck with guys who, for the most part, aren't the fastest or greatest play makers. He played very well when he had another skill player on his line. I am hoping that he gets bumped up to 3^rd line next season and can continue having success with skilled guys. B

JS- Clear improvement over many of the 4th line players the Wild have had in the past. I think he should have been the third liner instead of Clutterbuck this year, but he made the 4th line a playable one and had some chemistry with Rough and Stumble. (Guess which one Stumble is. I'll give you a hint: He has an overhyped pet rabbit and his name rhymes with Bonopka). He did have a slow start, but like all new players to the team, he didn't have time to adapt to his new environment without a pre-season, all thanks to Bettman and the Bad News Fehr. I can't overstate how great it was to have a 4th line Yeo could actually rely on once in a while. As far as 4th liners go, I can't really fault him on much. I liked him. Grade: B

* Just checking to see if you are all alive.

Wilderness Walk: 5-17-2013

2013-05-17T13:27:11Z

Here's the Walk kids. Get your hiking boots on, because we're going off the trail.

Wild News

Backstrom has sports hernia surgery | StarTribune.com

Off the Trail

San Jose Sharks vs. Los Angeles Kings - Recap - May 16, 2013 - ESPN- Wow. LA is magic.

Brad Marchand scores Game 1 OT winner as Bruins top Rangers (Video) | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports- Booooo.

Boston Bruins (4) vs. New York Rangers (6): Puck Daddy’s NHL 2013 Stanley Cup Playoff Preview | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports

Digestible Playoff Previews: Boston Bruins vs. New York Rangers | Backhand Shelf | Blogs | theScore.com

In an odd twist, Raffi Torres has been suspended for…3-6 games | Backhand Shelf | Blogs | theScore.com- Weird suspension, but I guess grabbing weird suspensions is just Raffi Torres' thing now.

Alex Ovechkin suffers second 5-goal elimination loss in a week; has fractured foot | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports- Say what you want about Ovechkin, dude played on a fractured foot for, essentially, three playoff games. You gotta give him something for that.

The Dave Tippett coaching watch for Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports- Did they #FireYeo?

Stanley Cup Beard Watch: NHL’s star players and their playoff scruff | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports- Burns should be doing pretty well.

Lady Byng Finalists: Patrick Kane vs. Matt Moulson vs. Marty St. Louis | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports-

Jersey Aesthetics: Ranking the four 2nd-round playoff series on visual pleasure | Backhand Shelf | Blogs | theScore.com- 1) Boston 2) Everyone else.

The 2013 NHL award nominees had stellar regular seasons; how are they doing in the playoffs? | Backhand Shelf | Blogs | theScore.com- Let's see how that's going.

THN/Yahoo! NHL Awards: Best rookie, comeback player, breakout player - The Hockey News- Booooooooooo.

THN/Yahoo! NHL Awards: Best shootout shooter, best shootout goalie - The Hockey News- Sadly, not the entire Wild's shootout record.

Offseason pontifications: Why not Keith Ballard?

2013-05-17T01:31:16Z

One of the criticisms that I have heard from time-to-time about the Minnesota Wild, is that the Wild don't have any former Minnesota Gophers currently playing for the home town team.

Wrap your fingers around this. On the 2013 Minnesota Wild roster, there were numerous Badgers, a Fighting Sioux, a Catamount, a Terrier and a Husky. But there were no Minnesota Golden Gophers. Not one.

True, the Wild have Erik Haula in the Wild's farm system, but there is no guarantee that he will even make the big squad next season or that he is even ready to play for the Minnesota Wild in the near future. Also, Haula is a native of Pori, Finland, while a former Gopher, he's not originally from the state of Hockey. Not that it matters. That's really not the point of this post. But how does a team from the State of Hockey, not have a player from the University of Minnesota?

Based on what I have seen during the past season, I would say that the Minnesota Wild are challenged defensively, after the first defensive pairing of Ryan Suter and Jonas Brodin, the Wild are thin on defense and need some help.

Granted, Jared Spurgeon is a great up and coming offensive defenseman and Marco Scandella proved to be a nice surprise during the Wild's short playoff run. After that, Justin Falk proved that he's a defensive liability and at times look like a big green road cone. Former Badgers defenseman Tom Gilbert looked to have taken a step back this past season and I was unimpressed with his play as well because he was a defensive liability.

In my opinion, the Minnesota Wild could use a solid stay-at-home defenseman or two. Former Minnesota Defenseman Keith Ballard "could" be a candidate for an amnesty buyout in Vancouver and might be available to come to the Minnesota Wild at a reduced rate.

Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun
- It's probably a safe bet that Keith Ballard has already figured out that two-thirds of $8.4 million is $5.59 million.

The Canuck defenceman has heard the suggestions that the team will buy out the remaining two years on his contract this summer.

"I don't know," Ballard said Thursday when asked if he expected to remain a Canuck. "I have got two years left on my deal. If I am, I am. If I'm not, I'm not. I'll make the most of an opportunity here or if I end up somewhere else."

My question is; would Wild fans be interested in seeing former Minnesota Golden Gopher Keith Ballard wearing the Wild uniform? As a Wild Fan, I have always thought that Ballard would look good in a Wild Uniform. One positive is that former MSU Maverick and current St. Louis Blue David Backes would have a dance partner when he played the Wild.

Another New Kid on the Block: Welcome Fel 96 to the staff!

2013-05-17T01:30:13Z

Even though the season is over, and SBN is having massive tech issues, We are excited to bring you yet another new staff member.

Most of you may know Felix from his awesome Youtube videos that are always up super fast on twitter for hits/goals/injuries/awesome plays. He's been commenting here every so often, but now the time has come to make him a full blown writer.

He'll be pitching in over the summer to help bring new content to the site every day (that's the goal guys, new content every day this summer!), and will be helping out with Wild coverage and general NHL coverage next season. He'll probably be pitching in wherever we need him too as well.

Here's a little more about him, straight from his mouth (fingertips really I guess...). Also, He wanted me to add in that he REALLY likes beer.

Greeting from Quebec City!

My name is Felix and I'm a passionate Wild fan since 2004 (pre-lockout). I breathe hockey. Now, I can see a lot of people wondering how I became a Wild fan. It's simple.
I started watching NHL hockey in 2003 and I don't exactly remember why but for some reason, Jacques Lemaire's coaching style started to grow on me. Also, in 2002, the Wild drafted a gem in Pierre-Marc Bouchard who coincidentally was my favorite player. I've been followed him since his junior days. Today, I'm still a Wild fan and I'm sticking with them no matter what. One of my goals is to come watch a Minnesota Wild game at the X someday. I'd love to feel what's to be in the State of Hockey. My favorite current Wild players are Josh Harding, Mikko Koivu and Jason Pominville. As for my favorite prospects, it's Charlie Coyle, Zack Phillips and Jason Zucker.

I'm a sportive guy. I used to play minor league hockey but I had to stop due to the high costs so I decided to switch to soccer where it was a less expensive sport. I played handball at some point as well. I loved playing any of these sports but hockey was by far the one I enjoyed the most. As for my personality, I'm not afraid of criticism as long as it doesn't go into name calling.
I think one thing some fans might reproach me is that I am too positive and optimistic about this team sometimes. Only time will tell I guess!

I own a Minnesota Wild t-shirt, a cap and that's about it. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of Wild gear here. Anyways, I'm really looking forward to join HW and to interact with more fans. I think it will be a great experience. Hopefully you are going to enjoy my presence. Feel free to ask any questions.