Hockey Wilderness: FanPosts

This may sound like a weird question, but ...

2012-02-04T23:42:58Z

Does anyone know the name of the song played at the X at the start of the game (not warm-ups), right before the team hits the ice? It's more of a drum solo. They changed it from last year's intro song (Scorpion's "Hour One"). Yes, it IS kind of an odd question but then, I'm kind of an oddball :). Also, I hope this is the right place to post this question.

would you make this trade ?

2012-02-04T02:25:23Z

Would you trade Zidlicky + mid round pick for Ballard if it were a possibility? Here's my reasoning. Salo will be a 37 year old ufa, potentially leaving Bieksa as the only RH d-man with offensive abilities. Vancouver gets one full season to see if MZ is worth keeping around, while getting rid of Ballard who is signed through 14-15, and(from what's been said in the past)is not exactly a fovorite of Vigneault's(sp?). I have to admit that I'm a big Gopher and MN hockey fan in general, but when it comes to the Wild I'm not the we need a bunch of locals on the roster type of fan. I've just always liked Ballard's game. The kid can skate with just about anyone, has a good hard shot, plays with an edge and is one of the best hip checkers around. Would Vancouver or the Wild want to trade within the division during the playoff stretch? Would it be better as an offseason trade if MZ's still around? Or is it just a bad idea in general? Your thoughts please.

A few questions

2012-01-28T02:14:17Z

With the ASG and the lack of hockey news to consume my day, I've been doing some deep thinking about the Wild organization. I have a few questions and am just looking for opinions from you guys on them. It's gonna be a long post, bear with me, please.

1. Any confirmed reports on which prospects will join the organization next year? I remember hearing that Johan Larsson and Jonas Brodin have said that they will turn pro next year during the WJC. Granlund too. I imagine Bulmer will too given his play at the beginning of the year. Will Coyle/Phillips/Zucker?

2. Lats is an RFA at the end of the year and I remember someone on here saying that a qualifying offer for him would be $3 million. Can he be given a smaller contract later once everyone has a shot to sign him? What's the likelihood of him staying on with the influx of young talent and his injury history?

3. Does anyone see this organization as similar to the Twins? I mean in that we draft players and they stay with us for awhile and then become too expensive in FA and the whole process starts again. I know our real young talent is only starting to surface, but our only other two big name picks (Gaborik and Burns) have either walked in FA or been traded because they would become too expensive and net a huge return in young talent. Koivu is the only real big name draft pick that is still with the team. Bouchard too I suppose, but he is no Koivu/Burns/Gaborik.

That's all for now. Thanks!

Tim Thomas is a racist?

2012-01-24T14:55:36Z

When news broke yesterday that Tim Thomas had skipped out on the team trip to the White House, twitter was in a mad rush to judge. Of course all that happened before it was even known why he wasn't there. It could have been because of a family emergency. But alas, one brave Boston writer pointed out the well kept secret that Tim Thomas is in fact a Republican. (Ignore the Gadsden flag on his helmet, it means nothing.) Of course, facts being facts Tim Thomas is actually a Tea Party supporter and not a Republican. And if you don't know the difference, well, you aren't alone. But I'm not writing this to preach about politics... okay, maybe a little, but instead to point out the vast amount of ignorance and bigotry that was put on display yesterday by fans and writers. Join me after the Jump.

First things first, let me make my own biases clear. I am a small "l" libertarian and a supporter of the Tea Party movement. I am a former Republican who left the party around 2005-2006. In 2008 I voted for neither Obama nor McCain. I grew up in a family of FDR-Kennedy Democrats. And if you need the complete dossier, my eyes are blue.

So the judgments rained down on Thomas, with some defending him, some criticizing and most making good points. "It's a team event." "It's disrespectful to his teammates." "It shows he stands by his convictions." Many thoughtful people made thoughtful cases for how they felt about his decision. But this post isn't about those people. No this is about the great open minded geniuses who have declared: Tim Thomas is a racist.

But Before I start singling out a few of my favorite twitterers, I do have to say that these people should not be hated. We should feel sorry for them. After all, having a small, closed mind is protected by the ADA. And what's really sad, is that there is no cure. Now I could spell out to you all the reasons why the Tea Party isn't racist, but frankly it's a waste of time. I laid out the facts in my twitter discussion with PPP's MLSE. And his only response: "you knowknothing hardy har har." (Get it, because my twitter name is knowsknothing) The burden of proof is on those who claim the tea party is racist to prove it, and they can't. But that doesn't stop the jokes! Lets start with the best one. This comes from TSN's Dave Hodge.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA *breathe* HAHAHAHAHA. Oh my gosh, get it. His kids names all start with K! As in K K K! Oh this is hilarious. This tweet was so funny that former Democratic Senator and Klan Kleagle Robert Byrd was rolling in his grave... with laughter. I mean there is nothing funnier than implying a guy is not only a racist because he disagrees with the president, but implying he's in the Klan because he named his kids K! K! K! *breathe* Sorry I can't stop laughing. And the best part, oh this is gold, in his dig on Thomas he drags the man's little girls through the mud too. Whooo boy. I can't stop laughing.

Of course Dave Hodge is just a lowly TSN personality. Let's talk about someone who really matters, a blogger. My old friend MLSE who writes for PPP. Now for full disclosure he and I had a little disagreement last year over Sarah Palin. And he sure set me straight. After all, he knows how women should behave and act, and she just wasn't living up to his standards. So when this tweet came across my twitter feed, I couldn't wait for him to set me straight again.

HAHAHA ohhh, not quite as funny as the last one. Although you know I "knowsknothing" so I'm a bit slow. I think he's making a funny by saying "of course Tim Thomas is a racist, but I'd respect him if he at least admitted it." After all he is a tea partier and what do we know about tea partiers...

That's right, the tea party only exists because Obama is black. I mean it couldn't possibly be that average Americans and disgruntled republicans upset with George W. Bush's big government ways, who saw politicians bail out crooked banks and wall street firms, who then saw a president come in and propose 3 trillion in stimulus, propose a takeover of healthcare and who ignored the will of the American people at every turn got a little upset and finally decided government had gotten too big? Noooo silly me. It's because Obama is black. It's funny though MLSE seems to be pretty obsessed with Obama's skin color himself. Hmmm. Anyway, stupid me tried to reason with him and explain all this. I even pointed out how in South Carolina (the most racist state you know) The Tea Party voted in Tim Scott over the son of segregationist Strom Thurmond. But alas mlse made sure I knew that, like Palin, Tim Scott, Nikki Haley, Allen West, Marco Rubio, Herman Cain, etc didn't live up to his standards as to what a minority person should be. He's so smart. I wanted to get one more comment from him before I posted, but sadly, he blocked me. I cries.

*Sigh* that part made me sad. I need to get back to the jokes. For that lets go to NHL.com writer and Washington Post contributor Slava Malamud. Oh man, I can't believe I never followed this guy. He is just a little ball of fire. And ever since the South Carolina primary he has been on a roll. He was first introduced to me via a RT of this:

Haha oh boy. You see Newt Gingrich won in South Carolina, and he was the "racist" one. I'm not sure what makes Newt a racist so don't ask me I'm not smart enough to know these things. Of course he went on and on that night about South Carolina and how beating their wives is the official sport. I mean it was hilarious. And based on facts and evidence and all that stuff too. Something else I noticed, this is a lot like the tweet from mlse. They must share the same sense of humor or comedy writer or small mind or something.

So yesterday, Slava started the entertainment early. Before he, or anyone even knew Thomas wasn't there he posted this.

Now how did he know Thomas was a Tea Party guy. It was a secret. He's so smart. And see *breathe* sorry laughing again. I almost ROFL'd. You see tea party are just stupid, inbred redneck, birthers who believe Obama is actually Kenyan. So of course Tim Thomas might just ask, tee hee. One thing thats kinda bothering me little, this terminology he uses to describe Obama is a little ra... I'm sorry, never mind.

So about this time he realizes Thomas didn't show up, and I think he got kinda mad.

Of course not Slava. No one would disrespect a white president. I mean no athlete would've skipped out on Bush. And only a racist Tea Party guy would skip out on meeting Obama. So no excuses. And after all, this is America where dissent is unpatriotic. It doesn't matter that Obama and the democrats have spent the last 3 years calling tea partiers racists, murderers, and terrorists, and terrorists again. How dare he disrespect the president in this way. On the other hand if he was a nascar driver...

See get it. Its the whole all southerners and Nascar drivers are racist thing. *yawn* Sorry, I know this is a great joke but I must be all laughed out. Maybe I should just post the tweets.

You see, he's not saying Tim Thomas is a racist, but... Tim Thomas is a racist. And I'm not saying a hack beat writer who loves throwing bombs but won't respond to my tweets is a coward, but...

You see this one is a joke. I think. The link goes to a story about someone's cat being killed over politics. Is it true? If you ask me it doesn't pass the smell test. But despite that, I mean haha Thomas being a tea party guy means he has blood on his hands over some sicko's actions, kinda like when Sarah Palin shot those people in Arizona... I'm laughing, how about you?

But, I don't want to get angry. After all this is hockey. And hockey writers are tolerant open minded people. When Sean Avery stood up for marriage equality I'm sure each of them praised him, as they should have. And when agents, TV guys, bloggers attacked Avery I'm sure they stood up for him, as they should have. They stood up against bigotry. As I now do. As we all must do. Whether you agree or disagree with Thomas's decision. whether you agree or disagree with his politics, we all must agree, that calling him or anyone else a racist simply because they disagree with the president is deplorable. To judge a man not on what he believes, but based on what you ignorantly think he believes, and then to call him the worst thing you possibly can, is the very definition of bigotry. And to drag his family into the smear or accuse him of being responsible for a reprehensible act, well that's just sick. I expect nothing from mlse, he's too blinded by his prejudice to listen to little things like reason and facts. But Slava Malamud, an employee of the NHL and Dave Hodge of TSN owe Tim Thomas an apology. And Hodge should apologize to the little girls he dragged through the mud. And if they won't apologize well then that says a lot about them, just like these tweets say more about their authors than they could ever say about Tim Thomas.

4 minute mark

Who should the Wild sell?

2012-01-23T18:29:27Z

A week or so ago, I looked at potential players the Wild could target as trades to improve their roster. Now I want to look at players currently on the roster who could be moved as we near the trade deadline. This may seem like bad timing coming off a nice win against Dallas at home. However, it will take that kind of effort in every game for the Wild to make the playoffs and for every nice win, there is another poor performance against Philly or Toronto lurking around the corner for this team. This isn't to say they won't make the playoffs, but it is going to be hard and there will no breaks along the way. So, if they are still at the outside looking in by the time the deadline rolls around, here are some players the Wild could/should sell. Disclaimer: this post will not discuss trading players we want to get rid of such as Zidlicky. While dealing Zidlicky is every fan's wish, it will take a lot of stars aligning to get it done in-season, off-season, much more likely. Instead, let's look at the more probably candidates for trading, pending unrestricted free agents and some restricted free agents. And away we go!

Greg Zanon - Defense

5'11" - 198 lbs - age 31 - shoots left - 1.933 mil cap hit

25 gp - 1 g - 3 a - 4 pts - 0 ppp - 15 sog - minus 1 - 8 PIM - 71 blocks

Zanon is what he is, a defensive-defenseman. There is almost zero offense here and teams thinking there will be are kidding themselves. He is a decent skater, can log some minutes, and is a shot blocking machine. However, there are some issues here. First, he seems to be the square peg in the round hole this year. For a system that preaches defense first, Zanon just doesn't fit. Oftentimes his defense involves laying out for a block, but that also means taking yourself out of the play. Zanon was guilty of taking himself out of the play by doing this a large amount of the time last year. This year he has been better, but maybe that is because he has played less. Add to that, he is a bit of sulker when things do not go right. There is no doubt, this effects the locker room. As one of the old guard who has been here for a few coaches and has seen his fair share of losing, he probably needs to go for his own sake as well as ours. The expected return won't be very high, probably a mid-level pick. There are some teams out there who might be willing to pay as high as a second, but that is a stretch. Chicago, Philly, Toronto, San Jose all bleed goals so we will see if Zanon can help them or someone else out. He's an affordable rental is nothing else.

Mike Lundin - Defense

6'2" - 191 lbs - age 27 - shoots left - 1 mil cap hit

15 gp - 0 g - 2 a - 2 pts - 0 ppp - 7 sog - even - 2 PIM - 34 blocks

Does anyone know why we signed this guy? Honestly, he seems like a nice guy and maybe would be a good seventh defenseman, but I am not sure where he fits or what his style even is. It's hard to call him a defensive-defenseman but he certainly isn't offensive either. He is a good skater, but I find myself asking, what is his upside. When he is scratched, the fans clamor for him to be in the lineup. So then he plays, and he's neither bad or good, he's just there. He's like Nick Schultz without the defense or positioning.To me he's pretty vanilla on a team that need's him to be either rocky road or butter pecan. He's obviously not in the long-term plans so moving him would be best. I'm sure someone would take him but the return is going to be minimal. If Brett Lebda can still play in the NHL, certainly so can Mike Lundin. Unfortunately, he just doesn't have a high ceiling despite still being pretty young. Again, an affordable rental, but not sure what his role would be other than depth for the playoffs.

Clayton Stoner - Defense

6'3" - 206 lbs - age 26 - shoots left - 550k cap hit

36 gp - 0 g - 3 a - 3 pts - 0 ppp - 27 sog - plus 7 (!) - 42 PIM - 59 blocks

Would you have believed that Stoner is leading the defenseman in plus/minus? Would you believe that he is actually second on the team in that category? Pretty much proves it's a meaningless stat huh? Stoner is unique in that he is still on a two-way contract. Remember when Fletch signed him to that bizarre two year deal where the first year was one-way and the second was two-way? Stoner actually gives the Wild an element they seem to lack at times, sandpaper, willingness to drop the gloves, stand-up for teammates, etc. Beyond that? He doesn't bring much. His skating is okay I guess, better than me anyway. I think he has reached his ceiling as well. That said, he is a nice sixth or seventh defenseman. I don't know if they would get much of anything in return for him so I would be okay with resigning him at around his current salary. Oh, he does know how to absolutely annihilate David Backes and has an awesome name so those should count for something too.

Justin Falk - Defense

6'5" - 217 lbs - age 23 - shoots left - 742k cap hit

28 gp - 0 g - 4 a - 4 pts - 0 ppp - 28 sog - plus 2 - 28 PIM - 50 blocks

Fans seem to get down on Falk a little bit but that may be because they still think he is Justin Faulk. I too find myself wanting more from Falk at times but then I remember, he is only 23. I'm not sure if there is much of an offensive upside but he at least seems to have some offensive awareness. What he is truly blessed with is size, and he has been using that to his advantage as of late and needs to keep it up to stay in the NHL. What's more is he knows this himself. He has the making of a good third pairing with Prosser if he continues to work. I don't think he gets much in the form of a return, so we might as well remember he is just 23, still raw, and worth keeping and working on.

Nate Prosser - Defense

6'2" - 221 lbs - age 25 - shoots right - 715k cap hit

19 gp - 0 g - 6 a - 6 pts - 1 ppp - 15 sog - plus 1 - 18 PIM - 48 blocks

I'm including Prosser on here even though I doubt the organization has any desire to trade him. Good skater, good puck mover, I think there is a little more offense than what we've seen, something more along the lines of his 2010-11 AHL stats. He plays a pretty good defensive game as well in the small sample size we've seen. He and Falk will be a nice 5-6 pairing in the next few years. However, if for some reason someone made me an offer of a mid to high pick, I would at least listen.

Casey Wellman - Forward

6'0" - 184 lbs - age 24 - shoots right - 850k cap hit

14 gp - 2 g- 5 a - 7 pts - 1 ppp - 25 sog - minus 4 - 0 PIM - 7 blocks

If there was ever a frustrating player on the Wild's roster, it's Wellman. There just seems to be something off with the kid. He is clearly skilled, great skater, great shot, but for whatever, it does not translate to the NHL. There is something wrong with a player like him skating on the fourth line. I've never seen him practice and have never been in the locker room, but I suspect it starts there. How can a player be called up and look great for the first few games, and then complete disappear? Signed as a free agent from UMass, he was supposed to come in as a mature player ready to contribute. Well, it didn't work out that way and he has needed more time to mature than anticipated. Something to remember about college free agents, for every Matt Read, there are ten Casey Wellmans. Add to that, he is going to get trapped behind our sudden glut at forward in the coming years making it tougher and tougher to make the big club. He could make it easier on himself and dedicate himself to working to earn a spot, but that seems to be the problem. In a lot of ways, Wellman reminds me of Patty O'Sullivan, just not engaged game in game out. To be successful, Wellman needs to go to the net and play with a little more grit. He can do it for a game or two but then seems to decide that isn't his style and just floats around. He's too good for the AHL but doesn't appear to be willing to work to stick in the NHL, at least not with the Wild. Yeo's system is demanding and perhaps Wellman just wants to do his own thing and play his own style. If that is the case, he is in the wrong place. He is a restricted free agent but will command a raise that I don't think the Wild will be willing to pay. He has some trade value, and I think it is something that Fletch should explore. He's still young, is a great skater, and has a great shot. In a less demanding system with a coach who will cater more to him and on a team where he doesn't have to be counted on, he might flourish. Maybe as high as a second round pick but mid-level pick is more likely. Personally, I would like to see him traded for a offensive-defenseman trapped behind a glut of talented guys on another team. Our farm is not well stocked with offense from the blueline right now.

Kyle Brodziak - Forward

6'2" - 209 lbs - age 27 - shoots right - 1.15 mil cap hit

48 gp - 13 g - 11 a - 24 pts - 7 ppp - 98 sog - minus 7 - 43 PIM - 34 blocks

This is definitely not going to be a popular position with the Wilderness, but if the Wild are still out of it by the deadline, I think they should trade Brodziak. Tough, decent offensive skills, good on faceoffs, good skater, perfect third line center for any team. He would easily fetch the biggest return as contending teams love players like Brodziak. I believe it was Russo who stated earlier in the season that Brodziak is the type of player you need in the playoffs. I would love to keep Brodziak as our third line center for years to come but at what cost. He is certainly going to be due a raise at the end of this season. Earlier in the year, it looked like it was going to be a rather hefty raise, but even as the team has slumped, he has not lost much value. The glut of forwards coming in the next few years will be cheaper and projected to be better than him. We are stuck with Cullen and his contract and with Larsson, Coyle and Granlund all turning pro next year, this team's second and third line centers are found in that group. The Wild can save some cash now and reload with a few picks or prospects in return for Brodziak. I think a second rounder with a good prospect is in order here. Maybe you find someone willing to give us a first if you package him with someone else but teams will be knocking on the door for sure if Fletch makes him available. I love him as a player, but he might be able to help the team even more as an asset.

Josh Harding - Goaltender

6'2" - 199 lbs - glove right - 750k cap hit

21 gp - 9 w - 6 l - 3 otl - .925 save % - 2.44 gaa - 1 sho

It's becoming apparent that the ship may have sailed on Harding as far as trade bait. In my opinion, there were only a few teams that ever needed an improvement in goal and neither bit on Hards. I don't fault this so much on Fletch as I do on Yzerman. Yzerman pretty much let his team collapse around the terrible goaltending there instead of addressing that issue earlier in the year. Right now, it will be hard for the Lightning to reach the playoffs and it seems Yzerman has realized that and is just going to address this need in free agency or trades this summer. Maybe Fletch called and was offered little to nothing in return, but at this point, we should collect what we can for Harding. Another team that surprised me in this was Toronto. There is a team that has the offense and defense to make the playoffs, but Burke seems to be okay with his goalies being terrible. Maybe because those goalies are HIS goalies or maybe he doesn't have the best relationship with Fletch even though they've worked together in the past in Anaheim. Burke has openly stated there are some GMs he will not trade with (here's looking at you Kevin Lowe!). Either way, the market for goalies has dried up. There have not been as many injuries to goalies this year and most teams already have a quality backup. Those teams that have the worst goaltending ever (Columbus, Edmonton) can just wait for the off-season to address their needs as their seasons were over about two weeks into the year. Harding is still a quality goalie looking to prove himself as a #1 somewhere in this league. He has a cheap cap hit and a huge injury history. His numbers are good this year (look at that save %!) but lately the trade talk has clearly been affecting his game a bit. He's probably worth a second rounder, but at this point, he should be moved for anything.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading! I do not expect the Wild to make all or any of these moves, it all depends on the situation. However, if it continues to look like we are on the outside looking in, these are moves the organization should consider. Please feel free to list other players I forgot or other scenarios that I didn't mention! Again, thanks for reading!

Anybody selling Saturday tickets for March?

2012-01-22T23:56:31Z

Note: If this is against the terms of service I apologize and please delete.

Is anybody selling tickets to a Saturday game in March? I'd rather give you all my money than some random through Stubhub or some other ticket vendor. Also, I'm trying to do this as economically as possible so pricey tickets need not apply! :)

Right now I am in the market for 4 tickets for myself, brother, brother-in-law and father. Please let me know if you are interested.

The Fail for Nail?

2012-01-21T17:52:29Z

Hate to say it, but with the current play of our beloved Wild I believe Chuck Fletcher is trying to enter us in the Fail for Nail sweepstakes. We seem late to the party, considering Columbus has been working hard at this all year, but its better to be late than never in my eyes.

At our current rate of play I feel a top 5 pick isn't out of the question. Teams like Dallas, Calgary, Phoenix, Winnipeg, and Toronto will all pass us soon. Buffalo should right the ship eventually and get on track leaving us with a real possibility of a top 5 pick. Hell even the Ducks and Habs might pass us!

Our Current rate of play has us winning about 1.5 games a month, so at the end of the season we should finish in the 62-66 points ballpark. I wish I was kidding about this!!!!!

All things considered, adding one of the great defense man in this years draft or a sniper like Nail Yakupov, Filip Forsberg, Mikhail Grigorenko or even Alex Galchenyuk who is falling because of injury would be great for the team, and will hopefully restore some of the hope lost from this depressing second half to the season.

I'm all in on the Fail for Nail....who's with me? jk.

Could this be a bad move? Yeah, maybe for this year...but the future? I'm not so sure.

2012-01-20T17:33:52Z

Given the Wild are plummeting through the standings faster than an anvil, I've been giving a lot of thought to any moves Chuck Fletcher might make before the deadline. Ver few "minor/average" trades are going to shake this team up, so Fletcher either needs to make another blockbuster deal for an elite scorer or pack it in and make small trades for picks or prospects. However, there is one trade that, I think, could be very beneficial to the Wild. If not this year, then possibly the next. More after the jump.

When most Wild fans think of trading with Anaheim, their mouths start to water with the idea of Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan playing in Iron Range Red. Yes, I think we can all see it. Unfortunately, the odds of that happening AND still being able to keep such prospects as Granlund, Coyle, Brodin, Phillips, Larsson, Zucker and Lucia are slim to none. Fortunately, there is another trade that could be made with Anaheim. Think about this.

As we all know a certain captain of a certain struggling team in the Northwest Division has a brother playing for the Ducks. Who knew, right? Now, before you protest and blow me off, hear me out. Sure, Saku will be 38 next season and is probably just a year or two away from retirement. However, call me sentimental, but I think Saku wouldn't mind playing alongside little brother Mikko to finish out his NHL career. And, would you look at that--Granlund "The Holy Savior" will most likely be playing in a Wild sweater next year, too! What a coincidence, don't you think?

Imagine a top line of Granlund-M. Koivu-S.Koivu. That's right; it's got potential. With Mikko and Saku being brothers, and having played together, they each know the other's game (picture Mikael and Markus Granlund). Throw in Granlund, who had also played with Mikko and is basically already being mentored by the beloved Wild captain and you have a very formidable top line. Granted, we also thought that with Setoguchi-Koivu-Heatley, but I digress. This, of course, is not the top line of the future, but it does buy time for guys like Coyle, Phillips, Zucker, Bulmer, Larsson and Lucia to develop and not be rushed into the NHL too soon.

How do we aquire said Koivu brother, you ask? Well, it's very simple. Saku has a cap hit of $2.5 million a year. Matt Cullen has a cap hit of $3.5 million. Trade Cullen and Harding for Saku and a 2nd or 3rd round pick and not only do you aquire a good player and a pick, but you also free up cap space. Another alternative to Cullen would be Setoguchi, as well.

This may not be the best move for the sake of this season, but it could be a smart move when you take next year into consideration.

Are there lockout positives?

2012-01-18T23:45:16Z

First let me say that A: I don't think there will be a lockout. and B: I realize that a lockout would damage everyone involved with the league. C: this is more of a question, than a comment. D: finding any way that the Wild might benefit will most likely cause the rest of the league to do anything in their power to avoid it. While a lockout would do a lot of damage to the league is it possible that with Wild's prospect pool looking like it may come to maturity two or three years from now, be less damaging to the Wild than many "aging" teams? I think that the Wild would like to be able to bring over many of the more highly reguarded European prospects and give them a year in the AHL to adjust to the game and learn the "Process", it would also allow many of the U.S. college players to either grow either in college or as a professional in the AHL as well. In general it would put less pressure on the younger guys to make that next step. The AHL would be a hybred of it's current self as most NHL teams would leave otherwise NHL ready players down on the farm. I am not sure how the less than desirable contracts that the Wild have left over from HWSRN would be effected, would a year fall off of those contracts or would they just be extended out a year for an older version of the same over payed players? This is just something that a friend and I were talking about and I thought I would ask for your input as well.

Lunch with Chuck

2012-01-18T20:25:55Z

As of right now I'm scheduled to have lunch with GM Chuck Fletcher on the 30th of this month as part of winning the Wild's fantasy league last season. The guy that ran the league last year left after the season so I've had to be very patient with the Wild in making sure I didn't get screwed out of my prize. I thought I would throw this up to for people who may have questions they would like me to ask him, within reason of course.

Let's Talk Trade Targets

2012-01-12T21:52:28Z

Every hockey fan loves a good trade. It just makes things so much more interesting for some reason even if it doesn't always work out (see Barker, Cam). The recent injury to PMB coupled with the lingering injury to Latendresse has forced Fletch to openly state he is looking externally for offensive help due to the Wild's lack of internal true offensive depth. Now, before I go any further, I am going to caution you that this will not be a post that will discuss ridiculous trade targets suck as Parise, Getzlaf, Perry, Carter, Ryan, Weber, Suter, etc. Please, if you want to read about those players, give Eklund a buzz. With that said, I am going to do my best to present some possible, more realistic targets and pretend like I know what I'm talking about in analyzing them. Most of these players are secondary options on their present teams, none are really "stars" but a few are paid like them.

One thing that I am having trouble grasping is that Fletch stated he is looking for more longer term options than short-term rentals. I get that he wants to build the team for the future, but if he could do an expiring contract for another expiring contract trade, wouldn't that make a lot of sense especially if he doesn't want to get hamstrung with a bulky contract of an aging veteran down the road even though right now we have a lot of cap space. And away we go:

Tuomo Ruutu - Carolina Hurricanes:

Left Wing - 6' - 205 lbs

44 gp - 14 g - 9 a - 23 pts - 4 ppp - 96 sog - age 29 (almost) - 3.8 mil cap hit

Ruutu seems like he would be a good fit on the left side of the top line. I confess I haven't seen him place since he was in Chicago but the stats on a bad team seem pretty decent. He has an expiring contract and he's from Finalnd so he can Mikko could call for passes in Finnish and fool everyone! He has some playoff experience as well (that's right, I used the "P" word). From the sounds of it, Carolina is going to be asking a steep price for his services, and I think this ultimately rules out the Wild. They would probably want a top prospect in return and that is not going to happen in any trade. If the Hurriances considered taking Haula and Falk in exchange for Ruutu, I'd listen. Long-term, Ruutu could be resigned for a couple seasons and take the place of Latendresse if the organization isn't going to bring him back.

Kristian Huselius - Columbus BJs

Left Wing - 6' - 184 lbs

2 gp - 0 g- 0 a - 0 pts - 0 ppp - 2 sog - age 33 - 4.75 mil cap hit

Okay, I'll admit, this one is a stretch. Since coming to Columbus, the only thing consistent about Huselius is he gets hurt and misses time, I think we've had some wingers like this before. He probably won't be moved until the deadline anyway because he has pretty much not played at all this year and is hurt right now. That said, he has some offensive skil even though his best years game alongside Jarome Iginla and he has an expiring contract. If memory serves correctly, DR pursued this guy when he left Calgary and was spurned in favor of the BJs, how sad. He could play on the left side of Cullen or Koivu and probably will not cost much to get, low level prospect of pick.

Michael Cammalleri - Montreal Canadiens

Winger - 5'9" - 183 lbs

37 gp - 9 g - 13 a - 22 pts - 6 ppp - 111 sog - age 30 (almost) - 6 mil cap hit through 2014

It would appear that Cammalleri is making himself available due to his low stats, high cap hit, and criticism of the Canadiens. The media there has now painted him as a malcontent for having anything negative to say about the terrible Canadiens. If they want to move him, they will have to lower their expectations on the return. He is a pretty expensive player and has a few more years with that cap hit. He has under performed in the regular season since coming to Montreal. His best season came alongside Iginla. As a free agent, I wanted the Wild to pursue him but knew they had no shot. He is a good skater but very tiny player but shoots the puck quite often. He is money in the playoffs though. This would be a ballsy move to take on that high of a cap hit for a couple more seasons but could be worth while if he produces like he has in the past. He could play wing on either line. He may not be the best fit in a defensive system and there is rumor that he is playing through injury right now too. The return would have to be pretty small, I don't see him being moved to any team unless it is a hockey trade or lower picks/prospects.

Frans Nielsen - NY Islanders

Center - 5'11" - 172 lbs

40 gp - 7 g - 13 a - 20 pts - 9 ppp - 66 sog - age 27 - 525k cap hit

Absolutely love this guy. Completely underrated player if you ask me. He's relatively young, cheap, plays great defense, could be a long-term replacement if the organization decides not to re-up Brodziak. Obviously a second line player here, either center or winger and could bump Cullen to wing possibly. I don't think his ceiling is higher than 50 points though. He is available and I don't think he would cost too much, defensive prospect or mid-level pick. Has a nasty shooout move and his name is "Frans," how awesome is that?

Jason Blake - Anaheim Ducks

Left Wing - 5'10" - 190 lbs

7 gp - 0 g - 2 a - 2 pts - 0 ppp - 14 sog - age 38 - 4 mil cap hit

The clock is winding down on Blake after a long, productive career. The injuries are starting to take their toll as well. That said, he is still a great skater, and has playmaking skills. He would be a nice addition to the second line and maybe can work some Moorhead Magic with Cullen. He has an expiring contract and I think it would be ridiculous if the Ducks asked for anything significant for him. Hard to say if he would stay healthy enough to make an impact. He's from Minnesota though so he is already one of the best players on the team, right?

Ryan Malone - Tampa Bay Lightning

Left Wing - 6'4" - 224 lbs

35 gp - 8 g - 14 a - 22 pts - 6 ppp - 67 sog - age 32 - 4.5 mil cap hit through 2015

For some reason, Malone probably seems like the best fit. The Wild pursued him a bit after he became a free agent but he went for riches and a NTC in Tampa. He sometimes looks like a spare part on their roster with all the studs they have there. He played college hockey at St. Cloud so there is a slight chance he would waive the NTC to come here for more of a central roll. He's a big body and would look good on Koivu's left side. He has always been a little injury prone but I guess he would just fit right in with this team then huh? This is also a good fit in theory because we have what Tampa needs, defense and goaltending. A package of Harding and Zanon/Lundin looks good to us but it may need a Haula or low pick included to sweeten the pot. He is expensive for the next few years but we are going to need some vets around for the kids to learn from too. The overall points ceiling is nothing great, but he could pot us a few more goals, that's for sure. He already plays in a defensive system and I don't think I've ever heard him called lazy. He's a proven playoff performer too. This one has a shot.

Teddy Purcell - Tampa Bay Lightning

Right Wing - 6'3" - 202 lbs

40 gp - 7 g - 14 a - 21 pts - 4 ppp - 57 sog - age 26 - 2.632 mil cap hit through 2013

Very similar player to Malone, was a stud at Maine. He's younger, seems to have found his offensive game after bouncing around from a few teams. He has a year left on his reasonable contract so that would play into the building for the future criteria. Not sure if he is a first or second liner with this team. He would probably cost as much as Malone as well. I like this guy but I am not sure if the ceiling is high enough even though he is still a little young. Has a big body but I would like to see more goals, I guess Tampa has Stamkos for that though.

Dustin Penner - LA Kings

Left Wing- 6'4" 245 lbs (that's being generous)

31 gp - 2 g - 7 a - 9 pts - 1 ppp - 56 sog - age 29 - 4.25 mil cap hit

His most recent claim to fame is hurting his back while eating delicious pancakes earlier this week. At first glance, it looks like Penner is washed up. He came to camp overweight and Lombardi pretty much said he would be better suited for beer league softball. I think it is clear that it hasn't worked out in LA and the Oilers are probably laughing their butts off about this one. That said, I still think Penner could be a player and he should be cheap no matter how much Lombardi paid for him. Huge body and very hard to move off the puck. He played like a Burke player in Anaheim which led to the offer sheet and the barn fight that could have been. This guy is a pure rental though, no chance he resigns as he only has eyes for California teams it sounds. He has an expiring contract and has put up decent numbers in the past. Not sure if he would fit in the defenisve system as that seems to be one of the problems in LA right now but he could certainly take the place of the big-bodied left wing on the top line. If he is dirt cheap, I'd take a flier.

Last but certainly not least and not likely at all:

Andrew Brunette - Chicago Blackhawks

Left Wing - 6'1" - 210 lbs

43 gp - 9 g - 7 a - 16 pts - 6 ppp - 50 sog - age 38 - 2 mil cap hit

Ah Bruno, I miss you. True you lost a step last year and the team moved in favor of speed this off-season, but I would probably welcome you back with open arms. I think the Wild miss him behind the net dishing to his teammates more than we would like to think. I think we miss his ability to keep the play alive in the offensive zone down low and keep the cycle going. I know we miss his net presence and greasy goals and probably leadership too. I don't really think he has found a home with the Hawks but he wanted a shot to win a cup and will have a better chance there than here. Plus he loves Coach Q. I miss Bruno. I was sad to see him go, but understood why. But just imagine for one second, Bruno does a ton of work to set up Heatley instead of Mittens, think of all those goals! Bottom line, the Hawks have no reason to trade him and I listed him out of nostalgia.

There are probably a lot more players that I have not thought of that the team could target as well. I tried to look at this as realistically as possible as it gets tiring hearing from the rumor mongers that all star players avaialble that never are. I listed players who will probably be on the move somewhere soon, so why not the Wild. I should also add here that some of these folks had pretty high contracts in the coming seasons which could hinder us in free agency this summer, not something I want to see happen. We'll see if Fletch can make something happen and if it works out. I hope you enjoyed reading if you made it this far!

All numbers taken from capgeek.com or yahoo sports.

Seto

2012-01-11T14:31:12Z

So now that we have the info that Setoguchi allegedly missed the San Jose game because he was out with his old teammates the night before and missed the morning team meeting (http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/137071673.html), how do we respond?

I for one, am a bit bothered. I understand that guys make life-long friendships on teams that they then get traded away from, and I'm not saying I won't get over this (hell, I'd get over it in a day if he puts a couple in vs. Chicago). However, I can't help but feel a bit, I don't know, betrayed? He was brought here to be a key offensive contributor. The Wild have been DYING for offense and wins, and just found out PMB is down again. Take that into account plus coming back from his own injury and trying to get himself and the team back on track, I'm not sure Seto could have picked a worse possible time to pull this. It makes me feel like he'd still rather be in San Jose.

Now I'm probably overreacting, but is anyone else as irritated as I am by this?

Tampa Bay interested in Josh Harding?

2012-01-05T20:31:03Z

When Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman was spotted Wednesday night at a game between the Vancouver Canucks and the Minnesota Wild, speculation increased that he's considering making a move. But Tampa Bay's problems are such that it's hard to pinpoint whether he was taking a look at Josh Harding, Minnesota's backup goaltender who could be a worthy replacement to struggling Mathieu Garon or 42-year-old Dwayne Roloson, or the deep corps of defensemen on both the Wild and the Canucks. There's a good chance it was probably both.

Katie Baker, Grantland.com

Obviously this is not taken as a rumor or any kind of lead but it could make sense since we all know Harding is our best bet at being dealt.

What would be reasonable as a trade if we did in fact deal with Tampa Bay?

Be The Coach

2011-12-31T03:00:43Z

Okay folks, it's debate time.

In a perfect world where the Wild have a fully-fit squad, what would be your ideal starting lines. I know you're an opinionated bunch, so post your preffered line-up. I'm interested to hear your theories.

For me it's:

Setoguchi-Koivu-Heatley

Bouchard-Cullen-Latendresse

Clutterbuck (Powe)-Broziak-Johnson

Gillies-Powe (Almond//McIntyre)-Kassian

Spurgeon-Scandella

Falk (Lundin)-Schultz

Stoner (Zanon)-Zidlicky (Prosser)

Your turn!

Which Former MN High School player would you like to see come to the Wild?

2011-12-26T20:52:29Z

I have been following the wild as much as I can over here in Kuwait and as luck would have it they seem to be doing terrible lately, right before I am coming home for leave. I really can't wait to see them play San Jose on the 10th at home, hopefully Setoguchi is back by then, does ANYONE know what his issue is? We need him back badly. I heard an exciting rumour of Zach Parise coming here next year to play with us and I love seeing former MN High School players on the wild. Let's get Jamie Langenbrunner and T.J. Oshie on the Wild for next year too! Then we need to convince San Jose to give us Burns back to fill in that gap on the Blue Line. Anyone know what kind of trades we could do to make this happen? Minnesotan's would love it if we could get another hard hitting player like Oshie on with the team, imagine a Clutterbuck, Oshie line! Of course this may be just a dream but it would be great to see it happen! Happy Holidays Minnesota Wild fans and see you at the game soon!!

Poll

Which former Minnesota High School Hockey Player would you like to see come to the Wild?

T.J. Oshie

9 votes

Zach Parise

53 votes

Jamie Langenbrunner

1 votes

Alex Goligoski

6 votes

Johnathon Toews

14 votes

83 votes | Poll has closed