Wilderness Walk: Boredom

I'm bored.

It’s Day One of the bye week for the Minnesota Wild. No organized team activities are allowed. Hopefully the players are able to rest up and prepare mentally and physically for the frankly insane pace of the remaining season (looking at you, NHL schedulers). Once the Wild are back in action, they won’t have more than one day off between games with a single exception (two days between playing on the road in Columbus before returning home to face the Sharks). I know most teams have justifiable criticisms for how their seasons were structured, but it has become a frustrating trend that the Wild face a grinding pace at the end of their season every year. I’m starting to suspect it is being done on purpose.

I’ll have plenty of time to develop my conspiracy theory revolving around NHL schedulers and Minnesota’s success as there is no Wild hockey at either the NHL or AHL level during the bye. So find yourself some high school or college games to watch, or work on developing a second favorite NHL team. Preferably one from the Eastern Conference.

Don’t pick the Penguins, though. Don’t be that guy.

Wild News

Bye re-entry has been rough on NHL. Wild don't care
MN Wild enter the league-mandated bye week eager for rest, unafraid of losing momentum.

Wild ponders options as NHL trade deadline nears - StarTribune.com
If the Wild wants to survive potential injuries and fatigue during the stretch run and chore through what it hopes is four playoff rounds, improving the forward depth may be the team's biggest need.

Fixing the Wild's 4th Line Carousel

On Frozen Pond

Minnesota Boys High School Sectional Preview - SB Nation College Hockey
The best two weeks of high school hockey in Minnesota, and arguably two of the best weeks of amateur hockey anywhere began on Tuesday night with the beginning of the Minnesota boys high school...

Team of the Week: Minnesota : College Hockey News
When the creation of the Big Ten Hockey Conference in 2013 coincided with some down years by recent powerhouses, it brought with it squeals of delight from those who have wanted to see the new conference ...

Looking back at Miracle on Ice, friendship with Herb Brooks - Sportsnet.ca
I learned over those last few years of Herb Brooks' life, how much he loved the game. And how he loved to teach the game. I probably should have listened a bit more.

Off the Trail

30 Thoughts: Red Wings telling teams they're 'open for business' - Sportsnet.ca
The Detroit Red Wings have put the NHL on notice that they are open for business ahead of the trade deadline. That and more in the latest 30 Thoughts.

Five best single-game outputs from brothers on anniversary of Stastnys’ big night | The Hockey News
The Stastnys, Peter and Anton, combined for 16 points on this date in 1981. No sibling duo has matched the mark, but the past 30 years has seen some great offensive nights from brothers.

Down Goes Brown: Five teams with the toughest deadline buy/sell dilemma | The Hockey News
As we count down to the March 1 trade deadline, here are five of the teams that present the toughest buy-or-sell call.