SB Nation - Colton Gillies

On "He Who Shall No Longer be Mentioned"

BReynolds — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:45:59 -0000

More photos » by Paul Battaglia - AP

"He Who Shall No Longer be Mentioned" would never have made the moves to bring these two guys into the fold. That would have been taking a chance, and that would just be wrong.

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Today, Puck Daddy has a post about the top ten GMs of the past decade. No, "He Who Shall No Longer be Mentioned" is not truly part of the list, but Wysh gives us this comment while discussing his number 10 pick:

"This could have easily been David Poile of the Nashville Predators or Doug Risebrough of the Minnesota Wild, managing small payrolls and keeping their expansion franchises competitive for most of the decade."

If by "keeping them competitive" you mean that "He Who Shall No Longer be Mentioned" traded away draft picks like they were toilet paper and left the prospect cupboard completely bare, allowing for absolutely no future improvement.

Or maybe it means alienating the only true star the franchise has ever seen.

Or perhaps it is the misuse of the few prospects they did have, such as Colton Gilles and James Sheppard. Gilles' free agent clock is now ticking as he played too many games and Sheppard can't go down to the AHL without waivers, making it impossible to give him the minutes and responsibility he needs to progress, and likely costing him his career in Minnesota at some point in the near future.

Or perhaps "keeping them competitive" means managing the team into infinite mediocrity by bringing in mediocre free agents and forcing a great (although sour puss) coach to work a defensive system that could have put a tweaker to sleep.

Or perhaps it was the trade for Crazy Chris Simon for a sixth round pick at the deadline, so Simon could play in what, six games?

Sure, they made the playoffs. Sure, they even won a division title. Know what they didn't do? Get better. Ever. They got lucky run to go to the conference finals, and after that, nothing. "Keeping them competitive" makes me think of how retail stores say their prices are "competitive," which of course, means they are exactly the same as everyone else. Fans don't want "competitive." They want winners.

"He Who Shall No Longer be Mentioned" is not a winner. No team he has ever been the GM of has gotten better in his time there. Ask the Flames. The Wild are hamstrung for the foreseeable future while Chuck Fletcher first has to undo the damage caused by "He Who Shall No Longer be Mentioned" before he can then make the team better.

I likely should not take too much offense to the one obscure line in an otherwise very good post from Wysh, but anytime "He Who Shall No Longer be Mentioned" is given any kind of credit for anything, it makes my stomach turn.

-Buddha

Michael Russo Interview with Hockey Wilderness

nathaneide — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:10:13 -0000

If you follow the Wild, you live and die by the words of Star Tribune Wild beat writer Michael Russo. We are fortunate enough to have one of the best beat writers in the NHL covering our squad. And I was lucky enough to get 20 minutes of his time this morning as he was headed to the X. I'm hoping I didn't make too big a fool out of myself and get a chance to speak with Mr. Russo again once the season is underway.

Hockey Wilderness: What is different about covering this regime compared to Lemaire/Risebrough?

Michael Russo: I loved dealing with Jacques. He was outstanding for what we need. Joked around, had fun. I had a lot of respect for him. I respect Todd too, don't get me wrong, but there's a feeling out process here. Jacques was brutally honest. Ask him how a guy played and he was straight with everyone. Sometimes he would tick off the player. Todd will very rarely rip a player. Monday night, I had to ask about Kim Johnsson playing terribly. He wouldn't insult my intelligence by denying it, but spins it into a positive.

I liked Doug. Doug was great talking about players, but wouldn't talk about moves, rumors, etc. Chuck's much more transparent. I have a great working relationship with him, going back to 1995 in Florida, where I covered 7 of his 9 years there.

Who has been the best quote you've covered?

Jeremy Roenick, Brett Hull were always fantastic, though I never got a chance to cover them extensively. Of the guys I have covered, Mark Parrish, Len Barrie, Ray Whitney, Mike Sillinger, Olli Jokinen were always great. Currently Eric Belanger is brutally honest and a great quote. Derek Boogaard and Brent Burns are hilarious. Brian Rolston was great to deal with and rarely spoke in cliches, which is always nice for a journalist.

From a journalists perspective, what's the major difference you've seen pre and post-lockout?

Before the lockout, you had to really work sources to get info on a contract. Now it's an email away. With the cap, teams want you to be accurate with what you write. No GM wants it out there that they have $8M of space when it's really $1.2.

As far as the on-ice product, it's just 10 times better. Gone is the clutch and grab of the Roger Neilson and Doug MacLean-era Panthers. It was ugly, but successful. Now, we've evolved past that.

What has been the most fun you've had covering a team?

It's gotta be that 95-96 Panthers team. Shocked the world, went to the Stanley Cup. That was the year of the rat. Florida was playing in the decrepit Miami Arena, and before a game there was a rat running across the locker room. Scott Mellanby winds up and takes a slapper at the rat into a wall, killing it. He then goes out, scores twice and John Vanbiesbrouck calls it the "Rat Trick". Well, you've all seen the YouTube videos of thousands of plastic rats raining down onto the ice. There are great shots of guys like Barrasso hiding in the net from the rats. That was a special season and the most fun I've had covering a team.

Winter Classic, Yay or Nay? If the Wild were to get one, would you want to have it held at TCF Bank Stadium or Target Field? Who would you choose to have the Wild play?

I'm for it. I haven't been inside Target Field, but TCF Bank Stadium is a great environment, and with that open end would be a great place for it. If it were me, I'd pick Vancouver because there's a hatred there.

What is still the biggest unanswered question for the upcoming season?

Boy, there are so, so many. But the main one is will they be able to turn the switch and be consistent in the new system? They did it in bits and pieces. There were 5 minutes stretches against Philly that were really fun to watch, but they gave up 39 shots and 35 quality chances. They can't do that and be successful.

Who is your impact guy?

[Brent] Burns is the guy who is going to be key. He looks like he's going to be extraordinary in the new system. He shouldn't be unheralded, but Greg Zanon is a fantastic signing. Now he isn't going to score 14 goals like Marc-Andre Bergeron, but he's going to block 300 shots and be the guy on the ice at the end of the game. He puts his body in harms way night in and night out, and risks injuries. If he stays healthy, he will be a rock solid defender.

We've heard that Josh Harding is going to get more time this season. Is that to showcase him for say ... Chicago? What kind of player/pick/prospect can we expect for Harding?

They could've traded him by now for picks and prospects. What they're hoping for is a team like Chicago or a true conteder to suffer an injury and need a goalie. There's no rush right now though. He's too precious an asset to give up for nothing. They would love to turn him into a scorer, and that's the way I see this going. That being said, he isn't an unrestricted free agent after this season, so they can still take their time and get the best deal possible.

Versus v. DirectTV. Whose fault is it?

I don't know whose fault it is, but its gotta get fixed. It makes the league look amateur. It needs to get resolved and Comcast and DirectTV need to get it taken care of. Both are NHL partners and the league may have to step in. You can't have your national partner on Satellite.

Is this a rebuilding team?

This is a better team than last year. They missed by 3 pts, added a perennial star in Martin Havlat, added a 25 goal guy in Petr Sykora. This is a transitional year. The problem is that everyone else got better too, and has better, younger talent than the Wild. If this were a Lemaire team, in that system, they'd make the playoffs. No knock against Richards, but it takes time to install a new system. I've covered a rebuilding team. This is definitely not a rebuilding team. I disagree with anyone who says this is a rebuilding year or that last years' team was better. This is a team that has to learn a new system, has a horrible road schedule and is in the hardest conference. Next season, they're in the playoffs. Houston will be a better team this year too. They have more NHL experience. They have guys like Andy Hilbert, Colton Gillies, Petr Kalus, Craig Weller, and those guys who are ready to come up will be able to produce, and remember this was a team that was a round away from the AHL title last season. Fans will have to be patient at the beginning, but this is a year in transition, not rebuilding.

Colton Gillies assigned to Houston, Craig Weller and Nathan Smith on waivers, Andy Hilbert update

nathaneide — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:58:14 -0000

According to Michael Russo and sources close to the team, Colton Gillies has been assigned to Houston, where he will start the season with the Aeros, getting a lot of game time. This is probably the best course of action to make sure he's ready when he gets the call, and I can't imagine he doesn't get a call at some point this season.

Craig Weller and Nathan Smith have been placed on waivers, and will likely clear and head to Houston as well.

Andy Hilbert will not be heading to Philadelphia for the final preseason game with the Flyers. Russo is reporting that Hilbert has likely been given a two-way offer to start the season in Houston and Todd Richards is waiting on Hilbert's decision.

Rosters need to be finalized on Wednesday, by 2:00pm.

Minnesota Wild @ Chicago Blackhawks: Game Recap

nathaneide — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 04:24:02 -0000

More photos » by Charles Cherney - AP

2 months ago: Chicago Blackhawks' Rob Klinkhammer, center, celebrates with teammates Brent Seabrook (7) and Jake Dowell (8) after tipping in the winning goal during the third period of a preseason NHL hockey game against the Minnesota Wild in Chicago on Friday, Sept. 25, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Cherney)

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Minnesota Wild 3-4 Chicago Blackhawks

At least Martin Havlat looks game ready.

The Wild tonight could only amass 18 shots. Things aren't still aren't looking so good for the new system. However, it's hard to tell if it's injuries to regulars that is having this effect, or if it's because the guys aren't grasping the system very well. In the first, the Wild played its best period of hockey in the preseason. They looked like they had captured the essence of the new offense with nine shots and two goals (one by James Sheppard on a great feed from Martin Havlat and one by Brent Burn, rocketing home a slapper from a nice pass from Greg Zanon), but things unraveled in the second.

The second period was a flashback to December of 2008. Guys were out of position, the team was scuffling to clear the zone. Passes were ineffectual. Players tried to do too much and they were penned in their own zone.

The worst part of the preseason has to be the injuries, but injuries happen in the NHL and teams need to overcome them in order to succeed. Everyone on the ice needs to be on the same page, or at least in the same playbook. As Michael Russo stated however,

Richards said he’s using St. Louis and Chicago as a measuring stick, and the Wild has a lot of work to do. He wants the Wild to take a page out of the Blackhawks’ book. Chicago’s forwards pursue the puck relentlessly, Richards said, while the Wild continues to have one forward go and two hang back — a staple of yesteryear, he says.

This is disheartening. The Wild are still getting lazy and falling back into old habits.

Speaking of injuries, Kim Johnsson left the game with a leg injury of some kind. The team has not released the extent of his injury, but Todd Richards indicated that it might be a result of Johnsson's first back to back games of the year. If this is the case, it could be a groin, or just soreness. Let's hope that's all it is. Johnsson is going to need to be 100% this season. He'll be one of the go to guys on the blue line. He'll be responsible for leading the break and using some of that offense he had in Philadelphia, before losing it in Lemaire's system.

And speaking of Philadelphia (nice segue, huh?) the Wild end the preseason against the Flyers, then rosters need to be in place by 2pm on Wednesday.

The final cuts will be interesting. The Wild is $797,000 of the $56.8 million cap with 24 players, one more than they’re allowed. But Derek Boogaard probably starts the season on IR to get to 23, but that doesn’t solve the cap problems - Russo

So, what do you do? My gut says Colton Gillies, Matt Kassian, Danny Irmen, Robbie Earl, Nathan Smith and Scott are headed to Houston. Andy Hilbert, Nathan Smith and Jaime Sifers make the squad. Marco Scandella heads back to the Q. This leaves Craig Weller. If I remember correctly, he can go to Houston without waivers, but has a one-way contract. I just don't know what goes on there, but I think he stays. Let's see who is on the ice for Philly.

Hockey Wilderness Three Stars

Patrick Kane (2 G)
Martin Havlat (1 G, 1 A)
Antti Miettinen (2 A)

Questions to Answer

Will Martin Havlat be booed or cheered? I'm not certain what happened here.
With no Danny Irmen and no Robbie Earl, does Andy Hilbert actually make the squad? I think he does. He's put in a fantastic camp.
Is anyone else sick of watching the Houston Aeros, and can't wait to see the Wild actually take the ice? I definitely want to see the regulars.
Will there be less confusion amongst the Wild tonight? For one period, yeah.
Why have the Wild played 5 games and the Blackhawks only 3? They are playing exhibition games in Switzerland, then starting the season there against the Florida Panthers.

Wild vs Blackhawks coverage

Wild vs Blackhawks recap

2009-10 Minnesota Wild Season Preview

nathaneide — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:00:16 -0000

In conjunction with the rest of SBNation Hockey, and James Mirtle's From the Rink, today we bring you Hockey Wilderness' season preview for the 2009-2010 edition of your Minnesota Wild

Editor note: This is entire based upon the roster as of 9/23/09

2008/2009 Recap

The 2008-2009 season for the Minnesota Wild was one of massive ups and downs. What started in October and November as one of the most successful starts to a season in team history, suddenly devolved in December to an unmitigated disaster.

December was the worst month in the short history of the Minnesota Wild, and paired with the increased expectations based upon the start to the season, and the continued injuries to Marian Gaborik, set in motion the beginning of the end for Doug Risebrough and Jacques Lemaire.

2008-2009 was supposed to be the season where the Wild host a first round playoff series, get into the second round, and potentially ride a hot Niklas Backstrom further than that.

What instead happened was a season of a coach losing his players, a general manager losing his fanbase and a franchise in transition.

Who's In

Martin Havlat

#14 / Right Wing / Minnesota Wild

Height: 6-2

Weight: 217

Born: Apr 19, 1981

Some say that the Wild are simply trading one oft-injured, scoring phenom for another, but if the last two seasons are any indication, Martin Havlat will have a major impact on the Minnesota Wild. He is already ingratiating himself to the home crowd, and the scoring touch was evident from the 84 second mark of his first appearance in the Iron Range Red. If Havlat stays healthy, he will single-handedly replace the scoring lost from the departure of Marian Gaborik.

Petr Sykora

#17 / Right Wing / Minnesota Wild

Height: 6-0

Weight: 190

Born: Nov 19, 1976

Yes, hes a 32 (soon to be 33) year old veteran, but he has 10 consecutive seasons of 20+ goals. On a team with a history of offensive anemia, Sykora will be a godsend. He gives the Wild a third man to get the goals down low, and is what the Wild have sorely lacked for a while, a true finisher.

Kyle Brodziak

#21 / Center / Minnesota Wild

Height: 6-2

Weight: 209

Born: May 25, 1984

The centerman came over from Edmonton, and gave the Wild a solid player to center the second or third line, depending upon the play of James Sheppard. Brodziak provides skill at the faceoff dot, and has proven himself thus far to be able to make plays happen and finish on occasion.

Greg Zanon

#6 / Defenseman / Minnesota Wild

Height: 5-11

Weight: 211

Born: Jun 05, 1980

The University of Nebraska-Omaha product was a stalwart on the blue line for the Nashville Predators, and will provide defensive stability, shot blocking and positional play that the Wild have missed for a while. He and Nick Schultz are now the two guys who should be noticed by going unnoticed.

Shane Hnidy

#34 / Defenseman / Minnesota Wild

Height: 6-2

Weight: 204

Born: Nov 08, 1975

The Sheriff will be a stand-up defenseman. He'll play the physical game, taking out onrushing forwards, play dirty in the corners and clear out the low slot, something the Wild have been needing for a while. Boston Bruins fans, however, have not been enamored with his play, so he'll have something to prove.

Jaime Sifers

#26 / Defenseman / Minnesota Wild

Height: 5-11

Weight: 210

Born: Jan 18, 1983

Not much is known about the AHL-heavy Sifers. Frankly, we have no idea if he'll actually make the team, though it seems a good possibility that even if he doesn't, he'll be on the shortlist from Houston. Sifers will be the kind of guy to play solid defense and make the breakout pass from time to time. His job, however, will be to play down low and clear traffic.

Who's Out

Marian Gaborik
Marc-Andre Bergeron
Stephane Veilleux
Martin Skoula
Dan Fritsche

Outlook for 2009-2010

Umm, frankly, we have no idea what to expect. As I stated previously, this new leadership will have some latitude to establish a new presence and identity. There will likely be growing pains and the cupboard is still relatively bare. That being said, this is still a hockey town, and if things aren't going well early on, there will be complaints. Pair the transitional season with a weak economy and there's a good chance the sellout streak will end this year.

Calgary, Vancouver and Edmonton all got better. The Wild ... well only time will tell. If Owen Nolan has the same season he had last year, Havlat and Sykora perform up to their proven capabilities and Sheppard, Gillies, Koivu and Bouchard pick up their performance from last year, the forwards should score more goals than last season.

Will the defensive additions (and those additions by subtraction) help in quelling the inevitable tide of onrushing forwards as the Wild change their strategy to two forecheckers and less emphasis on defensive coverage? Who knows? But, what we do know is that if we start seeing a lot of 5-2 or 5-3 losses and 24 million dollar man, Niklas Backstrom sees his GAA rise toward 3.00 and above, the Xcel Energy Center fans may not give Richards and Fletcher the time they need to build a new team before letting everyone know how they feel.

Prediction

4th in the Northwest
10th in the conference
40-35-7 for 87 points

X-Factor

I'm sure a lot of you are expecting Martin Havlat to be the x-factor for the Wild this season. I, however, do not. I think he'll perform to expectations, and likely beyond. However, the team will live and die by the scoring of guys not named Havlat, Sykora, Koivu, Nolan or Brunette. The guy who has been on the "breakout" list every season, yet can't seem to find his rhythm is our own Pierre-Marc Bouchard. Butch makes $4.25M, $4.25M, $4.25M, $ 4.3M over the next four seasons, and needs to finally perform to that contract. He's a guy built for the "new" NHL, and with Richards' proclivity to set his lines, will need to find a connection with his linemates and decide whether he's a playmaker or a finisher. Bouchard can make passes nobody else on this team can make, and his vision is second to none. If it were me, I'd put him between Owen Nolan and Colton Gillies. That line would give size, grit and speed. Bouchard would be able to take the puck down the half-wall, spin away from the corner and center it to Nolan in the slot. Bouchard's problem thus far is that he hasn't had a finisher on his line. With a guy like Nolan, and a physical presence like Gillies, Bouchard could be the one to give the Wild a great chance to make the playoffs.

Minnesota Wild make cuts, Petr Sykora signs, Nobody named Captain

nathaneide — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:49:46 -0000

Wild signs Sykora; Lineup for Friday’s game vs. Columbus
The Wild signed winger Petr Sykora today to a one-year contract for $1.6 million. The signing leaves the team $800,000 from salary cap, meaning it’ll be much harder for forwards Colton Gillies and Andy Hilbert to make the team.

Wild make first round of cuts

Sykora takes to new team right away | StarTribune.com
Despite a four-hour drive to Prague, a flight to Amsterdam and a cross-Atlantic journey on Tuesday, Petr Sykora practiced with the Wild on Wednesday afternoon. Yes, there were signs of jet lag, but Sykora, one of the NHL's most consistent goal scorers for a decade, filled the back of the net and was so vocal you would have sworn he'd been hanging with his new teammates for years.

New Wild sniper Petr Sykora has simple game plan: I shoot - TwinCities.com
Petr Sykora stepped on the Xcel Energy Center ice wearing Wild gear for the first time Wednesday and appeared right at home. "No need for him to be nervous," coach Todd Richards said. "I'm sure he's been in a lot more situations than I've been in."

In Wild coach Todd Richards' grade book, no one has earned a 'C' yet - TwinCities.com
Coach Todd Richards declined to hand out the captain's "C" for the Wild's first exhibition game Tuesday night against the Blues in St. Louis, which the Wild lost 3-1. "To me, that's an important thing," he said. "You don't just throw it around, put it on guys. It signifies something. Again, it's something we'll spend a lot of time on, and we'll take our time."

Players get bit of a breather after camp's brisk start | StarTribune.com
"The last couple days have been hard practices, and talking to the players, there's a little bit of soreness and fatigue," Richards said. "The fourth day of training camp is a little hump to get over. We looked it as a day where we can teach something and get something out of it while also letting the guys recover." Richards unveiled what could be the first power-play unit -- forwards Andrew Brunette, Mikko Koivu and Martin Havlat with point men Marek Zidlicky and Brent Burns.

Wild Links: Martin Havlat, Colton Gillies, Puck Daddy Preview

nathaneide — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:32:05 -0000

More photos » by Andy King - AP

3 months ago: Minnesota Wild right wind Owen Nolan skates of the ice after getting a hit by a puck on the first day of practice for the NHL hockey team in St. Paul, Minn. Sunday Sept. 13, 2009.(AP Photo/Andy King)

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Yeah, I don't necessarily have anything to add to this picture, but I love Owen Nolan.

There's a lot to like about Wild's Havlat, on and off the ice | StarTribune.com
There's something too good to be true about Martin Havlat -- the biggest free-agent acquisition in Wild history. On the ice, he's a special player, a flashy, fast difference-maker who can score goals in imaginative ways.

Wrecker making name as a worker | StarTribune.com
There are a lot of reasons Colton Gillies has earned the nickname "Crash" around the Wild locker room, reasons that extend beyond nailing Jacques Lemaire in the back with a puck last season. "Let me tell you the true story how Gillies became 'Crash' in all of our eyes," said teammate Brent Burns, Gillies' unofficial big brother. "Yeah, he almost killed Jacques last year, but it also comes from killing every goalie he ever practices with by running them accidentally. "In the first skate we had this year, a 3-on-3 charity game, he runs into the net and knocks it off.

Richards gets a refresher on bench management | StarTribune.com
Rookie coach Todd Richards admitted after Tuesday night's 3-1 preseason-opening loss to the St. Louis Blues that he needs the work, too.

Preview: Introducing the 2009-10 Minnesota Wild! - Puck Daddy - NHL - Yahoo! Sports
Puck Daddy agrees with Hockey Wilderness on this year's Wild squad. Oh, and he reached out to a few of us for thoughts. It's a good read.

Minnesota Wild @ St. Louis Blues: Game Recap

nathaneide — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:13:15 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

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Minnesota Wild 1-3 St. Louis Blues

Well, since this isn't on TV, we'll let the esteemed Michael Russo take over from here:

Wild lost 3-1 at St. Louis, but as mentioned in the paper, Wild brought its minor-league team mostly and St. Louis many of its real players. Of the Wild guys, you’ll like Greg Zanon. Steady Eddy, and tough as nails. As advertised, just throws himself in front of shots. Shane Hnidy had some Martin Skoula moments, but also tough as nails in a different way. Won’t back down to anyone. James Sheppard played well. Kyle Brodziak was all over the place. I don’t see a ton of skill there, but won 13 of 16 draws (as you all know, the Wild need that) and had six shots. To me, he’s a center, not wing. Andy Hilbert worked his you know what off, but he’s thrown down pretty easily and as mentioned previously, with Petr Sykora here now, it’ll be a little more difficult for him to make the team. Craig Weller and Colton Gillies were minus-3’s. Benoit Pouliot scored a goal and didn’t back down physically in skirmishes, but there’s still a lack of drive every shift.

So ... as said yesterday, this team wasn't supposed to win. This was simply to find out who is ready to learn the system and who should just get on the plane and head to Houston ASAP.

Hockey Wilderness Three Stars

Benoit Pouliot (1 G)
Matt Kassian (first NHL action ever)
Todd Richards (There has to be some reason the team had 34 shots, right?)

Questions to Answer

Who are these guys? Your 2009-2010 Houston Aeros!
What can we possibly take away from Todd Richards' first game with this roster? They'll shoot the puck.
Will Petr Kalus and Benoit Pouliot find new life with a new coach and GM? Pouliot scored and played physically, but inconsistently. Kalus played physically but inconsistently. Sounds like same old same old with these guys.
Why is St. Louis taking this game this seriously? As it turns out, they're jumping right into it, heading to Sweden for exhibition play. Oh, and it was a home game. We'd be pissed too if last night's Wild lineup was out there this Friday.
How effing happy are you that hockey is back??? You have no idea.

Summer Hockey Fill: Get to know the Minnesota Wild

Jim Schmiedeberg — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:00:16 -0000

The hockey managers at SBNation decided to pair up and swap a few questions about their respective teams. In a strange bit of irony, Blueshirt Banter was paired up with Hockey Wilderness, the SBNation blog for the Minnesota Wild. Nathan and his team do a great job over there; make sure you check out their site.

Without further ado, here is what Nathan and I discussed regarding the Wild's upcoming season.

Blueshirt Banter: The Wild made a couple of great hiring's at GM and head coach. After many years of playing Jacques Lemaire's system, do the Wild have the right players for what is expected to be a much more offensive-minded system under new coach Todd Richards?

Hockey Wilderness: The right players? That is the ultimate question, isn't it? The Wild, never known for their offensive prowess, will suddenly find themselves in a new system with players drafted, developed and evaluated on their abilities to play positionally, play a puck possession/counter-attacking offense, take few chances and always know where their defensive responsibility lies. Players like Mikko Koivu, Nick Schultz, Antti Miettinen, Eric Belanger, Kim Johnsson, Cal Clutterbuck and Martin Skoula have found (reasonable in some cases) success in Jacques Lemaire's system, because they weren't expected to be everything to everyone. They were expected to stop the other team from scoring first, make offensive plays second.

Players like Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Marek Zidlicky, Marc-Andre Bergeron, Benoit Pouliot, Colton Gillies and James Sheppard who found themselves in Lemaire's doghouse for taking risks in the offensive zone and abandoning their defensive responsibilities or not back-checking as hard as possible, will likely find the new system refreshing, as they'll probably have much more latitude with the puck.

Guys like Andrew Brunette and Owen Nolan can find a home in any system. Anyone who can create traffic and score down low will find a spot on an NHL roster and succeed. Guys like John Scott, Derek Boogaard and Craig Weller were a staple in the old NHL, but having three on a roster in the new NHL and particularly in a free-flowing system, might find themselves on the outside looking in.

BSB: The injuries to Marian Gaborik are well documented, but after Gaborik left to sign with the Rangers, the Wild signed a player who has also had his fair share of injuries, Martin Havlat. I know many of your readers were not all that sad to see Gaborik leave for NY, but how have they reacted to the Havlat signing?

HW: Havlat is the kind of guy who, like Marian Gaborik, would find a home on any roster because they can make plays and put the puck in the net. The fans have been drawn to Havlat like moths to a flame because of his talent and on-ice determination to score, not to mention his twitter-driven openness. Gaborik had none of that in the eyes of many. I don't speak for many Wild fans when I say that I was absolutely crushed to see Gaby leave Minnesota. I think he would have been a 50+ goal guy on a Todd Richards team. It's as if they remember only the injuries and attitude of Gaborik, but ignore all of Havlat's injury history. We'll see what happens when Gaborik plays 65 games for the Blueshirts and goes for 85 points.

All this being said, the biggest question will be the impact on Niklas Backstrom and Josh Harding. Going back to Manny Fernandez and Dwayne Roloson, the Wild have had fantastic goaltending numbers, which many believed to be inflated due to the system. Backstrom signed a massive deal last season, and Harding will likely be tradebait this year to bring in young offensive talent. But if they suddenly find that the kinds of quality chances that the opposition had been denied for so long in Minnesota start showing up and Backstrom nears a 3.00 GAA, you might find people turning on Backs in a hurry or dreaming for the days of "The Trap."

Thanks again to Nathan over at Hockey Wilderness. My answers to his questions about the Rangers are up on their site today.

Dany Heatley Trade Rumor and More

nathaneide — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:41:26 -0000

Here are your headlines for the week

Sens Chirp: Deadline Eve

Here we sit, the night before the deadline in the Dany Heatley sweepstakes and it sounds like the Minnesota Wild have tabled an offer that will be tough for Murray to turn down. While the proposed deal does not include stud defenceman Brent Bruns, it does apparently include Mikko Koivu, Nick Schultz and Tyler Cuma. Rumours are there would be other pieces involved both on Ottawa's end as well as Minnesota's. Sounds like the swap could include a salary dump on Ottawa's end and potentially Colton Gillies coming back from Minnesota. By all indications there is a very solid offer coming from Minnesota although Ottawa is trying to see if they can include Martin Havlat in the package. Even if the Wild decide not to include Havlat, they will still have a very legitimate offer on the table for Heatley.

Win an autographed Minnesota Wild jersey!

The Minnesota Wild 2009-10 season is almost here! To get you ready for the season, KARE 11 is giving away Wild gear! Register below to win a Minnesota Wild jersey, autographed by Colton Gilles jersey!

Metro - Halifax : Blog : The Q Files : Knotek going to Wild camp, too

Tomas Knotek has received his second straight invite to an NHL prospects tournament with the Minnesota Wild. The reigning Halifax Mooseheads MVP will compete with the Wild at the annual event in Traverse City, Mich., in September. He had 20 goals and 29 assists for 49 points in 52 games last season with the Mooseheads